Career development

Anonymous member

1d

Hi! I work in an all-women team and no one has a car. My husband picks me up every day and my coworkers often ask for a ride too. They got used to it and if I say no, they get upset. But I’m tired of driving everyone home. How can I stop this without arguments? Thanks

1

Sheila Milburn
2h
Say No. Let them be mad. Its not your responsibility to transport them to or from their jobs. What did they do prior to you working there? Do they... even offer to pay? If not, they are truly taking advantage.
more
Paul Smith
7h
SAY NO

Anonymous member

Career development

5d

I’ve been working at a big bank for six months, and I still can’t get used to how people treat each other. Many employees look down on drivers, cleaners, maintenance staff, and kitchen assistants. They treat them like they are “lower”.
I can’t act like that and try to be kind and respectful to everyone. But my colleagues criticize me for it and even push me to be rude to support staff.
How can I... stand my ground and help others treat them with respect?

more

1

Murego tharcisse
2h
it is up to you to choose the person you want to be to them without anyone's influence
ANTHONY Engena
1d
Someone once said charity begins at home
Treat all members the way u want them to treat you and remember this world is round the person you treat... badly today may be your boss at one point more

Career development

4h

Sudbury pilot testing AI platform aimed at getting more people with disabilities in the workforce

Launched in 2025, Enabled Talent wants to remove bias from hiring process

Amandipp Singh knows firsthand how challenging it can be navigating a world not built for people with disabilities.

Born in India with partial sight, Singh worked his way through school and, later, his working life, struggling within a system that assumes everyone can see.

To sighted people, and others who don't live with... disabilities, he puts it this way:

"Try working for a day with your eyes closed, not being able to speak or hear, or not being able to utilize your keyboard to type," said Singh, who relocated to Canada in 2023.

"None of that makes us less talented, less passionate, less dedicated, less hardworking."

He always believed things could be different if some tools were created to help make their education and employment journeys more accessible.

It turns out that Singh was just the person to make that happen.

In 2025, he launched Enabled Talent, an online platform that aims to make the job-searching process more equitable for people living with disabilities.

Using artificial intelligence (AI), the platform helps users optimize their résumés and offers personalized interview coaching. Users can also connect with peers who have gone through similar journeys for support and mentorship.

Employers can use the platform to be matched with skilled applicants that meet their workforce needs. Applicants' résumés are scored and ranked based on skill, removing bias from the screening process.

Too often, employers may want to hire employees with disabilities, but they just don't know how or what tools to use to do it, Singh said.

"And then there is this pre-formed bias that anything related to integration of people with disabilities or any other underprivileged communities into workforces is a government thing, or it is a non-profit thing," he added.

Singh argues that leaving disabled people out of the workforce is not only unjust, but it's a big hit to Canada's economy.

Nearly 27 per cent of the Canadian population -- or one out of every four people -- is considered disabled. Globally, that equates to more than 500 million people "who are working age, who, despite having education or skills, are not part of the workforce," Singh said.

Think of it this way, Singh said. The English astrophysicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking used a speech-generating device to communicate after a motor neuron disease took away his ability to speak. Imagine if Hawking was born in a country without access to sophisticated technology. Would the world still have benefitted from Hawking's numerous scientific contributions?

"How many Stephen Hawkings might be waiting if we give the the same kind of support and resources to other folks in the world as well?" Singh said.

After launching Enabled Talent last year, Singh has since branched out with pilot projects in Africa, where his company was accepted into the UNICEF Startup Lab, Saudi Arabia and Spain.

Before selecting his next launch area, Singh conducts detailed community research, connecting with local politicians, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders to gauge a community's willingness to embrace the initiative.

He found his next target demographic in Sudbury, which he describes as "one of the most proactive communities" that's "highly supportive and open to change and new ideas," launching a pilot project there on April 8.

Based out of the NORCAT innovation centre, Enabled Talent will bring on an estimated five to eight full-time employees between April and September, followed by about 10 to 15 students from Laurentian University and Cambrian College.

"The goal would be to bring in some more students with disabilities, like people with lived experience, working alongside us as co-designers on different projects," said Singh, who also plans to relocate to Sudbury.

One of those projects includes an inclusive office space concept that will lean on best practices gathered from Japan, South Korea, Austria and Germany, which will implement technology that helps integrate people with disabilities into the workplace.

He said he hopes to start the search for an office location by June, and will start on the project within the next year.

To fund this endeavour, Singh has accessed some grant funding, including from the UNICEF Startup Lab, NORCAT has pitched in some funds, and they have already secured a few clients, which is generating some revenue. Eventually, Singh said, he plans to fundraise and access some government funding.

The Sudbury pilot project will be monitored closely for a year, and other regions Singh has identified for expansion include Niagara, Hamilton and Brampton.

Greater Sudbury is an ideal spot for the pilot because the region represents one of the highest densities of people who are on unemployment programs like the Ontario Disability Support Program, which the province runs at an annual cost of $6 billion, Singh said.

With Enabled Talent, he believes they can work with someone who has, for example, visual impairment, identify what type of industry they could work in, pinpoint the training and skill development they need, and figure out what type of accessibility support they need to achieve it.

Through this process he believes Enabled Talent could help between 700 and 1,500 people within the next year, getting them off government assistance programs and integrating them into the workforce.

"Even if 300 to 500 people are moving into employment every year, that will be a very good start, considering they'll be adding value into the GDP, and the government funding into income replacement programs will be getting reduced," Singh said.

Singh praised the work of local organizations already assisting people with disabilities, and he emphasized that he's not looking to replace their efforts. But he believes Enabled Talent can offer a more integrated approach so that the entire system works more efficiently for the people who need it.

"We don't replace or come into the work they do, but we just bring in an additional layer of technology support for all the parties involved," Singh said. "And that is where I see that it won't be us doing it; it will be all of us doing it." more

Nikolas Rumeliotti

Career development

6d

Hello! It’s an open position in my department and we’re choosing between two candidates: an experienced 48-year-old man and a recent college graduate with no experience but very motivated. I prefer the second candidate, as she will learn fast and work well. But our company director wants to hire the experienced man. To me, he seemed a bit dry and a little tired.
Who would you choose? Thanks for... your advice

more

3

mwaura david
1d
The problem originated from ypur advert and shortlisting. If properly done theres no way the two would have appeared to be interviewed. It means you... didnt know what you wanted more
Renata Fester
1d
There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The experienced person is going to take a shorter time to onboard and get up to speed (pro) BUT may... not have the experience on newer technology or may bring baggage(e.g. unwillingness to share work or teach others), which could potentially impact delivery (con). The younger person will bring a fresh eagerness (pro) but will take a minimum of 3 months to get up to speed(con). This means someone will need to spend that time handholding and ensuring errors are spotted, which could be expensive if human resources are thin. Ultimately, it is the boss's choice, and you may need to wrap your head around that reality. Your views on the matter become irrelevant when the directors are the decision makers. Additionally, if they do bring on the more experienced person, you could very well earn a thing or two from him. Never underestimate the value of experience over eagerness. more
1

Career development

7h

In a Rising Tide of Job Scams, Recruiters Safeguard Trust Across the Talent Lifecycle - HRTech Cube

Protect your brand and candidates from the surge in job scams. Neil Costa shares how recruiters build authentic trust using human-centric tools.

