1. Do for-profit organizations enact general or across the board wage/salary hikes just because more favorable tax policies will result in increased corporate profits? Or do they raise compensation for the basic and fundamental 'talent' reasons we all know about - worries about retention and attraction of people, and the need to compete more aggressively for these people?
2. It is not just the United States that seems to want to make immigration more about merit and the need to find workers with a Liam Neeson style 'particular set of skills'. Check out this piece describing the challenge in Japan - facing a declining (and aging) native population and having difficulty recruiting high-skilled workers. If you are a mobile, highly skilled, and adventurous type, I'd say your options for traveling the world and making a great living have never been better.
3. A recent Marist poll reports that 94% of US workers think it is unlikely they will lose their jobs to automation. One of the reasons cited was 'I don't think a robot would love my job as much as I do'. But I wonder - (sorry Tina Turner), 'What's love got to do with it?'
4. Want to get a job at auto manufacturer Volvo? You may need to interview inside/with a car (see below, email and RSS subscribers may need to click through)
5. We did a fun and I think interesting HR Happy Hour Podcast this week - check out Trish McFarlane and I with our new series 'The H3 Hot 3' where we talk pay equity and fairness, leadership when the leader is always right, and why/how change and change management can be so difficult.
6. Did your city not make the short list for Amazon's new HQ? Be careful, some losing cities are are now wallowing in an existential crisis of self-examination. My take? I think it is always good to face up to your own weaknesses and limitations. But it isn't great to dwell too long on them. And my city, (for now), will get over it. We still have the Garbage Plate.
7. Sports take of the week: I am so disappointed in how my New York Knicks are playing. But I am still excited to see HR Tech companies Infor, (Brooklyn Nets), and Ultimate Software (Miami Heat), as official NBA jersey sponsors this season, (and as I predicted way back when). Also, check out the extremely cool Heat 'Miami Vice' alternates that were unveiled this week.
8. The 2017 Oscar nominations are out. I have to this point seen 2 of the 9 movies up for Best Picture. Going to grind through the other 7 in the next few weeks to get ready for the annual HR Happy Hour Oscars Preview and Predictions show next month. Who do you like for Best Picture?
9. This was a big week in HR and HR tech for acquisitions. ADP acquired WorkMarket. Maestro Health was acquired by AXA. And in a really exciting development, LRP (the owner of the HR Technology Conference and HR Executive Magazine) has acquired Singapore based HRM Asia. I think these are just the first of what should be a busy and active year for investments and M&A in the HR and HR Tech space.
10. When does the Shamrock Shake come back? The McRib? These are the important questions that torment me.
Have a great weekend!