Articles

Millions of U.S. workers plan to skip work or watch during work hours to catch the 2024 Summer Olympics, potentially impacting productivity.

Higher education faces major challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. HR and campus leaders must innovate, focusing on more than pay and flexibility.

Trust is key to organizational culture. When broken, repair it by admitting mistakes, reversing roles, seeking feedback, listening, and holding accountability.

Four years on, a new UKG Workforce Institute post-pandemic workplace communications survey of 1,500 U.S. hourly and salaried employees found that most people feel they have adjusted well to the post-pandemic work world. 

UKG Workforce Institute advisory board member Sarah Morgan spotlights the "impending ESG gut check" aspect of our 2024 HR Megatrends. Sarah discusses how recent societal shifts, including responses to climate change, legal rulings, and affirmative action, are forcing organizations to reevaluate their initial DEI/ESG commitments and strategies.

Laurie Ruettimann, in her insightful piece, underscores the significant role HR departments have in battling human trafficking, against the backdrop of Women's History Month.

The UKG Workforce Institute's latest global study, "Great Managers = Great Workplaces," provides invaluable insights into the pivotal role managers play in shaping productive and engaging work environments.

Advisory board member, Sharlyn Lauby, shines a light on the often-overlooked gold mine of talent within companies—their current employees. In response to the latest UKG Workforce Institute Weigh-In on how to mine your organization for internal talent she writes that promoting from within not only boosts the company's recruitment strategy but also lifts the spirits of its workforce. By advocating for a fresh approach to career development that embraces upward moves, sideways shifts, and even the occasional step back, The HR Bartender encourages organizations to openly discuss and support career growth opportunities from day one, thereby aligning individual aspirations with the company's success in a way that feels personal and purposeful.

In his analysis of the post-pandemic public sector workforce, Bob Lavigna underscores the transformative shift in employee expectations for flexibility, voice, and well-being, against a backdrop of widespread vacancies and high turnover rates.

Advisory board member Bob Clements sheds light on why companies are hesitating to embrace AI in areas like managing people and scheduling work, even though AI is everywhere in our personal lives. A mix of not really getting how AI works, wondering if it's really worth the hype, and not having clear rules on using AI at work are holding things back. To get past these roadblocks, Bob suggests taking baby steps with AI projects, asking for advice from those in the know, and trying things out bit by bit. This way, companies can start to feel more comfortable with AI and begin to see its real value in making work life better.