Job scams involving fake recruiters that are promoting ghost job postings jumped 37% in the first three quarters of 2025 -- and in 2023, these job-related scams cost Americans over $500 million. This is obviously a problem for job seekers who are... increasingly concerned about whether jobs are legitimate when job hunting online. The other side of the issue causes pain for recruiters from companies of all sizes who are actively trying to source and recruit talent and reach candidates as they navigate determining which inquiries are real and which are scams.

How does this issue get fixed? Applicants, of course, need to do their share. They have to make moves to protect themselves from scams of all types and avoid job-related cons that pitch amazing opportunities in exchange for money or personal information. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is circulating resources to help spot job scams. LinkedIn, Indeed and ZipRecruiter are stepping up to the plate too, helping to bring clarity to job seekers. LinkedIn has implemented Clear as a way to verify recruiters and job seekers, creating a safer marketplace and raising the level of trust across the board. These job board vendors are continually updating their fraud detection systems to block fake profiles and scams, but despite these measures, scammers create fake, high-salary, or remote listings to steal personal information (SSN, bank details) or money.

To isolate the data from the FTC on the last available quarter (Q3 2025), there was a 60% year over year increase in reported job scam claims when compared to Q3 2024. Based on experience, thousands more claims go unreported, given there is a level of shame and despair that goes along with falling prey to these types of nefarious actions. Job seekers must verify that it is a real opening on the company's career site when they get a sense that something is amiss.

Recruiters themselves - and the employers they work for - can play an important role in preventing these types of fraudulent activities as well.

Strengthening trust across the hiring journey

Here are some ways recruiters and companies can break down barriers.

* Don't assume trust. Earn it. Show job seekers you're legit and above board at all times. Recruit only from official company email addresses, never from personal email for initial outreach. Always link directly to official job postings on the company's careers page. And always use a fully built-out LinkedIn profile with real employment history, tenure, and connections.

* Don't cut corners. Scams target users who are in a hurry to get hired. Scammers push and prod, promising to move offers along if users forward sensitive information - Social Security Numbers, financial information, copies of IDs, and background check details, for starters. Be clear and diligent about the hiring process at your organization, and if possible, even share an "about the hiring process at Company X" from your career site as a way to validate that your requests are legitimate and part of the regular steps to becoming an employee. It's ok to show urgency, but play it smart and respect the candidate by moving at their pace.

* Be transparent. High-pressure scammers in any forum rely on urgency, secrecy, or vague steps to lure targets into making a quick decision. Recruiters can differentiate themselves by taking their time and clearly explaining the steps that will happen in the hiring process and the steps that won't. Know that you and your organization are the source of truth for any job seeker interested in joining your organization. Share your LinkedIn profile and your corporate email. Make sure you are guiding the job seeker to the official social media accounts of your company.

* Educate, educate, educate. Recruiters are often the first contact a job seeker makes, so they can serve as a valuable resource for reducing the stress job seekers face when they have anxiety about scams. They can explain how scammers operate and what to watch for. Even if the person doesn't decide to join their organization, they can make an impact and educate the job seeker on what red flags to look out for. Even this small gesture can have a positive impact on the perception of the recruiter and the organization.

Unlocking value with the right tools

Today's job search engines serve as the second generation of online job boards, and they have made the process of finding each other easier than job boards of yesteryear (i.e. Monster, CareerBuilder, etc.) for both recruiters and job seekers. From a recruiter's perspective, there are many tools available to search and aggregate resumes at massive scale. There have also been significant and impressive investments in the way these tools leverage AI in recruiting to match, score, and communicate with candidates. These solutions have done their part to reduce friction in the application process, save recruiters thousands of hours of labor, and accelerate the overall hiring process.

The unfortunate part is that all of these same tools are available to the scammers and agents of fraudulent behavior, so what can help the real recruiters stand out? Today, recruiters also need tools that allow them to showcase their authenticity and legitimacy so they can be a clear beacon in the marketplace. Recruiters aren't robots; they're people with amazing skill sets and creative ideas to help educate and sell candidates on why they should consider taking a job within their organization. They have the patience and thoughtfulness to help a job seeker think about their potential career trajectory. They are gifted salespeople and wonderful ambassadors for their respective employers. They need tools that help them build more authentic relationships with job seekers at a time when scammers are preying on seekers' desires for quick-fix solutions in what is turning out to be a tougher economy

What do these modern, more "human-centric" tools look like?

There is an opportunity for recruiters to use tools that allow them to be their authentic selves while also building their employer's brand in the marketplace, and these types of tools go beyond chatbots and AI. Recruiters can leverage a solid one-two punch of tools like JobPixel and Recruiter Hub to showcase the best version of themselves to the marketplace. This allows them to showcase the positives of working with them and their organization for jobseekers in a professional manner while creating a safe space so the job seeker can feel confident they are dealing with the real recruiters and avoiding scam artists.

Recruiter Hub provides each recruiter with a customized and dedicated landing page that they can use as a part of their overall messaging and sourcing efforts. This page is tied to their specific requisitions and leads candidates directly to the applicant tracking system (ATS), serving as the source of truth for the employer's jobs and giving the candidate a high degree of confidence that the recruiter and the jobs are not a scam since they are on the employer's domain. In addition, recruiters can leverage videos from a vendor like JobPixel to deliver authentic content and create a way for candidates to feel connected to the recruiter and the company they work for.

Recruiters need to stand out from each other and even from colleagues at the same company. Giving each recruiter their own page, where they can sync personal stories, pictures, and social posts with established brand standards, can create a way to promote individuality and build an employer brand and lead to better connections.

Moving quickly should be a priority, as well. In a fast-moving job market, where employer needs evolve, and position descriptions are constantly in flux, recruiters need to have the ability to change content on a dime. Knowing that the site has up-to-date jobs and a real human behind the job opening builds trust and confidence.

Reimaging human-centric recruiting in a tech-forward future

With job scams growing more sophisticated, trust becomes the defining currency in the hiring process. Human-centric recruiting tools empower recruiters to show up authentically, move quickly, and build real relationships, while giving candidates confidence that there is a knowledgeable professional behind every opportunity. As we continue further into the automation era, the ability to humanize hiring may be the most powerful differentiator recruiters have. more

Career development

4d

My Husband Can't Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?

