The more things change, the more they stay at the same … at Costco, anyway. In a recent earnings discussion, CFO Richard Galanti announced that the warehouse club’s hot dog-and-drink combo will remain priced at $1.50 “forever.”

That’s exactly how much it cost in 1985. According to legend, Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal once lethally threatened an exec for suggesting they charge more.

This move (or lack of one) could build consumer loyalty, which Costco already has in abundance. They ranked No. 1 for customer experience in a 2022 survey of 4,000 U.S. shoppers. That reputation is worth every penny — all 150 of them.

Freelance vs. full-time: A quick checklist for your next hire.

How work is like working out: You need recovery time.

What We Do in the Shadows: Negotiate without bloodsucking.

(Source: Shutterstock)

When the pandemic eased up in early 2022, businesses got a little recruitment-crazy and hired too many full-time employees. Oops.

Now, a wave of mass layoffs is rocking U.S. companies. Household names like Ford, Meta, Twitter, Peloton, and Tesla are sending hundreds — even thousands — of workers packing. Some tech companies have cut 30% of their staff, which can devastate morale for the remaining 70%.

To avoid following in their footsteps, should you hire independent contractors (aka freelancers) who are easier to cut loose?

The Gig Economy: So 2010s

We've all heard the horror stories of massive gig-economy companies (*ahem* Uber and Lyft) allegedly misclassifying workers, and all of the legal backlash that has ensued since then.

Freelancers do have a place if utilized appropriately on a limited basis. However, it’s not 2015 anymore. Courts and regulatory agencies are paying attention to this stuff.

The truth is that designating a position as freelance or staff isn’t something you get to just choose. Although your small business or start-up might not face thousands of legal claims, employee misclassification can still cost you big bucks in overtime pay, liquidated damages, and attorney fees.

The IRS Is Here to Help (Really)

So, what differentiates a contractor from an employee? Here’s the IRS' three-step checklist. To paraphrase:

• The biggest factor is the level of control that you have over what they do and how they do it. If you’re requiring a contractor to sit at a desk in your office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., it’s pretty sus.
• Another factor is your financial arrangement. Are you paying them a flat fee per project (kosher) or by the hour (questionable)? Are they using their own tools or borrowing yours?
• Finally, what’s your relationship? Are you providing benefits and vacation pay? Are these duties temporary or ongoing? Could your business operate without the person?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and even the IRS admits it has no “magic” formula. However, evaluating the employer-worker relationship based on these three categories should give you a good idea. Happy recruiting!

(Source: Shutterstock)

Dr. Eden King is a Rice University professor of psychology and former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

When you go for a run or have a heavy lifting session, your heart rate, breathing, and muscles require some recovery time. The same is true in the context of work, where you expend not only physical but also cognitive and emotional energy. Your body and your brain need to recover!

Beyond Midday Napping

People who engage in recovery activities feel better at the end of the day and the next morning, research shows. This can be as simple as taking a nap, although most offices don’t offer nap pods like Google does.

It’s also possible to recover in a variety of ways, including activities both at work and away from work, such as going for a walk, connecting with an old friend, or trying out a new creative hobby. People who spend less time on these kinds of activities report worse moods, sleep, and even job performance.

What’s the Best Way to Recover?

The best kinds of breaks — the ones that seem to be the most restorative — involve:

• Consciously not working. This means fully disengaging from work-related activities (e.g., email, texts), ranging from micro-breaks to long-term sabbaticals.
• Connecting with others or nature in a meaningful way. Our electronics tend to dominate how we spend our leisure time, but doomscrolling on social media is definitely not as restorative as going for a hike with your significant other!

Whether you adopt a “work hard, play hard” mentality or simply build light relaxation into your daily schedule, taking a break can improve your overall well-being and your productivity.

(Source: FX)

Since 2019, the beloved comedic series What We Do in the Shadows has followed the undead antics of vampires Nandor, Laszlo, and mistress-of-the-dark Nadja. In Season 4’s episode “The Night Market,” Nadja has realized her dream of opening a nightclub — and though business is booming, so is employee dissatisfaction. Here’s what she learns about managing a modern workforce:

Refusing to Negotiate Won’t Make the Problem Go Away …

Wraith employee Xerxes acts as labor foreman and brings up a litany of employee requests, but Nadja at first dismisses them, claiming the staff would be nothing without her. However, this attitude hardly deescalates the situation.

… Neither Does Turning Employees Against Each Other

A boost to employees should extend to the whole group, not just a favored few. Nadja later offers a sweetheart deal to Xerxes while giving nothing to the rest of the employees. That doesn’t end so well for him (to say the least) when his wraith colleagues find out.

Look at Potentials for Win-Win-Win

Nadja relents when the wraiths prove they aren’t backing down from their concerns. She includes a day off from work, among other concessions, and the protests stop.

Understand what your employees are asking for and deliver on what is possible. If more compensation is unfeasible, would more autonomy, PTO, or remote-work flexibility boost employee happiness? You don’t need to approve every employee request, but total refusal to negotiate will just increase their desire to see you “coffin” it up.

Written by Skye Schooley and Carolyn Neuhausen. Comic by John McNamee.

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