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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ashley Bethea transitioned from the Air Force into a job as a government contractor.</li><li>Veterans can face challenges translating their military skills to civilian roles.</li></ul>Last summer, during her final month in the Air Force, Ashley Bethea cried almost every day.Bethea, 40, felt on edge about giving up part of the identity she'd held since she was 18. She was also nervous about making it in a civilian job market, where she had no experience."For 21 years, the military was who I was," Bethea told Business Insider. "I had no clue what corporate America looked like."Her predicament is one that often confronts military members attempting to shift from drills and missions to slide decks and sales targets.<div type="image" title="Ashley Bethea takes a selfie in uniform" height="878" width="1170" msid="115189951" hostid="261" sizebytes="41546"></div>Employers often face the inverse challenge: not knowing how veterans' abilities might translate to a civilian workforce, executives who work with vets told BI. These advocates for hiring veterans said that by looking a little closer at the skills undergirding veterans' experience, employers could help plug <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/homebuilder-no-one-to-replace-retiring-boomer-construction-workers-2024-5">gaps in their workforces</a>.Bosses who dig into veterans' qualifications might like what they find. A 2023 LinkedIn report examining its users' experiences said veterans were three times as likely as those who hadn't served in the military to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/linkedinforgood/en-us/veteran-report-2023/veterans-opportunity-report-2023.pdf">have a graduate degree or higher.</a>Yet at the same time, employers often overlook or discount military experience, LinkedIn found. The result: Veterans are only half as likely to rise to the level of director or VP even though they have almost double the work experience of nonveterans, the report said.The gap exists even as more employers say they're interested in prioritizing skills over pedigree. Even so, many hiring managers still scan résumés for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/employers-dropping-degree-requirements-slow-to-hire-for-skills-2024-10">four-year degrees</a> and prior experience in a role, hiring experts previously told BI.<h2 id="8192f62f-db42-4013-9640-b2e6593b5685">A résumé for the private sector</h2>Bethea, who retired from the Air Force at the end of July, turned to a nonprofit called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hireheroesusa.org/">Hire Heroes USA</a> to help her translate her experience running logistics for deploying and returning airmen into something palatable to hiring managers. A representative from Hire Heroes helped Bethea craft her first-ever résumé."I just wanted to highlight that I could work all avenues of logistics, whether it be supply, transportation, people, equipment, or whatever the case was," Bethea, a mother of three, said.A Hire Heros USA advisor also helped coach Bethea on salary negotiations.Ross Dickman, CEO of Hire Heroes USA, told BI that one of the biggest challenges for people leaving their service is explaining how what they did in the military can be helpful to civilian employers.Dickman pointed to his own experience flying Apache helicopters during the dozen years he served in the Army."No employer really needs a helicopter that puts missiles into other things," he said.In addition to the obvious differences with civilian life, Dickman said, many members of the military chose to take on additional duties during the spare time they had while serving. That work might not be reflected in vets' records and can be difficult to capture, he said."That is where it gets murky and hard for an employer," Dickman said.Dickman said Hire Heroes USA works to help vets communicate about the skills that they possess. These can range from abilities in manufacturing to prowess in so-called soft skills like conflict resolution and negotiating.From there, Dickman said, Hire Heroes USA can go to employers and point to the abilities a veteran, service member, or military spouse possesses. Hire Heroes USA recently assisted its 100,000th veteran in the search for civilian employment, Dickman said.Vets tend to excel, Dickman said, in roles involving consulting, customer service, operations management, logistics, analysis, and project management."They have a lot more skills that informed the way that they executed as an infantryman versus just knowing how to use a rifle," Dickman said.That was the case for Jesse Gartman, 41, who spent four years in the Marine Corps. In 2007, about a year after returning home from Iraq, he responded to an ad on Craigslist looking for movers in New York City. Gartman loved the work and the flexibility it offered. Plus, it was lucrative, and the camaraderie echoed what he'd found in the military.Some three years later, with his back and shoulders hurting, Gartman decided he had what it takes to run a business. So, he started Veteran Movers NYC, employing mostly former military members. Gartman later sold that business and started another moving company in Oklahoma City, which he still owns. Now, back in New York City, Gartman is also doing business development work for another moving company.Gartman said that in his case and that of many vets he's worked with, they're "just happy to be alive." He added, "We take a lot of pride in what we do in life."<h2 id="c0f85961-1af9-4d05-9b79-21b2861a91af">Helping employers help vets</h2>Trina Clayeux, CEO of Give an Hour, a nonprofit that provides mental health support to veterans and their families, told BI that employers offering affinity groups or employee resource groups for veterans can help ex-military members feel more at home in civilian roles.Give an Hour also provides training and consulting services for employers on how to best support veterans.Clayeux said that employers often see veterans in somewhat one-dimensional ways by thinking they're good at getting things done or in leadership roles."They have so many other individual skills in between that they've picked up," Clayeux said.Clayeux said that's why it's important that hiring managers and supervisors should be curious about veterans' experiences and the skills they can bring to a workplace.A hiring manager's curiosity came through for Bethea, the newly minted Air Force veteran. She recently began a job as a government contractor at the Pentagon. Bethea's new role as a mission readiness airmen analyst builds on her decades of work in the Air Force."I enjoy logistics, and I still wanted to do it in my second life," she said.