My husband is a very smart and capable person, but he became very sick in early 2020, and he has barely worked since then, despite tirelessly applying for positions. What can he do?

We recently moved so I could go to graduate school for music, but the stress of trying to make enough money to live on (even with help from my mom) has made it nearly impossible to focus and develop my skills. It's... literally ruining my life.

Currently he is doing an online master's program in computer science, but I worry that this will not improve his prospects. I don't really want to get divorced, but I think about it constantly. It's just too hard trying to support two adults as a nonprofit administrator. I can't live this way for the next 30-40 years.

Thanks for your help,

more

1

Habila Malo
9h
What if you divorce him then same problem befall you, sick and kicked from job, and at that time your husband healed and he has fantastic job. What... will you do? God has a way of testing our genuineness. Be patience please. more
Boniface Ombati
2
1d
Very sad. I have been under care by my wife for a year now
1

Career development

9h

Employee success and career development recognised at James Hall & Co. Ltd Achievement Awards

Employees at James Hall & Co. Ltd, based at Bowland View in Preston, were involved alongside colleagues from within the company's SPAR store retail division. They were also joined by colleagues from within the James Hall Group of Companies at G.A.P. Convenience Distribution Ltd, Ann Forshaw's Alston Dairy, Clayton Park Bakery, and Fazila Foods.

Apprentices who have completed Apprenticeships in a... diverse range of sectors were honoured with qualifications including Team Leadership, Senior Leadership, Supply Chain, Warehousing, Operations Management, Retail, Food Technology, Software Engineering, and Health, Safety and Environment.

Employees who have participated in the company's internal Leadership Academy were also recognised with programme designed to develop people skills. It explores the motivation for personal and professional development and leadership styles, communication skills and emotional intelligence, team development, delegation and onboarding, problem solving, quality and continuous improvement, and the impact of learning and development.

Following the awards in the morning, the afternoon focussed on a training provider showcase where Apprentify, Baltic Apprenticeships, Blackpool & Fylde College, Lifetime Training, Linden Management, and Preston College attended and engaged with employees.

Aishah Ibrahim, Fresh Chilled, Bakery and Horticulture Trading Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, completed the company's Leadership Academy course. She said: "I can honestly say I have learned a huge amount from it. I have become more aware of where I can add the most value as part of a team, and how I can work more efficiently with my time. more

Career development

10h

Employee success and career development recognised at James Hall & Co. Ltd Achievement Awards

Professional development was cheered and applauded during the ceremony at the company's SPAR Distribution Centre as employees came together to celebrate the success of their peers.

Employees at James Hall & Co. Ltd, based at Bowland View in Preston, were involved alongside colleagues from within the company's SPAR store retail division.

They were also joined by colleagues from within the James... Hall Group of Companies at G.A.P. Convenience Distribution Ltd, Ann Forshaw's Alston Dairy, Clayton Park Bakery, and Fazila Foods.

Apprentices who have completed Apprenticeships in a diverse range of sectors were honoured with qualifications including Team Leadership, Senior Leadership, Supply Chain, Warehousing, Operations Management, Retail, Food Technology, Software Engineering, and Health, Safety and Environment.

Employees who have participated in the company's internal Leadership Academy were also recognised with programme designed to develop people skills.

It explores the motivation for personal and professional development and leadership styles, communication skills and emotional intelligence, team development, delegation and onboarding, problem solving, quality and continuous improvement, and the impact of learning and development.

Following the awards in the morning, the afternoon focussed on a training provider showcase where Apprentify, Baltic Apprenticeships, Blackpool & Fylde College, Lifetime Training, Linden Management, and Preston College attended and engaged with employees.

Aishah Ibrahim, Fresh Chilled, Bakery and Horticulture Trading Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, completed the company's Leadership Academy course. She said: "I can honestly say I have learned a huge amount from it. I have become more aware of where I can add the most value as part of a team, and how I can work more efficiently with my time.

"One of the other aspects Leadership Academy gave me was a much clearer understanding of our business from end to end, from the bigger strategic picture right through to the day-to-day operations that keep everything running. Seeing how all the pieces connect has really changed the way I approach my role."

Veena Kuruganty completed a Digital Product Manager Level 4 Apprenticeship with Distinction as she sought to futureproof her career in the company's IT department. She said: "I really enjoyed my Apprenticeship, and it has helped me in my role in so many ways, particularly on project managing the roll out new products within the business from start to finish.

"It has been a hard two years balancing the demands of my job as well as family commitments and my time outside of work, but the result have been well worth the effort, and I am delighted to finish it and give my career a platform going forward."

Paul Armson, People Services Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: "It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of colleagues, and my congratulations go to each one of them. Career development and progression have been realised from the foundations laid by many hours of their hard work and dedication.

"The company has always offered a wide range of training and development opportunities to employees, and this has been integral to the growth of the business over many years.

"We have spent a lot of time and effort recently to enhance and improve the programmes we can offer people within the company in all departments and at all levels to ensure the business continues to thrive in the future."

James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned SPAR stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston. more

Career development

16h

Quote of the Day by Socrates About 'Career': "Be as you wish to seem"; Check Meaning and More

Socrates' quote "Be as you wish to seem" highlights the importance of aligning actions with personal and professional goals.

Quote of the Day by Socrates About 'Career': Quotes by Socrates continue to inspire people across generations, especially when it comes to personal growth and career development. Today's quote offers a simple yet powerful message about how we present ourselves in our... professional lives.

"Be as you wish to seem." -- Socrates

This quote means that your actions should match the image you want others to see. Instead of pretending or projecting a false image, you should genuinely become the person you aspire to be.

In today's competitive world, this quote is highly relevant to careers:

If you want to be seen as professional, act professionally

If you aim to be successful, build habits that lead to success

Your reputation is shaped by your actions, not just words

For instance, if someone wants to be recognized as a leader at work, they should:

Take initiative

Show responsibility

Support team members

Over time, these actions naturally build a leader-like image.

In the age of social media and digital presence, people often focus on appearances. Socrates' message reminds us that authenticity matters more than perception. True success comes from aligning your behavior with your goals.

"Be as you wish to seem" encourages you to live your goals rather than just talk about them. In your career, focus on becoming the person you want others to believe you are. more

Career development

16h

HR Perspectives by Anaahat Singh: "Progress in diversity is rarely dramatic

Life insurance sits at an unusual intersection of trust and urgency. It is a product people know they need but rarely want to think about, sold through relationships built over years and claims that arrive at the most difficult moments of people's lives. The workforce that delivers this -- agents, advisers, operations teams and leadership -- spans generations, geographies and expectations in ways... few industries match.

Anaahat Singh navigates these realities as CHRO of Aviva India, a joint venture between Aviva International Holdings and Dabur Invest Corp. In conversation with HRKatha, she explains why hiring for current skills has become a business risk, why diversity in Indian organisations narrows not at entry but over time, and why psychological safety does not require flattening hierarchy -- only making it more human.

