Tag Archive for: Atlanta

As Atlanta companies compete for talent, workplace flexibility is seen as key


Home Depot is set to hold a virtual corporate career day on Tuesday. It’s the first time the retail giant has put on such an event.

The Atlanta-based company isn’t alone in trying to stand out in a competitive labor market. And flexibility is seen as one of most important things workers are looking for.

Among the most prized job candidates, Home Depot is hoping to connect with are those with backgrounds in computer science, cyber security and supply chain management.

“They have more options now,” said Eric Schelling, vice president of global talent acquisition for Home Depot. “The pandemic has provided more options for them with remote, work for different states or different companies around the country.”

It’s a familiar story. The tight labor market has led to companies being more flexible about where employees live and where they do their work.

“Certain roles, depending on the work that you’re working on, will be roles where you can work from home long term. Others will be where it’s a little bit more of a hybrid approach,” Schelling said.

That hybrid approach is catching on, says Johnny C. Taylor, CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management. SHRM, as it’s known, includes more than 2,000 Georgia companies and non-profit groups as members.

Johnny C. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management. (Emil Moffatt/WABE)

“What employees want is flexibility. And that may mean I work from home two days a week in the office three days a week,” said Taylor. “But I don’t want to just totally work from home, especially millennials and Generation Z, because they make relationships at work, they build friendships, this is how they build community.”

For others, flexibility means the ability to work and care for children or elderly relatives. Taylor says developing this kind of workplace in an equitable way, has been a challenge.

“That is really proving to be quite vexing for employers to not create two cultures: the culture of people who work at home and the people who are in the office,” said Taylor.

But companies that strike the right balance, he says, have a better chance at landing the employees they’ve been looking…

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South metro Atlanta communities laying foundation to bridge digital divide – The Atlanta Journal Constitution



South metro Atlanta communities laying foundation to bridge digital divide   The Atlanta Journal Constitution

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Atlanta Water head orders security review of computer system after Florida hack


Serious concerns are being raised across the country after a hacker gained control of a Florida city’s water processing plant. The Atlanta City Council took up the issue on Tuesday during their meeting.

The FBI, Secret Service, and various Florida law enforcement agencies are investigating the breach of the Oldsmar’s water system computer last Friday around 8 a.m. It lasted only 5 minutes, but the hacker was able to change the chemical formula to dangerous levels. The hacker pushed the sodium hydroxide mixture to a toxic level — from 100 ppm to 11,100 ppm.

A worker saw the manipulation and changed the chemicals back to normal.

Experts say the biggest threat if it wasn’t caught, would be to the skin.

Tuesday, Atlanta City Council Member Howard Shook asked tough questions of the Atlanta Watershed Management Commissioner Mikita Browning. Shook asked the water chief “what steps will you take to ensure our system is protected?”

Browning assured the city council every step necessary will be taken to protect the city’s water supply. She said she was aware of the intrusion into the Florida city’s computer water system and had already ordered a review of Atlanta’s security status.

A cybersecurity expert, Matthew Dunn, with Raxis, said water facilities have redundant tools to check the water quality before the water reaches your home. The plant in Oldsmar has a similar check.

Florida officials said the water plant’s system was connected to the internet to allow for legitimate, remote use. That system has since been disconnected.

Browning did not comment on if Atlanta’s system ties into the internet or to what degree.

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How to prevent ID theft amid holidays and ‘data breach fatigue’ – Atlanta Journal Constitution

How to prevent ID theft amid holidays and ‘data breach fatigue’  Atlanta Journal Constitution

Last year’s massive data breach at Equifax highlighted the importance for consumers to take steps to protect their personal data. With holiday shopping in full …

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