Latest news with #ScottBlumsack
CNBC
13-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Why summer Fridays — workers' most desired perk — are increasingly rare
Summer Fridays may be considered the most desirable perk of the season, but fewer employers are on board with the shortened workweek. Companies have steadily phased out summer Fridays — a policy that allows workers to take Friday afternoon off over the summer months — as work-from-home Fridays became more common, experts say. "Pre-pandemic, summer Fridays were thing, but hybrid overall has taken over," said Bill Driscoll, technology workplace trends expert at staffing and consulting firm Robert Half. As more commuters settle into flexible working arrangements, fewer workers are making Friday trips at all compared to mid-week traffic patterns, according to the 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard released in January by INRIX Inc., a traffic-data analysis firm. More from Personal Finance:Job market is 'trash' right now, career coach saysMillions would lose health insurance under GOP megabillAverage 401(k) balances drop 3% due to market volatility Among employees, however, summer Fridays are the most valued summer benefit, followed by summer hours and flextime, according to a new survey by job site Monster, which polled more than 400 U.S. workers in June. "Summer Fridays are highly valued among workers because, for many, they represent more than just a few extra hours off," said Scott Blumsack, Monster's chief strategy and marketing officer. This perk "can go a long way in showing employees they're valued, which can help prevent burnout, boost morale, and improve retention during a season when disengagement can run high." Still, 84% of workers are not offered any summer-specific benefits, even though 55% also said those benefits improve productivity, Monster found. Instead, hybrid — and to a lesser extent fully remote — job postings have increased in the last year as employers compete for talented job seekers who prioritize flexibility, according to research by Robert Half. "Hybrid is a highly desirable situation right now and one that all levels of employees are looking for," said Robert Half's Driscoll. More than five years after the pandemic, 72% of organizations also have return-to-office mandates, according to a separate hybrid work study by Cisco. But, even with the mandates, employees are less likely to work in the office on Fridays, and much more likely to commute Monday to Thursday, Cisco found. As employee burnout and disengagement grows amid the wave of in-office mandates, work-life balance and flexible hours have become increasingly important, other studies show. Corporate wellness company Exos, which works with large organizations such as JetBlue and Adobe, says burnout has gone down significantly among employees at firms that have made Fridays more flexible. Exos also tested out "You Do You Fridays" — and found significant benefits. The more adaptable the schedule, the more positively employees view their company's policies, the Cisco report also found. With hybrid arrangements now common, workers put a high value on that flexibility — and 63% of all workers would even accept a pay cut for the option to work remotely more often, according to Cisco's global survey of more than 21,500 employers and employees working full-time.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
College grads say they are confident about jobs but cautious about economy
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. As the current job market continues to shift, 2025 college graduates express both optimism and concern about their job prospects, according to Monster's annual State of the Graduate Report. Most graduates (83%) said they were confident about landing a role soon after graduation, although 37% said the job hunt could take 4-6 months. 'The job market is rapidly shifting, and today's graduates are entering it with both confidence and conviction,' Scott Blumsack, CMO of CareerBuilder + Monster, said in the report. 'The message is clear: today's graduates are ambitious, intentional, and values-driven,' Blumsack said. 'Employers who adapt to these priorities by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways to growth will be best positioned to attract and retain the next generation of top talent.' In a poll of 1,000 new and upcoming college graduates, 75% said they're worried their job prospects will be affected by the economy, up from 69% in 2024. In addition, 48% of graduates said they assume they won't be able to find a job at the workplace they prefer, as compared with 52% in 2024. Due to current market conditions, 42% of graduates who don't already have a full-time job said they're now looking at more companies and industries, an increase from 34% in 2024. Graduates pointed to several red flags that would prevent them from applying for a job at a company, including a salary freeze, recent layoffs, lower than average earnings during the past year, a mandate for daily in-office work and fully remote work. At the same time, graduates reported mixed thoughts about the economy and how it may impact their starting salary. About 37% expect their starting salary to be higher as a result of the economy, while 27% expect their starting salary to be lower. Job security also appears to be a major priority, with 80% reporting concerns about job security in the current market, as compared with 77% in 2024. About 64% said it'll be more difficult to find a job due to artificial intelligence filling roles previously held by humans, up from 62% in 2024. In December 2024, hiring, job openings and turnover decreased, with hiring reaching its lowest point in five years, according to a BambooHR report. Hiring declined across all industries, both in the U.S. and worldwide, the report found. For now, the labor market has cooled off, which could be good news for hiring managers, leading economists told HR Dive. Although top talent may be somewhat easier to find and retain, an aging workforce and changes to immigration will likely challenge recruiters throughout 2025, they said.