Comfortable being a beginner again

Are you hiring for skills that exist today, or the capacity to learn what does not yet exist?

The traditional hiring model -- checking boxes against a skills list -- is no longer just inefficient. It is a business risk. In a world where tools, technologies and ways of working evolve faster than hiring cycles, what someone knows on day one matters far less than how they respond when they do not know something.

At Aviva India, we have shifted the lens from "what you know" to "how you grow". The real question in an interview is not what someone has mastered -- it is how they behave in moments of uncertainty. That reveals more about future potential than any résumé.

Future-ready talent, for us, is someone comfortable being a beginner again. Someone who leans into change with curiosity rather than resistance, who works alongside AI rather than around it, and who is willing to let go of practices that no longer serve. Unlearning is as important as learning.

"The CHRO role is not a people role. It is a business role with people at the centre of it."

A shared core, a personalised experience

Can a single culture genuinely serve five generations simultaneously?

We should not have a fragmented culture. But we must have a personalised experience.

The cultural North Star must remain constant -- purpose, psychological safety, respect and care. These are not generational preferences; they are human constants. What should vary is how people experience that culture.

A 24-year-old and a 54-year-old will want to be recognised, developed and heard in different ways. That is not a challenge -- it is a design requirement. The organisations that succeed will build a strong shared core while allowing flexibility in how individuals engage with it.

Culture is the glue. Personalisation is the fuel.

"Fear comes from distance. When AI becomes part of how people work, it starts to feel like support."

Internal development as a strategic moat

Is it still realistic to develop senior leaders internally?

Poaching is a tactical move. Internal development is a strategic moat.

Leaders who grow within an organisation carry something that cannot be hired -- context, memory and an understanding of how decisions evolved. That depth is difficult to replace.

At Aviva India, we invest in identifying and developing high-potential talent early, building structured paths that make the pipeline visible. When employees can see a credible route to leadership, retention improves -- not just because of the destination, but because of visible investment.

At the same time, external hiring brings fresh thinking. The balance lies in knowing when to build and when to bring in.

"Psychological safety is not about removing hierarchy. It is about humanising it."

Where diversity actually fails

What is the one systemic barrier to diversity you are trying to dismantle?

Diversity does not fail at the entry level. It narrows over time.

The real challenge lies in the mid-career stage -- typically around 8 to 10 years -- when professional growth intersects with personal responsibilities. Capability does not decline, but participation does.

The barrier is not primarily policy. It is the social infrastructure around caregiving and deeply embedded expectations that organisations alone cannot fully control.

What is harder to change is mindset -- recognising potential that does not look familiar.

Progress in diversity is rarely dramatic. It is slow, deliberate and often invisible until it becomes undeniable.

"Diversity does not fail at the entry level. It quietly narrows as careers progress."

Humanising hierarchy

Can Indian organisations build cultures where junior employees challenge senior leaders?

Psychological safety is not about removing hierarchy. It is about humanising it.

Respect is deeply embedded in Indian workplaces -- and should remain. But respect should not silence voices. The shift is not structural; it is behavioural.

Structured forums help. But the real signal is what happens when someone speaks up. If leaders respond with openness rather than defensiveness, culture shifts through repeated behaviour -- not programmes.

Speaking up should be seen as a form of respect, not a breach of it.

"Poaching is a tactical move. Internal development is a strategic moat."

AI becomes familiar through use

How do you help employees see AI as an enabler rather than a threat?

Fear comes from distance. Familiarity reduces it.

Our approach is to make AI tangible -- integrating it into everyday workflows rather than treating it as an abstract concept. People become comfortable with technology by using it, not by being told it is safe.

The hesitation we see most often is around what AI means for roles. That is a valid concern. What we keep returning to is this: work is not disappearing -- it is evolving. And organisations have a responsibility to invest in helping people evolve with it, not just say they will.

"Culture is the glue. Personalisation is the fuel."

Learn the language of business

What shaped you as a people leader? What would you tell your younger self?

Leadership is shaped over time -- through decisions, missteps and moments where you have to stay present in uncertainty rather than retreat from it.

If I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: learn the language of business as fluently as the language of people.

Early in my career, I viewed HR through the lens of culture and compliance. What I would do differently is spend more time with the business -- especially on the front line -- understanding how work actually happens. That exposure builds both credibility and judgement. It also makes you a more effective advocate for the workforce, because you understand what you are asking the business to change.

The CHRO role is not a people role. It is a business role with people at the centre of it.

"Future-ready talent is someone who is comfortable being a beginner again." more

Career development

16h

Top 10 Companies with Highest Employee Retention in Australia 2026: Medibank Leads as Retention Kings

SYDNEY -- In a year when Australia's average employee turnover hovers around 16% and one in three businesses battles rates above 20%, a select group of employers is defying the odds with retention rates that set new benchmarks for workplace excellence. According to 2026 workplace culture reports and industry analyses, companies prioritising flexibility, career development and genuine wellbeing are... reaping the rewards of loyal, engaged workforces.

Here are the 10 companies boasting the highest employee retention in Australia this year, drawn from Best Places to Work awards, Great Place to Work data and industry benchmarks:

Why Retention Matters More Than Ever in 2026

Australia's labour market remains tight despite some easing in shortages. With average turnover at 16% nationally -- and significantly higher in retail, hospitality and construction -- companies that crack the retention code gain a massive competitive edge. Lower turnover means reduced recruitment costs (often $45,000+ per mid-level role), preserved institutional knowledge and higher productivity.

Common threads among these top retainers include:

* Genuine Flexibility: Beyond basic hybrid work, many offer compressed weeks or "work from anywhere" periods.

* Career Development: Organisations investing in learning see 41% longer employee tenure.

* Recognition and Wellbeing: Meaningful acknowledgment and mental health support dramatically boost loyalty.

* Inclusive Cultures: Strong performance on gender equity and diversity correlates with lower attrition.

Strategies Driving Success

Medibank and Liberty Financial credit structured internal promotion programs and regular pulse surveys for staying ahead of potential flight risks. Tech players like Atlassian and Canva lean into autonomy and purpose-driven work, appealing particularly to younger generations who prioritise growth over salary alone.

In manufacturing and trades, AMA Group's apprenticeship pipelines and international skilled worker programs have created stable career ladders in challenging sectors. Traditional industries like wine production at Brown Brothers demonstrate that even seasonal businesses can achieve high retention through community ties and fair conditions.

Broader Industry Context

While national turnover averages 16%, best-in-class organisations achieve rates under 10%. Professional services and finance often outperform, while hospitality and retail continue struggling. Government and utilities historically post the lowest industry turnover, but private sector standouts prove culture trumps sector norms.

