Covid-19 cases rise in China, prompting WFH order from local authorities.
A recent mass shooting in the US places the spotlight on whether employees are empowered to speak up to prevent workplace violence, while Twitter employees adapt to a new owner and fewer perks. Meanwhile, China registers a surge in Covid-19 infections, prompting local authorities to call for residents to work-from-home and a British airline launches an “empty nester” worker campaign to attract people over the age of 45 into the workforce, as worker shortages bite.
China urges WFH – again
Residents in Shenzhen have been requested to work from home as Covid-19 infections rise again in China.
In addition, as part of the government’s prevention measures, 50 percent occupancy will be required at indoor venues, and new arrivals to the city will not be allowed to enter theatres and gyms, reports Reuters.
British airline launches ‘empty nester’ worker campaign
British airline easyJet has launched a recruitment drive urging people over the age of 45 to join its cabin crews, as firms devise new strategies for hiring staff in the UK amid a shortage of workers.
The airline said it has seen a 27 percent increase in crew aged 45 and over in the past four years, including a 30 percent increase in over-60s in the past year.
The new campaign is aimed at “empty nesters” – those parents whose children have left home – and workers looking for a new career challenge later in life, reports The Guardian.
Twitter company perks cut
Twitter boss Elon Musk has cut company perks for employees, including wellness, productivity, home internet, training and development, outschools, daycare and quarterly team activities, according to an internal memo seen by The Verge.
It was also reported that after firing a number of employees within a month of buying the social media platform, Musk is hiring again.
At a meeting with employees, Musk also claimed that Twitter is now actively hiring for positions in engineering and sales, reports The Verge. He also asked the staffers to recommend potential candidates, reports IANS.
Are US companies preventing workplace violence?
The recent mass shooting by an employee at a Walmart in the US, resulting in a number of fatalities, prompted questions about prevention of workplace violence.
Workers far too often don’t know how to recognise warning signs, and even more crucially, don’t know how to report suspicious behaviour or feel empowered to do so, according to workplace safety and human resources experts, reports CBS News.
Experts say there is much less focus on how to prevent workplace violence, although many companies provide active shooting training.
The Walmart shooting in particular raised questions of whether employees feel empowered to speak up because it was a team leader who carried out the shooting.
