Ahhh...the government shutdown is over, and federal workers will be getting back to work. And I'm thrilled to see that some TSA workers will receive $10,000 bonus checks for their efforts amid the shutdown. Nice! Get the details in our Leadership & Development story from TravelPulse. Also in this issue:

✅ Amazon faces class action over treatment of disabled workers
✅ Hidden gems: The true change agents on your team
✅ Job outlook for 2026 grads bleak as layoffs continue

Nike has decided to discontinue its annual Wellness Week, a program introduced in 2021 that gave employees a week off in August to focus on mental health. Chief People Officer Treasure Heinle cites the need to adapt to current operating conditions and "get back to winning" as the reason for the change.

Change is to be expected. Some practices we adopted during the pandemic are morphing or (in this case) ending. It’s the nature of the workplace beast. The better we get at pivoting, the better off we'll be over the long term. -- Kanoe

A growing skills gap in the US is prompting employees, especially millennials and Generation Z, to seek education and training to improve job performance, with many self-funding these efforts due to insufficient employer support. A Harris Poll for the University of Phoenix indicates that 55% of workers have paid for their own training, but 72% have abandoned self-improvement plans because of cost and scheduling issues.

The employee deferral limit for 401(k)s and certain other kinds of retirement plans will be $24,500 next year, rising from $23,500 this year, according to the IRS. In addition, the catch-up contribution limit for savers who are 50 and older will increase to $8,000, and it will be $11,250 for those between the ages of 60 and 63. Meanwhile, the contribution limit for IRAs will increase to $7,500 next year.

AI has transformed HR, making it a strategic partner with increasing efficiency. In 2026, the HR function will undergo further transformation: traditional job descriptions will give way to agile work blueprints centered on skills and outcomes, and the HR director role will be replaced by a chief productivity officer, merging HR and IT responsibilities to drive both people and technology outcomes, writes Cliff Jurkiewicz, VP of global strategy at Phenom.

We often feel like the loudest voices in the room hold the most influence, but Noah Askin argues that it is the quiet connectors -- often introverts -- who don't dominate meetings, but build deep, cross-department relationships of trust, who hold the most sway. He says leaders need to seek these hidden gems of their teams and unearth their insights. "After your next meeting, talk to someone who didn't say much. Ask what they're seeing, what others are saying and how they'd share a key idea across the organization," Askin writes.

You know who these folks are. They're usually quiet during meetings -- absorbing everything -- but when they speak, everyone listens. They command respect. Their words have weight. Managers pay attention to them. Colleagues trust them. They don't blow their own horn and are terrific team players. 

Their ability to temper their words is their gold. They are natural listeners, able to take in volumes of information and distill it quickly. They can turn thoughts into ideas and ideas into reality. 

I've always envied these folks. I'm not quiet. At. All. I have other skills that make me a valuable contributor, but I would love to get better at exercising silence and listening. Is this possible? Or is it better to stick with your natural personality traits? Let me know your thoughts! -- Kanoe