Experts note that 42% of turnover remains preventable through better management practices. Poor manager quality ranks as the top driver of exits, according to Gartner research, underscoring why companies with strong leadership development feature prominently on retention lists.

What Australian Employers Can Learn

Organisations hoping to emulate these leaders should audit their employee value proposition (EVP) for 2026 realities: radical flexibility, skills investment and authentic recognition. Companies offering meaningful career development report 67% confidence in retaining top talent.

As AI and digital transformation reshape roles, the ability to upskill internally rather than hire externally becomes a key retention lever. Flexible work arrangements alone can boost loyalty by 55%.

For job seekers, these top 10 represent employers where people genuinely want to stay. In a market where 61% of workers considered changing jobs recently, stable, fulfilling workplaces stand out.

The Retention Advantage in 2026

High-retention companies aren't just nicer places to work -- they're more profitable and innovative. Lower churn preserves customer relationships, reduces onboarding burdens and builds stronger teams capable of navigating economic uncertainty.

As Australia heads deeper into 2026, expect more employers to study these leaders. With talent shortages persisting in key areas, the organisations that treat retention as a strategic priority -- not an afterthought -- will secure the workforce advantage.

Whether you're an HR leader benchmarking your metrics or a professional seeking stability, these 10 companies illustrate what's possible when culture, strategy and people align. In Australia's evolving workplace landscape, high retention isn't luck -- it's deliberate excellence. more

Career development

1d

7 Best Cybersecurity Tools for Remote Recruitment Teams: Guard Candidate PII

A promising résumé can hide malware. In 2025 a mis-configured cloud server leaked 26 million CVs, exposing names, emails, and work histories to anyone online.

Breach fallout is costly: average incidents cost $4.88 million, and HR databases are prime targets.

Scammers even impersonate candidates; Proofpoint saw "just checking in" emails with malware links that recruiters clicked.

Security can't... wait. The next sections rank seven remote-ready tools so you can shield candidate data without wading through tech jargon.

Ready to close the back door before the next fake résumé arrives? Keep reading.

We cast a wide net, reviewing scores of security vendors, analyst reports, and user forums. Then we pushed every contender through a filter built for remote-recruiting realities, not generic IT wish lists.

First, we asked a blunt question: Does the tool shield candidate data in every scenario? If any edge case left PII exposed, we removed the product.

Next, we checked day-one usability. Recruiters ignore software that forces them to learn new workflows or babysit settings. Cloud delivery, single sign-on support, and a set-and-forget interface all scored high.

Integration came next. We inspected how easily each product plugs into the hiring stack: ATS, HRIS, email, and video-interview services. Smooth connections mean you safeguard the process without slowing it down.

Cost mattered, though not in a race-to-the-bottom sense. We balanced sticker price against breach-prevention impact and favored tools that give small and midsize teams meaningful protection. Pricey showpieces with features no recruiter needs did not survive.

We also wanted outside proof: analyst-leader badges, 4-plus-star user ratings, and a clean record in recent breach news. Marketing claims alone never made the cut.

Only products that met every test (data protection, remote fit, integration strength, compliance support, and real-world praise) earned a place in the final seven.

Technology blocks plenty, yet most breaches still start with an employee who trusts the wrong email. That pattern will not change until we train the people behind the screens.

KnowBe4 treats security education like a marketing campaign. Short, video lessons land in each recruiter's inbox, followed by realistic phishing tests that reveal who clicked and why. Over time you watch the "phish-prone" rate sink from double digits to low single digits, a shift HRStacks ties to sharp drops in real-world incidents.

KnowBe4 security awareness training dashboard screenshot for phishing simulations

Recruiters appreciate the relevance. Modules cover résumé malware, bogus CEO requests for W-2 data, and tips to spot deep-fake candidates. Lessons take minutes, not hours, so they fit between sourcing calls.

Administrators enjoy the automation. New hires enroll on day one, simulated attacks roll out on a schedule, and reminders chase anyone who falls behind. Reports satisfy auditors and give leadership proof that security is more than a checkbox.

Yes, a few employees will groan the first time they fail a test. That fades once everyone understands the stakes. A culture where people brag about catching the latest spoofed LinkedIn invite is a culture that keeps data safe.

Bottom line: tools guard the perimeter, but trained humans guard everything else. KnowBe4 turns that soft spot into a reliable last line of defense, paying for itself every time someone hovers over a shady link and clicks Delete instead of Open.

Recruiting lives on files. Portfolios, offer letters, passport scans, and interview recordings all bounce between laptops, inboxes, and chat threads. Each bounce risks leakage.

Box turns that chaos into a single encrypted cabinet in the cloud. Shield, its security layer, auto-labels sensitive content and enforces your rules. If a document holds 30 Social Security numbers, Shield can block external sharing outright. If a recruiter tries a mass download at 2 am, the platform flags the anomaly and, if you choose, kills the connection on the spot.

The experience stays friendly. Recruiters drag a file into Box Drive and share a link instead of an attachment. Hiring managers open the link, view the document, and Box logs every click for your audit trail. No one fiddles with VPN paths or remembers to password-protect a PDF; Box handles it behind the scenes.

Collaboration even speeds up. Multiple reviewers can add notes to a résumé in real time, confident that version history tracks every edit. When the requisition closes, automated retention rules purge old candidate data so you stay on the right side of GDPR or CCPA.

Yes, Box costs more than free cloud drives. Balance that against a single lawsuit from an exposed medical form and the math flips fast. Deploy Shield for recruiters and HR admins first, then expand to hiring managers once the workflow feels second nature.

Secure storage may not feel glamorous, but it quietly erases a huge attack surface. With Box Shield guarding the documents, you stop the "lost laptop" horror story before it can headline your next all-hands.

Email delivers every offer letter, interview link, and salary discussion. It also delivers 9 of 10 cyber-attacks. Proofpoint stands at the door, disinfecting messages so recruiters only see the genuine stuff.

The platform inspects each inbound message in milliseconds. Attachments open in a sandbox; malicious macros never reach the inbox. Links are rewritten on the fly, and if a previously safe URL turns hostile later, Proofpoint blocks the click in real time.

Impersonation scams are its specialty. The system studies writing style, header quirks, and reply-to tricks to spot a fake CEO or a "candidate" pushing a poisoned résumé. When it senses spoofing, it stamps a bold warning banner across the message or moves it to quarantine.

Outbound mail gets equal scrutiny. If a recruiter tries emailing a spreadsheet of Social Security numbers, Data Loss Prevention rules can force encryption or stop the send entirely. Candidates stay safe from leaks they would never see coming.

Deployment is straightforward. Point your MX records to Proofpoint, tune a few policies, and you are live. From day one you watch junk and attack attempts drop, giving recruiters back the time they once spent sorting inbox debris.

