June 2023 | 36th EDITION NEWSLETTER |
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Office Workers Don’t Hate the Office. They Hate the Commute.
NY Times | Farhad Manjoo | May 19, 2023
Elon Musk says we should all get off our duffs and go back to the office. People who want to work from home aren’t just “phoning it in” from “some remote pseudo-office” as he’s put it. Now he says we’re immoral, too. “The whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote ‘Let them eat cake,’” Musk told CNBC this week. Factory workers, service workers and construction workers can’t work from home, so why do people in the “laptop classes” think they should be able to do so? “It’s not just a productivity thing,” he said. “I think it’s morally wrong.”
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Preventing Burnout Is Now the Number One Job for Bosses. These 7 Strategies Can Protect Your Teams
Fortune.com | L'oreal Thompson Payton | April 17, 2023
Preventing burnout is now job one for bosses.
Between layoffs and hiring freezes and a newfound laser focus on profits and productivity, today’s employees are being asked to do more with fewer resources—a one-way ticket to burnout. As a result, managers are tasked with a seemingly impossible job: motivating their teams while managing them during turbulent times. The key, according to experts, is understanding that investing in empathy is an investment in performance.
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Has Cynicism Infected Your Organization?
Harvard Business Review | Kandi Wiens | May 25, 2023
Artur Debat/Getty Images
Jason* began executive coaching with me just as his organization was coming out of a year-end crunch time, which had been exacerbated by the sudden departure of his team lead. Things had gotten “shockingly ugly” at work, he told me, with flaring tempers, power struggles, and meetings that devolved into name-calling and public character assassinations. Upper management didn’t intervene, choosing to put off “personnel issues” until after everyone hit their year-end goals. In addition to his increased workload, Jason had taken it upon himself to try to act as a peacekeeper between his stressed-out colleagues, only to find himself caught in the crossfire. Feeling hurt, angry, and unsupported, he began to distance himself from his coworkers and increasingly found himself dreading work. By the time he reached out to me for coaching, he was demoralized, disengaged, and burned out.
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"This conference is absolutely game and perspective-changing! The wide variety of sessions to grow and learn from are incredibly engaging, packed with powerful approaches that resonate and dig deep. It is rare to find a conference where you come out feeling entirely energized and ready to try new tactics to what is currently in play. Better yet, for those of us where we've made changes in our careers, we can see the evolution of where things were, and where they could go (or even didn't). Not only can I look back on my prior experiences and apply these newfound thoughts and ideologies, I am able to do the same in the current day and provide a future outlook for where we are and where we want to go. Life is about the journey and learning every step of the way. This conference has been an absolutely amazing experience, and I'm incredibly grateful to share this experience with my company. Just as life changes, so does everything around us. Being open to new approaches and ideas, we then open ourselves up to growth and opportunity. And being able to take this back and share it with others - you gain the great satisfaction of paying it forward. Such a profound and rewarding experience! Thank you for taking the time and dedication to making the most out of this event, and for bringing it to so many to share in the wonders."
IEC 2023 Attendee
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The Class Of 2023 Is Less Interested in Big-Name Employers
HR Brew | Aman Kidwai | May 22, 2023
A collection of data on the newest entrants to the workforce. Today’s generation is different. This isn’t a “kids these days” rant, but rather an appreciation of what these kids have been through. The vast majority of graduates entering the workforce out of the class of 2023 entered school before Covid-19, finished the majority of it under lockdown and other pandemic precautions, and lost out on a ton of seminal growth experiences, both socially and professionally. As a result, college seniors’ work preferences are evolving, and now trending away from big-name employers, according to recent research from Handshake, an early-career recruiting platform. The report wrote that “with layoffs and inflation top of mind, [the class of 2023 is] focused on practical bottom-line benefits—like stability and starting salary.”
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1 in 5 Adults in the US Experience Mental Illness in a Given Year.