Employers seeking skilled workers often overlook military veterans

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Misuse of perks has pervaded Big Tech, as Meta's recent 'Grubgate' episode highlighted.</li><li>Big Tech's lavish perks culture led to entitlement and rule-bending among some employees.</li></ul>For more than a decade, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/big-tech">Big Tech</a> companies doled out lavish <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-office-perks-ski-trips-massages-meals-list-2023-2">perks</a> to hire and retain a limited supply of technical talent — and some workers pushed the limits of these benefits."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-employees-react-grubhub-meal-credit-firings-2024-10">Grubgate</a>," where Meta <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-fires-employees-abusing-grubhub-meal-credit-perk-2024-10">fired staff</a> for misusing meal vouchers, shows how engrained perks-grifting became in Silicon Valley, but also how the era of pampered tech employees may be ending.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-firms-laying-off-employees-again-efficiency-amazon-google-2024-1">Cost-cutting</a>, huge layoffs, and the use of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-goose-ai-model-language-ai-coding-2024-2">AI</a> have put tech employers in a more powerful position. Hiring has also slowed, with tech job postings about 30% below pre-pandemic levels, according to job site Indeed. That, in turn, means fewer perks."In the 2010 to 2021 days, it was very much like employees were in charge," said a former Instagram staffer. "Then suddenly the tables turned."Business Insider interviewed tech workers and industry experts about Grubgate and the evolving relationship between Big Tech companies and staff. Most people asked not to be identified so they could speak frankly about some of the more egregious perks-grifting that's gone on in Silicon Valley. They also described how layoffs, efficiency drives, and tougher policy enforcement have shifted the culture at once easygoing tech companies.<h2 id="51453fde-23ef-4451-b36f-8b4205447a9f">It started with the entrées</h2>For years, luscious Silicon Valley "campus" spaces offered workers fancy food, exercise classes, laundry, and even massages, all on the company dime.Google kicked things off with high-quality free food in the early 2000s. It now has dozens of cafes at the Googleplex in Mountain View and in offices around the world offering an array of free meals cooked by chefs with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-jamie-olivers-top-chefs-is-now-working-for-google-2016-6">fine-dining experience</a>.Things gathered pace from there as Facebook and other emerging tech giants began competing hard for talent.Perks became so expected that such benefits stopped being highlighted in job postings across the sector, according to Allison Shrivastava, associate economist at Indeed's Hiring Lab.<h2 id="1330d176-8353-4d90-b415-2e0c1403bb0c">Hacking the perk system</h2>In a culture of moving fast and breaking things, it was perhaps inevitable some staffers hacked the system.In 2022, Meta banned employees from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/benefits/facebooks-parent-company-meta-cutting-perks-for-employees/399035">bringing in Tupperware</a> because too many had been stocking up on free food and taking it home with them. Even then, employees invented workarounds."They got clued up on people taking food home, so people would start bringing their family in," for meals on campus, said a former Google employee, who worked at the company for five years. (Google's policy also states that employees can't take food from its cafeteria home.)In the Grubgate episode from earlier in October, Meta <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-fires-employees-abusing-grubhub-meal-credit-perk-2024-10">fired</a> several employees after they misused Grubhub vouchers to order nonfood items like laundry detergent, acne pads, and wine glasses.Food isn't the only in-house luxury where employees tested the boundaries."I used the laundry expense — yes, do my own clothing, but also my spouse's clothing. It's one big laundry hamper at the end of the day. Am I supposed to use it for my spouse's laundry? I don't know, but that kind of thing seems very minor," said a former US Meta employee who was offered a clothes-washing credit because they worked at an office with no on-site laundry.Meta briefly nixed its in-house laundry service in 2023 before reinstating it — though it's now no longer free.The use of voucher-based perks was long established at tech companies with offices that couldn't cater for food and other services. These sorts of benefits ballooned during the COVID-induced work-from-home era as employers looked to maintain employee morale.Over at Snap, the company used to offer employees Snapchat-yellow-branded cash cards loaded with an allowance for a daily meal. "It could be used anywhere — so yes, people used to save it up during the week and blow it on a big shop," said a former Snap UK employee.<h2 id="6075ba1e-765c-46ab-ac39-f94ef3ba98c6">A $2,600 travel pass ruse</h2>A senior Meta employee who left last year recalls former colleagues claiming a $2,600 annual travel pass to get the receipt to expense, only to then instantly refund their tickets.A $3,000 a year "wellness stipend" — meant to cover costs for employees' physical and mental health and care for their families — was exchanged for Nintendo Switch consoles by other staffers, he said.A $25-a-month advertising credit given to employees to test and improve their skills on Facebook Ad Manager was instead sold for $20 cash, he added."It was just kind of normal. Oh, you're getting an Uber Eats, you throw stuff in. It wasn't like you felt you were cheating," said the former Instagram employee. "You feel like that's your money."<h2 id="dff5050e-64c2-453b-801c-91a664734b08">A growing sense of entitlement</h2>Some say that all this pampering of tech employees led to a growing sense of entitlement, which allowed some to think they could push the limits of what was acceptable when it came to perks."Google would give out Christmas presents, the latest phone or something, and I would see people complain about it," the former Googler said.Meta CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theverge.com/23277797/mark-zuckerberg-meta-facebook-employees-pressure">Mark Zuckerberg famously bristled</a> during an all-hands meeting about coming layoffs in 2022 when an employee asked whether the company would continue its COVID-era bonus holidays."People would get angry about the littlest of things in the live comments when Zuck did the company all-hands — the kinds of comments that would get you fired in any other job," said a former Meta employee who left last year. "'How can you cut the laundry benefit?' 'The food is crap now!' etc."<h2 id="affcf9d4-8854-4d15-8c10-dfcd74cce30f">Where to draw the line?</h2>None of the tech workers Business Insider spoke to endorsed expense fraud. Indeed, there are tax consequences for companies and individuals if tax-exempted benefits or vouchers or a specific purpose are used for something else.Many tech workers told BI that companies never really made it clear what was acceptable. Is it ok if your partner stops by late to see you in the office and grabs a French fry from a plate of food that your employer paid for? What about 10 fries, or a whole plate?Patrick Mork, who led marketing for Google Play before leaving in 2013, thinks tech companies have moved too far away from their initial worker-friendly cultures as their focus has turned toward Wall Street's profit expectations. That shift has eroded leadership skills, meaning some employees aren't clear on their company's values and rules, he added."Employers don't focus on anything that's not being measured — and what's not being measured is culture, leadership, and values," Mork said.Dilip Rao, CEO of Sharebite, a startup that lets client companies give workers credit cards for meals that only work at approved restaurants, criticized companies for offering easily abusable perks to workers then penalizing them for it. "Why even put somebody in that position?" he said.Grubgate is "a perfect example of a recurring issue," he added. "Obviously it's gained visibility because it happened at Meta. But I got to tell you, this same exact problem happens all the time."He said he's seen other examples of tech employees using company meal vouchers to buy firewood and pet food.<h2 id="5abf862f-fe39-4e31-a101-ebe4603f8f26">Layoffs led to more perks-grifting</h2>Layoffs across the industry have left some employees cynical about the companies they work at, and worried about job security. When you might be let go by a company, you might max out on perks.According to job marketplace Trueup, at least 650,000 tech workers have been cut since the start of 2023."Once the layoffs started, people were focused on spending whatever perks they had as quickly as possible," said the former Meta employee who left last year.Soon there may be fewer perks-grifting opportunities. Alongside industrywide layoffs that began in 2022, many tech companies also trimmed back the benefits on offer.The Big Tech pampering era could soon be over, according to Bruce Daisley, a former vice president at Twitter and YouTube who now coaches leadership teams at large companies on workplace culture."There's a feeling that it became a monster that needed to be killed," Daisley said.