Proofpoint is not the cheapest filter, yet its catch rate saves far more than it costs. By removing weaponized emails before humans have a chance to trust them, you close the single most common breach path in HR.

A single recruiter laptop now holds thousands of résumés, offer letters, and background reports. Lose that endpoint to ransomware and the whole hiring engine stalls.

CrowdStrike Falcon plants an impossibly light agent on Windows or macOS, then watches every process in real time. No old-school signature files; the cloud brain hunts for behavior that screams intrusion. A macro-laden résumé spawns PowerShell in the temp folder? Falcon stops the process, quarantines the file, and alerts you before the user even notices.

Remote control is where it shines. From a web console you can isolate a compromised device with one click, cutting attacker command channels while the recruiter keeps working offline on local docs. When the machine reconnects under VPN, policies reapply automatically.

Falcon also spots insider trouble. If someone tries a midnight mass-copy of candidate PDFs to a USB stick, the agent logs it and, if you wish, blocks the transfer. Every action writes to a tamper-proof timeline, a lifesaver when auditors ask, "Who touched that data?"

Deployment takes minutes. Email installers, drop them in an RMM, or bake them into your MDM images. The agent updates itself silently, so there is no "please leave laptops overnight for patching" ritual that recruiters like to ignore.

Yes, Falcon costs more than the antivirus bundled with your operating system. It also removes the dread of waking up to encrypted laptops and a hacker's ransom note. That trade is an easy sell in any budget meeting focused on uptime and candidate trust.

Every new SaaS the talent team adopts adds another username, another password, and another off-boarding step someone might forget. That sprawl is a gift to attackers.

Okta collapses the maze into a single front door. Recruiters sign in once, then launch Greenhouse, Slack, Zoom, or your background-check portal from the same dashboard. Adaptive multi-factor checks location, device health, and time of day before opening the latch, so a stolen password alone goes nowhere.

Okta Workforce Identity SSO dashboard screenshot for talent teams

The admin view is pure control. Create a contractor account, tick the apps they need, and Okta pushes credentials out in seconds. When the contract ends, one disable switch yanks access from every system -- no frantic hunt for lingering logins.

Risk signals run constantly in the background. A sign-in from a new country prompts a second factor. Five rapid failures on an ATS API token lock the account and, if you choose, block that IP range. An immutable audit log shows who touched which app and when, delighting auditors.

Setup sounds daunting, yet most HR tools already sit in Okta's integration catalog. Paste two SAML values, test, and move on. Start with email and the ATS, then phase in niche sourcing apps once the team is comfortable.

Yes, there is a price per user, but the math is simple. Count the hours recruiters waste on password resets, the fines for an ex-employee still lurking in payroll, and the brand damage from one hacked mailbox. Okta's subscription looks modest next to those bills.

Identity is the new perimeter. With Okta guarding the gateway, every other control in your stack gains a reliable foundation, and recruiters enjoy the luxury of logging in once and getting straight back to hiring.

Passwords still unlock every system we use. When they are weak, reused, or parked in spreadsheets, attackers do not need zero days; they just sign in.

1Password replaces that chaos with an encrypted vault the whole hiring team can share. Each recruiter keeps a single master key (ideally backed by biometrics) and 1Password fills every login with a random 30-character string no one could guess or remember.

Shared vaults solve the "Can you DM me the Indeed password?" routine. Drop an account into the Recruiting vault, grant junior sourcers read-only access, and watch Slack credential requests vanish overnight. When a contractor finishes the project, removing them from the vault instantly locks them out everywhere.

Security runs quietly in the background. Watchtower scans the dark web and alerts you if an email-password pair tied to the team shows up for sale. Two-factor codes live beside each login, so no one is hunting for an authenticator app on interview day.

Adoption is simple. Install the browser extension, import existing passwords, then flip the switch that blocks plain-text storage elsewhere. Most recruiters never open the desktop app again; autofill just works.

Price comes in at about the cost of one fancy coffee per user each month. Stack that against the $4.88 million average breach bill and the return is obvious. Strong, unique passwords everywhere, zero friction, zero excuses -- that is why 1Password earns silver on this list.

Recruiters travel. Coffee-shop Wi-Fi, airport hotspots, the spare bedroom. Each jump exposes logins and résumés to anyone listening on the same network.

TorGuard encrypts every packet the moment it leaves the device, so snoopers see gibberish instead of candidate data. The dedicated IP option is the game changer: your team appears to every SaaS from the exact same address, no matter where they work.

TorGuard dedicated IP VPN product page screenshot for recruiter network security

That single feature lets IT lock critical tools such as ATS, HRIS, and payroll to one whitelisted IP. Even if a password leaks on the dark web, an attacker's unknown address hits a brick wall.

A fixed IP also ends the daily annoyance of CAPTCHA storms and geo-blocked logins that plague shared VPNs; see the details on how TorGuard's anti-blocking architecture makes banking sites and streaming services treat the connection like a regular home network.

Recruiters connect once, then cruise through Gmail, LinkedIn, or banking portals as if they were at HQ.

Setup is two steps: install the app and choose your dedicated location. TorGuard allows unlimited devices per account, so laptops and phones stay protected without juggling licenses. Speeds remain snappy thanks to a network built for torrent-level traffic.

Budget? Roughly 10 dollars a month plus a small annual fee for the static IP, less than a coffee run on that risky café network. In return you get encrypted traffic, stable reputation IPs, and the peace of mind that comes from shrinking your attack surface to a single, known doorway.

Network security is the foundation of every control above it. Start with a solid tunnel, and the rest of your stack stands stronger.

We covered a lot of ground. Before you sketch a rollout plan, use the cheat sheet below to see where each tool shines, what unique perk it gives recruiters, and one trade-off to keep in mind.

*Public list pricing. Bundles and volume discounts often apply.

Scan the table, spot the gaps in your current stack, and address them in priority order. Most teams start with the network, password, and identity layers, then add email and endpoint defences, secure storage, and finally ongoing training to cement culture.

Security projects stall when they feel impossible. Break deployment into clear, bite-sized waves and momentum follows.

Start with TorGuard, 1Password, and Okta. These three lock down networks, passwords, and identity, the entry points attackers hit first. Rollout is fast: a VPN install link, a vault invite, and SSO connections to your top two apps. Within a week you remove the biggest risks without altering daily flow.

Next add CrowdStrike and Proofpoint. Protect the endpoints recruiters carry and the email they trust most. Push the Falcon agent on Monday, update MX records on Friday, and watch dashboards the following week. Users barely notice except for a cleaner inbox.

Finish with Box Shield for file governance and KnowBe4 for ongoing awareness. Migrate active requisition folders first, then older archives. While that transfer runs, launch the first phishing-simulation campaign. Celebrate every "I caught it!" message in Slack; positive reinforcement turns training into habit.

