Nantais is a soft, French cow's milk cheese dating back to the revolution. Figue is an unpasteurized goat's milk cheese from Provence. During the ripening process, it is regularly bathed in essential oils giving it a beautiful aroma of milk and rose — just like this newsletter. What a way to make a living. Speaking of cheese puns and work, it was Labor Day on Monday, so today's Need2Know is focused on stories about the workplace. Key economic data also looms this week with monthly unemployment stats due this morning and hiring tallies of non-farm employers coming Friday. The stock market's slowdown jitters have returned after ebbing away in August because the manufacturing sector showed unexpected signs of weakness yesterday. Construction spending data also showed a bigger-than-expected decline. If this week's jobs numbers are at all surprising on the downside, expect everyone to freak out a little bit, but not, like, too much. Just don't check your 401(k) for a bit. I'll let you know when it's safe to peep back at it. K? Today's cheddlines: —Matt Davis, N2K Chedditor P.S. We've got footage of a robot applying eyelash extensions on our 'gram! |
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"Hospitality work overall is undervalued, and it's not a coincidence that it's disproportionately women and people of color doing the work," — Gwen Mills |
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1. You're About To Get Cancelled As Gen Z Becomes Largest Segment of U.S. Workforce |
I love working with Gen Z. They bring a refreshing set of values and expectations to work, shaped by a different era. They focus on issues like political engagement at work and having a social impact. They like flat organizational hierarchies, and they want their opinions to be heard regardless of their tenure or experience. You also can't be racist or a sexual predator in the workplace any longer without being held accountable, apparently.
Not everybody loves working with Gen Z, though. And that's an issue for them because Gen Z will surpass Baby Boomers in the U.S. workforce for the first time this year. Economists see this shift as significant due to its potential wide-reaching effects on workplace priorities and cultures. Millennials will continue to dominate decision-making roles until (checks notes) the 2040s, though. Which gives me a good 16 years to make hay while the sun shines. (Matt, you're late gen X, born in '79, I checked—ed.)
Gen Z likes flexible work environments, opportunities for development, and regular feedback. Despite valuing flexibility, many in Gen Z still prefer in-person interactions, though not necessarily in traditional office settings. A substantial portion is open to working in public spaces like coffee shops, and they like to meet on a thing called Slack Huddles, apparently. Hi, Sydney! (Sydney is the Gen Z'er who is editing this newsletter, today after I put it together. She'll kill you if you put a comma in the wrong place. With kindness. With KINDNESS.)
Gen Z also places a high emphasis on work-life balance, sometimes valuing it more than job security. They are willing to leave jobs that suck. I sort of love that, too. The shifting dynamics and expectations introduced by Gen Z will likely require businesses and leaders to rethink strategies for retention and motivation, especially for younger employees. Like, give them good jobs and care about their development! Poor employers. Read More |
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2. No Resurrection Without Representation! CA Law Requires Consent for AI Replicas of Dead Actors |
What do I say to every actor that I meet?
"I'll have a decaf double espresso, please."
Mwahahahah. Anyway, a new California law says you'll need permission now before you can make an AI replica of a dead actor. There goes my vision for a host of posthumous Arnold Schwarzenegger spin-offs.
A law already passed covering living actors. But as we all know, it's the dead ones that prompt the most fascinating prospects for revivals. Alec Guinness, for example, would probably be turning in his grave if he thought he was going to play Obi-Wan Kenobi yet again and again in future Star Wars movies.
Permission from an actor's estate is now a must for their digital doubles to grace films, TV, video games, and even audiobooks once they've departed. The move, championed by actor's union SAG-AFTRA, is a standing ovation for stars who otherwise would never fade.
There's some precedent for reanimating dead actors. Oliver Reed's performance in Gladiator included some footage shot using a double, as Reed had the bad luck to die during production. Carrie Fisher also reemerged in J.J. Abrams' Star Wars movies in 2019 after dying two years earlier. Wait...does this mean we can bring back Alec Guinness after all? How many days before Governor Newsom signs the law? Let's get to it! Read More |
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| Would you trust a robot to apply your eyelash extensions? 👁️🤖
LUUM, the world's first AI lash lab, features a robot that applies eyelash extensions to humans. The process begins with cleaning the lashes and placing barcoded patches on the skin for the machine to read.
