Linked: Why Threats from QR Codes are Flourishing
I have noticed this, haven’t you? Suddenly, QR codes are everywhere: “The COVID-19 pandemic has helped fuel the QR code renaissance. The glory of QR codes is you don’t need to touch anything apart from your own smartphone to use … Read More
Linked: Why IT Departments Need to Consider Deepfakes
If I had to guess, I think most people, when asked about “deepfakes”, if they are concerned at all, are concerned about elections, political fakes, or famous people being taken down by fake videos. We aren’t thinking about phishing, and … Read More
Linked: Why you should still take vacation time during the pandemic
I totally agree with this, we took a week off in August. We didn’t travel, per se, though we did take some day trips to explore some wildlife preserves and state parks in the area, but I know that I … Read More
Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 18, 2020
More Questions about Ediscovery People are too Afraid to Ask
Blatant Hypocrite Ajit Pai Decides To Move Forward With Bogus, Unconstitutional Rulemaking On Section 230
Oregon FBI Tech Tuesday: Cyber Security Awareness Month
Making it personal: The effects of alcohol and substance abuse in the legal community
The Disgruntled Employee and the Damage They Can Do
Why Lawyers Need to Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Launching Today: A Global Directory of Legaltech Products and Resources
TikTok Toe: Tackling Ediscovery for the New Kid on the Social Media Block
Let’s talk about mental health in the workplace
Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything You See on Social Media
Preventing Employee Burnout Among Remote Workers
How to help an employee with an anxiety disorder
Always Check the Facts Before You Share the Story… Read More
Financial Stress and Mental Health – Why Younger Employees Leave
I think this is interesting in a couple of different ways. Clearly, workers are putting a much higher value on their own mental health, and companies that don’t get that, and support it, are going to end up having quite a bit of turnover.
But, the other thing that I wanted to think more about was what those specific reasons say about the mental health of Millennial and Gen Z workers. They seem to be dealing with a lot of stress around finances, and having that stress impact their mental health. Is that new? Or is it more likely that Gen X and Boomers have had those same stresses, but didn’t really identify them as mental health issues, like anxiety.
I think there’s something to that. Not to start talking about how things were “back in my day”, but I don’t recall anyone talking about anxiety in the same way we talk about it now. I suspect that many of us had anxiety around finances, we just didn’t call it that, and our solution to that anxiety was, of course, to work harder and longer.
And guess what? The next generations watched us do that, especially the Baby Boomers, and realized that it doesn’t actually work. Our mental health has sucked, for years, and we just didn’t admit it. They are willing to talk about it, and look for work that fits with lessening stress, especially stress that is related to finances.
Now, you would think that if they had more stress around finances, they would also just “work harder and longer”, but that assumes that the relationship between employers and employees is the same as it was 25-30 years ago, and it’s just not. Companies come and go now overnight. They run out to hire when things are growing, and rush to fire when things are not growing. Whole industries barely exist anymore. None of us live in the same work world that we grew up in any more.… Read More
Linked: Where Did Our Lunch Breaks Go?
My point in describing these things is not to brag about how much work I do, or how many teams I interact with, but to point out that it’s easy to find your time and energy completely blocked and scheduled for you. Fighting burn out means protecting, and sometimes fighting for, your free time, including a lunch break.
Employers who are interested in not burning out their employees would do well to recognize that as well. As the article below points out, remote working gives us all a lot more flexibility to take breaks, and then do some of our work on our own schedule, since we no longer have to commute, or be in a location, but that doesn’t mean you work all day, and then also into the night.
Breaks matter. Balance matters. Remote work is a great way to find your own level of flexibility, and to provide it to your employees. I suggest you figure that out.… Read More
Linked: 81 Percent Of U.S. Adults Do Not Regularly Use Twitter
The numbers in the post below are important to remember, whether you’re a business owner trying to decide where to spend your marketing budget, or anyone trying to determine what society and politics looks like in the US. Twitter may … Read More