Top Story
It's Friday! As we slide into the weekend, let's look at how to make our personal and professional lives better and richer. In this issue, we have:

🕔 AI for work-life balance
💰 Trading in PTO for student loans, cash
🫶 Emotional salaries
🏢 Workplace harassment responses

Expert: Happy off the clock is better on the clock
work life balance word cloud - handwriting on a napkin with a cup of coffee
(Marekuliasz/Getty Images)
Research shows that when employers support employees fulfilling roles outside of work -- by enabling family time, creative pursuits, and personal growth -- they become more loyal, productive, and satisfied at work, writes Louis Tay, professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Purdue University. Culture like this reduces turnover and improves efficiency and outcomes over the long term, he says.

Breaking away from our work persona improves our lives. Albert Einstein saw value in diversion. It's said that when he was mulling over theories, he would take breaks to play the piano or violin. He found them useful in honing his insights. What do you do to stay at the top of your game?  -- Kanoe 

Recruiting & Retention
AI is driving efficiency but not shorter work hours
Despite expectations that artificial intelligence would reduce work hours, it has primarily increased efficiency and productivity, driven by anxiety, competition and corporate greed, Boris Shpylchak writes. Shpylchak notes that companies use AI to maximize profits quickly, fearing obsolescence, and that the hierarchical relationship between humans and AI positions AI as a competitor rather than a collaborator, leading to longer work hours and heightened workplace stress.

Leadership & Development

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Benefits & Compensation
Employers offer PTO conversion for cash, student loans
Employers are increasingly allowing workers to convert unused paid time off into cash, student loan payments or 401(k) contributions, according to a Goldman Sachs Ayco report. While the trend is still in its early stages, with only a single-digit percentage of companies participating, it reflects a growing demand for flexibility among employees, especially those in hybrid or remote roles.

The HR Leader
Emotional salaries as non-monetary motivators
As hiring budgets tighten, the concept of "emotional salary" is gaining traction as a key factor in employee retention and satisfaction. Emotional salary encompasses non-monetary aspects of a job, such as recognition, flexibility, career development and a sense of belonging. Up to 70% of employees decline job offers due to poor culture, and many leave for similar reasons, according to Dayforce data. Prioritizing emotional salary components like recognition and connection can help companies retain top talent and reduce turnover.

Workplace Chatter

About the Editor
Reflections
Reflections
(Kanoe Namahoe)
Welcome to Friday Faves! Every Friday, I spotlight books, podcasts, articles, email newsletters, documentaries or other content pieces that I enjoy. I also share suggestions that I get from you. Got a favorite for your peers? Send it to me. I may include it here for a future column.
 
I couldn't pick one story from today as my Friday Fave. This entire issue is packed with intelligent, meaty reads, from our top story of how off-the-clock activities make us better to why AI is not making our work days shorter to how some employers are letting workers apply PTO toward student loans (genius!). And then Workplace Chatter with stories about workplace harassment, family black sheep and football coaches. There's a ton here to fire up your gray matter.

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