The robot isolates each lash, applies glue, and attaches the extensions, applying up to 25 lashes per eye. A lash artist completes the look, ensuring a seamless experience. |
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3. Nobody In Japan Wants To Work A Four-Day Week. The Government Hates That! |
Despite Japan's historic emphasis on hard work and long hours — which is deeply ingrained in its culture — the government is trying to shift mindsets around a four-day workweek to confront a serious labor shortage. Japan faces a declining working-age population, projected to drop from 74 million to 45 million by 2065, which is partly linked to its job-focused culture. Nobody has had the time or, er, energy to have enough kids to replace all these workers.
Still, in a country where it's considered your professional duty to go out and get drunk with your colleagues after work, good luck changing that. Uptake has been slow since the Japanese government first mooted the idea in 2021. Only 8% of companies are offering such schedules, and very few employees are taking advantage of them. At Panasonic, for example, only 150 out of 63,000 eligible workers opted in. I, personally, would have made that number 151.
To encourage more businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to get on board, the government has initiated a "work style reform" campaign. The campaign provides free consulting, grants, and showcases success stories. It's called hatarakikata kaikaku ("innovating how we work" in Japanese), aiming to both enable more flexible working styles and improve workers' future prospects. You're into it, right? Read More |
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You Need 2 Know About This Box!
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Meet the Sunset Box, a quarterly subscription service sending home, wellness, and travel goodies straight to your doorstep, curated by editors at mag Sunset, the Western-lifestyle magazine that just so happens to be a sister company of ours. Since you clearly have good taste (you're an N2K subscriber, after all), we think you'll love this box. Use code CHEDDAR15 for 15% off your subscription. |
Note: Sadly does not contain any cheese. |
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4. Hotel Strike Expands to 9 U.S. Cities And Could Hit Many More |
For my wife's 40th birthday we got a room at a luxury hotel overlooking Central Park. Since we were spending a week's wages on a weekend, I hope that the hotel was paying its staff extremely well to work there and give us such an unforgettable experience. Sadly, though, I don't think my vague opinion on this matter is likely to sway management's hand on such issues. Do you know what will, though? Strikes…
In a race to the bottom, many hotels must compete on price, and one area where they've historically tried to cut corners is on paying staff a living wage. That's why more than 10,000 workers from the UNITE HERE union are now on strike at 25 hotels across the U.S., demanding higher wages, manageable workloads, and the restoration of pre-pandemic job conditions. The strike has so far affected workers in several cities, with 5,000 alone in Honolulu.
The workers are fighting for better pay, benefits, and conditions to support their families and help them plan for retirement. Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott are the main hotel chains involved. The union has seen success in Southern California where they secured significant wage increases, pension contributions, and workload guarantees. They also won better pay in Las Vegas: A 32% increase over five years, housekeeping workload reductions, and improved job security for more than 10,000 workers. This all comes amid advancements in technology as robot baristas and AI chefs draw increasing attention. Good luck finding a robot to scrub the stains out of a Marriott carpet after you've left, though, without quitting on the spot over it.
UNITE HERE said a total of 15,000 workers have voted to authorize strikes, which could soon spread to other cities, including New Haven, Connecticut; Oakland, California; and Providence, Rhode Island.
"Hospitality work overall is undervalued, and it's not a coincidence that it's disproportionately women and people of color doing the work," Gwen Mills, President of UNITE HERE, told the Associated Press.
As a would-be client of any of these hotel groups, I hope they will consider negotiating and paying their workers better. And I support the strikes as a way for these workers to get what they deserve. What do you think? I have a feeling you'd like to email me about it! Read More |
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5. Australia's New Law Gives Right to Disconnect |
Australia has passed a new law granting workers the right to disconnect outside of working hours.
Let's say you're enjoying a succulent Chinese meal in the evening, and then, your employer calls. Under the new law, you're empowered to continue eating and ignore work-related calls or messages after hours without fear of reprisal. At least, you can — unless your refusal is deemed unreasonable under certain conditions such as emergencies or your role's nature. The rights take effect immediately for most employees and will include smaller businesses by August 2025.
Supporters assert that it will improve work-life balance, address unpaid overtime (which accounted for an average "loss" of nearly $7,500 per worker in 2023), and contribute to better mental health. However, opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticized the law as harmful to productivity and vows to repeal it if elected. Can you guess which side of the aisle he sits on? Business groups have also expressed concerns about added complexity and Australia's global competitiveness, but the concept has widespread support among Australians. In other words? It's democracy manifest. Read More |
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