By handling one wave each quarter, you spread costs, avoid change fatigue, and keep leadership cheering quick wins instead of worrying about an all-or-nothing overhaul.

Attackers automate scans. They do not check company size before dumping leaked résumés for sale. The 26-million-CV breach came from a mid-tier vendor, not a tech giant. Small teams with thin defenses are easier, faster wins.

The opposite usually happens. Single sign-on cuts daily logins, password resets vanish, and email noise drops. Recruiters spend more time courting candidates and less time fighting IT friction.

Our ATS vendor says they're SOC 2 compliant. Isn't that enough?

Vendor compliance secures their servers. It does nothing for the café Wi-Fi your sourcer uses, the phishing email in her inbox, or the USB someone finds at a job fair. Shared responsibility means we must lock down access, devices, and people on our side of the fence.

So are breach fines. The first layer -- VPN, password manager, and SSO -- costs about the price of lunch per user each month and removes the easiest attack paths. Spread the rest over three waves and you protect revenue instead of gambling with it. more

Mvuselelo B Nzama

Career development

2d

How can a newly employed individual maintain financial and career independence without becoming trapped in the rat race?

1

Randall Giancaterino
22
1d
Treat yourself as if you are "a business" when employed by someone or a company, and that will guide you. Businesses do not view employees as being... singular, as an entity who owns their own "business." more
1
Linda Makokha
2
1d
Starting a career is a high-energy phase, but it’s also when the "lifestyle creep" trap is easiest to set. Maintaining independence requires a dual... strategy: building a financial moat and treated your career as an asset you own, rather than a place where you belong.
more
1

Career development

1d

You Did Everything Right -- So Why Aren't You Getting Hired?

You did everything right: You got the degree, tailored your résumé, applied to 30, 40 or maybe even 50 jobs. You followed every rule the system told you to follow -- and you still ended up hitting a wall.

This experience is more common than anyone wants to admit. A recent New York Times focus group of 12 Gen Z job seekers revealed a generation that has largely stopped trusting in the idea that... effort gets rewarded. The rules they followed aren't delivering on the promise of security, and now young people are adjusting. They're pulling back socially while unemployed, choosing safety over growth, or coming into the workforce already disengaged.

The system genuinely appears to be broken. AI screening tools filter out qualified candidates before a human ever sees their résumés. Employers reward connections over credentials. But knowing all of this doesn't solve the immediate problem: You still need a job.

So what can you do? Build real-world experience to show employers. One of my students spent two years calling alumni donors for his university's fundraising office and arrived at graduation with cold-call experience, rejection tolerance and professional contacts. Another student worked a few afternoons a week at a consulting firm while still taking classes. The degree got her in the door, while everything she built along the way got her the job.

Don't be afraid to reach out to professionals for informational conversations. This is less uncomfortable than you think. Find mentors who can give you honest guidance, and find peers who are navigating this well and study what they're doing.

None of this fixes a broken system. But it can be the difference between graduating with options and graduating with a degree and a pile of unanswered emails.

This is a published version of Forbes' Careers newsletter. Click here to subscribe and get it in your inbox every Tuesday.

WORK SMARTER

Practical insights and advice from Forbes staff and contributors to help you succeed in your job, accelerate your career and lead smarter.

Learn five smart ways to use AI, including how to experiment with new skills to build a backup career and how to solve problems at your current job, according to business expert Diane Hamilton.

Feeling worried about your career? Sometimes digging into a new book can help you face uncertain times, executive coach Caroline Ceniza-Levine says. Here are five books to expand your thinking.

Working for a former employer may be the best way forward in your career, says psychologist Bryan Robinson, who shares why a "boomerang" move can be a great strategy in a tight job market.

Not interested in management? You're not alone. Over 40% of job seekers don't want to be managers, according to a new survey. Discover why from career expert Caroline Castrillon.

Careers Q&A: What To Do When Your Career Hits A Wall

I recently wrote about why mid-career malaise is more common than anyone admits, and what workers can do about it. I discussed the insights with Forbes careers editor Anjelica Tan.

Anjelica Tan: A lot of accomplished professionals hitting their late 30s and 40s are suddenly feeling flat about their careers. Why?

Andy Molinsky: They've outgrown the ambition that got them there. The goals that drove them for 15 years have been met, or quietly abandoned, and nothing has replaced them. Meanwhile, they have a mortgage, a lifestyle calibrated to their salary, and deep expertise in something they aren't sure they want to keep doing. At 25, that uncertainty feels normal. But at 45, it feels like a whole new problem they need to solve.

What is the biggest mistake people make when they hit this wall?

They assume they need to blow up their career. The burned-out banker who walks away from it all to make artisanal cheese in Vermont makes for a great story. But that's rarely the right move. The answer is usually more targeted than people expect.

So what can professionals in this position do to move forward?

Start with the job you have. Research on job crafting shows that employees who proactively reshape their tasks and relationships report significantly higher engagement, often without changing their title or employer. Before you conclude the job is the problem, ask honestly whether you've tried changing it from the inside.

Say they give that a real try and they still feel stuck. What then?

Run experiments on the side while you're still employed. Try doing something adjacent to what interests you and see what it reveals. The clarity comes from doing, not deliberating. Then pick a direction and start moving. That's usually enough to get unstuck.

TOUCH BASE

News from the world of work.

Will middle management soon be a thing of the past? Billionaire Jack Dorsey thinks so. In a recent blog post, the Block chairman argued that AI can handle much of what managers do today: gathering updates from executives, passing along instructions to teams and coordinating projects. If he's right, the impact on the job market could be significant -- about 21 million Americans currently work in management roles, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

March marked the strongest job growth in over a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released last week. The U.S. added 178,000 nonfarm jobs, well above expectations of 60,000, with health care driving more than half the gains. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.3%, beating forecasts of 4.4%. Still, the labor force participation rate -- the share of Americans working or seeking work -- fell to its lowest level since 2021.

Health care's job boom is partly due to its status as a reliable path to the American middle class, according to the Wall Street Journal. The median annual salary for nurses is $93,600, compared to $49,500 for all occupations, Labor Department data shows. And while automation and AI have reduced factory and office jobs, health care has grown steadily since the 1980s.

