Destroying Wilderness

Destroying Wilderness The Wilderness Society was established in 1935 for the expressed purpose of protecting wilderness areas in the U.S. The Society was responsible for the passage of the landmark Wilderness Act of 1964 that remains, still, the law of the land. Specifically, the Wilderness Act put under protection 107 million acres of wilderness in the continental U.S., and an additional 56 million acres in Alaska. Recently, the Wilderness Society sent its members an email alerting all to the effort of the current administration to convert more than 2 million acres in the forests of Western Oregon to commercial logging. To learn about the specific of the pristine and critically essential Oregon forests (as well as specifics on the Alaskan acreage) visit the Society's web site. What is important here is to hear your opinion of the wilderness versus logging issue. Let us know, pro or con, what you think. Do you agree with the current administration’s plans? What course should the incoming administration take in this issue?

The College Student's Guide to the New Millennium

"The College Student's Guide to the New Millennium" At CEC Associates, we focus on workplace issues. Recently we wrote about generational differences (see our blog, "It's All About Engagement," December 6, 2007), especially as they arise in the workplace between "Baby Boomer" bosses and "Millennial" new/recent hires. We have been working from Cam Marston's "Motivating the "What's In It for Me" Workforce: Manage Across the Generational Divide and Increase Profits.” Marston (and others), delineates the generations as: · Matures: born before 1946 (including "Lost" Generation, 1883-1900; "Greatest," 1901-1924; "Silent," 1925-1945) · Baby Boomers: 1946-1964 · Generation X: 1965-1981 · Millennials: 1982-2000 Many sociologists believe that the "Millennials" are faced with critical realities and issues that were not present for earlier generations. The differences between the serial generations of Americans are significant, and we all, whether from earlier generations or the Generation Millennials themselves, really need to understand the differences to develop the compatibility required for productive harmony. The difficulty, of course, is defining who the Millennials are and in what respects they are different from foregoing generations. Fortuitously, as relevant ideas are want to happen, we became aware of an elegantly written article by Emma Raviv that made, for us, the intellectual connection we needed. Raviv's article, "Welcome to Your World: The College Student's Guide to the New Millennium," explores the specific themes that focus on the consequential problems our youths and college students face. Raviv explores the themes of science and technology, sex and gender in the new world, globalization, war on terror, and racial politics. Simply reading the issues makes it clear that the generational differences are significant and need to be taken into account as we go about managing the emerging workforce. It should be noted that Raviv doesn't develop her thesis in terms of the workforce; that is our twist to the information she advances. Click here to view the Raviv article. What are your thoughts on generational differences? Do you agree with Raviv's theses?

No More Gloom and Doom

No More Gloom and Doom All those Safety and Wellness programs that employers implemented over the past several years are finally paying off, big time. Disability Management programs are cost effective, and the statistics are proof. The Bureau of Labor Statistics* reports that the: Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers in 2006 (last full year of reporting) occurred at a rate of 4.4 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers –a decline from 4.6 cases in 2005. The rate of such injuries and illnesses in 1997 was 7.1 cases per 100 workers. The difference between 7.1 cases and 4.4 cases is a very dramatic difference and one that should convey a significant message to employers. One other key statistics in the report cited above is that the number of total cases of injury and illness was highest among mid-size companies (employing between 50 and 249 workers), higher than the rate in large-size companies. Larger companies (over 250 employees) are most likely to have intensive Disability Management programs in place and staffed accordingly. Large-size companies generally have in-house resources such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) available to address employee health issues in a timely or even preventive way. As a consequence, these companies do better than mid-size companies in terms of their injury/illness rates. Major sports teams, for example Major League Baseball, have long since learned to manage on the basis of raw statistics. If mid-sized companies were to do the same, these statistics on the value of Disability Management would yield significant and cost-effective results. ____________________ * United States Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2006”

When the Wounded Return

When the Wounded Return Whether you are for or against the war, we all respect the service of the men and women fighting overseas. They face immense hardships, and they all certainly look forward to a peaceful and easy transition back to their lives at home. But what happens when, after being injured, soldiers aren’t cared for as they should be, staying in treatment facilities with less than optimal conditions? An August 18, 2008, article in USA Today details the conditions of one establishment for wounded soldiers, Fort Sill. Author Gregg Zoroya wrote, “Mold infests the barracks that were set up here a year ago for wounded soldiers after poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center triggered a systemwide overhaul, soldiers say.” He continued, “Images of mold growing on walls of wounded-soldier bedrooms at Walter Reed last year, along with issues of bureaucratic delays in health care, led to an overhaul of the Army’s wounded-care system.” While measures were taken to expedite the treatment process for soldiers, many items still need to be addressed. You can read the whole USA Today article here. Do you think there is a better way to handle the return of our wounded soldiers? Is the government doing enough to assist the men and women who have bravely served our country? Which of the two political parties do you think is best suited to accomplish these tasks?

