Season’s Greetings from Jasen, Esther,

and the Staff of CEC Associates

Ruby Green Singing

James Chapin (1887-1975)

There is a long tradition of using art on greeting cards to convey sentiments in respect to a particular event or holiday. So we have taken up that idea and created a season’s greeting card for our friends and colleagues with a work of art that we think illustrates our primary sentiment at this time of year.

Much of the art on cards is derived from religious content. We chose our art to convey a sense of gratitude, which, while not necessarily thought of as religious, signifies our feelings for this season. We chose gratitude because we are exceedingly grateful for our friends, our clients, and our lot in life. Further, and not incidentally, we chose gratitude because it is one of the “Values in Action” that are at the heart of Positive Psychology. (“Gratitude: It is important to appreciate each day that you are alive.”) We are strong advocates of Positive Psychology methods, especially as they relate to, and inform, our work in disability management in the workplace.

Ruby Green Singing is, we believe, a painting that makes obvious the gratitude sentiment. This painting was created in 1928. It was painted by a New Jersey resident named James Chapin. Chapin studies art in New York City, and also, as with most artists of the day, in Paris. He taught for a time at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

Ruby Green was a graduate of the Julliard School of Music and was well known as a soloist and gospel singer in the New York City area. She frequently sang the role of Bess in George Gershwin’s opera, Porky and Bess, including that special role in a touring company that visited Europe and Israel at the time. While the painting reflects Ruby’s religious intensity, it also, we believe, conveys a deep sense of gratitude. We were taken by what we believe is a great illustration of gratitude, and we wanted to share it with everyone.

As we mentioned, we are grateful for the hand that life has dealt us and, especially, for having all the talented friends and colleagues we have. We would like to hear from anyone else out there who is also grateful, and for what.

What are you grateful for this holiday season?

Waiting for “Superman” and Merit Pay

Waiting for “Superman,” a movie currently playing in local theaters, is a documentary that follows the lives of five kids in five different American cities and details their individual experiences in school. The substance of the movie is that America’s schools are grossly unequal in terms of the quality of education students are receiving. There are, of course, a number of issues here. The documentary speaks of projected consequences. For example, in 2020, there will be 123 million high-skilled, high-paying jobs in America, but only an estimated 50 million citizens will have the technical skills to fill the positions. The film also identifies what it holds to be critical barriers. The primary barrier is identified as tenure and teachers’ unions that often stand in the way of removing corrupt and incapable school administrators and officials. Another issue is that “Charter Schools,” by and large, out-perform public schools. Whatever the validity of those charges may be, our interest here is in another issue brought forward in the movie, merit-based salaries. The movie promotes the idea of paying effective teachers with bonuses that can, in some cases, double medium salaries. Conversely, a recently reported study by the National Center on Performance Incentives at Vanderbilt University concludes that pay for performance is not “the magic bullet that so often the policy world is looking for.” The study, conducted from 2006 to 2009 and involving 296 middle school math teachers, found that students in classes where the teachers were given bonuses if their students did well, in fact progressed no faster than those in classes taught by non-bonus teachers. In an example more typical of the non-school workplace, Ford Motor company, in 2010, reinstated the merit pay increases that it had suspended for 18 months in an effort to tighten costs in a very difficult economy. Obviously, Ford, at least, feels that merit pay works with their employees. So there the contentious issues stand, somewhere short of finality. Anyone out there have workplace experience with merit pay? If so, what do you think? Either way, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Women in the Workforce: An Update