Big Tech workers got too used to perks. The pampering is over.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Healthcare providers in Gaza fear Israel's continuing combat operations.</li><li>Israel's counteroffensive, following Hamas' attacks, has led to over 32,000 Palestinian deaths.</li></ul>Healthcare providers are fearful of what may happen if they come across Israeli troops as their combat operations expand to the crowded city where over half of Gaza's population has fled."We see a huge number of health workers being detained, sometimes completely from their families, their organization is unclear about their whereabouts," recalled Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, a World Health Organization representative for the West Bank and Gaza, during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event on Monday."A lot of health workers — specifically in the north, but all over — they're scared," he said. "They're scared to operate."Peeperkorn has visited Gaza on numerous occasions since Israel ordered civilians to evacuate to the south, specifically to the city of Rafah, back in October. Many medical workers decided to stay in Northern Gaza as some patients could not be evacuated.Israel's army invaded Gaza in the wake of Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis. Since then, the Israeli counteroffensive has killed over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza.The Israeli Defense Force has made gains in northern Gaza, which has faced the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/researchers-mapped-gaza-damage-buildings-destroyed-israel-hamas-2023-12">greatest level</a> of destruction during the conflict."What I've seen in Gaza, witnessed, that I think I hear from so many humanitarian workers, is, in that sense, unparallelled," Peeperkorn said.Only 12 hospitals in Gaza are partially functional as of March.Dr. Zawar Ali, who is the medical advisor for the IMC field hospital located in Rafah, established the hospital in the beginning of January. Since the hospital opened, Ali said it has taken in almost 30,000 patients.Ali said the field hospital has faced numerous shortages from communication equipment to medical supplies."From a health perspective the needs are diverse," he said. "It's not just the trauma but also the noncommunicable diseases that have not been addressed because of the lack of medications."On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-israel-tensions-boil-after-un-ceasefire-vote-rafah-plans-2024-3">vowed</a> to pursue a ground offensive in Rafah, the city on Gaza's southwestern border where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled the fighting, against the White House's advisement.

Health workers in Gaza are 'scared' they'll be trapped in Israel's path

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Polls show Michigan is still in a tight race ahead of the election.</li><li>Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is campaigning for Harris, while Macomb County GOP Chair Mark Forton door-knocks for Trump.</li></ul>With the election clock ticking, all eyes are on Michigan.Polls in the state are<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-presidential-election-swing-state-polls-sun-belt-2024-10"> still tight</a>. Former President Donald Trump won by a narrow margin in 2016; it<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michigan-presidential-election-2020-live-vote-counts-results-2020"> swung back to Biden in 2020</a>.Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II is campaigning for the Harris-Walz ticket. Mark Forton, the GOP chair in Macomb County and former United Auto Workers union member, is out door-knocking for Trump.Both told Business Insider they are especially targeting <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-presidency-union-workers-labor-policy-positions-2024-9">union workers</a> whose votes have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aoc-teamsters-union-endorsement-harris-trump-presidential-race-2024-9">proved decisive</a> in the last few elections. Though historically blue, their vote is not a lock for either party this time. Gilchrist and Forton say high prices and who voters can trust are top of mind."Michigan was always going to be close in this election," Gilchrist said.<div type="image" title="Michigan lieutenant governor Garlin Gilchrist II at a Michigan Harris-Walz rally" height="3265" width="4898" msid="114653181" hostid="261" sizebytes="1256794"></div>Harris has an uphill battle in Macomb County, where Forton said he's been going door-to-door and is confident about Republicans' chances. The county represents a shift to the right in working-class sentiment — in 2016, it was pivotal in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2016/11/macomb_county_could_represent.html">flipping Michigan from blue to red</a>. As <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/02/27/metro-detroit-holds-presidential-primary-tuesday/72674991007/">The Detroit News reports</a>, Macomb has been the most populous county in the state to back Trump in 2016 and 2020."I think we're going to do very, very well in Macomb County," Forton said. "Macomb County carried the state in 2016," he said, adding of 2024, "we have to do it again."Gilchrist recalls a recent visit to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uaw-strike-contract-raises-pay-details-ford-gm-stellantis-2023-10">UAW</a> local 651 in Flint; three different workers — he's not sure if they knew each other — came up to him to say that this election is an inflection point for the future of workers."This is really a turning point," he said, paraphrasing what the workers told him. "And when I turn this corner, I want to have somebody who's got my back with me around the corner."<h2 id="18636cb1-9a92-4a83-8ed6-6721f5220425">Workers in Michigan are shifting right and citing high prices as a major concern this election cycle</h2>Unions, which have been reliable Democratic stalwarts for decades, are seeing some members shift their alliances. The powerful Teamsters union, which represents over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://teamster.org/about/teamsters-structure/#:~:text=The%20International%20Brotherhood%20of%20Teamsters,union%20members%20is%20a%20Teamster.">1 million workers</a> across a slew of industries nationwide, for instance,<a target="_blank" href="https://teamster.org/2024/09/teamsters-no-endorsement-for-u-s-president/"> issued no endorsement at all</a> — their first time not endorsing a Democrat since 1996, as the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/18/teamsters-endorsement-election/"> Washington Post reported</a>.Across the US, working-class Americans are gravitating right. That's been true in Michigan, too, according to a poll of 600 Michigan voters from October 7 to October 11 by PR firm<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mrgmi.com/post/top-of-the-ticket-presidential-race-remains-a-dead-heat-as-harris-leads-trump-by-1"> Marketing Research Group</a>; Trump claimed 11% more union voters from their last polling in the spring, bringing his support to 42% among Michigan union voters.In Macomb County, a previous Democratic stronghold, Forton said that Democrats are thinking beyond their political traditions. These are "family people whose family history has been voting for Democrats for decades," Forton said. "Well, they came out and they voted for Ronald Reagan big time twice, and they voted for Trump big time twice. And they're going to do it this time even bigger yet."Gretchen Whitmer, the state's popular Democratic governor,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whitmer-harris-michigan-polls-presidential-election-democrats-trump-2024-9"> warned</a> in September that polling generally showing Harris far ahead was not true — the race will be tighter than that. And in a state where Biden won by <a target="_blank" href="https://mielections.us/election/results/2020GEN_CENR.html">just over 150,000 votes in 2020</a>, Michigan's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/unionmembership_michigan.htm#:~:text=Since%201989%2C%20when%20comparable%20state,been%20above%20the%20U.S.%20average.&amp;text=Michigan%20had%20564%2C000%20union%20members%20in%202023.">564,000 union members</a> could prove to be particularly consequential."Those labor union members talking to one another and talking about what's at stake is often what has made the difference in election after election after election," Gilchrist said.The UAW — one of Michigan's most prominent unions — has <a target="_blank" href="https://uaw.org/uaw-endorses-kamala-harris-for-president-ahead-of-mass-rally-in-detroit/">endorsed Harris</a>, along with the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/20/michigan-teamsters-council-endorses-kamala-harris-for-president/75303851007/">Michigan</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=475009612179244&amp;id=100090106275788&amp;ref=embed_post">Teamsters local</a>. The union vote isn't a monolith, something both Gilchrist and Forton are seeing."There's always been people from all sorts of political parties and persuasions who've been members of labor unions," Gilchrist said. "It's never not been true. Labor unions wouldn't be effective if they were not representative."Forton, who worked as a UAW auto worker for 35 years, said he's been hearing that internal political conflict firsthand."They're coming in the office all the time. They're saying that their union is wrong, that there's 70% voting for Trump, that everybody they know is voting for Trump," Forton said.<div type="image" title="Mark Forton out campaigning" height="800" width="599" msid="114653183" hostid="261" sizebytes="70984"></div>When it comes to what workers want out of this election, both Gilchrist and Forton said that prices are looming large for workers they've spoken to. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/what-causes-inflation">Inflation</a> soared in the wake of the pandemic, only <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-september-cpi-consumer-price-index-federal-reserve-interest-rates-2024-10">recently reaching</a> levels last seen in February 2021.Working families are out paying for groceries and food, and then coming home for dinner "and they're listening to this individual saying that Bidenomics works when their plants are closing down, their factories are closing down again, layoffs everywhere," Forton said. He added: "These aren't stupid people. We realize that this Democrat, Republican thing, we're Americans, we're all affected by the same things."Gilchrist said that workers are looking for someone who can not only deliver lower prices but someone who they feel they can trust. At that same UAW local, he saw some workers who were both nervous and excited for the future."They want their kids to do better than they did. They're nervous because they know that that hasn't been true for everyone," he said. "But they also know that Kamala Harris cares about their kids."As a parent, the same concerns are on his mind."I think about who's the president that's going to actually look at creating a pathway to health and wealth for my kids," Gilchrist said. "And that's the same thing that they were asking me about."