ADHD in the Workplace

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in the Workplace Originally, ADHD was thought of as primarily affecting children. A recent study by the Institute of Mental Health and Addiction in the Netherlands (one of the most respected research centers in the world) indicates it is now believed to persist into adulthood and, as a result, the workplace. The study concludes that adult ADHD affects “sufferers’ concentration so badly that they lose three weeks of work a year.” Further, the study states that ADHD “causes accidents and low job performance,” and that employers are beginning to screen workers for it and provide treatments when it is present. The study included 7,075 workers in ten countries, including the U.S. The study claims that an average of 3.5 percent of those surveyed had ADHD. Skeptics of the study suggest that the diagnosis is all too frequently a device to help drug companies sell even more behavior-modifying drugs. So what do you think? Is ADHD a significant factor in workplace accidents? Or is this study suspect?

No More Excuses: There are Green Guides for Everything!

TreeHugger.com is a website devoted to helping individuals go green in all aspects of their daily lives. For this reason, they have developed “Go Green” and “Buy Green” Guides to make our attempts at going green a little simpler. Topics of the Go Green Guides range from how to green your kitchen, your workplace, and even your funeral. Each guide offers the Top 10 Green Tips for the particular topic, as well as sections on how to do more, as well as statistics. The Buy Green Guides are divided into several categories including shoes, jeans, desktop computers, and furniture. Lists of green products are located under each heading. The author explains why these products are considered green, in addition to how much they cost. As stated on the website, “TreeHugger knows that we can't shop or buy our way to global sustainability…but there comes a moment when your favorite shoes are finally worn beyond repair, and when you need to upgrade your work clothes, or kitchen utensils, or living room furniture, and we're here to help you do it green.” Check out TreeHugger for more information!

Lawyers Can Go Green, Too!

Meritas, an international affiliation of over 6,000 lawyers in ten countries worldwide, has recently initiated a project called the Meritas Leadership Institute. The Leadership Institute is made up of people who are committed to studying new sustainability projects. The culmination of their efforts led to the publication The Green Guide For Lawyers. This guide is divided into three separate tiers: Sustainability Advocate, Partner, and Leader. According to ecopreneurist.com, “each tier contains initiatives that fall into the Triple Bottom Line categories of people, profit and planet.” For example, law firms in the Sustainability Advocates tier may follow some of the following tips: - Adopt a sustainability mission statement. - Encourage employees to carpool or use public transportation. - Use environmentally friendly cleaning items. Firms under the Sustainability Leaders tier may follow much more service-oriented guidelines: - Allocate a certain number of pro bono service hours to an environmental organization. - Provide education for clients through a newsletter, sponsored events, or discussions. - Include “green” information on their websites. Click Here for more information and to download this educational handbook! What can your firm or company do to help the green initiative? Do you think your firm or company already falls under one of the guide's three tiers?

Choose an Issue and Voice an Opinion

“Why Women Earn Less than Men” or “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It” Do women earn less than men because of discrimination? The National Committee on Pay Equity thinks so. Another point of view is that there are different (and more complex) issues involved, and these issues need to be considered in taking a final position on the matter. A significant part of the problem is that overall earnings by gender are not the same as equal pay for people doing the same job. That is, the choices women make about their work determine pay differences. Women are underrepresented in the science and math fields, which lead to better paying careers. The statistics are that only about two-fifths of science and engineering graduates are women. One important fact in terms of the future of pay equity for women is that there are now more women graduating with bachelor’s degrees than men. The estimate is that in a few years, 60% of all college graduates will be women. The argument is that as more women enter the workforce, the pay differential will narrow. If that is to happen, the problem should solve itself. A new book, “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It,” has hit the workplace, and it has an interesting premise: “Our beliefs about work…are outdated, outmoded, out to lunch.” The book was authored by Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, founders of CultureRx. The present approach is that “time + physical presence + hard work = results.” However, Thompson and Ressler argue that this standard of work culture is not productive. Rather, they recommend a “results-only work environment” method on their website – which you are encouraged to visit. So, which of the two issues is most intriguing? Weigh in with your opinion!