There are several contemporary facts about women in the labor force that are significant to employers (and professionals working with employers on workforce issues): - women comprise 46.8% of the workforce in the U.S., which equates to 66 million women, - the trend is an increase in their percentage in the future, - 40% of employed women work in management, professional, and related occupations, and - other occupations for women are: 32% in sales and office positions; 21% in service occupations; 5% in production, transportation, and material moving; and 1% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance. The four most prevalent occupations for employed women are: - Secretaries and administrative assistants (3,074,000), - Registered nurses (2,612,000), - Elementary and middle school teachers (2,343,000), and - Cashiers (2,273,000). A website focused on women in the workforce, www.jobprofiles.org, reports: - women make only 77.5 cents for every dollar that men earn, - the more education a woman has, the greater the disparity in her wages, - women work longer to receive the promotions that provide access to higher pay, - female business owners employ 35% more people than all the Fortune 500 companies together, - women account for 46% of the labor force, but 59% of these workers make less than $8 an hour, - women earn less than men in 99% of all occupations, and - minority women fare the worst in terms of equal pay. Two additional items in terms of working women are: - single women out-earn single men in metropolitan areas (according to the U.S. Census Bureau data for 2008) in 39 of the 50 biggest cities and matched them in eight, and - Goldman Sachs and Wharton have teamed up to create a portal for female entrepreneurs in emerging economies. The program is called the 10,000 Women initiative. There have been many advances in women’s equality over the years, but it is evident that there is still room for improvement. What do you think can be done to further advance women’s rights in the workforce?

Is the Workplace Going Green?

To the question: Is your organization currently focusing on creating green jobs OR adding duties within existing or newly created jobs that can be considered green? the answer is: 55% No 40% Yes 5% Plan to These figures according to a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Additionally, to the question of the reason the organization “is not currently focusing on creating green jobs,” the responses were: 75% No need/opportunity exists 17% Cost implications of creating green jobs 16% Lack of support by management 7% Concerns about workplace inefficiency 4% Other How do these national figures square with your company? Should companies do more to go green? What is your company doing, if anything, to be more green? Is your company doing anything other companies can learn from?

The Pew Research Center and “Antisocial Networking”

On April 20, 2010, the Pew Research Center* reported the following: - Half of American teenagers (ages 12-17) send 50 or more text messages a day. - One third of them send more than 100 a day. This study, cited in The New York Times, makes the point that teens are more likely to use their cellphones to text friends than to call them. The report says the question researchers have is whether texting leads to more connectedness and supportiveness, or whether the quality of the interactions is being diminished “without the intimacy and emotional give and take of regular, extended face-to-face time.” The report goes on to say that people who study relationships believe “close childhood friendships help kids build trust in people outside their families and consequently help lay the groundwork for healthy adult relationships.” Our question is, “Is technology bringing children closer or making them weaker in terms of face-to-face human contact skills?” Whatever the answer to this question, the issue is certain to play a key role in workplace relations going forward. - Will technology make adults more or less compatible with their workplace associates? - Should employers be aware of this potential actuality so as to take advantage of it, or will it take care of itself? The researchers have had their say, but what about others from the real world? What do you think about the issue of how technology is shaping our youths? (Responses to these questions are certain to be informed by the age of the respondent, and that factor will be significant too.) * “The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan ‘fact tank’ that provides information on the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping America and the world. It does not take positions on policy issues.”

Progesterone – Hormones and Brain Injury

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is funding a nationwide study to further explore how the female hormone progesterone protects the brain; that is, both the female and the male brains, after trauma. The curative value of the hormone came to light in a preliminary study of 100 brain injury cases when the progesterone was tested for its safety. Progesterone is best known as a female hormone that is a vital constituent in maintaining pregnancies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury every year, and more than 50,000 of them die of complications from the injury. Moreover, survivors of such injuries suffer long-term needs. The original NIH study found that patients given the progesterone were 50% less likely to have died than the placebo group. The study also found that among moderate brain-injury survivors, those who received the progesterone were less disabled, and some even made a full recovery. The study the NIH is now undertaking is an extended test to track both the safety and effectiveness of the hormone. If the results of the extended test remain positive, the implications for employers will be great. The CDC shows the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries as: 28% Falls 20% Motor Vehicle Crashes 19% Struck by/against objects 11% Assaults The CDC also reported that males are 1½ times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury than females. While the CDC does not report where the traumas occurred, it is logical that a high percentage of them occurred in the workplace. Employers and their supervisors will do well to remember the effectiveness of progesterone at the time of the injuries. The preliminary NIH study also showed that the earlier the progesterone was used, the more effective it was in the long run. Traditionally thought of as a “female hormone,” progesterone might be best referred to as a “protection hormone.” How do you feel about its use in male patients with traumatic brain injuries? Considering the success of the NIH study, should more studies be undertaken?