Michigan's election fate will depend on laborers. A Democrat and Republican outline what those workers are looking for.

Anyone following the rhetoric around <keyword id="107950" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Artificial-Intelligence" source="Orion">artificial intelligence</keyword> in recent years has heard one version or another of the cl<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="Orion">ai</keyword>m that AI is inevitable. Common themes are that AI is already here and indispensable, and people who are bearish on it harm themselves. In the business world, AI advocates tell companies and workers that they will fall behind if they fail to integrate generative AI into their operations. In the sciences, AI advocates promise that AI will aid in curing hitherto intractable diseases. In higher education, AI promoters admonish teachers that students must learn how to use AI or risk becoming uncompetitive when it comes time to find a job. In national security, AI's champions say that either the nation invests heavily in AI weaponry, or it will be at a disadvantage against the Chinese and Russians, who are already doing so. The argument across these different domains is essentially the same: The time for AI skepticism has come and gone. The <keyword id="6355118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="Orion">technology</keyword> will shape the future, whether you like it or not. You have the choice to learn how to use it or be left out of that future. Anyone trying to stand in the technology's way is as hopeless as the manual weavers who resisted the mechanical looms in the early 19th century. In the past few years, my colleagues and I (Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston) have been studying the ethical questions raised by the widespread adoption of AI, and I believe the inevitability argument is misleading. <h2>History and hindsight</h2> This claim is the most recent version of a deterministic view of technological development. It's the belief that innovations are unstoppable once people start working on them. In other words, some genies don't go back in their bottles. The best you can do is harness them for your good purposes. This deterministic approach to tech has a long history. It's been applied to the influence of the printing press as well as to the rise of automobiles and the infrastructure they require, among other developments. But I believe that when it comes to AI, the technological determinism argument is both exaggerated and oversimplified. <h2>AI in the field(s)</h2> Consider the contention that businesses can't afford to stay out of the AI game. The case has yet to be made that AI is delivering significant productivity gains to the firms that use it. A report in The <keyword id="20856675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economist" source="keywords">Economist</keyword> in July 2024 suggests that so far, the technology has had almost no economic impact. AI's role in higher education is also still very much an open question. Though universities have, in the past two years, invested heavily in AI-related initiatives, evidence suggests they may have jumped the gun. The technology can serve as an interesting pedagogical tool. For example, creating a Plato chatbot that lets students have a text conversation with a bot posing as Plato is a cool gimmick. However, AI is already starting to displace some of the best tools teachers have for assessment and for developing critical thinking, such as writing assignments. The college essay is going the way of the dinosaurs as more teachers give up on the ability to tell whether their students are writing their papers themselves. What's the cost-benefit argument for giving up on writing, an important and useful traditional skill? In the sciences and medicine, the use of AI seems promising. Its role in understanding the structure of proteins, for example, will likely be significant for curing diseases. The technology is also transforming medical imaging and has been helpful in accelerating the drug discovery process. But the excitement can become exaggerated. AI-based predictions about which cases of COVID-19 would become severe have roundly failed, and doctors rely excessively on the technology's diagnostic ability, often against their own better clinical judgment. And so, even in this area, where the potential is great, AI's ultimate impact is unclear. In national security, the argument for investing in AI development is compelling. Since the stakes can be high, the argument that if the Chinese and the Russians are developing AI-driven autonomous weapons, the United States can't afford to fall behind has real purchase. But a complete surrender to this form of reasoning, though tempting, is likely to lead the <keyword id="19899807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-" source="keywords">U.S.</keyword> to overlook the disproportionate impact of these systems on nations that are too poor to participate in the AI arms race. The major powers could deploy the technology in conflicts in these nations. And, just as significantly, this argument de-emphasizes the possibility of collaborating with adversaries on limiting military AI systems, favoring arms race over arms control.<h2> One step at a time</h2> Surveying the potential significance and risks of AI in these different domains merits some skepticism about the technology. I believe that AI should be adopted piecemeal and with a nuanced approach rather than subject to sweeping claims of inevitability. In developing this careful take, there are two things to keep in mind: -First, companies and entrepreneurs working on artificial intelligence have an obvious interest in the technology being perceived as inevitable and necessary, since they make a living from its adoption. It's important to pay attention to who is making claims of inevitability, and why. -Second, it's worth taking a lesson from recent history. Over the past 15 years, smartphones and the social media apps that run on them have come to be seen as a fact of life - a technology as transformative as it is inevitable. Then data started emerging about the <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword> harms they cause teens, especially young girls. School districts across the United States started to ban phones to protect the attention spans and mental health of their students. And some people have reverted to using flip phones as a quality of life change to avoid smartphones. After a long experiment with the mental health of kids, facilitated by claims of technological determinism, Americans changed course. What seemed fixed turned out to be alterable. There is still time to avoid repeating the same mistake with artificial intelligence, which potentially could have larger consequences for society.

