WebCE Weekly Wrap-Up: January 6-10, 2025

This week’s top stories are dominated by the California wildfires, the most destructive in the state’s history. The fires have already had dramatic impacts on the lives of those affected. And the fires continue to rage. Once the smoke clears, the insurance and real estate industries will play the biggest roles as these Californians look to rebuild or relocate.

This week’s coverage shows scenes from Los Angeles, discusses potential damage, the challenge it presents to California’s FAIR Plan, and Calif. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s newly announced one-year moratorium on insurance non-renewals and cancellations.

Plus, get top tips for hiring trends, leadership, and connecting training to company strategy from the brightest minds in business to help you reach your goals in 2025. 

Top Stories of the Week

1. PHOTOS: Scenes from Los Angeles as Wildfires Rage (Reuters) 

   
   

   “Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west were still burning uncontained on Thursday, but a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned the flames for two days allowed crews to slow their explosive spread.” 

   
   

2. Insured Losses From Los Angeles Wildfires Rising: $8B to $20B (Claims Journal) 

   
   

   “Reports on the number of structures burned continue to rise too quickly to put out an accurate count that lasts beyond a quick read. Early Thursday reports stated more than 1,300 structures were reported to have burned, and by mid-morning Pacific Time there were reports that more than 2,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades fire alone have been destroyed.” 

   
   

3. Los Angeles Fires Become Existential Test for California’s Stopgap Insurer (Insurance Journal) 

   
   

   “It is plausible that the Palisades Fire in particular will become the costliest fire on record, period. Not just in California, but in general,” said Daniel Swain, a University of California Los Angeles climatologist, in a briefing on Wednesday. 

   
   

4. In Wake of Fires, California Issues 1-Year Moratorium on Insurance Cancellations (InsuranceNewsNet) 

   
   

   “California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has issued a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance non-renewals and cancellations. The Commissioner’s Bulletin issued Thursday shields those within the perimeters or adjoining ZIP Codes of the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County for one year from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Jan. 7 emergency declaration, regardless of whether they suffered a loss.” 

   
   

5. How Los Angeles Wildfires Could Affect California's Home Insurance Market (AP News) 

   
   

   California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas either go without insurance or join the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, which the state created as a last resort for homeowners who couldn't find insurance. The plan was designed to be a temporary solution, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. 

   
   

6. What’s Ahead for Real Estate in 2025? (Knowledge at Wharton) 

   
   

   “This year forward, I’ve never felt more of a sense [that] there are so many known unknowns,” said Wharton professor of real estate and finance Susan M. Wachter. 

   
   

7. Connect Your Learning Programs to Your Company’s Strategy (Harvard Business Review) 

   
   

   “Employee learning and development is more critical than ever — yet a recent report from LinkedIn and a series of interviews with 25 CLOs suggest that learning professionals don’t always feel aligned with their organization’s strategic priorities.” 

   
   

8. 10 Essential Leadership Tips for 2025 (MIT Sloan Management Review) 

   
   

   “If you want to be a successful leader in 2025, you might want to put the two C’s at the top of your list: communication and culture...These two strengths are inseparable: An organization can’t have a strong culture without strong communication skills, and vice versa. And the related challenges are among the hardest we face as leaders.” 

   
   

9. The 5 Hiring Trends You Need to Know for 2025 (LinkedIn Talent Blog) 

   
   

   Prepare for hiring to become both more complex and more visible at the leadership level. The ability to hire effectively will be a competitive advantage, making TA leaders indispensable. Use this moment to advocate for additional resources and emphasize the strategic importance of recruitment in the overall success of the business. 

   
   

10. On The Road: Gridiron Graveyards (American Cemetery & Cremation) 

    
    

    “With the college football playoff underway and the Super Bowl coming in early February, it’s time to look at the cemeteries that exist in the shadow of football stadiums. Cemeteries next to football stadiums are mostly quirks of university or urban planning, fate, or even the idea that the dead like to listen to the roar of a crowd after an interception is returned for a touchdown on a Saturday afternoon.” 

    
    

Top Podcast of the Week 

How to Win Friends and Influence People (This American Life) 

People climbing to be number one: How do they do it? What is the fundamental difference between us and them? 

Hear from David Sedaris on his humorous attempts as a boy to become popular, a sixth-grader's bleak experience reading How to Win Fiends and Influence People, and a glimpse at what it’s like to date Lois Lane when she’s on the rebound from Superman. 

Weekend Wind-Down

You shouldn’t need an archeological dig to track and report career training.