YOUR LIFE.

• Position: Job turnovers, social security, ice cream month

STAFF TURNOVER REMAINS AN ISSUE

Staff turnover will continue to trouble employers, research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half shows. According to the company's biannual Job Optimism Survey, 41% of respondents indicate they are looking or plan to look for a new role in the second half of 2022. Results remain steady from six months ago.

Those most likely to pursue new opportunities are 25- to 40-yearolds (53%); technology professionals (52%); working parents (50%); and employees who have been with their company for five to nine years (49%). Overall, 88% of workers feel confident about their current skill set and marketability.

The main reasons professionals are looking for a new job are a salary boost (65%); greater opportunities for advancement (39%); and a career change after experiencing burnout (34%). More than half of workers considering a change plan to pursue hybrid (55%) or fully remote (54%) positions, and 53% are open to searching outside their city.

There has never been a better time to explore the job market and opportunities that offer better pay, a greater challenge, and more flexibility," says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half. "In this market, even passive job seekers are flight risks, so it's crucial for companies to address employees' priorities before they even contemplate a career move."

Among workers who have been with their current company for a year or less, only one in 10 say they regret quitting their previous job. Looking back, though, 26% would have met with their manager to discuss the issues that made them want to leave and 17% would have asked for a raise or promotion before resigning.

McDonald notes, "Employee turnover is bound to happen, but companies can mitigate the risk by promoting internal job opportunities, discussing career paths, and reevaluating compensation regularly."

WORKERS STILL HEADING FOR THE EXIT DOOR

Some 30% of mid-career professionals (between 30-45 years of age) have quit their job over the past year. Of those, 31 % left without another job lined up. Frustration with their boss (76%) and wanting a better company culture (72%) were the top two reasons cited for leaving, according to Hinge Research Institute, Reston, Va.

The resignations show no signs of abating, as only 48% of mid-career respondents are satisfied with their current job.

"The Great Resignation means different things to different people," says HRI managing partner Lee Frederiksen. 'To mid-career professionals held accountable for senior management's strategies while supervising staff to implement those strategies, it means The Great Squeeze' that drove them to the exit doors. To senior executives left behind, it means The Great Reckoning' for their leadership style and the toxic culture they've cultivated.

"In today's competitive marketplace where labor continues to be tight, companies can no longer afford to ignore the signs of toxic leadership and culture."

What are the signs of a toxic culture? Ninety percent of mid-career respondents indicated discomfort sharing thoughts with leadership. Eighty-nine percent noted work that was not fulfilling or engaging. Eightyeight percent said their experience failed to help grow their career. Eightyseven percent maintained their peers did not treat them with respect.

Company size also was a factor. The larger the firm, the more likely mid-career professionals were dissatisfied with their job. When asked what initiatives would make a positive difference, respondents cited mental health days, DEI programs, and public recognition as the top three.

ENSURING COMPANIES USE Al ETHICALLY

Artificial intelligence is an amazing tool to improve efficiency and speed up processes but, when not used properly, it can cause more damage than good. Christophe Bourguignat, CEO and cofounder of insurance tech provider Zelros, lists his top four things that companies need to know to ensure that they are using Al ethically and responsibly:

Biases in Al are not always where you think they are. "When most people look for biases in Al, it's usually focused on unbalanced training data. For example, if there are more men than women who are represented in the dataset, or vice versa. This isn't the only place where an Al bias can happen, though: it can...