Is AI dominance inevitable? A technology ethicist says no, actually

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baltimore, Boston, Honolulu, and other union hotel workers part of UNITE HERE are on strike.</li><li>A tracker updated Monday shows over 10,000 workers, such as some Hilton workers, are on strike.</li></ul>Over 10,000 hotel workers who are part of UNITE HERE — a union that includes people working for hotels, transportation, and several other industries — are on a multiday strike.A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://unitehere.org/press-releases/huge-historic-strikes-possible-at-hilton-hyatt-marriott-and-omni-hotels-after-workers-across-u-s-vote-overwhelming-to-strike/">press release from UNITE HERE</a> before the strikes started said that workers in 12 US cities "have authorized strikes at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni hotel properties that are locked in unresolved contract negotiations."Workers in nine of the 12 cities are on strike, with all but one starting on Sunday. A tracker from UNITE HERE updated Monday morning showed 5,000 UNITE HERE members in Honolulu, almost 2,100 in San Francisco, and over 900 in Boston were on strike."We wouldn't have a day to rest, relax, and enjoy the fruits of the labor movement if our union predecessors hadn't stood up to fight for them — but that fight's not over," Gwen Mills, UNITE HERE's international president, said in a statement. "This year, hotel workers across the U.S. are celebrating Labor Day by fighting for raises, fair workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era service and staffing cuts."Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed the leisure and hospitality industry took far longer than the overall US labor market to surpass its employment seen in February 2020, after the US saw major job losses during the pandemic.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/USLAH">Job gains</a> have been pretty low in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-jobs-restaurants-hotels-leisure-hospitality-healthcare-government-2024-7">leisure and hospitality</a>, and the industry saw small employment declines in January and April. Still, the overall <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-rate-job-growth-july-labor-market-economic-data-2024-7">labor market has been cooler</a>, and it might be more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-youre-not-getting-hired-job-interview-resume-advice-tips-2024-8">difficult to get a job now than a few years ago</a>.Mills said the workers are on strike because "the hotel industry has gotten off track.""During COVID, everyone suffered, but now the hotel industry is making record profits while workers and guests are left behind," Mills said. "Too many hotels still haven't restored standard services that guests deserve, like automatic daily housekeeping and room service."Mills noted how what the hospitality workers are making affects workers' expenses and their households."Workers aren't making enough to support their families," Mills said. "Many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to, and painful workloads are breaking their bodies. We won't accept a 'new normal' where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers."The hotel tracker from the union shows workers on strike are from Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston or different Hyatt, Marriott, and Hilton places. This includes workers from seven hotels in Honolulu, four in Boston, and five in San Francisco. Overall, the workers make up 25 hotels."Our colleagues are the heart of our business, and Hyatt has a long history of cooperation with the unions that represent our employees, including UNITE HERE," Michael D'Angelo, Hyatt's head of labor relations for the Americas, said in a statement. "We are disappointed that UNITE HERE has chosen to strike while Hyatt remains willing to continue bargaining in good faith."We have a history of offering competitive wages and benefits in each market, including comprehensive health care at little to no cost, as well as retirement savings," D'Angelo added. "We have offered competitive wages, health care and retirement benefits at the hotels that are on strike at this time, and colleague benefits and wages remain unchanged as we negotiate a new agreement. We look forward to continuing to negotiate fair contracts and recognize the contributions of Hyatt employees."According to UNITE HERE's tracker, workers on strike are from four Hyatt locations."Hyatt hotels have contingency plans in place to minimize impact on hotel operations related to strike activity," D'Angelo said.Workers from several different Hilton locations, such as workers from a San Diego location, are on strike."Hilton makes every effort to maintain a cooperative and productive relationship with the unions that represent some of our Team Members, and we remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach fair and reasonable agreements that are beneficial to both our valued Team Members and to our hotels," a Hilton spokesperson said. "We are also fully committed to providing guests with our signature hospitality and our hotels have contingency plans in place to ensure operations continue to run as smoothly as possible."Strike dates include September 1 to September 3, except for Seattle and San Diego, which have strike dates listed as September 1 to September 2, and Baltimore, where workers started going on strike on Monday. 200 UNITE HERE members are on strike in Baltimore, working for Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor."Strikes have also been authorized and could begin at any time in New Haven, Oakland, and Providence," a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://unitehere.org/press-releases/10k-hotel-workers-strike-on-labor-day-baltimore-workers-begin-strike/">September 2 press release from UNITE HERE</a> said.Marriott and Fairmont Copley Plaza didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Thousands of hotel workers are on strike over Labor Day Weekend

A sixth-grade social science textbook that I read described India as a piece of fabric, with countless threads coloured in a myriad of majestic shades, woven together. This metaphor holds exceptionally well when put into the context of our <keyword id="22706215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-industry" source="keywords">handloom industry</keyword>. India has a rich history of handlooms and weaving cultures. The culture of handlooms is so intricately woven into Indian culture, that there are whole towns dedicated to the same: <keyword id="248532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chanderi" source="Orion">Chanderi</keyword> in Madhya Pradesh to Pochampally in Telangana and a dozen more! Unfortunately, the handloom industry in India is dying. The struggle is multi-faceted, ranging from a declining workforce to fierce competition from <keyword id="20496028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-looms" source="keywords">power looms</keyword>. Hence, five years ago, August 7 was proclaimed <keyword id="22677698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Handloom-Day" source="keywords">National Handloom Day</keyword> in response to this crisis and to heighten public awareness. This date holds special historical significance, commemorating the initiation of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905—a pivotal act of defiance against British colonial rule. <h2>When did this industry come into existence?</h2>According to archaeological findings, the origins of handloom in the Indian subcontinent may be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Mughal Empire was known to support and patronise <keyword id="20258864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weavers" source="keywords">weavers</keyword>. The support from the royal patrons resulted in the invention of new textiles such as ‘Mulmul’ and ‘Banarasi Brocade’ among others. This era witnessed a heightened worldwide demand for Indian textiles. In the 17th century, India produced 25% of the world’s textiles, with Bengal accounting for more than 50% of textiles and 80% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia. <h2>What led to the decline of the <keyword id="19934660" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-handloom" source="keywords">Indian handloom</keyword>?</h2>The East India Company's entry fuelled the industry's initial decline, which started in the 1830s. The weavers were obliged to sell only to the British, and that too at exceedingly cheap prices, virtually putting them out of business. On the other hand, Indian cloth was taxed excessively to promote machine-made British clothing. The Industrial Revolution in Britain strengthened their indigenous textile industry, giving rise to new markets for cheaper textiles. In India, the collapse of the Mughal aristocracies meant no access to royal patronage. As a result, textiles like Khadi and muslin had little demand in the market. Circling back to the present, the industry is facing both similar and new challenges. Fabrics made on power looms are cheaper and faster to produce, in comparison to handloom fabrics. The industry is largely unorganised, and the wages are shockingly low. 67% of <keyword id="22706216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-workers" source="keywords">handloom workers</keyword> are earning less than the minimum wage every month. Faced with economic challenges, the older artisans are thus forced to encourage the newer generation to choose an alternative career path. This migration of the workforce from a traditional sector is evident from the fall in the number of weavers less than 35 years of age- from 26.13 lakh in 2009-10 to 16.07 lakh in 2019-20. The majority of weavers do not have access to banking facilities, let alone institutional credit. Furthermore, if one manages to accumulate credit, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand forces due to the lack of awareness about handwoven textiles in the current generation. <h2>Initiatives for revival</h2>The cultural significance of the Indian handloom isn’t just limited to its beauty and extravagance, but it extends to our independence struggle as well. The Swadeshi movement immortalised the charkha and advocated for the use of indigenous goods. Following independence, the Indian government took many measures to revive the handloom industry. In 1953, India’s Parliament approved the Khadi and Other Handloom Industries Development Act. In 1955, the All India Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society was formed to promote the sale of fabrics produced by handloom cooperatives across India. The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) aimed to provide financial assistance for marketing and production. The Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme offers health and life insurance to weavers, to ensure social security. The organisation commenced a fortnight-long exhibition, “VIRAASAT” dedicated to celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, and will conclude on 16th August 2024. The Handloom Mark scheme was introduced to authenticate handloom products, thus enabling weavers to gain better market access and ensuring that consumers get genuine products. Moreover, the India Trade Portal also mentions that the GOI plans to provide financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore to at least 10,000 handlooms. Various state governments also regularly conduct handloom expos and fairs, providing platforms for weavers to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers. <h2>Contemporary Brands and their love for Indian handloom</h2>Modern, popular designers such as <keyword id="8264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sabyasachi" source="Orion">Sabyasachi</keyword> and <keyword id="21493890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritu-kumar" source="keywords">Ritu Kumar</keyword> are known to work closely with weavers and have been doing their part by bringing worldwide attention to the handloom industries. Recently, <keyword id="1472101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajrakh" source="Orion">Ajrakh</keyword> was brought into the limelight when Alia Bhatt wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Ajrakh saree to Joy Awards in Riyadh. However, it’s not just the fashion moguls who are working towards the revival of this industry. Contemporary indie brands are partnering with local weavers, and creating awareness about their work. The emergence of such indie brands and their association with local artisans is beneficial for both entities. For instance, Joskai Studio derives its name from ‘Joskai’, a woven piece of cloth worn as a part of the traditional costume of the Tiwa community of Assam. They work with artisans in northeast India, specifically from the weaving village of Saualkuchi in Assam. Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan is a Kerala-based brand that works strictly with weavers from Kerala, specifically Chendamangalam and Kuthampally. <h2>Employment and Exports</h2>According to the Indian Trade Portal, the Indian handloom sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture in rural areas. The Handloom Census 2019-20 mentions that the industry employs about 35,22,512 workers across the country, with women forming 77.29% of the workforce. India is the second largest exporter of handloom products in the world, with exports valued at $ 353.9 million in 2017- 18, as per EXIM bank's working papers. The major handloom export centres are Karur, Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur where handloom products like bed linen, table linen, toilet linen, floor coverings, and embroidered textile materials and curtains etc. are produced for export markets. During April 2021-February 2022, India exported handloom products worth 1693 crore, as per Indian Trade Portal. Indian silk scarves also form a sizable chunk of total handloom exports, in addition to home textiles like carpets, rugs and mats, which constitute over 13.6% of India’s total handloom exports. <h2>The Path Forward</h2>The mere existence of organisations and allocation of funds isn’t enough to sustain the legacy of India’s rich handloom industry. Big corporations working with local weavers ensure employment but don't protect them from exploitation and meagre wages, leaving them vulnerable. The people in power ought to come up with strategies that ensure the trickle-down effect of the schemes and funds. The new generation of buyers has a greater purchasing power than the one before them. Marketing focused on bringing Indian handloom practices into the limelight can do wonders in this case.

Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

This article is part of "<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/workforce-innovation">Workforce Innovation</a>," a series exploring the trends and leaders shaping enterprise transformation.When Peter Montgomery worked in advertising, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-quit-six-figure-job-for-mental-health">long days at the office</a> were part of the culture."If you left at 6 p.m., the old criticism was, 'Oh, you're having a half day, are you?'" he said.Now in a role overseeing the creative team at the cloud-based accounting platform Xero, Montgomery can make dinner most nights for his wife and two children.The flexibility built into his job allows him to head to his home in Wellington, New Zealand, in time to prepare one of his hit meals, like burrito bowls or Thai meatballs with coconut sauce. Cooking gives him a chance to connect with his family and unwind before, on some nights, he logs back on to crank out a bit more work."It's really satisfying — gratifying — to actually have the ability to make work fit around the needs of my family," Montgomery, 50, told Business Insider.<div type="image" title="Peter Montgomery stands in his kitchen" height="2268" width="3024" msid="112355413" hostid="261" sizebytes="296412"></div>That ability to make a career conform, where possible, to an employee's life is one of the simple and often inexpensive ways employers can boost their employees' well-being. Increasingly, employers are looking for novel methods to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-companies-boost-employee-wellbeing-build-healthy-culture-2021-11">improve workers' welfare</a> because provisions like health insurance aren't cutting it on their own.A recent Gallup survey found worker well-being slipped globally to 34% in 2023 from 35% the year before. The decline followed several years of modest gains during the pandemic, when many bosses were quick to check in on workers. In recent years, however, many have reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burnout-work-boss-left-office-on-stretcher-2024-4">feeling burned out</a> and stressed by their jobs.Boosting worker well-being is good for employees, of course, but it's also good for the bottom line. And it's critical for boosting other measures of corporate and worker health — things like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/employee-engagement-productivity-remote-work-hybrid-burnout-managers-office-expectations-2024-1">engagement on the job</a>.<h2 id="69df1fe1-7cd9-4199-a2b8-983c72206fc1">Helping ease money worries</h2>Erica Golden, the chief people officer at Banyan Software, told BI that perhaps the biggest threat to employee well-being was worry over money. So the company, which owns more than 50 software businesses, is setting up what it's calling an employee resource fund. Workers can ask to tap into it when they face a surprise expense. That could be an unexpected medical bill or an outsize expense related to caring for a family member.The parameters for what might win approval, Golden said, are broad because the company wants to be responsive to a worker who might, for example, ask to draw $5,000 from the fund to deal with a unique financial hardship. A small number of business leaders review requests to keep the process simple and to respect worker privacy, she said."We just wanted them to be able to fill out a simple form and get what they need and feel that relief without a lot of judgment or protocol or their leaders really being involved in a lot of conversations," Golden said.To start, there's about $100,000 in the fund, she said.Golden said the company's leaders understood that employees facing crises would not be able to focus on their work. She added that these types of benefits were good for retaining workers. The employee resource fund also represents a modest shift away from big, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/workforce-innovation-series-c-suite-worker-well-being-dei-2024-6">one-size-fits-all benefits</a> that might not be as useful to all workers, Golden said.Leaders paying attention to what employees want are finding the questions on people's minds are, "Are you seeing me as an individual?" she said. "And: Would you be there if I was in a time of crisis?"Supporting employees extends to other areas, Golden said. Part of solving the well-being puzzle involves workers being able to feel they can trust their leaders — including with the direction of their careers, she said."Some of that is learning and development. This other piece is, 'I want to be able to make some choices about what gear I shift into for my career,'" Golden said. There might be times when employees need to pull back and take on a less intense role to make room for things going on in their lives.<h2 id="958d4c5c-85ed-42d1-97ee-389d90623e00">From legal services to pet insurance</h2>Other forms of flexibility can benefit workers and improve well-being. Bradd Chignoli, head of national accounts for group benefits at MetLife, told BI that many employers were offering more in their benefits packages than a decade ago.In some cases, workers pay for all or a share of these add-ons, he said. But that's often because these benefits are things workers have asked for in surveys. Chignoli said these offerings included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-legal-advice-workplace-benefit-financial-help-2023-11">legal services</a>, identity-theft programs, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/thousand-dollar-vet-bill-pet-insurance-2024-3">pet insurance</a>.Laying out a wider variety of benefits better meets workers' needs — and thereby boosts their overall well-being — by lining up more-nuanced benefits, instead of the blanket approach, he said."If I'm Gen Z versus a baby boomer, there may be certain products that are better fit," Chignoli said. "If I'm single versus having three kids, there may be certain benefits that are more appropriate for me. So that's where a lot of that personalization comes in."For Xero's Montgomery, what works is leaving the office on time so he can prepare those meals for his family. He tries to instill the idea of achieving a personal balance in those who report to him.Montgomery tells his team the quality of their work can't decline but that flexibility is often possible. Sometimes, they have to work extra time or outside normal business hours, but not too often."It's the exception, not the expectation, that we do that," he said. "So there's always a balance."