IEC Sponsor Health Partners Unity Point | makeitok.org
It’s OK to have a mental illness - many of us do. Mental illnesses are common and treatable medical conditions. Nearly one in five Americans live with a mental illness.
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16 Essential People Skills You Need to Be a Great Manager
Fast Company | Brett Farmiloelong | May 24, 2023
A survey of more than 100 managers about what they believe are the most important people management skills reveals the top traits to develop. What do you really need to be a great manager? Are there certain people skills you need to succeed? How do great managers operate to oversee and lead the people on their teams? We surveyed more than 100 managers about what they believe are the most important people management skills. From understanding employee motivations to mastering negotiation, here are the people skills you need to be a superb manager.
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How To Introduce Pay Transparency to Help Close the Gender Pay Gap
Forbes | Lynne Marie Finn | February 2, 2023
COVID-19 disrupted American workers’ lives, with 95% of the U.S. population under stay-at-home orders at its peak. The ensuing mass layoffs and resignations were heavily concentrated in female-dominated fields. This happened just as child-care demands increased because of school and day care closures. Referred to as a she-cession, this was a time when millions of women left the workforce—accounting for close to 70% of those who lost their jobs and resulting in a loss of more than 1.4 million net jobs.
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How to Handle Last-Minute Sick Calls from Your Employees
Connectteam | Agata Antonow | May 16, 2023
Employees calling in sick are an unfortunate reality of any business. Here are expert tips on how to handle those dreaded last-minute sick calls.
· Have a Policy in Place Before They Call
· Check In With Your Employee
· Keep Communication Open
· Keep Morale and Productivity High
· Protect Your Organization
· Investigate Possible Abuse and Take Action
We never know when the flu, a cold, or other illness will hit. The same is true for your employees. Whether it’s a sudden bout of allergies or devastating news after a biopsy, workers may need to take time off to recover or to get treatment. Ideally, you would get some notice.
Sometimes, however, workers don’t call until the morning of their workday or even minutes before a shift to say they can’t make it. Today, workers are as likely to text in a sick request as they are to call. But no matter how they communicate, here’s how to respond when an employee calls in sick.
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"This conference! It's like this was meant to be, it all fell into place just right. I heard what I need to hear, I learned what I need to learn and it left me wanting more! :) In order to help others we must help ourselves, that will then flow to others with more ease. Thank you for helping us help ourselves and be happier!"
IEC 2023 Attendee
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13 Ways to Support the Mental Health and Wellness of Employees
HR Exchange Network | Francesca Di Meglio | May 23, 2023
Mental health and wellness is now an essential part of Human Resources' responsibilities. The connection between the physical and mental health of workers and their ability to achieve is clear. As a result, employers see this duty as essential to arriving at positive business outcomes.
It's also the right thing to do because people are clearly struggling with a variety of relevant problems, including stress from an economic downturn, heavy workload, and personal matters.
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11 Stereotypes about Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen X at Work
HR exchange Network | Francesca Di Meglio | May 25, 2023
During this historic period, when for the first time four generations, including Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers, are together at work, many people are experiencing misunderstandings. Unfortunately, tension rises when people consider different groups monolithic. Many young people at work feel like they are unfairly judged or misrepresented in the media because of the characteristics thrown onto their generation.
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How HR Leaders Can Navigate a New Group Of ‘Un-Retirees’ Reentering the Workforce
Employee Benefits News | Alyssa Place June 14, 2022
Retirement may seem like a dream, but what happens when reality sets in?
In 2021, more than half of people 55 and older said they were retired, according to data from the Pew Research Center, and that number is expected to increase as more baby boomers leave the workforce. But days filled with leisure, grandkids and golf don’t always materialize for everyone who hands in their work ID after decades on the job.
