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The Rise of the 4-Day Workweek                                                      

The decade ahead will likely be known for innovations we haven’t even imagined yet. In the workplace, it may be known for the rise of a new way of scheduling employees: the 4-day workweek. As overwork has become a chronic issue, entire countries have started piloting and testing shorter workweeks. Between 2015 and 2019, Iceland […]

Note to Supervisor: Consult HR before Approving FMLA Leave

We all know that an employee need not specifically state that she requires a leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). What we don’t know is how much (or how little) an employee has to say in a particular situation to put the employer on notice that she is seeking FMLA […]

How the Extended Workforce is Redefining Critical Roles in 2026

As organizations plan their 2026 workforce strategy, they’re facing a workforce equation that looks very different from just a few years ago. Critical work is increasingly being delivered by people who aren’t on the traditional payroll: contractors, freelancers, and independent specialists. This shift is being driven from both sides of the labor market. Employers are […]

10 Ways Employers Negate Their FMLA Rights

Although the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been in effect since 1993, employers still make administrative mistakes that limit their rights and can lead to litigation. Here is my Top 10 list of employer and supervisor misconceptions about the FMLA that limit their ability to manage employee leave use or to defend against […]

Never Say Never, and Never Say These 4 Things

[Go here for killer phrases 1 to 6.] 7. AVOID: “… don’t you think?”  Or, “… isn’t it?” Or “… okay?”  To convey a confident commanding presence, eliminate validation questions. Make your statement or recommendation with certainty and avoid tacking on the unnecessary approval-seeking question.  Don’t say, “This would be a good investment, don’t you […]

Equality in Expectations of Personal Life Obligations

Workplace flexibility has become increasingly important in recent years. That trend has accelerated in the wake of a pandemic involving illness and a forced shift to remote work for many organizations. More than ever, employees expect some flexibility to leave work early or take a long lunch to run an errand, work remotely, and take […]

training

Make Remote Training Stick with These Simple Tricks

Could you imagine 66% of the workforce being remote last year? At the start of 2020, having a vast majority of employees working remotely would have been laughable, but here we are. And how quickly we’ve all adapted to keep up in this short time frame.