Latest news with #employment
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
6 Reasons Employers Are Unprepared To Support Your Career Goals
Young Asian businesswoman leading getty The rules of career management are being rewritten. You can no longer rely on your employer to place a premium on your professional development and career advancement, not only due to budget cuts but also because of the lack of knowledge employers have about their employees' specific needs. As such, this responsibility now lies directly in the hands of employees themselves. While organizations may offer training, resources, and guidance, the days of one-size-fits-all career development programs are long gone. And that's a good thing. This shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. Understanding why it has occurred and how to leverage the following six alarming realities employers are unprepared to support your career goals will determine whether you thrive or put your future at risk. Even the most well-intentioned employers struggle to design a personal development path perfectly aligned with your ambitions. Why? Because no one knows your inner world as well as you do. Organizations often operate at a macro level, focusing on company-wide industry trends and group goals. While these frameworks serve the greater organization's growth objectives, they cannot address the nuances of your unique strengths, aspirations, and challenges. Employers can't read your mind, nor is it their responsibility, it's yours. Yet, most employees are not willing to boldly share their career goals for fear of derailing the political capital or momentum they have created. To determine your growth path, you as an individual must develop a deep understanding of what you need professionally and personally to thrive. Ask yourself: 'Have I invested enough time understanding my own strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities to chart my path forward?' Before you point fingers at your employer, take a moment to reflect on yourself. Do you know who you are and what you truly want? Many employees chase external validations, such as promotions or salaries, without understanding if these align with their personal values or beliefs. Personal growth begins with introspection. In fact, when I've asked mid-career professionals the question, 'What are you chasing?', some of the most common responses include: happiness, survival, belonging, security, harmony, peace, respect, validation, self-trust, calmness, regaining faith in my abilities, and self-worth. Yet, while they know what they are chasing, they don't know who they are or what they stand for. As a result, they struggle to act confidently toward what they really want because much of what they have achieved has been the result of following a predefined path for years. I've learned that it takes time and immense focus for someone to uncover their unique passions and strengths. This requires an intensive process of unraveling internal and external factors, something an employer is not responsible for, especially when their priority is on financial goals and objectives. Now that employees are consumers with options, one of their most important choices begins with investing in themselves to understand the skills and capabilities they bring to the table. Employers are under immense pressure to drive growth, shareholder value, innovate, navigate volatility, and survive in highly competitive landscapes. Most career development initiatives are designed to address organizational priorities, not individual aspirations. For example, your employer might provide training programs to adapt to new technologies or meet immediate skill gaps. While these programs are valuable, they may not align with the long-term, personalized vision you might have for your career. In fact, as employers invest more in AI as a professional development tool to offset the cost of third-party vendors, employees must be aware of the risks of AI-driven standardization. This could dilute one's unique skills, capacities, and talents if the sole purpose of the tool is to emphasize skills that primarily benefit the organization—not the employee. The management of an employee's career goals is more complex than any organizational blueprint, especially when you consider a company with thousands of employees. It's reflective, adaptive, and deeply personal. To succeed, you must go beyond company resources and create your own plan for growth. When items 1-3 are at play, it's hard to enforce personal accountability for one's career goals. Yet, this is the world we now live in—if your objective is to get ahead of change before circumstances force it upon you. Gone are the days of waiting for your performance evaluation to discuss your career goals. By the time that happens, hundreds of growth opportunities may have already passed you by. Those with thriving careers are the ones who take matters into their own hands. They hold themselves accountable by continuously evaluating: Accountability makes you the owner of your career, especially when the workplace and its demands are evolving faster than ever. An important aspect that oftentimes goes overlooked is one's diligence to budget for personal growth and career goals. Investing in your career is no longer an option, it's a non-negotiable priority. We can no longer assume the degree you earned 10 years ago has a distinct competitive advantage anymore. I've learned time and again that the talent spectrum is getting flatter. It's no longer just about years of experience; it's about whether one has the skills, the will, and new ideas to solve today's challenges and realize growth opportunities for the present and future. Consider creating a dedicated line in your personal budget for career growth. When you make a financial commitment to yourself, it reinforces the idea that your growth is a top priority. It also solidifies that you are finally investing in yourself for the greater good. Owning your career goals doesn't mean navigating them all on your own. To continuously grow and evolve, you need the right people around you. It means using resources wisely and thinking strategically about the growth opportunities you pursue. Surround yourself with mentors, peers, friends, and family members who inspire and challenge you. The people you choose to associate with can either propel you forward or hold you back. Your circle of support should align with your goals and aspirations and share your hunger for growth. Stay close to the leaders and lifters and move away from the loafers and leeches. Growth requires you to assemble the right ecosystem of resources. Don't limit yourself to 2-3 resources you need at least 10-12 to continuously fuel your momentum and keep moving forward. Owning your career goals is neither simple nor fast, but it can be an incredibly rewarding journey if you put your mind to it. Never ask yourself again, 'What is my employer doing to support my career goals?' Instead, ask yourself, 'What am I doing to sustain the career path I desire?'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jobs data, tax bill, trade on tap for rebounding US stocks