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Updating Employee Handbooks to Keep Pace with Staff Expectations
People Management | Rena Christou
May 25, 2023
By including less traditional policies on areas such as gender identity and menopause, businesses can show they are progressive and focused on inclusivity, says Rena Christou. On average, surveys suggest 60 per cent of employees won’t read an employee handbook. Employers could be missing a valuable opportunity to communicate their culture, their approach to inclusivity and the policies they have to support employees, both emotionally and personally, throughout the employment journey.
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What Employees Want from The Workplace In 2023
People Management | Rikia Birindelli-Fayne | May 17, 2023
Upholding people’s rights and implementing genuine policies are just some of the factors staff expect from organisations today, says Rikia Birindelli-Fayne.
Traditionally work was a transactional relationship between employee and employer, but this is no longer the case for many. As the lines of home and work blurred during the pandemic, there has been a shift in employees’ relationships with their employer.
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5 Types of Workplace Bullies and How to Identify Them
Fast Company | Megan Carle | May 16, 2023
Bullying is about one person dominating another. It’s about dehumanizing, degrading, and devaluing targets. It’s about power and control. My first memory of being bullied was when I was 10. It was December 1975, a typical winter day in Spokane, Washington. Grandpa Mike and I had made the two-block trek to Cannon Hill Park, where I would hit the ice and skate my heart out for my audience of one.
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Avoiding Customer Service Rage
IEC Sponsor Holmes Murphy | By Barry Fitzpatrick
According to the National Customer Rage Survey, negative experiences with customer service are at an all-time high. We each have our own examples of where we have seen a decline in customer service over the past few years — from frustrations at the drive-thru to significant financial impacts on our business.
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"TBH – I’m usually that person who may or may not be going through the motions… Not this time… the #IEC2023 was great! Thank you to Nan Boland and the team. I actually felt some fomo because I couldn’t decide on which speaker to hear next!! See everyone in October."
IEC 2023 Attendee Bethe Hlas
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"If you are looking to connect with like-minded HR people over quality, relevant content, you've found the conference for you. I will absolutely attend again."
IEC 2023 Attendee
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Mental Health at Work: Raising Awareness of Current Resources
This Mental Health Awareness Month marks the launch of the Labor Department’s Mental Health at Work initiative, including a new webpage promoting numerous tools and resources. This initiative will advance wellness in the workforce by reducing stigma and increasing awareness of mental health and wellbeing within workplaces; promoting best practices and compliance by employers; and promoting mental health equity and access, especially for marginalized and vulnerable populations.
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E-Verify NextGen will be an exciting new product that modernizes and streamlines the Form I-9 and verification process for employees and employers.
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"I've planned enough events to know that there were likely about a thousand random things that went awry behind the scenes, but from a participant perspective, it was all extremely well organized and smooth. The people helping were awesome and helpful. The location was convenient and great. And it flowed really smoothly. Overall, a good experience."
IEC 2023 Attendee
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Want to provide content for this newsletter distributed to 30k+ local business professionals? |
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Good Headspace Helps Make a Safe Workplace
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers. As a regulatory agency, we have historically approached that mission by focusing on physical hazards in workplaces, things you can see and measure. But today's work environment requires a broader approach that includes both traditional occupational safety and health and paying attention to the huge impact of mental health on workers' well-being as well.
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"It was a HUGE thing for me to get to go again this year. Grateful to you for putting it together and it was still amazing as always!"
IEC 2023 Attendee
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CONFERENCE ON THE BRAIN... |
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"I had such a great time today presenting at the IEC! Wonderful group of people and lots of growing together. Thanks, Nan, for having me there another year!"
IEC 2023 Speaker Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell
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SPRING 2023 CONFERENCE RECAP!!
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"I think I have been coming for 5 years or so and this one was the absolute very best! Thank you for helping us be happier!"
IEC 2023 Attendee
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The IEC article library is growing monthly with valuable information relevant to the ever-changing work environment. Check the website frequently for updates. If you have something important for our readers to benefit from, reach out to us to be included in the next newsletter or article library! |
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"I've made some really great professional and personal connections at this conference, I always learn new things and it helps remind me why I love doing what I do!"
