April 2022
Burnout may be more notorious and well-researched, but “boreout” has its own damaging consequences when it comes to employee engagement and retention. Boreout’s three main causes might be tricky to identify (being terribly bored, having a crisis of growth, and having a crisis of meaning), but they can be resolved by attentive leadership, reassessing employee tasks, and improvements in corporate culture. (Forbes)
When it comes to company changes, fully remote employees are less excited and less confident than their on-site colleagues; they’re also the most uneasy. It’s important for managers to be extra cognizant that workers who never get news face-to-face may still need help coping with the dynamic nature of business, whether it’s a new vacation policy or a change in leadership. (Workhuman)
A report analyzing millions of job postings between 2017 and 2020 found a sharp decrease in the amount of employers requesting diplomas, a reversal of the “degree inflation” trend that began in the early 2000s. The findings suggest that skills-based hiring is on the rise, and that many employers who do ask for college degrees are actually using them as indicators of better-developed “soft” skills. (Harvard Business Review)
Despite showing a preference for remote work in surveys, many Gen Zers who started working during the pandemic have actually never experienced in-person office life and report feeling disconnected from their coworkers and their jobs. Helping these younger hires build personal and professional connections will go a long way towards establishing a safe, engaging, and meaningful work environment. (The Wall Street Journal)
Hybrid workers report feeling more connected to their jobs and more appreciated than on-site or fully remote employees – but they are also the most likely to report feeling overworked or burnt out. While the face-time may contribute to their feeling appreciated, researchers speculate that balancing two modes of working may also make hybrid workers feel as though they need to be “on” all the time. (Workhuman)
While it began as an early response to pandemic-related stress and burnout, LinkedIn’s “LiftUp!” program has been such a success that the tech company plans to continue its initiatives indefinitely. The company’s VP of benefits and employee experience says that their focus will be on encouraging self-care, expanding support for parents, and fostering social connections. (LinkedIn)
Most organizations that have successfully transitioned to remote work in the short-term are now looking at what it means to help employees build a career without the traditional advancement opportunities that come with a full-time physical office. Younger employees in particular are giving more consideration to what their futures might look like in a long-term remote or hybrid remote role. (The New York Times)
LinkedIn has debuted a new feature that allows users to indicate they are temporarily taking time away from their career within the experience section of their profile. Resume gaps are slowly becoming more accepted in white collar environments – this “career break” feature helps soften recruiters’ views of these candidates, widening the talent pools they recruit from. (The Washington Post)