By Lewis Krauskopf NEW YORK (Reuters) -Key U.S. economic data, developments with federal tax-and-spending legislation and twists and turns on trade all are poised to influence equities in the coming week, with the U.S. market closing in on record highs. The S&P 500 ended on Friday with a weekly gain and less than 4% from its February all-time high. The benchmark index rose about 6.2% in May, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 9.6%, with both indexes tallying their biggest monthly increases since November 2023. Investors at the end of the week were grappling with implications from legal rulings involving efforts to block most of President Donald Trump's tariffs. Trump's trade war has whipsawed global markets for weeks on concerns about economic fallout. The coming week also brings a raft of economic and labor market data, headlined by the monthly U.S. employment report out on Friday. "Now that we're back up here not all that far from the record high, I think the hard data needs to hold in better than the market expects to really advance from here," said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. The employment report for May is expected to show an increase of 130,000 jobs, according to a Reuters poll of economists, which would be a step down from growth of 177,000 the prior month. Investors have been eager to learn how Trump's tariffs may be rippling through the economy, especially in the wake of his April 2 "Liberation Day" announcement of sweeping levies on imports. The May data represents a full month of "how businesses have been handling some of the tariff uncertainty and some of the pressures in the market," said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. Still, an overly strong employment report, such as growth of over 200,000 jobs, might be viewed warily by the market because it could delay interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, said Eric Kuby, chief investment officer at North Star Investment Management Corp. Investors have reduced bets in recent weeks on the amount of expected Fed easing this year, with about two rate cuts priced in by December, according to LSEG data. Minutes of their latest meeting released this week showed Fed officials acknowledged they could face "difficult tradeoffs" in coming months with rising inflation alongside rising unemployment. Fiscal legislation in Washington will also be in focus. The Senate will start considering a tax-and-spending bill passed earlier this month by the House of Representatives. Trump said this week he plans to negotiate aspects of the "big, beautiful" tax bill, a day after billionaire Elon Musk said the bill detracts from efforts to reduce the U.S. budget deficit. The bill, which will add an estimated $3.8 trillion to the federal government's $36.2 trillion in debt over the next decade, has focused attention on the impact of increasing deficits on the Treasury market. Rising bond yields have pressured stocks in recent weeks. The shifting tariff backdrop also appeared likely to influence asset prices. Equities rebounded in recent weeks after Trump eased his harshest tariffs, but the situation remains in flux as Washington negotiates with trading partners. On Thursday, for instance, stocks rose early the session after a U.S. trade court blocked many of Trump's tariffs, but gains faded during the session. Later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, further muddying the backdrop. "There's initial excitement and then the reality set in that this is just another step in this process and it really hasn't clarified very much," Kuby said. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Biochemist on special purpose contract with Children's Health Ireland loses unfair dismissal claim
A biochemist who was employed for 19 months at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) , and was accused of seeking to leverage a grievance procedure to obtain a full-time job, has lost her claim for unfair dismissal. Representing herself at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Mary Ann Healy said she believed her complaint against her line manager prompted her dismissal. She said she suffered from a lot of anxiety due to the handling of her complaint in which she alleged she was humiliated by the manager. . A process of mediation was established between the two employees in an attempt to resolve the issue, but this was unsuccessful. The complaint was not upheld after an internal review process. READ MORE Ms Healy appealed, but her employment at CHI had finished by the time the appeal was considered. It was rejected on that basis. Ms Healy told WRC adjudication officer Valerie Murtagh she did not believe the specified purpose contract she had been offered was genuine. She said the purpose was supposed to be providing cover for an employee seconded to another role but she had never been told who that person was. She said the recruitment process was arduous and suggested the pre-employment checks were so demanding that the experience had 'all the hallmarks' of being geared towards a permanent contract. Instead, on June 17th, 2024, about 18 months into working with the organisation, she received a message from the HR department at CHI saying the purpose of her 'specified purpose contract' has 'come to an end'. She was given four weeks' notice. Ms Healy said it was only when she was told her contract had ceased that she was informed she had been backfilling for someone who was returning. Ms Healy, who was herself the subject of a complaint by an agency worker who provided some of her training, said she believed she was dismissed because of her complaint, adding that CHI sought to avoid acknowledging this by claiming her contract was up. In its evidence to the commission, CHI, represented by Ibec, said Ms Healy was provided with a specified purpose contract. CHI's lawyers submitted that Ms Healy wanted an apology from her manager in front of her colleagues, a permanent contract and a pay increase to address her complaint. In a decision in the case, Ms Murtagh said she was satisfied documentation provided by CHI established that another employee, whose name was not published, had returned to the post immediately after Ms Healy departed the role. Based on this and other documentation supplied, she found the claim of unfair dismissal was not well-founded. She similarly rejected claims made under the Organisation of Working Time Act and the Protection of employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The 'important and urgent' issue of getting our young people into work