IEC 2023 Attendee
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"This is my 4th year attending the Iowa Employment Conference. Each year the program gets better and better. I come home motivated and energized with plenty of new ideas."
IEC 2023 Attendee Mindy Webb Todd, CFO The Dana Company
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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS... |
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"The conference is well run, well organized, and professional in every way. Thank you for an outstanding event."
IEC 2023 Speaker Todd Saffell
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THANK YOU to all 2023 Conference Sponsors!
Sponsor support is integral in continuing the growth, quality & integrity of the continuing education unique to this conference year after year. You are appreciated!
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"This was my first experience attending this conference and I thought it was just a terrific balance of valuable content and sponsor/participant interactions. Very well managed by Nan and team."
IEC 2023 Sponsor
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"Your conference is the best conference we attend. We sponsor every year."
Spring & Fall IEC Sponsor Delta Dental Iowa Representative Dave Zahn
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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Looking to move forward with your career? Check out the amazing opportunities our sponsors have to offer within their organizations.
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"Really wonderful conversations with those participants who were engaged enough to stop by our booth to learn how they might implement a volunteer, team-building activity."
IEC 2023 Sponsor
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STRONG MINDS | STRONG HEARTS |
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The PGA TOUR Champions Stop for Iowa Kids
The Principal Charity Classic brings PGA TOUR Champions players together with Central Iowa businesses and families to benefit Iowa children’s charities. Each day presents new opportunities for golf, networking, and family fun. Don’t miss the chance to see golf legends tee it up for Iowa kids!
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SERVANT LEADERSHIP
By definition, Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. If you are in a place where your talent and skills will help others, by all means, use them. We are proud of the work our leaders have done and hope that if you are in a place to serve, you choose to step up.
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Do you know someone in your HR department (or company-wide) who deserves to be recognized for making a positive impact in your company from day to day??
Whether personal or professional, in a big or a small way, we all know those people who go above & beyond for the greater good.
We want to help these everyday (H)eroes be (R)ecognized! Send your nominations to us & one deserving person each month leading up to the current conference will be selected to receive a $50 VISA gift card! We will announce the winner in the following month's newsletters.
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Full Calendar of June Holidays and Observances in 2023
Jot down these June dates for a month full of fun.
KATE FRANKE AND ELIZABETH BERRY | MAY 10, 2023
Hello, summer! June offers a host of fun and important celebrations, such as Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and Eid al-Adha. Be sure to jot them down on your calendar so you don’t miss out on any important June 2023 holidays and observances. You may also want to start browsing for Father’s Day gifts, because the holiday will be here before you know it on June 18.
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25 Must-Try Summer Cocktails
Summer heat calls for fun in the sun, whether it’s a pool party, backyard cookout, or relaxing beach vacation. One way to cool off is with a refreshing libation. Electrolyte drinks and lemonade will keep you hydrated, but sometimes you need a cocktail to celebrate the summer season. Whether you’re a fan of tequila or gin, there’s a myriad of summer cocktails that will help you beat the heat and get the summer party started.
Read on to discover a diverse list of summer cocktails.
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Summer has arrived and we couldn't be more excited! From Juneteenth to Father's Day, there's so much more to celebrate in June. And what's better than soaking up the sun and enjoying the great outdoors? We hope you're just as pumped as we are!
Speaking of excitement, we had a blast connecting with you at the spring conference. It was amazing to see all of the familiar faces and meet new friends as well. We truly appreciate your support and enthusiasm!
But the fun doesn't stop there! We're already looking forward to our fall conference and can't wait to see you there. Mark your calendars because it's going to be a blast! Stay tuned for more information and updates.
In the meantime, let's make the most of this beautiful summer and create unforgettable memories. Happy summer, everyone!
Smile! Nan & the conference crew
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