Here’s quick snapshot of news around the industry!

Around the IT Industry:

According to Modis (our sister company):

• Storage Halved on Galaxy S4, Thanks to Pre-Loaded Apps
• Microsoft’s IllumiRoom Adds New Depth to Gaming
• Tech Talent Shortage? Not Quite.
• Google Fiber Gets Competition from Your Local Telephone Company
• 10K+ Students Compete in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship

Around the Staffing Industry:

 

• An estimated 165,000 jobs were created last month (April 2013) and the unemployment rate to its lowest level since December 2008.
• Adecco USA takes a closer look at the job report by delving into the numbers and looking at job growth in each industry.  Their video does a great job of explaining this and reviewing the current youth unemployment crisis.
• Adecco’s #WaytoWork Careerathon, held on Tuesday, April 30^th, reached over 600,000 millennials.  Their recent blog post discusses two of their larger events:  Denver & L.A. and announcing a contest where 8 millennials can win the opportunity to travel the world and experience 10 different jobs.
• While 44 states have seen an increase in online job postings, the increase really offsets drops seen earlier in the year.  The question is will employers start adding headcount instead of just replacing employees who have resigned.
• Massachusetts court closes loophole that made it possible for injured workers to collect workers comp from the staffing firm and sue the client company

Talent Management:

• From unique walkways to trivia games to extra small spaces, companies are now trying to figure out ways to create more employee collisions in hopes of creating more collaboration.
• The future of work is here!  PSFK, a consulting firm offering trend insight and business strategies, put out a 138 pg. report recently that discusses trends that are slowing becoming the norm:  quantified employees, pop up workspaces, the feedback culture, and more telepresence.
• Is coworking a fad or the future?  Not only are freelancers taking advantage, but large companies are offering this as a benefit for their employees.

Around the Government:

• Defense spending cuts are starting to take a toll with layoffs and hesitant hiring.
• New guidance will help Feds to recover some furlough days if they end up taking more than are required.
• The federal government lost 4,900 jobs last month due to retirement, hiring freezes and slowdowns.  The work is there, but the sequester is preventing hiring additional staff.

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