Boosting worker well-being doesn't have to be pricey

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Airport workers in Phoenix, Charlotte describe dangerous conditions during extreme heat.</li><li>They joined fast-food and farm workers this week in demanding employers provide water, AC, and rest.</li></ul>Cecilia Ortiz walks 10 to 15 miles a day for her job at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, pushing people in wheelchairs to their gates and carrying luggage.She loves her job, but it comes with risks, especially when temperatures reach triple digits for months in Phoenix. Ortiz said she sweats through her thick polyester uniform on jet bridges that aren't always air-conditioned. Access to cold water and rest breaks aren't guaranteed. Some of her colleagues who clean airplane cabins, transport luggage on the tarmac, or work as curbside agents have reported dizziness, nausea, and vomiting on the job — symptoms of heat exhaustion.Ortiz this week is joining workers in the airline, fast-food, and farming sectors in 13 cities to demand that employers provide education and training about the symptoms of heat exhaustion, develop a plan of action for getting employees medical attention, and ensure that employees have access to water, shade, air conditioning, and rest breaks. On Tuesday there were demonstrations at airports in Phoenix and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/service-workers-at-charlotte-airport-protest-for-heat-protection/">Charlotte, North Carolina</a>, and on Thursday workers plan to take a coordinated drink of water and share it across social media. Several labor unions are organizing the actions.Scorching heat is becoming more common in the US and around the world. Scientists have found that the climate crisis is causing more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting heat waves. Federal data indicates that each year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/36-work-related-deaths-due-to-environmental-heat-exposure-in-2021.htm">dozens of workers in the US die from heat exposure</a>. This summer, a sanitation worker for the city of Baltimore died from hyperthermia, or overheating, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/15/usps-worker-heat-stroke-death-wendy-johnson/74414304007/">whether a postal worker's death in North Carolina was related to the heat</a>.There are no national standards to protect indoor and outdoor workers. The Biden administration in July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bidens-heat-standards-workers-water-shade-rest-2024-7">proposed rules for employers with workers exposed to temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit</a> or higher, but it could be years before they take effect. The rules could also be scrapped if former President Donald Trump wins the election in November.Some states and cities have enacted their own policies, including California and Phoenix. This fall Maryland is expected to become the sixth state to adopt heat protections for workers. Meanwhile, Florida and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-extreme-heat-construction-crews-lose-breaks-water-2023-6">Texas have blocked such protections</a> at the local level.The Phoenix City Council in April unanimously passed an ordinance requiring all city contractors and subcontractors to develop heat-safety plans for outdoor workers, including at construction sites and airports. The ordinance also requires access to rest, shade, water, and air conditioning. By 2025, closed-cab vehicles, like those that move airport baggage, must have AC.Ortiz described the ordinance as a big win but said she still hadn't seen her employer, Prospect Airport Services, make changes. The company has more than 8,500 employees at 26 airports around the US and has contracts with airlines to provide passenger services, baggage handlers, and gate agents."The ordinance took effect in April, and we're in August now, still fighting for our basic human rights to a break and water," Ortiz said.She and other airport contract workers tried to deliver a copy of the Phoenix ordinance to their supervisor on Tuesday, but he wouldn't leave his office, Ortiz said. Last August, Ortiz and 10 other employees filed a complaint with Arizona's occupational-safety authorities, who opened an investigation and conducted an on-site inspection, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/06/phoenix-excessive-heat-airport-workers/">The Washington Post reported</a>. A spokesman for the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health told Business Insider they could not immediately provide information about that investigation.Unifi Aviation, the parent company of Prospect Airport Services, told BI in a statement that it had a heat-illness-prevention program that takes effect when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, adding that managers are encouraged to continuously check for signs of heat stress or illness among employees."All outdoor workers are provided with extra breaks, quick access to unlimited water, Gatorade, cooling towels and popsicles," the company said. "When possible, misting stations are also set up at the airports in partnership with airport or airline officials. Employees are also told not to sit or loiter in jet bridges for their own safety and that of those around them."In California, farm workers are especially vulnerable to extreme heat. Lourdes Cardenas is a farm worker who lives in Fresno, California, where it has reached upward of 105 degrees Fahrenheit this summer. She said even though the state has a heat protection law, companies don't always follow it. Last summer, while working in tomato fields without shade, she had a headache and vomited. She had to drive herself home to rest."Many workers don't say anything when they feel bad because they are afraid they will be fired, or because they earn so little that they feel they have to take risks to get a paycheck," Cardenas said during a press conference on Monday hosted by labor unions, including United Farm Workers.Fast-food workers at Waffle House and Starbucks told BI that AC units at some locations were broken for weeks last summer, causing the restaurants to be hotter than 80 degrees."We know that the planet is getting hotter and hotter every year, and we're seeing skyrocketing conditions for workers that people may not always think of when they think about the heat," said April Verrett, the president of the Service Employees International Union, which is helping organize this week's rallies. "Folks on jet bridges or in the kitchen, where temperatures can exceed 110 degrees — they're making these demands that it's time for employers to act now."

