DATA POINTS
- May 7 – The day every U.S. air traveler must have a REAL-ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license
- 2008 – The last year all four No. 1 seeds have advanced to the Men’s Final Four
- 65,000+ – The number of U.S. cargo train robberies in 2024
- 1,505 – The number of minutes Cory Booker filibustered this week, the longest floor speech in the chamber’s modern history
- 1.5 M – The number of copies of Sunrise on the Reaping, the new Hunger Games novel, sold in its first sales week
- $124 Trillion – The amount projected to be passed down in the ‘great wealth transfer’ by 2048 from baby boomers; the greatest generational wealth transfer in history
What’s Special About Special Elections?
The Republican Party experienced a political scare during Tuesday’s special elections in Florida and Wisconsin. The party won the two elections to replace Reps. Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz, but not without election day heartburn. Although GOP candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won the seats, they did so at roughly half the margins that their Republican predecessors brought in last year.
That’s not the whole story, however. Democrats flooded cash into the races. Patronis was out fundraised by Democrats 3-1 and Fine by nearly 10-1. These elections set the stage for elections in 2026 without President Trump on the ballot.
Further frightening the GOP, the party lost the Wisconsin Supreme Court race – letting Democrats keep their 4-3 court majority. This is sure to impact GOP policy platforms in the state, including voting rights, abortion rights, and future House redistricting.
Despite what comes ahead, Speaker Johnson’s House majority won’t shrink: that’s a win for his caucus.
We’ll Burn that Bridge When We Get to It
Ford Motor Company made headlines this week not for domestic car production but for the long-term comedy culture created by sales executive Mike O’Brien.
In an email announcing his retirement, O’Brien attached a spreadsheet detailing thousands of documented statements made in corporate meetings. The list detailed over 2,000 mix-ups, like “too many cooks in the soup,” “reinventing the ocean,” and “we need to make sure dealers have some skin in the teeth.”
We’ve all heard (or said) awkward business jargon before. A study by Preply found that 71% of people find workplace jargon annoying, and 33% think it makes communication harder.
Regardless of where you stand on corporate lingo, there may be a lesson to be learned from O’Brien. Finding moments of humor and light-heartedness at work creates a better culture, can improve mental health, and is likely to make you enjoy your job more.
National Stress Awareness Month
After months of chilly weather, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and rampant snowfall, April is National Stress Awareness Month. Post-pandemic trends show why putting mental health first is a priority – for individuals, employees, and companies. If you lead a team, the data is clear: companies and leaders that support their employees’ mental health see 13% higher productivity, with employees being 2.3 times less likely to report feeling stressed and a 2.6 times lower rate of absenteeism.
If left unchecked, employee mental health can lead to corporate losses, too. Employees with unresolved depression see their productivity drop by 35%, costing employers.
How can employers support mental health in the workplace? Start by fostering a supporting work culture that promotes work-life balance and encourages open conversation – even about tough issues. Lead by example, appreciating employees for their work, and providing professional development support to keep employees engaged.
Trade War Never Changes
Tariffs have been used throughout modern history – and the United States has embraced the tactic several times over the years.
The 1890 McKinley Tariff imposed a 50% tax on all imports, resulting in Canada retaliating with tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods, undercutting American farmers. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 raised the average tariff to nearly 60% and skyrocketed the price of sugar and eggs for American consumers (and exacerbated the Great Depression). President Trump’s 2018 tariff spikes increased the cost of a range of consumer goods, including washing machines, clothing, and furniture.
Leaders implement trade tactics in the name of fairness and protectionism, but history shows countries targeted for higher tariffs often respond in kind.
As President Trump’s latest tariffs went into effect this week, many leaders across the country acknowledged them as necessary. Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds said that previous administrations had failed to show up for Iowa’s farmers and applauded President Trump for doing something about it. “President Trump is using tariffs as leverage – to force our trading partners to the table and put America’s farmers first.”
Fool Me Once...
April Fool’s Day has come and gone, but not without class clowns, outgoing uncles, witty coworkers, and delinquent friends pulling fast ones on each other. This week, many companies could not pass up the opportunity to unleash the full force of their marketing teams on the pranksters’ holiday.
Unfortunately, the Louvre Museum in Paris did not transform its iconic glass pyramid into a Bass Pro Shops, Omaha Steaks did not release a three-part “Meat-Cute” novel series, nor did the TSA allow travelers who enrolled in “TSA Pre-PET” to pet the security K9s.
April Fool’s Day is seemingly the off-season, low-stakes Super Bowl opportunity for marketing teams across the country. And, with this much creativity going around, who can blame them for participating in the battle of the wits (we didn’t see anything that topped the Pop Tarts Bowl)?
Read More at the Washington Post
See you next week!
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