Dean Kamen Invents a Prosthetic Robot Arm

Remember the amazing guy who invented the Segway? The Segway is the two-wheeler you stand on and drive to wherever you want to go by leaning in the right direction. At the behest of the U.S. Department of Defense, Kamen recently invented a mind-controlled prosthetic robot arm. It is difficult to overstate one’s awe for Kamen’s inventions. Still while the Segway is a neat kind of thing we all may wish to have, the reality is that there really aren’t that many of them around. So is the Kamen prosthesis in the same category? - What does the mind-controlled arm mean to the world-at-large? - Who are the beneficiaries of this latest, perhaps greatest, of Kamen’s inventions? - Are the only beneficiaries the individuals who have lost arms, especially American service men and women? - Why should the rest of us care?

Coping with Mental Illness in the Workplace

Recent (and rapid) advances in neuroscience, and brain research generally, are providing some critically useful information for rehabilitation professionals. While of course employers and their Disability Management (DM) professionals are not qualified to diagnose or treat mental illness, they are responsible to know the basics of such illnesses in order to plan and operate quality DM Programs in the workplace. Consider the following: The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than fourteen million Americans suffer from major depression every year, and more than three million suffer from minor depression. Given these numbers, it is inevitable that some employees will fall into these definitions, and the responsibility of the DM professionals is to recognize this reality for the purpose of referring them to competent medical professionals and customizing job descriptions to accommodate them. In short, mental illnesses are no different from physical illnesses in terms of workplace disability. Other facts related to this issue: - One in four Americans has been diagnosed with some form of mental illness as specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). (The DSM is published by the American Psychiatric Association. It has become so contentious that an updated version of it has been postponed from May 2010 to 2013.) - A significant issue among the medical and psychiatric professions is that in too many cases the treatment of a mental illness is a prescription for some drug, as opposed to talk therapy (Cognitive-Behavior Therapy) designed to help patients develop coping strategies. It is important to note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accords the same protection to individuals with mental illnesses as it does to individuals with physical conditions: A person may be disabled if he or she has a physical or mental (bolding added) condition that substantially limits a major life activity. Mental health topics include: Anxiety Disorders (including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, PTSD, and Social Anxiety Disorder), ADHD/ADD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Eating Disorders, Schizophrenia, and Prevention. As always, we would love to hear from our readers. Is Mental Illness/Mental Health an issue you experience in your workplace? If so, is it effectively handled by management? Do you have any suggestions for improving the manner in which these issues are handled in your workplace?

If You Work: The Importance of Sleep

Are you getting enough sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation, as reported in ScienceNews, Americans are sleeping less than ever before. In 2009, 20 percent of survey participants said that they slept less than six hours on weeknights, compared with 12 percent in 1998. That lost sleep is not being recovered on weekends, either. Sleep deprivation has a number of consequences. It can affect one’s physical and mental health: chronic sleep disruption appears to be the single biggest trigger for depression. It can also affect one’s performance in the workplace. On-the-job injury rates soar 400 percent for the sleep deprived. Sixteen percent of absenteeism is associated with insomnia. There is also the issue of “presenteeism” – the inability to focus on the job, even when one shows up for work. It is estimated that the costs of insomnia in the workplace total $150 billion. What can we do to ensure that we get more sleep? According to Psychology Today, Americans are kept awake by a variety of factors ranging from worry to acid reflux to late night television and, of course, the internet. The biggest sleep robber of all, however, is work. In order to be more productive, we are putting in more hours at work and sleeping less, which in turn is affecting job performance. The solution, we believe, lies in the old adage: Everything in moderation. Are you getting enough sleep, or do you find yourself staying awake at night? If troubled by insomnia, do you believe it affects your performance at work? Do you have any suggestions on achieving a good balance between work, sleep, and other activities?

