Anthony Martinez says planting flowers is his favorite part of his job. Martinez works at New Hope farms outside Albany, New York. He started at the farm nearly seven years ago with only a background in landscaping. “It was an awesome experience to me because I never actually walked around a farm before,” Martinez told HR Brew. “It just got me hooked.” Now, he has a career, leading farm tours, educating visitors and other staff, attending continuing education events, and still planting flowers.

Martinez is one of an estimated 2.1 million adults with intellectual disabilities in the US, according to the University of Minnesota. However, the majority of those adults are not part of the workforce and face persistent barriers to employment.

Advocates say that employers are overlooking a valuable talent pool. HR Brew spoke with disability advocates and a worker about how HR leaders can recruit intellectually and developmentally disabled (IDD) talent.

Keep reading.—KP

Uncertain times. Future of work. The new talent landscape. We’ve all heard buzzy industry phrases like these, but at Beamery’s Spark Live, you’ll learn how to act on them.

At this virtual event on June 8, Beamery invites forward-thinking HR and business leaders to gather and discuss the future of hiring, retaining, and developing talent. Global leaders from Accenture, BlackRock, and Canva will share their aspirations and expertise on how to bring the right talent to you. Imagine a future where you never have to post a job ad again…

It’s possible—find out how at Spark Live. Keynote speaker Josh Bersin will also shed light on how to break the boundaries of recruitment. Discover how leading orgs are building a talent strategy to future-proof their businesses.

Get inspired by insights and experts. Secure your spot at Spark Live 2023.

It’s May, a widely-beloved month that includes such sacred holidays as Star Wars Day, National Mimosa Day, and Lost Sock Memorial Day. And in the European Union, May is Diversity Month, which was started in 2020 to celebrate and focus on diversity in the workplace. Here’s a quick overview.

Where in the world? Sponsored by the EU Commission, the monthlong initiative began as a way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Diversity Charters, which are country-specific diversity pledges that organizations in the EU sign.

According to the EU diversity website, Diversity Month focuses on DE&I in the workplace and society at large, and “celebrates efforts by organizations to build equal and inclusive environments for all.” This year’s theme is about “building bridges” to various aspects of diversity, including race, gender, and age. The initiative calls on employers to share what they’re doing for diversity initiatives, and as of publication, there are hundreds of planned activities throughout Europe, from a women in mining event in Spain, to a DE&I survey being developed in Romania.

As part of the initiative, the EU Commission is encouraging companies to use its diversity self-assessment resource. The assessment, composed of 21 questions, asks about organizational diversity, recruitment, career progression, and more, to determine how far along they are in their DE&I journey.

Satellite view. The EU isn’t the only region attempting to improve workplace diversity on a broad scale, according to a report from the International Labour Organization. A law in Australia now requires employers with over 100 employees to share gender pay disparities, while in India, companies are determining what diversity efforts should look like for their swath of the subcontinent.

Readers: How are your European offices for EU Diversity Month? We want to hear from you. Reach out to: [email protected].

Despite tech industry turmoil and an avalanche of viral catchphrases meant to encapsulate the misery of the common employee, last year US workers allegedly enjoyed their jobs more than they have in the past 36 years. Is all that extra tartar sauce finally paying off?

According to the Conference Board’s Job Satisfaction 2023 report, the majority of US workers are feeling good about their jobs—largely because they’ve been afforded the ability to focus on their personal lives. As the report states: “Job satisfaction is at the highest level since our survey began more than three decades ago, largely due to a tight labor market and more flexible work arrangements.”

The survey queried 1,680 US workers about 26 different workplace benefits and scenarios, such as commuting, paid sick leave, family leave, potential for growth, and beyond, producing results that may reflect evolving workplace norms in the aftermath of the so-called Great Resignation, Joshua White, professor of finance and Vanderbilt University, explained to HR Brew.

A pandemic-spawned movement for more work-life balance is bearing fruit, as reflected in the results, White explained: “You can find happiness doing other things like exercise and hobbies, and spending time with your friends and family. That’s what remote work has allowed you to do. And it’s what flexible schedules allow people to do.”

Keep reading.—SB

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: More Russell 1000 companies consider ESG when deciding base executive compensation, according to JUST Capital, with 43% now factoring in the goals, up from 14% in 2020 and 28% in 2022. (CNBC)

Quote: “I’m doing this because I love it.”—Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, when asked by Senator John Kennedy in a recent Senate hearing if he makes a lot of money (BBC)

Read: Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Spain are among the countries opening up their borders to “unskilled” foreign workers. Meanwhile, the US adopted stricter policies during Covid-19 and hasn’t made any major changes to its immigration policy in decades. (the Wall Street Journal)