Past Blogs, November 2007

November 30th, 2007

A recent issue of Time reported on the workforce: how much sleep we get, our eating and drinking habits, who's home, who's at school, and of course, how we feel about our work, which we thought was pretty interesting (and how in the world do people collect this info?) Happiness at work, the article reports, isn't all about money (although those not making a lot of it are among the least happy people on the job: gas-station attendants, maids, auto-body repairers)). Happiness with work definitely seems to be about the work, with some of it coming from the sense that you're making a difference. Priests and firefighters are the happiest. But before we leap to conclusions, reservation and ticket agents, with all the irritation they face daily, are right up there among the happiest, next to architects, actors and directors, industrial engineers, and ahead of pilots.

November 28th, 2007

An article today in a local East Texas paper about employers there exemplifies the quandary for many. A group of about 175 met yesterday at a forum on immigration reform to talk about ways to secure the borders, implement reform, hold on to their guest workers, ferret out the undocumented workers and find the workers they need. Where on earth do you start?

East Texas is one of those areas where immigrant workers, many of them no doubt undocumented, have been filling a need for years. Now local employers say they have jobs available but can't find enough people to fill them, and to cut the numbers of guest workers would only hurt business at a time when the employment rate is at 95%. Many of the jobs are such that only undocumented laborers are willing to do them, and given the current situation, it's workers' choice. The situation emphasizes the need for a solution that will give illegal immigrants a way to become legal. For border states like Texas, it seems like the future is at stake. 

November 27th, 2007

We should be keeping an eye on Massachusetts, the only U.S. state so far that's requiring its citizens to have health care coverage (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a similar plan for California). Now, a year later, residents have to either sign up or lose their personal tax exemption on next year's state tax returns. If they still don't have insurance next year, the fine may go up to at least $1,000. The law was signed by then-Governor Mitt Romney, who now seems to agree with Rudy Giuliani, who recently said Romney made a mistake by mandating that coverage. The New York Times has taken a careful look at the pros and cons this week. If you don't have time to read the whole article, here's the Newsbrief version: 60,000 NY residents haven't enrolled because they can't afford the premiums, despite the state subsidies that are available for low-income citizens. A lot of low-income residents are taking advantage of the help, meaning the subsidy program is exceeding the budget by nearly $150 million. One year isn't enough time to evaluate the program. But if the goal is to eventually cut health care costs by having fewer people use the emergency room free of charge, so far it looks like it may be a wash, with program costs taking care of the savings.

November 26th, 2007

We've discovered a great resource called The Research Digest Blog. It's a continuing report by the British Psychological Society on the latest psychology-related research. And the newest research has found that harassing women does more harm than just irritating the women or risking legal action. Their survey of more than 1,600 university employees, both male and female, found that those who witnessed either sexual harassment of female staff or uncivil, rude or condescending behavior towards them, tended to report lower psychological well-being and job satisfaction. And that lower psychological well-being was associated with greater burnout and increased thoughts about quitting. And those who saw the university to be unresponsive to sexual harassment complaints, both men and women, tended to report more burnout and less commitment to the university. The negative effects were associated purely with observing the mistreatment of others, not with being a victim of mistreatment themselves. The researchers guessed that the negative effects could have been caused by the feeling of working for an unjust organization, empathy or fear. “This underscores the need for broad, proactive organizational interventions to manage workplace misogyny,” they concluded.

November 21st, 2007

You may already know this, but holding on to young talent is not getting any easier. A survey of 250 college students and recent grads found 61% predicting they'll stay at their first job for less than three years. An executive from Right Management, which conducted the study, said we're transitioning from a mentality that says "show me a reason to leave," to one that says "show me why I should stay." They suggest putting ourselves in the shoes of a young person to create a culture that resonates with them. And we can also take advantage of research that tells us what they want: flexibility, work-life balance, the ability to grow from within, time to pursue their passions and camaraderie at work.

November 19th, 2007

A Monster.com survey, informal and unscientific as it is, offers a little hope for work-life in the future; nearly two-thirds of HR professionals who answered the online poll say there will be more employer-provided work-life initiatives in the next five years. But just 29% of employees say their companies' work-life offerings are either good or excellent now. Why are we waiting? Eighty-nine percent of employees surveyed say they want supportive offerings like flexible hours and telecommuting as they evaluate a new job. Maybe we have to work harder to help our organizations get it. This is not just about making employees happier (even though that wouldn't be a bad thing, right?) This is about business results. A September study by the Hackett Group found good talent management (including giving employees the flexibility they want) brought an average 15% higher earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

November 14, 2007

Government mandates for paid sick leave seem to be gaining ground. USA Today reports that proposals have been introduced in Ohio, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia. Several states may be voting on the issue next November. While most Republican candidates oppose mandates, most of the Democrats have a different take on the issue.

ABC News reports that Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards and Obama have all made statements favoring paid leave mandates, and yesterday Edwards suggested spending $2 billion to move businesses toward a national goal of eight weeks paid leave for all by 2014. Obama has proposed $1.5 billion and Clinton $1 billion in grants to states that enact paid family leave laws. Both Clinton and Edwards have said they would support requiring employers to provide workers seven days' annual paid sick leave.

