Myriad influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and, of course, LinkedIn tout the bennies and Benjamins associated with ditching your nine-to-five for “being your own boss.” It’s no wonder your employees might be fantasizing about ditching corporate drudgery to be a freelance travel journalist galavanting the globe, collecting experiences and fat checks.

HR Brew reported last April that frustration with the nine-to-five, including a lack of desired wages and flexibility, has led to more employees leaving the corporate world to strike out on their own. But one HR and employment expert told HR Brew the thing often drawing an employee away from the grind is a difficult manager.

After more than a decade in legal and HR departments at companies including McKinsey & Company, KFC, and Cumulus Media, Ashley Herd did strike out on her own and now runs Manager Method, a consultancy focused on helping companies level-up their managers. She also cohosts the HR Besties podcast.

She said her experience as in-house counsel on employment issues and experience in the HR field made her uniquely able to help managers have real and useful conversations with employees.

Keep reading here.—AD

According to the Chinese calendar, 2024 is the year of the dragon. But 2024 might also be the year of the retiree.

This year, 12% of retirees are likely to return to work, in addition to the 25% of older working adults who had previously retired and returned, according to a Resume Builder survey of 500 US adults aged 62 to 85. Many cited inflation and increased cost of living (61%) as their main reason for returning to work, as well as debt (34%) and boredom (34%).

In the US, there are 9.6 million job openings and 6.4 million unemployed workers, according to the World Economic Forum. Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder, told HR Brew that people pros can look at retirees’ reentry as an opportunity to fill talent gaps.

“You’ve got a very experienced workforce out there that [is] coming back,” she said.

Keep reading here.—MC

Amendments to Colorado’s pay transparency law will require employers to share more information with their current employees about new job opportunities as they become available. The amended law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024, also extends the period of time for which employees may obtain back pay for wage disparity violations from three years to six.

New job posting requirements. Since 2021, Colorado has required employers to include in job advertisements the hourly wage or salary they’re offering, as well as any additional compensation information (i.e., bonuses, commissions) and details about benefits.

While the state has also required employers to notify their workers of promotion opportunities, the law now goes further, requiring “reasonable efforts to announce, post, or otherwise make known” any “job opportunity” that arises, along with the expected salary and benefits. Additionally, Colorado employers must now make an effort to notify employees who will be working regularly with any new hires of their selection decision within 30 days of filling a position.

There are some exceptions to the rule.

Keep reading here.—CV

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: The share of US workers in unions dropped to 10% in 2023, a new low, as employers added non-union jobs to their payrolls at a faster clip than union ones. (the Washington Post)

Quote: “HR is the new PR.”—Erin Grau, co-founder of future of work company Charter, on why HR pros should be mindful of conducting layoffs that could be aired publicly (Axios)

Read: IBM issued an RTO ultimatum for executives and managers. Those who don’t live within 50 miles of an office will have to relocate by August or lose their jobs. (CNN)