The hottest Workforce management Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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201. Does your company serve "weenies" or "shrimp"?

Hardcore Software • 337 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
💼 Business Company Culture Employee Benefits Workforce management
  1. A famous memo at Microsoft highlighted the importance of being cost-conscious and avoiding extravagance.
  2. The concept of 'Shrimp and Weenies' emphasized the need for frugality, even in a successful company like Microsoft.
  3. The challenges of maintaining a lean and efficient culture as a company grows in size were evident at Microsoft and continue to be relevant in other companies.

Not Earth's Best Employer

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
💼 Business Corporate culture Employee Relations Leadership Workforce management
  1. Amazon's shift towards a strict return-to-office policy after the pandemic has caused employees to face unexpected challenges and disruptions in their work-life balance.
  2. The company's focus on cost control and downsizing has led to a shift away from its previous values, resulting in the departure of talented employees and a potential brain drain.
  3. The tactics employed by Amazon, such as enforcing compliance through threats and disregarding prior assurances, raise concerns about the company's treatment of its employees and its adherence to its own stated values.

Fools and Horses

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
💼 Business Workforce management Corporate culture Leadership Organizational Behavior
  1. Pushing a team too hard can lead to negative consequences despite short-term gains. Just like overworking horses can lead to their breaking, overworking employees can lead to burnout and reduced efficiency.
  2. Managers should not ignore ethical concerns in pursuit of business results. It's important to prioritize employee well-being over just achieving immediate goals.
  3. Systemic issues like work overload cannot be solved by individual efforts alone. Companies must address root causes and provide adequate resources to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work environment.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

The Jolly Contrarian • 19 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
💼 Business Human Resources Workforce management Employee retention Performance Management
  1. A 'reduction in force' (RIF) and natural attrition are lazy ways of managing staff without true consideration and development.
  2. Lateral quitting should be examined closely, as letting good employees leave unchecked can lead to a decline in workforce quality and a 'drift towards mediocrity'.
  3. Effective people management involves developing and retaining good employees, actively managing underperformers, and avoiding reliance on periodic RIFs or passive attrition.

The Bradford Factor

Luddite with a keyboard • 2 HN points • 06 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Employee Satisfaction Workforce management
  1. The Bradford Factor is a method to quantify the impact of sick days, focusing on frequency of absences over their total duration.
  2. The scores in the Bradford Factor system can be influenced significantly by how many separate instances of absence there are, leading to potential anomalies.
  3. The Bradford Factor can create perverse incentives encouraging employees to manipulate their absences and can penalize those with chronic conditions unfairly.
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