Emotional Contagion in the Workplace

Awareness of the concept of “emotional contagion” goes back to at least the early 1990s. It has been defined as signifying the tendency to express and feel emotions similar to, and influenced by, those of others. In psychology, the condition (emotional contagion) is frequently looked at as a cause of dysfunctional dynamics in families and especially in children. And, of course, it can be a critical factor in the workplace. To understand employee behavior in the workplace, employers need to be aware of the phenomenon and take measures to counteract it. While the most prevalent situation is the interaction between and among employees, the contagion is also cited as a condition sometimes present in the employee-customer relationship. We became aware of “emotional contagion” when we came across a “working paper” published in 2001 by a Yale School of Management professor, Sigal G. Barsade. Barsade titled his paper The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion in Groups. Barsade wrote: “The results of this research confirm that people do not live on emotional islands but rather, that group members experience moods at work, these moods ripple out and, in the process, influence not only other group members’ emotions but their group dynamics and individual cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors as well. Thus, emotional contagion, through its direct and indirect influence on employee and work team emotions, judgments, and behaviors can lead to subtle but important ripple effects in groups and organizations.” Barsade concluded: “Emotional contagion has been shown here to play a significant role in work-group dynamics. A better understanding of the conditions and concepts of emotional contagion can lead to greater insight into and understanding of employees’ workplace behavior.” Emotional contagion also suggests another issue for employers – If a positive emotional contagion is preferable to a negative emotional contagion, employers should consider doing a personality inventory as a condition of employment. For our clients who are always looking for better ways to make their workplaces more effective in preventing and managing disability, read the Barsade paper.

A rare find: "Made in the USA"

In 1950 thirty percent of Americans worked in manufacturing. But as outsourcing, stagnant wages, and more amenable working environments became more commonplace, manufacturing represented only fifteen percent of the jobs in the United States in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). To highlight the shift away from jobs in manufacturing, the BLS also provided the following statistics:

      Occupation                 Number of Employees       choreographers                      16,340       metal-casters                         14,880       casino dealers                        82,960       lathe operators                      65,840       security guards                 1,004,130       machinists                           385,690

1,460 more choreographers than metal-casters? 17,120 more casino dealers than lathe operators? Things have changed dramatically, and when the presidential candidates wait outside of manufacturing plants to shake hands with the machinists, they would do far better visiting with the security guards in the lobby.

In 2007 the National Association of Manufacturers cited "training or retraining" employees as their number one concern. A 2005 study reported that ninety percent of manufacturers were suffering moderate to severe shortages of qualified workers. Less-skilled jobs will continue to move overseas. Small businesses make up the bulk of U.S. manufacturing jobs, and for these employers, the skill shortage is a crucial issue.

Hamill Manufacturing Company in Trafford, Pennsylvania reports that only half of their machines are running, and that is not due to a shortage of orders. It is a shortage of skilled workers. The president of the company said, "I’d hire 10 machinists right now if I could."

The move away from manufacturing jobs in the United States is multi-factorial. Outsourcing, dangerous or uncomfortable working conditions, and physical wear and tear are just three of a multitude of factors that may steer workers away from the factory and towards the office. What can we as a nation do to bring back the old "Made in the U.S.A." label?

How Sick is Too Sick to Go to Work?

We’ve written several times in the past about “presenteeism.” The premise is that going to work when ill can be counterproductive in that the illness may spread to co-workers and, at any rate, the illness will likely affect personal productivity. An article entitled, “Too Sick to Work?” posted on WebMD on March 24, 2008, details “advice on when you should just stay home.” The article could serve as a guideline for employers who want to assist their employees in making sound decisions on whether to go into work or stay home. The article starts with two general caveats: Do not go to work if you are contagious or a danger to others. It also deals with the symptoms of “sniffles, sneezes, fever and coughs.” In addition, the article specifically addresses back pain, headaches and migraines, earaches, pinkeye, sprains and strains, and poison ivy. Employers who recognize the cost of employee illnesses in terms of absence from work will want to read the article for background information in formulating employee policies on the issue. The primary advice is provided by Michael Bagner, M.D., attending physician at St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital and Medical Director of Roosevelt Hospital Doctors Offices in New York. Are you the kind of person who prides yourself on never calling in sick, or do you believe that an illness is your body telling you that you need rest? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Can the Lack of Sleep be a Workplace Issue?

