Weekends are time when things slow down a little. Your weekend shouldn’t be two more regular workdays. That’s a sure road to burnout. Take time to refresh yourself. Take time for something different. Take time for some of that reading you can’t find time for during the week.

Here are choice articles on hot leadership topics culled from the business schools, the business press and major consulting firms. This week there are articles about the workforce and the workplace.

From Deniz Caglar and Carrie Duarte: 10 principles of workforce transformation

“Unfortunately, in nearly every industry, the best talent is in perilously short supply. In PwC’s 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey, 79 percent of chief executives around the world said that a lack of key skills threatens their business growth. Retailers need interface designers who understand customer experience. Banks and insurance companies need data visualization experts. Energy, automotive, and industrial companies need team leaders who can manage interoperable platforms. Just about everyone is looking for employees adept in robotic process automation, materials science, or simulations with machine learning that can predict outcomes and streamline processes. They also need people who can master softer skills, such as managing teams effectively, gaining trust, working across boundaries, or applying neuroscience findings to increase their own stature and influence.”

From Adam Waytz: Creating a Human-Friendly Workplace in an Age of Automation

“Three ways humans and machines can work together—and benefit both the company and its employees.”

From Sharlyn Lauby: 6 Human Experience Management Trends to Watch for in 2021

“To help us better manage transitions, it could be interesting to look at some current human experience management trends and how they will impact us right now as well as in the future. During this year’s SAP SuccessFactors Conference, these six trends were front and center.”

From Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O’Connell: Why you should apply design thinking to the employee experience

“COVID-19 has forced changes in the way people work — and created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to increase engagement and productivity.”

From John Bremen, Alexis Faber and Brad Messinger: The Workplace Is Dead. Long Live The Workplace.

“The decisions made today about the workplace will have profound implications not just on talent strategy, but also on the ability to successfully compete. Five steps to getting it right.”

Every Monday, I do a blog post about business reading and business books. Follow this link to my review of Winner’s Dream.