Upskilling and reskilling have become a key objective for today’s workforce. Technological advancements, demographic shifts, and the ever-changing economic landscape demand a workforce that is adaptable, agile, and equipped with the latest skills. As businesses strive to stay competitive and individuals seek to future-proof their careers, the need for continuous learning has never been more crucial for both employers and employees.

Another year; another trend – Similar to last year’s trend of "quiet quitting," where employees do the minimum due to burnout and feeling unappreciated, a new trend dubbed "resenteeism" has emerged, reflecting workers' low productivity driven by resentment. These employees feel obligated to stay in their current jobs due to financial commitments or familial responsibilities, yet they harbor dissatisfaction and resentment that hampers their performance.

The K-12 District Comparison Dashboard, recently released by Launch Michigan, offers valuable insights into Michigan's public education system.  Unlike previous tools, this dashboard allows for comparisons between Michigan districts and those in high-performing states, revealing significant disparities:

The Michigan Going PRO Talent Fund offers more than $55 million to employers for training that will lead to a worker credential for skills that are transferable and recognized by industry. Though focused on hard skill training, Going PRO grants can be used to develop supervisor skills in the employer’s workforce. 

It's been almost exactly four years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the American work environment. Over this period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided crucial guidance, navigating us through various stages of precautionary measures, from mask mandates to their relaxation and vice versa. On March 1, 2024, the CDC introduced a significant alteration to its isolation recommendations for individuals infected with COVID-19.

For a significant portion of the American workforce, the experience of work is anything but uplifting. According to a 2023 Work in America survey conducted by the APA (American Psychological Association), nearly one-fifth (19%) of respondents characterized their workplace as toxic. Additionally, over one-fifth (22%) reported that their work environment had negatively impacted their mental well-being.

In 1914, the concept of "happy hour" emerged when the U.S. Navy organized evening events for on-duty sailors, aiming to provide entertainment through food, music, and dancing. During the era of prohibition "happy hour" took on a different connotation. With the ban on alcoholic beverages, the term came to represent the clandestine act of enjoying a drink after work but before heading home, as noted by the Huffington Post.

Internal mobility benefits both your company and your employees.  It helps boost retention by providing career growth within your organization and as a result drastically reduces recruiting costs. Younger generations seek a steady pace of career growth, and unlike older generations who stayed many years with one employer, will hop jobs to achieve that growth.  This can be prevented by providing those opportunities internally.

Employee Appreciation Day is this Friday, March 1^st. Do you know what makes your employees feel appreciated? It might differ by generation according to a new report by Talent LMS.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could use a lie detector on all job candidates? Well, we live in the real world, where that's not acceptable or viable. So how do you tell when a job candidate is lying?

Love is a prevalent theme on Valentine’s Day, and recent studies suggest that it often extends into the workplace. Despite the increasing trend of remote work, office romances remain common, highlighting the need for clear guidelines to mitigate legal risks and maintain employee morale in case of relationship breakdowns. Crafting realistic policies that align with your company culture and effectively communicating expectations to employees are essential steps. Here are four key...

Are you familiar with the latest HR buzz words? HR Work Break reviewed current buzzwords in the HR field and found the following to be the top five:

Traliant, an innovator in online compliance training and ASE partner, announced its new workplace report, Fear Factors: A 2024 Employee Survey Report on Workplace Violence, Harassment, and Mental Health. Compiled from a survey of over 1,000 employees in the U.S., the study assesses the reality of how employees are experiencing workplace violence, misconduct, and mental health in the workplace. Most notably, the survey revealed almost 1 in 4 respondents have witnessed workplace violence...

As more and more organizations bring employees back to the office, charm school is emerging as the newest workplace trend. Office etiquette is taking center stage as an essential component of professional development. Recent research indicates that more than 6 in 10 companies are set to offer office etiquette classes by 2024. Businesses are unleashing the magic of charm school to weave an atmosphere of respect and collaboration.

A recent survey conducted by Intelligent, an online magazine focusing on student life, revealed that some employers are open to offering older professionals enhanced benefits and higher salaries as an alternative to hiring recent college graduates. In what you’d think is satire, but is unbelievably true, is that according to the survey, 20% of recent college graduates brought a parent to an interview!

When you take time off one of the last things you typically do before leaving is set your out of office responder.  It’s usually done in a hurry without much thought, right? Well, why not have some fun with it?

Approximately one year following the widespread introduction of ChatGPT, the realm of generative AI (GenAI) has generated a mix of enthusiasm and apprehension among employees and their respective organizations.

Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, published a survey report that examines how companies have handled and plan to handle college degree requirements in 2024. The report also shares insight into the tools that are used to evaluate job candidates. In total, Intelligent.com surveyed 800 employers in the United States.    

TalentLMS, in collaboration with Vyond, a leading AI-powered video creation platform, released a research report on the 2024 learning and development trends within organizations. 41% of employees said they will look for another job in 2024 if their company doesn’t provide them with training opportunities. 

AON, a leading global professional services firm, announced the results of its 2023 Global Risk Management Survey which gathered input from almost 3,000 risk managers, C-suite leaders, and other executives from 61 countries and territories to identify their most-pressing business challenges. The 2023 edition of Aon's biennial survey found that human capital issues are no longer simply a "people problem," but a key business risk that is fueled by rising health care costs,...

A recent report from The Best Place for Working Parents® and Southern Methodist University's Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) highlights the advantages of family-friendly policies, revealing their positive impact on both working parents and businesses' overall performance.

Showing gratitude in the workplace is the secret sauce for creating a positive and productive workplace. It's not just a fluffy feel-good thing – it's a game-changer that boosts everyone's mood, amps up team spirit, and helps the whole crew stay strong when things get crazy. Every employee deserves recognition for their contributions.  Doing so will foster a supportive team environment characterized by kindness and gratitude. As the old saying goes, “A simple...

The initial demands from the UAW included a 4-day workweek.  While that was eventually dropped during negotiations, many expect it will continue to come up in the future. A recent survey conducted by Gallup in collaboration with Bentley University revealed that 77% of respondents expressed that a four-day, 40-hour workweek would have a positive impact. However, once achieved, it doesn’t always have the positive effect expected.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of fostering a highly engaged and motivated workforce within any organization. Enhancing employee engagement through effective communication is vital for organizations seeking to invigorate their workforce, whether dispersed remotely, operating on the front lines, or working in office settings. Here are five strategies to improve engagement via communication.

New survey data from Wiley suggests workers are far less likely than their managers and senior-level executives to feel psychologically safe taking risks at work. The findings from the latest Wiley Workplace Intelligence report show a particularly wide gap between individual contributors and executives, which could lead to lower trust, engagement, and productivity in the workplace.