It certainly can be, and it is. “Nearly three in 10 workers have become very sleepy, or even fallen asleep, at work in the past month,” according to a study on sleep and the workplace conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Nilesh Dave, medical director of the Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, stated, “It’s a very expensive issue for employers, and it can be fatal, too.” For example, 36 percent of respondents to the survey conducted by NSF said that they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving. The survey also found that 12 percent of respondents have arrived late to work in the past month because of sleepiness, and other symptoms manifested themselves as impatience with others, difficulty concentrating on job tasks, and lower productivity. These negative effects not only frustrate an employer expecting a certain level of productivity from their employees but also serve to diminish feelings of accomplishment and self-worth in workers. This, in turn, leads to lower motivation, which completes the cycle of high costs to employers. The NSF reports that several factors are driving the trend toward sleepier employees:

“Employees are putting in longer hours, in part due to increased pressure from employers to ramp up productivity. The study found that one-fourth of respondents have a workday that lasts between eight and nine hours, and another fourth say they work up to 10 hours a day.”

The study cited above did not specifically address the issue of workplace injuries. However, the lack of alertness is clearly a factor, and administrators planning safety and wellness programs for their employees would do well to consider these findings for their counseling. A copy of the original article can be found here.

Guns and Their Consequences

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 516 workplace homicides in 2006, and of those, 417 were caused by gunfire. The availability of guns in the general population remains, of course, a hot topic. Generally, we think of the ease by which people can acquire guns in terms of mass killings, such as those on college campuses, as the issue. But as it turns out, guns are also an important issue in the workplace. Many companies nationwide are opposed to the “right” of employees to bring guns to work, but some individuals and organizations disagree and vigorously protest no-gun policies when they surface. Does the right to bear arms include bringing them onto company property?

In a Sunday, January 20, 2008, New York Times Magazine article entitled "Unintended Consequences," Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt wrote:

"...the economists Daron Acemoglu and Joshua Angrist once asked.... How did the A.D.A. affect employment among the disabled? Their conclusion was rather startling.... [They] found that when the A.D.A. was enacted in 1992 [sic], it led to a sharp drop in the employment of disabled workers."

The gist of the "Unintended Consequences" article is that well-meaning laws sometimes backfire. In 2004 two researchers, Andrew J. Houtenville and Richard V. Burkhauser, concluded in a study entitled "Did the Employment of People with Disabilities Decline in the 1990s, and was the ADA Responsible? A Replication and Robustness Check of Acemoglu and Angrist (2001) – Research Brief:"

"The relative employment of working-age people with disabilities declined in the 1990s. Based on our review of the evidence, however, the ADA is not the likely cause of this decline."

Houtenville and Burkhauser are professors in Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute. Our (albeit, non-professional researchers status) search of the internet on this topic unearthed no rebuttal to the Cornell piece by Acemoglu and Angrist or any other researchers. Our opinion is that the ADA is so significant that it is now firmly woven into the fabric of American culture and that qualified people with disabilities (and who among us is immune from disability?) will have the same opportunities in the workplace as everyone else. We welcome your comments, and the full articles are available below. They are in a PDF format, so you will need Adobe Reader to view them. Unintended Consequences. Did the Employment of People with Disabilities Decline in the 1990s, and was the ADA Responsible? A Replication and Robustness Check of Acemoglu and Angrist (2001) – Research Brief.

The New York Times and Job Market Research: The Aging Workforce

In 2002, The New York Times formed, in collaboration with Monster.com, an entity “to focus attention on key issues and trends affecting the recruiting industry.” The entity is called “job market research.” Its stated goal is to keep abreast of hiring practices in key industries. The methodology they use is to commission third parties to conduct surveys of employers on seminal issues. A recent survey conducted by Hewitt Associates focused on diversity. Of interest to us, and perhaps to our blog readers, is a section in it called, “The Aging Workforce.” Specifically, the survey found that by 2010, the U.S. workforce will:

• Increase by 29% in the 45-64 age group
• Increase by 14% in the 65+ age group
• Decline 1% in the 18-44 age group

Good news for those of you who, like too many of us, are gaining senior status among our youthful colleagues. As George Bernard Shaw famously said, “Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.”