UPS reached out to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and plans to present a new, improved contract offer as negotiations resume next week after a July 5 break that ended with each side pointing a finger at the other. UPS is the largest employer of Teamsters, with about 340,000, and one think tank has modeled the impact of a possible 10-day strike, estimating the impact at $7 billion.

Single- and multi-family housing starts declined last month, with single-family starts falling 7% and multi-family starts dropping 11.6%, according to the Commerce Department. However, the drop comes after a surge in the prior month, and permits for future construction rose to the highest level in 12 months.

Initial Jobless claims in the US dropped to 228,000 in the week ending July 15, down by 9,000 from the previous week, according to the Labor Department. The four-week moving average declined by 9,250 to 237,500 amid four straight weeks of falling claims.

Safety data sheets are important for proper chemical use, but they "can be somewhat intimidating to look at and understand -- both for first-time users and even veterans," writes Lauren Belskie, primary editor for the Imperial Dade Learning Center. Belskie reviews how to interpret these data sheets and discusses business responsibilities.

Leaders in the supply chain should focus their attention and finances on automation, artificial intelligence and labor retention in order to minimize disruptions, boost productivity and reduce costs, according to the 2023 Supply Chain Benchmarking Report from FMI -- The Food Industry Association, and Boston Consulting Group. "Supply chain leaders are identifying opportunities across the value chain to improve operational efficiency, costs and better enable enterprise business strategy," said Doug Baker, FMI's vice president of industry relations.

US retail sales increased less than anticipated in June as sales at service stations and building material stores fell. Still, consumer spending rose in other sectors, according to the Commerce Department.

Research shows that Generation Z prefers to consume content from streaming services and social media, with YouTube as its top app, and prefers ads with a holiday theme or from an authentic creator with a midrange follower count. Brands can build trust with Gen Z through messaging that ties into trends, talks sustainability and social justice, and is self-deprecating.

Leadership is often a mix of terror, decision-making and building processes, which means leaders are "leading in every single interaction of every single day" and need solid support, says Chris Todd, CEO of UKG. "And if you ever are having an off day, you need to have one or two people in the organization you can go to and say, 'I'm having an off day. I need a little bit of cover between now and quitting time,'" Todd says.

By 2031, workers 55 or older will make up more than a quarter of the workforce across the Group of Seven countries, according to Bain & Company. The report notes that fewer young people are joining the labor force and that a "a long-term trend toward earlier retirement is slowly going into reverse."