Thanks for reading! This edition of the Careers newsletter was edited by Anjelica Tan and Chris Dobstaff. more

Teresa Livesey

Career development

3d

I haven’t been working at a small company for long and like to give my coworkers small gifts on holidays. It helps make the workplace friendly. Everyone is happy to get my gifts, but no one gives me anything back. It’s not about the price, even a cheap gift would be fine. It's the thought that matters. But my coworkers don’t seem to want to spend money. I don’t understand, are they just cheap or... do they not want to give gifts to me? I think I might stop giving them presents.

more

Al Leonard
1d
A reciprocal gifting culture doesnt exist in the way you want. Youre coping with that reality.
It's hard when we engage in a behavior that makes us... feel not-valued. You could set that desire aside and think about what benefits you recieve from giving without expectations. Do you enjoy seeing recipients happy with your gift? If thats not enough - Are there other less -grand ways to appreciate them that would set THEM up for success ? Less cost to you, less (unknown?) pressure on them?
If you want to give AND recieve gifts think about why that is. It seems this is taking space in your mind and something unpleasant is surfacing -agitation? confusion? When that happens I try to step back and hold those emotions tenderly. When we give gracefully to appreciate the recipient it's a beautiful gesture. When we recieve gracefully we shouldnt feel pressure . Your gifts are a kindness you put out there. We dont always get gifts exchanged tit for tat. more
Uma Aggarwal
1d
My attitude on gifts is simple. I give gifts because it makes me happy and, since I do not expect anything, any gift to me is a pleasant surprise.... Since it is no longer making you happy, you can taper them off and replace with having cookies or candy on your desk. Anybody can come and get it from your desk and will also talk to you. more

Career development

1d

New Research: Workers Pause Plans Amid Economic Uncertainty - HRTech Cube

* Economic uncertainty reshaping workforce benefits landscape: New research from Economist Enterprise on the evolving employee benefits landscape reveals how economic uncertainty is freezing career mobility, deepening retirement insecurity, and widening the benefits divide across America's workforce.

* Retirement and other milestones delayed: Financial pressures are forcing workers to delay... retirement by nearly four years, postpone major purchases like homes, and lead 35% to have taken hardship withdrawals.

* Job-hugging: 62% prioritize long-term security over higher pay and better benefits, and 30% have stopped job searching in the past five years.

New research from Economist Enterprise focused on employee benefits entitled, "Benefits 2.0", exposes three forces business leaders can't afford to ignore: economic uncertainty is freezing career mobility, pushing retirement out of reach, and forcing employees to raid savings and delay life decisions just to stay afloat -- at a real cost to both employees and employers.

The research -- supported by Nuveen, a TIAA company -- surveyed 2,063 full-time employed Americans aged 18-62, providing insights across industries including energy and utilities, manufacturing, sports, media and entertainment, financial services and insurance, and government. The findings reveal three forces reshaping how Americans work, save, and plan for the future -- and why business leaders can't afford to look away.

The great stay: job security over career mobility

America's workers are holding onto their jobs at a decade-low quit rate of 2%, and it's not always because they love their work, but instead are staying put out of fear of losing job security.

Caution, not confidence, characterizes how most American workers are approaching their careers, with 62% choosing long-term job security over seeking out new opportunities. The research paints a picture of a risk-averse workforce navigating economic uncertainty.

Job-search hesitation has become increasingly widespread, with 30% of workers reporting that they have stopped looking for new opportunities over the past five years due to concerns about job security. This trend is even more pronounced in certain sectors, rising to 35% among those in financial services and insurance and 34% in manufacturing. In contrast, government employees appear less affected, with 23% saying they have paused their job search for the same reason.

"America's workers are prioritizing job stability and a strong benefits package, signaling a shift in how workers weigh risk versus reward in today's competitive labor market," said Matt Terry, who led the research at Economist Enterprise. "This cautious approach reflects a broader trend: workers are increasingly valuing predictability over advancement, which could have lasting implications for career growth and economic mobility."

For most Americans, retirement is a moving target

Holding onto a stable job may feel like the safe choice, but for many workers true financial security remains out of reach. With respondents now expecting to retire nearly four years later than planned, the gap between expectations and reality is stark, nowhere more so than in retirement:

* Working longer out of necessity, not enjoyment: Of those who expect to work past their ideal retirement age, only 20% cite job satisfaction as the primary reason. Instead, rising living costs (47%) and healthcare expenses (41% -- rising to 50% among low-income workers) are the primary drivers of expected delays.

* Income shapes retirement expectations: Lower-income workers expect the largest gap, anticipating retiring roughly six years later than their ideal age.

* Retirement anxiety starts early: Even Gen Z -- many of whom just entered the workforce full-time -- expect retirement to be delayed by an average of five years.

* Retirement delays hit finance and manufacturing hardest: Workers in financial services & insurance expect the longest delay (5.1 years), followed by manufacturing (4.5 years). Government workers anticipate the shortest gap between ideal and expected retirement (2.9 years).

Raiding savings and delaying life decisions

To cope with financial pressures, workers aren't just adjusting their expectations. They're pulling from retirement savings and deferring major life milestones to stay afloat today:

* Borrowing from the future: About one-third of workers (35%) have, at some point, taken hardship withdrawals or loans from retirement accounts. Rates are highest in financial services & insurance (44%) and manufacturing (41%), and lowest among government workers (23%).

* Reduced retirement contributions: Thirty percent of workers say they have cut back retirement savings, rising to 36% among high-income workers.

* Major life purchases delayed: Three-quarters of workers (73%) have postponed buying a home or car, with millennials most affected (82%). Delayed purchases are highest in manufacturing (79%) and lowest among government workers (69%).

* Healthcare and family decisions deferred: Forty-three percent of workers say they have delayed or skipped medical care to avoid costs -- rising to 51% in manufacturing and financial services -- while one in four (25%) have postponed having children.

"The data in this report should give every employer pause. When workers feel financially insecure, they delay retirement, and that has real costs - both administrative and financial - for organizations carrying expensive, experienced employees who are ready to move on but don't believe they can afford to," said Brendan McCarthy, head of Nuveen Retirement Investing. "Employers have more power to change that than they might realise. At a time when employees are craving stability and certainty, employers can stand out as an employer of choice by delivering a more modern approach to benefits that can help employees navigate key life milestones with more confidence." more

Barbara Rivera

Career development

1w

I've been applying for work amd its going to be a year in July. IVE HAD ZERO LUCK. Even applied at fast food places and I still get denied.

Anyone else having this kind of luck ad can lend some guidance?

1

Leilani Barnett
1
2d
Barbara, take a look at your social media accounts, like Facebook. Make sure your posts are "business like" or "family oriented." No low-top pictures,... no silly poses, etc. People WILL look before hiring, so your posts need to be in line with the image the company wants to project. more
11 reply
The Bridal Party
1
5d
Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Apply for 10 jobs at a time, you'll probably get 4-5 interviews invitations. When attending interviews, do not... sound desperate. Just say you are very keen as you like the copany (and if you don't, do not accept the offer as you'll be jumping out of the frying pan into another fire). BUT make sure you tell them you have other interviews lined up and make it sound like you are in demand. I always had 5 interviews in hand and I was never desperate. Usually when I walk into an office, they won't let me out. Instead, they tell me to sit down and start work - immediately. BTW, NEVER mention you had or have any personal problems. Employers will select the one who is happy, smiley and has no problems. GOOD LUCK. more
11 reply