Airport, farm, and fast-food workers rally for better heat protections

Dear Reader, Another week draws to a close, and there’s much to discuss across the business and tech world. As <keyword id="19981455" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ratan-Tata" source="keywords">Ratan Tata</keyword>’s passing sends ripples of emotional reflection throughout India, former employees of <keyword id="20050933" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Cliq" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Cliq" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Cliq">Tata Cliq</keyword> opened up about how his leadership values shaped their careers. Meanwhile, the electric vehicle space saw turbulence as <keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> faces rising customer complaints and a noticeable dip in market share—raising questions about the company’s once-stellar reputation. Additionally, with World <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">Mental Health</keyword> Day just behind us, we put the spotlight on the importance of mental well-being in high-pressure environments through insights from a former <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> employee. And something seems to be off with the GenZ folk as they begin showing off their <keyword id="23513751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smartphone-pinkies" source="keywords">smartphone pinkies</keyword>. Join us as we dive into these stories and more, keeping you informed on the latest shifts in business and more. <h2>Top stories from the week </h2> ’My parents received a letter thanking them when I joined’: Ex-Tata Cliq employees recall Ratan Tata’s company culture Former employees of Tata Cliq recall how Ratan Tata’s compassionate leadership and values were ingrained in the company’s culture. Many employees never met him personally but felt his influence through practices that valued not only the workers but also their families. For instance, a former Cliq employee shared that her parents received a letter of thanks when she joined Tata Cliq, reflecting the deep respect the <keyword id="19924335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Group">Tata Group</keyword> held for its employees. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/my-parents-received-a-letter-thanking-them-when-i-joined-ex-tata-cliq-employees-recall-ratan-tatas-company-culture/articleshow/114118229.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> The Ola Electric Saga: Are surge in complaints and declining market share a wake-up call for <keyword id="19914967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavish-Aggarwal" source="keywords">Bhavish Aggarwal</keyword>? Ola Electric, once dominating India’s electric two-wheeler market, is now facing a surge in customer complaints and a sharp decline in market share. The company has been under fire for long wait times, unresolved technical issues, and customer dissatisfaction. The government has also issued notices for potential violations. Once holding nearly half the market, Ola’s share has fallen to 27%, with competition from legacy automakers Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors rapidly increasing. Is this a wake-up call for Ola’s founder Bhavish Aggarwal? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/the-ola-electric-saga-are-surge-in-complaints-and-declining-market-share-a-wake-up-call-for-bhavish-aggarwal/articleshow/114120828.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <keyword id="19919711" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-Z" source="keywords">Gen Z</keyword> folk are showing off their ‘smartphone pinkies’ — and the images are horrifying A new trend called “smartphone pinky” is gaining attention, with Gen Z users flaunting bent or dented pinkies caused by holding their phones for extended periods. This quirky phenomenon is becoming a viral sensation on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While some celebrate their “iPhone pinkies” as a badge of honour, medical experts warn that these habits could lead to more serious conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve damage. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/gen-z-folk-are-showing-off-their-smartphone-pinkies-and-the-images-are-horrifying/articleshow/114070817.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> The Nobel Prize-winning ‘godfather of AI’ says he’s glad one of his students had a hand in ousting Sam Altman from OpenAI Geoffrey Hinton, a newly awarded Nobel laureate in physics and the “godfather of AI,” expressed pride that his former student, <keyword id="21285071" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ilya-Sutskever" source="keywords">Ilya Sutskever</keyword>, played a role in ousting Sam Altman from OpenAI. Hinton noted that Altman prioritised profits over AI safety, diverging from the original vision of OpenAI. Though Sutskever later expressed regret for his decision, Hinton’s remarks highlight the growing tensions within the AI industry. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/artificial-intelligence/news/the-nobel-prize-winning-godfather-of-ai-says-hes-glad-one-of-his-students-had-a-hand-in-ousting-sam-altman-from-openai/articleshow/114077932.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> World Mental Health Day: Ex-Google employee shares tips on protecting mental health at the workplace, says he experienced stress and anxiety On World Mental Health Day earlier this week, former Google employee Nicholas Whitaker opened up about the stress and anxiety he faced during his 13-year tenure at the tech giant. He talked about the importance of setting boundaries, practising mindfulness, and aligning work with personal values to maintain mental well-being. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/article/world-mental-health-day-ex-google-employee-shares-tips-on-protecting-mental-health-at-workplace-says-he-experienced-stress-and-anxiety/articleshow/114072724.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Top web stories</h2> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/webstories/top-dussehra-getaways-from-delhi-escapes-for-the-festive-weekend/slidelist/114046437.cms">Top Dussehra getaways from Delhi: Escapes for the festive weekend</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/webstories/vande-bharat-sleeper-trains-first-glimpses-show-snazzy-colours-and-comfortable-furnishings/slidelist/114068864.cms">Vande Bharat sleeper train’s first glimpses show snazzy colours, comfortable interiors</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/food/webstories/9-ways-to-curb-your-sugar-cravings-for-a-healthier-lifestyle/slidelist/113851201.cms">9 ways to curb your sugar cravings for a healthier lifestyle</a>

Weekend wrap: Ratan Tata's legacy, Ola Electric's woes, smartphone pinkies and more

Earlier this week, the death of yet another corporate employee shook the nation. Various other incidents also made headlines last month, where employees of some big companies reportedly died of work pressure. With a rise in such incidents, people are talking about the importance of <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword> and <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword> at workplace. <keyword id="20253489" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zoho" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Zoho" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Zoho">Zoho</keyword> CEO and Co-founder <keyword id="19914274" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sridhar-Vembu" source="keywords">Sridhar Vembu</keyword>, in a new interview with PTI, has called for a fundamental shift in how companies treat their employees. In the interview, the entrepreneur warned that organisations pushing their workforce to unsustainable limits will not be able to keep up the pace. He also called for a shift in mindset and said that people are being put in a "very big pressure cooker." <h2>Zoho CEO on putting employees in pressure cooker </h2> <keyword id="21154651" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vembu" source="keywords">Vembu</keyword>, who has spent over two decades building Zoho into one of India’s leading tech companies, expressed deep concern over the increasing pressure faced by employees, particularly in large cities. He said that we are creating environments where workers are trapped in a ‘pressure cooker’, referring to the convergence of long working hours, grueling commutes, and the isolation many young professionals experience after migrating from smaller towns. "You already have loneliness, long-commutes, stressful work condition. So, you are throwing people into a very big pressure cooker, and very tragically, some people break, other people are broken," he told PTI. Reflecting on his own experience, Vembu stressed the importance of pacing oneself in order to sustain a long and productive career. “I have been working for 27-28 years, and I hope to work for another 28 if possible. But to do that, I cannot allow myself, or my employees, to burn out,” he explained. He argued that companies prioritising short-term gains at the expense of their workers’ health are doomed to falter in the long run. <h2>What's the solution?</h2>Vembu’s advocacy for a healthier work culture is grounded in his broader vision for corporate India. A long-time proponent of decentralising business operations, he believes that one solution to the high-stress environment is to diversify away from major urban centres. “We bring young people from small towns into big cities, and their first challenge is loneliness. Then, they face commutes that can stretch up to two hours each way, particularly in cities like Bengaluru. It’s no surprise that many feel overwhelmed,” he said. The Zoho chief pointed out that by expanding operations into smaller towns and rural areas, companies can alleviate some of these pressures, allowing employees to stay closer to their homes and communities. This approach, he believes, not only reduces stress but also fosters a more sustainable, human-centric model of growth. Beyond <keyword id="22447710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="workplace-stress" source="keywords">workplace stress</keyword>, Vembu touched on the role of technology in shaping the future of business. He reiterated his call for tighter regulations on big tech companies, particularly in preventing the monopolisation of digital services. Drawing parallels between email, which is an open standard, and messaging services that are often locked within proprietary ecosystems, he urged the government to push for greater interoperability. “Messaging platforms should not operate in silos. We need standards that prevent monopolies and ensure a level playing field for all,” he remarked. Vembu also praised India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives, calling them a “shining success story” and a model for other nations. He highlighted how India has become a global leader in digital infrastructure, with initiatives such as the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) and the health stack setting new standards for the world to follow.

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