Latest news with #ThePlaybook
Business Journals
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Journals
Gen Z more interested in trade careers; dress codes change post-pandemic
Editor's Note: Welcome to The Playbook Edition, a look at stories, trends and changes that could affect your business. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events Here's why Gen Zers are increasingly drawn to trade careers Some Generation Z adults are becoming more interested in trade careers as economic pressures mount and concerns about artificial-intelligence tools persist. That's according to a recent survey from Resume Builder, which found 42% of Gen Zers are working in or pursuing a skilled-trade job, including 37% of those with a bachelor's degree. The report surveyed 1,434 adults ages 18 to 28. Regardless of education level, Gen Z men surveyed were significantly more likely than women to choose trade careers, with 48% of men saying they worked in or planned to enter the trades, compared to 30% of women. Top factors cited for choosing work outside of white-collar professions included avoiding student-loan debt and reducing the potential risk of being replaced by AI tools. The shift, according to the report, is especially prevalent among Gen Z men with degrees, as 46% of them are working in or pursuing trades compared to 27% of women with degrees. Key quote: "More Gen Z college graduates are turning to trade careers and for good reason. Many are concerned about AI replacing traditional white-collar roles, while trade jobs offer hands-on work that's difficult to automate. Additionally, many grads find their degrees don't lead to careers in their field, prompting them to explore more practical, in-demand alternatives." — Resume Builder's Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller FULL STORY: Here's why Gen Zers are increasingly drawn to trade careers Casual dress codes were a post-pandemic perk. That's starting to change. Companies have pulled back on advertising casual dress codes in 2025, but that doesn't mean the days of relaxed in-office attire workers have enjoyed post-pandemic are coming to an end. The Playbook's senior reporter Andy Medici writes that an analysis of job postings by job-matching platform Adzuna that was shared exclusively with The Playbook found the percentage of listings in April that mentioned a casual dress code came in at 61.1%, the lowest April figure since the onset of the pandemic. In April 2019, casual dress code mentions were part of 58.5% of job listings. Per Medici, that number rose to 63% in April 2020 and reached a peak of 80.6% in April 2022 before coming back down. Medici notes that references to business-casual dress codes, which stood at 40.2% of job postings in April 2019, fell all the way to 18.6% of job postings in April 2022 before rising back up to 37.2% this year, according to Adzuna. Key quote: "During the pandemic, it was common for employers to advertise casual dress and remote work to attract candidates. But now that casual dress has become the standard, companies no longer feel it's necessary to drive recruitment. So even though fewer job listings directly advertise their casual dress code, it's still very much the standard in most workplaces." — Sam Debase, a career expert at ZipRecruiter FULL STORY: Casual dress codes were a post-pandemic perk. That's starting to change. Office returns are hitting their new normal As more corporate titans have pushed for employees returning to the office in 2025, the rate of in-person work is inching toward pre-pandemic levels in some major metros. The Business Journals' Joanne Drilling writes that April 2025 was the third-busiest in-office month since the pandemic — outpaced only by October and July 2024 — with office visits down 30.7% nationally compared to April 2019. The data comes from the most recent Nationwide Office Building Index, which leverages cellphone location data to analyze foot traffic and visits from about 1,000 office buildings across the country. Despite the robust traffic numbers recorded in April, a full return to pre-pandemic visitation levels hasn't yet materialized in most cities, Drilling notes. Key quote: "Consumers are just not spending 40 hours a week in the office. They're still embracing this hybrid model, but with a lot of companies heading into the office, we have some improvement in the percentage of visits compared to pre-pandemic levels." — R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at FULL STORY: Office returns are hitting their new normal The blitz: Workers feel stigma around disability accommodations has worsened … The pay raise picture is shifting. Here's where wages are rising the most. … SBA launches portal to boost Made in America Manufacturing Initiative … SBA overhauls another loan program amid rising defaults
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NTSB finds illegal exit ramp parking contributed to deadly crash
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that a lack of available truck parking was a factor in a deadly truck crash, and the agency wants the Department of Transportation to do something about it. The NTSB voted on Tuesday to approve the findings and recommendations related to the crash that occurred in Highland, Illinois, in 2023, in which a Greyhound bus careened into three tractor trailers parked illegally on the shoulder of an exit ramp outside the Silver Lake rest area late at night. The bus driver's fatigue was found to be the probable cause of the crash, in which three bus passengers were killed and seven seriously injured. The truck drivers were uninjured. 'Also contributing to the crash were the three combination vehicles parked on the shoulder of the exit ramp – prohibited by Illinois statute – due to the recurring lack of available truck parking,' NTSB affirmed. 'The NTSB doesn't usually weigh in on the need for congressional funding for specific programs, so I do think this is a big deal and I do think it is much-needed,' NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the meeting, pointing out that legislation pending in Congress would set aside funding specifically for constructing more truck parking nationwide. Among 21 findings in the investigation, six related to issues involving a lack of truck parking, which was ranked by the American Transportation Research Institute as a top issue among truck drivers. 'Combination vehicles routinely parked on the shoulder of the exit ramp to the Silver Lake rest area due to recurring lack of available truck parking, which increases the risk of them being struck by an errant highway vehicle,' NTSB found. 'The limited truck parking capacity and subsequent unsafe parking observed at the Silver Lake Rest area were consistent with a lack of access to long term parking spaces for combination vehicles on the National Highway System. 'Individual states are limited in what they can do, and a centralized effort can more broadly address the safety risk caused by lack of available truck parking throughout the country.' Recommendations approved by NTSB staff at the meeting directed at DOT included expanding efforts to use the department's Truck Parking Information Management System to identify rest areas around the country in critical need of additional parking. NTSB also recommended that DOT 'pursue available options to increase commercial vehicle parking capacity on highways, such as establishing a grant program for states, local governments, and other eligible entities' and to evaluate 'the benefits of ending restrictions on private development of rest areas, and seeking additional congressional appropriations as necessary.' Bridging the Divide in the Truck Parking Debate (The Playbook) Why the trucking industry should celebrate paid truck parking Lawmakers introduce 'clear path' to more truck parking Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post NTSB finds illegal exit ramp parking contributed to deadly crash appeared first on FreightWaves.
