Checked-Out Workers, New Tax Breaks, and Who Trusts Science

Here’s your quote of the day. to start strong

A journey to Thousand miles begins with one step - John F. Kennedy

Grab your coffee. Let’s catch up.

Today’s Ledger:

It’s free, it’s virtual, and you can still register right now. Doors open at 9:45 AM ET.

Today: Keila Hill-Trawick on building a firm you actually want to run, plus a closing keynote from Ethan Kross, author of Shift and Chatter. Tomorrow: The Small & Mighty Awards, revealed live.

Show up live for an attendee-only offer you’ll only hear about in the room.

Register free and join from your desk in minutes.

Your employee answers emails, joins meetings, and gets the work done. But excited about the job? That left the building months ago. 30% of U.S. workers are engaged, the lowest level in 15 years. Showing up and giving a damn are apparently two different attendance sheets.

Companies keep buying AI tools to boost productivity. Meanwhile, employees say they’re missing chances to learn and someone who helps them grow. Gallup found manager support had the strongest connection to engagement. Those managers are struggling, too. Before buying another software subscription, make sure someone has time to answer a junior employee’s questions. A new login won’t replace a boss who actually helps.

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The government wants investors to put money into struggling communities. Its offer? Tax benefits for qualifying investments in designated Opportunity Zones. A new map covering 6,576 areas takes effect January 1, 2027, with extra incentives for qualifying rural locations.

For accountants, the first job is checking whether the property made the new list. An old designation doesn’t guarantee a spot. Then check whether the investment meets the rules. Before calculating how much a client could save, make sure they qualify.

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A scientist walks into a room to explain a discovery. How much confidence does the audience have in them? Turns out, the country matters. Spain leads this survey in strong trust in science. Uzbekistan ranks above Germany. And America, home to some of the world’s biggest research institutions, doesn’t crack the top 10.

That’s what makes this chart interesting. Having famous universities doesn’t automatically earn people’s trust. These rankings measure who trusts science “a lot,” so a low score doesn’t mean everyone else thinks it’s nonsense. But they show how differently people greet the same message. “Scientists say” carries a lot more weight in some places than others.

You’ve got client work. A full inbox. And probably one firm problem you keep putting off.

WorkflowCon starts today, and it’s free to join from your desk. Hear Keila Hill-Trawick on building a firm you actually want to run, plus Ethan Kross, author of Shift and Chatter.

Doors open at 9:45 AM ET. Join live for an attendee-only offer, too.

Register free. Find a session worth your time

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