The Banking Crisis: Should We Be Angry at Wall Street or the U.S. Government?

60 Minutes aired an exposé on Sunday, March 14, 2010 that took the form of an interview with an author who has written about the banking crisis debacle. The author is Michael Lewis, and the name of his book is The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. The book is a carefully reported record of the global financial meltdown that resulted from the bundling together of mortgages (many of them grossly overvalued and doomed to fail) by bankers and selling them to insurance companies. 1. In most cases, the banks that bundled and sold the mortgages did not understand that they were overvalued. 2. In essentially all cases, the insurance companies who bought them did not understand that they were overvalued. 3. The rating agencies charged with the responsibility of evaluating and assigning credit risks failed to do so. (The rating agencies are paid by the companies they are rating.) 4. Government oversight regulations of banks and insurance companies have been seriously eroding, especially over the past decade. 5. Nothing that has happened in terms of a response to the failure has changed the Wall Street bonus culture. 6. One person, Michael Burry, a disabled MD working on his own, figured out that the credit worthiness of the mortgages was toxic and bought insurance on them that netted him $750,000,000 in 2007 alone. He was reading the same information that the Wall Street bankers had available but either did not read or did not understand. For his part, Lewis stated, “The incentives for people on Wall Street got so screwed up, that people who worked there became blinded to their own long term interests. And because the short term interests were so overpowering. And so they behaved in ways that were antithetical to their own long term interests.” Aside from Michael Burry, the lone investor, and Michael Lewis, the assiduous author, there are essentially no other Americans who profited from the great debacle. Will Wall Street’s greed have an adverse effect on the workplace? Should the federal government play a role in this situation? If so, what role?

Multiple Jobs - The New Norm?

An emerging phenomenon in today’s economy is the growing number of multiple job holders. While some people work two jobs out of financial necessity, others aim to develop skills in different areas. As noted in an article from Helium.com, sometimes one job will complement the other and produce a stronger skill set. Holding multiple jobs will also create a more diversified resume, offering a competitive edge that will be helpful in today’s job market.
Of course, there are potential downsides to having more than one job. Clocking so many hours can result in fatigue, sleep deprivation, and ultimately burnout. Productivity may suffer. One will also have less time to spend with friends and family, which may increase an already heightened level of stress.
And while some are employed in satisfying jobs, still others are, as referenced by The Wall Street Journal, “Working Two Jobs and Still Underemployed.” In a downturned economy, many who have been laid off have returned to the labor force, only to find themselves underemployed. That is, they hold part-time jobs when they would prefer full-time work, and/or they work in jobs that don’t employ their skills.
As always, we love to hear what our readers think. Do you work more than one job? If so, what are your motivations for doing so? What do you find are the benefits and the detriments to holding multiple jobs?

Social networking – the new job search tool?

According to a recent article from msnbc, marketing company BFG Communications landed a new hire based on a single Twitter post. The post linked back to a blog and mock magazine cover designed by the applicant. Facebook, the popular social networking website, offers many applications to assist in a job search. These include a CareerBuilder application, another for creating online business cards, and one called “Testimonials,” which is used to compile personal, professional, and academic references. Payscale, the owner of the largest database of online employee salary data in the world, is also present on Facebook, providing an immediate and precise snapshot of the job market at any given time. CEC Associates, Inc., has joined in the movement by establishing our own Facebook page, which is geared toward career counseling services. As we have done for more than 25 years, we continue to offer career services, including vocational assessment, counseling, help with résumé preparation, and interview skill enhancement. For employees, the potential downside to social networking is that the line between one’s personal and professional lives is becoming blurred. There have been several reported instances of people being fired for posting negative comments about their jobs on Facebook or for posting improper photos and offensive remarks. The moral of the story: if using a social networking site as a job search tool, and particularly if “friending” one’s co-workers or boss, one must be careful about what personal information is posted online. We would like to hear what our readers think. Have you used a social networking website to assist in your job search? Are traditional paper résumés and cover letters becoming a “thing of the past?” And where does one draw the line between their personal and professional lives in the online world?