Four-day workweek becoming common at small businesses
As larger companies continue to harden their return-to-office mandates, the flexibility uniquely offered by small businesses might become increasingly attractive to job seekers.
Workplace Issues
Articles
Wave of retirements leaving some U.S. industries desperate to hire
Since 2019, the proportion of retirees in the U.S. population has risen from 18% to nearly 20%—equivalent to about 3.5 million fewer workers. And the trend seems sure to accelerate.
Indiana executive-branch employee misreported work hours, report finds
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office declined to file criminal charges in the case because the state employee paid back the full amount of $7,617.50 in restitution.
Meat plant cleaning service fined $1.5M for hiring minors
The 13 plants where violations were found were in Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas.
Tale of two downtowns: $9B set to be invested in projects, even as business district struggles with recovery
Many parts of downtown are thriving—particularly neighborhoods, where rents are rising, people have to stand in line for a lunch table, and investments are flowing. Other parts—especially downtown’s central core, where many workers might come to the office only once or twice a week—are limping along, pockmarked by vacant storefronts, panhandlers and crumbling sidewalks.
Worker burnout even worse than at peak of pandemic
The pain is particularly acute outside the U.S., where the burnout rate has been rising enough to offset slight improvements seen by American workers.
Pay-transparency trend reaches Indiana as push for equity gains momentum
Compensation has long been a taboo topic around most watercoolers, but that’s changing as more states are forcing companies to open up about their salaries.
FTC proposes rule that would ban noncompete clauses
The FTC proposal is based on a preliminary finding that noncompete clauses quash competition in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Section 5 bans unfair methods of competition.
COVID continues to create child care disruptions
For working parents of young children, it seems the rest of the world has moved on from the pandemic. But unending illness and child care disruptions have upended these families’ lives.
Congress expands protections for pregnant and nursing workers
Experts say the provisions will help close the gender wage gap and improve conditions for pregnant workers, especially in physically demanding jobs.
Study: Incentives can lead employees to cheat or lie at work
Leaders usually deploy incentives with the aim of boosting their organization’s performance, but the focus on rewards can “open you up to overlooking other important values,” the lead author of the study said.
The great mismatch: Remote jobs in demand, but positions drying up
The scaling back of remote-work policies is among the first and most visible signs of a changing job market.
Vet industry challenged by employee shortage, stressful conditions
Shorthanded veterinary clinics are being slammed by the high number of pets acquired during the pandemic and a worsening shortage of workers, from support staff to veterinarians themselves.
Experts perplexed as U.S. workers get way less productive
In the first half of 2022, productivity—the measure of how much output in goods and services an employee can produce in an hour—plunged by the sharpest rate on record going back to 1947, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Off-site retreats are changing business travel for some companies
As the line between business and pleasure blurs into so-called “bleisure” travel, off-site organizers are recognizing the relative unimportance of traditional meetings and schedules.
More companies than ever are sharing how much jobs pay
Even in places where it’s not required, employers have started listing pay information on job ads as candidates and employees demand transparency in the name of fairness.
A year later, fight continues over vaccine mandates
In recent months, current and former employees of drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co., medical-equipment maker Roche Diagnostics and health care system Ascension St. Vincent have filed suit in federal district court, claiming their religious views and civil liberties were violated.
Combination of factors leaves staff shortages in city government
A pandemic hiring freeze, an early retirement program, and a nationwide desire for higher wages have left some city departments struggling for workers.
Some bosses say remote work kills culture. Many companies disagree.
While scaling culture remotely might have challenges, companies say it’s worth it. Employees have more freedom, and employers can access a larger talent pool, including workers who want or need flexible work.
Remote work revolution already reshaping America
Remote work has stabilized at an extraordinarily high level: Around a third of work was done remotely in the United States in 2021 and 2022, according to several economists.