#1. Five ways to bring women into the post-pandemic workforce

More than 2.2 million women left the U.S. labor market since the pandemic started, according to a report in the Harvard Business Review, signaling concern that women’s workforce progress may be regressing. Across the country and the world, working mothers were forced to quit or reduce their hours to better balance work, childcare, and schoolwork. Policies to better support female employees can help bring the female workforce back into the office – with the right programs in place. Read more here.

The report comes right asThe Adecco Group celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, marking the vast achievements women have made and offering perspective on the work still to come.

#2. Salesforce declares an end to the 9-to-5 workday; will let some employees work remotely from now on

One of the world’s largest tech employers, Salesforce, has announced that most of their employees will now be able to work remotely part-time or full-time once the pandemic ends. The “9-to-5 workday is dead,” the company said in a blog post this week. Salesforce is one of the largest companies to announce such a change, allowing employees to pick their own changes. According to a report in the WallStreet Journal, the business-software provider is redefining the 9-to-5 workday for its nearly 55,000 employees across the globe. When employees do return, offices will feature fewer desks and more open-air, café-style seating arrangements – and more. Read more here. 

#3. U.S. job openings unexpectedly increase to a five-month high

U.S. job vacancies rose unexpectedly in December to 6.65 million, led by an increase in business services and retail trade, according to a report in Bloomberg. It’s a signal that U.S. companies are looking to add workers as the country starts getting vaccinated and returning to work. Despite the desire to hire more people, employers are facing tough restrictions: business restrictions, rising COVID-19 infections, and slow vaccine rollouts. Statistics also show that tech firms added nearly 20,000 new jobs and IT occupations expanded by nearly 80,000 in areas like IT services, telecommunications, and more. In January, hiring in the U.S. technology sector continued; four of the five tech sector employment categories reported gains. Read more here. 

#4. Employers on apprenticeships: “It’s proved to be a brilliant way of recruiting”

Apprenticeships have proved to be an excellent way to upskill and reskill workers looking to grow – in addition to helping recruitment. According to a report in The Guardian, many small business owners believe in apprenticeships, but lack the resources or knowhow to start an apprenticeship themselves. But in the UK, the government will help cover the cost of training and apprentices – a big opportunity for smaller businesses to grow. Read more here.

#5. More than 50% of furloughed workers are considering a career change. That will all depend on reskilling the workforce

More than 50% of the furloughed workforce in the U.K. are considering a career change following the start of the pandemic, according to a new report. Of those considering a career change, 12% have already decided to move industries. That will all depend, of course, in part on reskilling the workforce. Read more here.