The United States and Australia are the only industrialized countries that don't provide paid leave for new mothers nationally. Australian mothers at least have a year of job-protected leave, and family leave at half-pay is an issue in that country's upcoming elections.

November 12, 2007

You may not have heard about Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and you may not care that it's due to expire at the end of the year unless it's renewed. But it's one of those rare programs that everyone in Congress seems to support – at least they did. Since 1962 the program has been providing assistance to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are cut as a result of increased imports. It helps them prepare for and find other jobs, and provides a host of allowances and income support. In other words, it can be a lifesaver. Some in Congress have been feeling like it's not working well enough, and the House has approved an overhaul with 38 Republicans joining Democrats. It expands the program to include service workers and call-center employees and gives the unemployed help in paying for health insurance. It also encourages companies to relocate to communities where factories have closed. But again, the Bush Administration, whose 2008 budget cut the program by $77 million, says it will veto any expansion. This one isn't even a case of pro-business vs. pro-worker, since there's something in it for companies as well. It looks instead like another case of "if it's not for the war in Iraq, we can't afford it."

November 9, 2007

Thanks to Brian Reid (RebelDad) who has done us a big favor and taken a look at whether work-family balance issues were on the radar for any of the candidates. He took a spin through their Websites and here’s what he came up with. Chris Dodd (who pushed through the original Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is pushing a bill granting eight weeks of paid leave. There's no one else with that kind of credibility on the issue. Hillary Clinton: Clinton has the best-articulated plan to address work-life issues, calling for an expansion of FMLA, guaranteed sick days and a billion dollars to help states enact paid leave. Barack Obama wants to promote responsible fatherhood and paid sick leave. In a speech in Iowa today, he called for an expansion of FMLA to smaller employers, supported paid FMLA, help for employers to create more flexible work options and increased federal incentives for telecommuting.. John Edwards wants to "help states offer paid leave." Bill Richardson says "we should now institute paid family leave." And Joe Biden touts his support of the "Health Families Act," which requires paid sick leave. Support for paid FMLA is now standard-issue on the Democratic side, though details are sparse. He could find nothing on the sites of Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain, Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson. Bottom line: he’s underwhelmed, but it’s early yet, he says hopefully.

November 8, 2007

We heard Michelle Obama yesterday. She spoke to 550 Minnesotans (for 45 minutes without one note) on subjects you don't hear very often. When asked about the immigration issue she talked about the fear that was behind it. And she introduced a word we hadn't heard a politician (or politician's spouse) use before: empathy. No matter who you support in this fascinating campaign, you have to admit that the idea of actually empathizing with those of us who lack basic needs is one that inspires a different kind of thinking. And on that note, a related event took place yesterday at the National Press Club. It was the launching of a new Website, the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a foundation-sponsored initiative to focus attention on poverty issues during the 2008 presidential campaign and encourage candidates to discuss their ideas and views on how to reduce poverty and increase opportunities for all Americans. In a very creative way, it gives us a window into the positions of 16 candidates on the subject. It's a good reminder that the war on poverty is getting precious little attention.
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November 7, 2007

Just as employers are shifting their focus to preventing obesity, a new study finds the dangers of being overweight may be a little less dire than was previously thought, or maybe it's just more complicated. Being overweight does boost the risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease, says this study of the records of some 39,000 American citizens, but not from cancer or heart disease. And carrying some extra pounds actually appears to protect against other causes of death, like tuberculosis, emphysema, pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease and injuries. "Rubbish," comments Harvard professor Walter Willett. "It's just ludicrous to say there is no increased risk of mortality from being overweight."

November 6, 2007

The workplace seems to be getting safer. Last month the BLS reported that nonfatal injuries and illnesses in private industry fell last year to 4.4 per 100 full time workers – the lowest rate since the agency began keeping records in 1972. Fatal injuries fell to 3.9 per 100, the lowest since they began keeping that record in 1992. Better accident prevention is one reason for the decline, says BusinessWeek. Loss of factory jobs is another.

November 2, 2007

Here's a wonderful step back in time. Beginning in early 2008, the Commonwealth of Kentucky will begin phasing in a new service for state employees and their dependents: medical house calls. Under the program, doctors will treat state employees and their family members with urgent health care needs at their homes – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We haven't heard of doctors making house calls since our kids were little – and our oldest daughter is now running for Congress.

November 1, 2007

The perks at Anheuser-Busch, the country's biggest brewer, go beyond each employee's two free cases of beer per month and 12 tickets to company theme parks, says an AP article. The company's take-home meal service, shoe repair, 10-minute massages, and a new, on-site Starbucks are part of an effort to boost goodwill and productivity among employees. So is a free corporate gym in one of their packaging plants. The question is, "What are the things that we can do to make coming to work easier?" said Tim Farrell, A-B's HR VP. "People who are happy to come to work are a lot more productive and aligned with the objectives of the company." All the companies mentioned in this article also offer concierge services, and find that doing so increases productivity because their workers aren't distracted by their uncompleted errands.

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