Entrepreneur
07-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
The Cavinder Twins and Raising Cane's Owner & Founder on Success
Todd Graves, owner and founder of Raising Cane's, and Hanna and Haley Cavinder, NIL trailblazers and entrepreneurs, discuss the passion and drive it takes to succeed in business on the new episode of "The Playbook." "I don't think entrepreneurs are created — entrepreneurs are born." So says Todd Graves, the billionaire owner and founder of Raising Cane's, the chicken finger casual dining chain with over 900 restaurants nationwide. Graves joined twin sisters Hanna and Haley Cavinder, former University of Miami basketball players who became trailblazers in the NIL space, to talk about the drive it takes to succeed in business on a new episode of The Playbook. On each episode of The Playbook, produced by Sports Illustrated and Entrepreneur, athletes and entrepreneurs come together to share advice and lessons they've learned along their paths to greatness. Related: 'Hustle Like You're Broke': Michael Strahan Shares the Mindset That Drives His Success Although their businesses might vary greatly — Graves runs a restaurant empire while Hanna and Haley are influencers who created the TWOgether fitness app and co-founded Hustle Beauty for athletes — there is crossover in how they pursue their passions. It starts with showing up like an athlete. "It was very seamless when we got into the NIL space and then started our own business," Hanna says. "All of those traits from college athletics carried over. The discipline and routine and the commitment to give 100% because there are other people relying on you." Graves feels the same way. "You might be tired one day, but people show up to our restaurants and are willing to pay good money, so you've got to deliver." Graves, Hanna and Haley also believe in the power of connecting with customers through authenticity. "People love founder-driven businesses because a founder cares, and their business is an extension of them," Graves says. Haley adds that being positive and honest on social media has been the key to nurturing their community of millions. "That really helped us when we started the health and fitness side of things," she says. Putting out genuine content that spoke about mental health helped them build lasting relationships with their followers, and they say the feedback they've gotten keeps them fulfilled and eager to do more. Related: "You Have to Grow Up Fast": How This College Athlete Became a CEO Before Turning 18 Watch the entire conversation to get these amazing entrepreneurs' insights on how getting a "no" can be the best thing to fuel your drive, and learn the pivotal moments that showed them that they were on the right path. As Graves notes, "Champions are always thinking, Hey, what can we do next?"
Business Journals
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Upwork survey: Freelancers outpace full-time workers in skills like AI
The youngest generation of workers is embracing freelance work, signaling a major shift in how those professionals approach their careers. Freelance workers are now outpacing full-time employees in certain aspects of the workplace. A recent survey of 3,000 workers from freelancing platform Upwork found skilled freelancers are outpacing full-time employees in earning power, artificial-intelligence adoption and "future-ready" skills. Twenty-eight percent of surveyed workers said they are now freelancing or working independently, generating a collective $1.5 trillion in earnings in 2024. The report found more than half (54%) of freelancers said they have advanced or expert-level proficiency, compared to 38% of full-time employees. Additionally, 29% of freelancers said they specialize in machine learning, compared to 18% of full-time workers. Freelancers also topped full-time workers in problem-solving (49% vs. 44% of full-time workers) and adaptability (41% vs. 37% of full-time workers). Freelancing is becoming a more intentional career path for many professionals. Skilled freelancers are also investing in their own development, with 37% holding postgraduate degrees, compared to just 20% of full-time employees. Other key findings from the report: Among over 400 publicly traded U.S. organizations, those in the top 25% of year-over-year revenue growth are more likely to embed freelancers (45% of those companies), managed services (50%), human-AI collaboration (41%) and agencies (39%) into their workforce strategies. Despite these results, 59% of surveyed business leaders said they are wary of multi-company work and 41% are skeptical of AI tools. Over one-third (36%) of full-time employees said they are considering freelancing for better opportunities, while only 10% of surveyed freelancers want to return to traditional employment. Generation Z is leading this shift, with 53% of skilled Gen Z workers saying they are already freelancing — a trend that will reshape the workforce, as they will comprise 30% of U.S. workers by 2030. Meanwhile, 82% of skilled freelancers report more work opportunities than a year ago, compared to just 63% of full-time employees. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. Sign up for Bizwomen's free daily newsletter for news about businesswomen across the country and business intelligence to help you grow your business, advance your career and simplify your professional life.
Business Journals
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
The Playbook: Managers change their tune on a key aspect of AI
In this edition of The Playbook, we look at how working parents are trying to offset child-care costs, why managers are thinking differently about AI skills and more.