ONE of the challenges we face as a region is the growing number of young people not in work, education or training (so called NEETs) in the north east and Cumbria. It's an important and urgent issue, and one I discussed on a recent visit to Carlisle Jobcentre Plus. Unlocking the talent of our young people is key to our country's future. As part of its Get Britain Working plan, the biggest reform to employment support in a generation, the Government has raised the National Living Wage, improved working conditions through landmark employment legislation and begun to create jobs in high potential areas, such as clean energy industries, advanced manufacturing and defence. A central element of this plan is the new 'Youth Guarantee', which will support thousands of 18 to 21-year-olds into education, employment or training. Teesside, over in the north east, is one of eight trailblazer areas for the Youth Guarantee Scheme. This means it is a pilot for new approaches which, if successful, will be rolled out across the country. But that doesn't mean there's a lack of support for young people here in Carlisle and north Cumbria. Far from it. For example, the government is providing support to employers to take on young apprentices, including funding training costs for small businesses for apprentices aged 16-18, and removing National Insurance contributions for employers of apprentices under 25. A reformed Skills Levy will help ensure that a more skilled and adaptable workforce goes hand-in-hand with greater opportunity. On my recent visit to Carlisle Jobcentre Plus I saw for myself the tailored support available to 16–24 year-olds in their Youth Hub. Through partnerships with organisations like the Cumbria Youth Alliance, it provides access to careers advice, employability coaching, and connections to local services. Help is on hand for essential skills such as CV writing, interview preparation and job searches, as well as access to training opportunities. But if these efforts are going to be successful, we need young people to meet us halfway. If someone on benefits refuses to take up the support offered by a work coach without good reason, there will be benefits sanctions. This isn't about creating a blame culture; it's about fairness. Those who can work should work, so we are able to support those who genuinely can't. By working together, the government, employers, and young people can build an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive, whether they live in the north east, Cumbria, or beyond.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FedEx Plans More Than 300 Layoffs At Texas Facility
FedEx has plans to slash 305 jobs at a facility in Fort Worth, Tex., according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice filed with the state this month. The notice notes that the company, which has already been on the layoffs path over the past year, will begin parting ways with impacted employees from the FedEx Supply Chain and Electronics facility on July 6. More from Sourcing Journal FedEx Freight Taps New CEO, Chairman Ahead of 2026 Spinoff NFW's Corporate Restructuring Spawns Third Wave of Layoffs FedEx Exec: Amazon Delivery Partnership 'Will Push Up Our Yield' A spokesperson for FedEx told Sourcing Journal via email that the company will make the cuts because a client has chosen to change providers. 'The FedEx customer that occupies space on Independence Parkway in Fort Worth will be transitioning a portion of its business to a new third-party logistics provider in a new location,' the spokesperson said via email, noting that the company expects the cuts to be complete by October of this year. The spokesperson further noted the company would work to aid impacted employees. 'Team members at this facility were notified in advance, and many may be offered other roles within the company,' they said via email. 'We are committed to supporting affected employees—through job placement assistance, relocation aid or severance, as applicable, including at other nearby FedEx facilities in the area.' The layoffs will impact just over half—52 percent—of the approximately 580 workers employed at the location, which FedEx said is on Independence Parkway. In 2023, the company cut 280 jobs from the Fort Worth facility, which the company, at the time, attributed to a customer transitioning its business to a different facility and a new logistics provider. The company has filed WARN notices notifying states of its plans to lay off employees in Maryland, Tennessee, Florida, California and North Carolina since the beginning of the year. And, according to the Memphis Business Journal, the company recently filed a WARN notice detailing its plans to lay off nearly 400 workers from a Jackson, Ga. facility in July. The company has been working to cut costs under its Drive transformation program in an effort to cut $6 billion in costs by 2027; as part of that framework, the company plans to close some of its facilities and consolidate some of the routes it takes for delivery. Last year, it shuttered four facilities in North and South Carolina, as part of the initiative. The FedEx spokesperson did not mention the initiative as a reason for the Fort Worth layoffs. John Dietrich, executive vice president and chief financial officer of FedEx, said in the company's last earnings call in March that the company is on track to achieve the cost savings it had committed to by 2025—$4 billion against a 2023 baseline. 'As we committed, we continued to sequentially improve our Drive savings, and we expect evenfurther savings in Q4. We delivered $600 million of savings in Q3 compared to $390 million in Q1 and $540 million in Q2,' he told investors. The company will provide a further update on Drive's impact in June, when it next reports earnings. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
