TOP 5 News on the World of Work You Need to Know

Our selection of must-reads this week looks at HR issues - from the people we hire to the way teams are managed.

09 December 2020

#1. The Amazon-ification of retail

One cannot escape the trend in retail which sees companies become as much about software as the goods they sell. The share of tech-related job postings from major US retailers rose from 10 percent of the total in 2016 to 23 percent in 2019. This dramatic shift reflects how retail jobs – from the C-suite to entry-level workers – are now requiring some understanding of tech. Find out more about why the job categories of “tech” and “retail” are becoming harder to separate.

>The Amazon-ification of retail has triggered a rapid shift in industry hiring

Photo by Ali-Yahya on Unsplash

#2. A simple, overlooked change can help teams perform at their best

The Silicon Valley mantra of “move fast and break things” has been a dominant force in business thinking over recent years. It is fair to say that plans and processes are not the most sought-after parts of leadership, so it is tempting to lay these things aside in the rush to “make it happen”. But what is the empirical evidence that this approach works? While business leaders assume they can wing it when it comes to people management, research looking at 961 companies suggests a more systematized approach is linked to stronger performance.

>A simple, overlooked change can help teams perform at their best

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash

#3. Four Ways Millennials Are Reshaping The Workplace (Again)

Plenty of ink has been spilled on how to manage millennials, but what about the impact millennials are having as managers themselves? Typically defined as the generation born between 1981 and 1996, millennials have been the largest generational workforce segment since 2016. As they move into management positions, these value-driven digital natives are changing the rules for communication, feedback and team building in the workplace. Read what they’re doing differently, and possible pitfalls along the way.

>Four Ways Millennials Are Reshaping The Workplace (Again)

Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash

#4. HR Feels Gen X Most Fragile Demographic for Wellbeing

Millennials may be in the limelight, but Generation X appears to suffer most from stress and anxiety at work. Worried also by their personal finances, they have a higher tendency to suffer from chronic health conditions. This UK study suggests HR departments and employers are worried about them more than other generations. Should this distinction be on your radar?

>HR feels Gen X most fragile demographic for wellbeing

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

#5. China’s Schoolkids Now Officially the Smartest in the World

An OECD study of 15-year-old students across the world has found that Chinese children outperformed in science and mathematics. For reading skills, the 10 percent most disadvantaged in that country also tested better than the OECD average. The triennial PISA survey – covering 600,000 students in 79 countries – has seen virtually no improvement in the performance of students from most OECD countries since PISA was first conducted in 2000.

>China’s Schoolkids Now Officially the Smartest in the World

TOP 5 News on the World of Work You Need to Know

#1. The Amazon-ification of retail

#2. A simple, overlooked change can help teams perform at their best

#3. Four Ways Millennials Are Reshaping The Workplace (Again)

#4. HR Feels Gen X Most Fragile Demographic for Wellbeing

#5. China’s Schoolkids Now Officially the Smartest in the World

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