Human Factors in the Workplace

A Question for 51% of American Workers

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:20:00 +0000

A report on flu by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued in late October 2009 has some sobering facts on flu in America. Seasonal flu reportedly kills about 36,000 Americans, hospitalizes more than 200,000 individuals, and costs the U.S. economy more than $10 billion in lost productivity and direct medical expenses annually.

A recent online survey focuses on the workplace. It found:

- 69 percent of workers had not received workplace communications about flu policies through September 2009,
- 84 percent of workers said the recession creates more pressure to show up for work even if ill,
- 80 percent of workers reported they feel knowledgeable about precautions to take if flu were to hit their workplace,
- 47 percent of workers said they would still engage in public activities (e.g., bus riding, shopping, etc.) if hit by the flu, and
- 49 percent of workers plan to get vaccinated if a vaccine is available.

What is so startling about these statistics is that ostensibly 51 percent of American workers do not plan to get vaccinated if a vaccine is available.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in late October 2009 that the H1N1 flu has resulted in more than 4,000 deaths nationwide so far this year. (Information and analysis is available from www.factcheck.org.)

So our question is, “What do 51 percent of the American workforce know about the vaccine that the rest of us don’t know?”

Even though the availability of the vaccine will be greater for those of us who do want it, we are acutely interested in what those who will not take it if available know that we all should know.

Please help us to understand this phenomenon. Have you taken the flu vaccine? Why or why not?

When the Workplace Is a Gridiron

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:01:00 +0000

The National Football League (NFL) has a dementia assistance program for retired players, and there is mounting evidence that it is sorely needed. The data show there is a link between football and later-in-life cognitive impairment.

While there are some League officials who dispute the fact that playing in the NFL substantially increases the risk for dementia, the records indicate that pro football retirees are “experiencing moderate to advanced early-onset dementia at rates several times higher than the general population.” When a League-commissioned University of Michigan survey reported NFL retirees aged 50 and above showed diagnoses of cognitive disease at five times the rate of the national population, the League commented that such surveys were unreliable.

To try to determine the reality of the contrasting claims, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the issue of brain injuries in football. Representatives heard stories of former football players who had struggled with homelessness, depression, and an inability to perform basic tasks after suffering hundreds of blows to the head during their careers. But some present emphasized that the NFL had made safety improvements in recent years.

Several other factors related to this issue are:

- the condition is not generally the result of single horrendous hit, which may be described as a concussion, but the accumulation of smaller hits over time.

- there have been, of course, improvements to safety equipment, especially helmets, but those improvements have not been adequate and have not resolved the problem.

- NFL players, in addition to their pro tenures, have played football in college, high school, and even before that, raising the further issue of the safety of football for children who will never play at the professional level.

While Disability Management programs of more ordinary workplaces may not be adequate for NFL players without being significantly customized to the uniqueness of this workplace, there will certainly have to be acknowledgements of the problem. The League would be wise to consider the implementation of Disability Management procedures for every team.

-Do you believe that NFL teams would be wise to consider the implementation of Disability Management programs?
-If your child is involved in football, does this article cause concern?

Contagion in the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Is there contagion in your workplace? If not, your workplace may not be up to date. In fact, it may be deprived of some critically positive information.

One of the most active buzzwords currently in the U.S. is “contagion.” Contagion is so pervasive that it has been labeled (by sociologists and psychologists) prestigiously as “Contagion Theory.” The most concise definition of contagion theory is “collective behavior.” That is, crowds cause people to act in unison in a certain way, or crowds converge on a single idea. (On the darker side, it is sometimes referred to as “mob mentality.”)

Contagion is also the buzzword of the moment in new and promising concepts for workplace development. A word that was once primarily used to describe the spread of disease has now taken on expanded dimensions.

Emotional contagion, as defined by Wikipedia, is the tendency to feel emotions that are similar to and influenced by those of others. It represents a tendency to automatically mimic and synchronize facial expressions, vocalizations, postures, and movements with those of another person and, consequently, to converge emotionally. A study referenced in the Washington Post has shown that emotion can ripple through clusters of people who may not even know each other. In particular, happiness was found to be particularly “contagious,” and one person’s happiness has the potential to affect another’s for as much as a year.

According to a recent article from Dennis Whittle, CEO of Global Giving, prosperity can also be contagious. He has observed the restaurant scene in Portland, Maine, evolve in a dynamic way after “one or two really great chefs moved to town, and others followed.” Indeed, this concept holds great promise when one considers the impact it could have on a struggling economy.

So, what are the contagions nurturing/festering in your workplace? If there are contagions abound in workplaces across America (for good or evil), we all need to know about them.

Stress, Work, and How to Relax

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:47:00 +0000

In today’s downsized economy, people are facing mounting tension on the job in addition to the stressors of daily living. According to a recent article from MainStreet.com, options that bring quick relaxation, such as alcohol, massage, or spa treatment, are no substitute for strategies that bring long-term relief.

Erin Olivo, assistant clinical professor of medical psychology at Columbia University in New York, reports that pressure, if it mounts unchecked, can overwhelm the mind and compromise one’s health. While some try to integrate activities such as yoga or meditation into their lives, adding obligations to an already full schedule may only add to the aggravation. Olivo offers a simpler solution: “Everybody has their own way of calming themselves down….The key is to actually do them.”

Dr. Joel Levey states that people should learn to be “mindful,” or constantly aware of their surroundings and challenges as well as their effects. Dr. Levey recommends that workers pause frequently throughout the day to check on their stress levels. When they notice signs of tension, they should take a moment to breathe deeply and focus on calming phrases.

Olivo adds that it would be helpful for workers to challenge their triggers and question whether the problems they’re facing warrant their reactions. She states, “An individual can approach a stressful situation with a mindful response rather than automatically reacting in a way that may actually only increase his or her distress.”

-What kinds of stress do you experience?
-What strategies do you use to relax and cope with stress?

Are You Managing Your Boss?

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Is your boss a pain in the ass? If so, perhaps you are not managing him or her appropriately.

“Managing Your Boss” is a strategy developed by the Harvard MBA program. A brief definition is if I, as an individual employee, do everything I can to help my boss succeed, I will succeed correspondingly.

The concept is widely used in well-managed companies. Frequently, nowadays, it is called “Managing Up.”

For anyone interested in getting updated on the application, there are many references and definitions available online.

In the meantime, we’re interested in your thoughts on the topic:

- What have your experiences been with the “Managing Your Boss” concept?
- What are the positives and negatives of this business technique?
- Do you think that if your boss succeeds, you will too?

Is A College Degree Worth The Price?

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:43:00 +0000

Jack Hough, an associate editor with SmartMoney Magazine, recently authored an article for msn.com. He opines that someone who invests the money they would have spent on college will make larger returns when it comes time to retire, despite earning less each year. “College degrees bring higher income, but at today’s cost they can’t make up the savings they consume and the debt they add early in the life of a typical student.”

Gary Becker, University Professor of Economics and Sociology at the University of Chicago, offers a different perspective: “It’s wrong to say you shouldn’t have debt after college. It’s like saying you shouldn’t borrow money to buy a house.”

Kim Clark of U.S. News & World Report writes, “Lots of research shows that those who study math, sciences, or career-related courses generally end up earning more than those who focus on the humanities, for example. And generally, graduates of better-ranked and more-selective colleges do far better financially than others, even better than similarly qualified students who turn those colleges down to attend lower-ranked colleges.” Clark references a study from Harvard University that found that students who don’t have a shot at first- or second-tier colleges might be better off if they chose their cheapest options.

There are also other benefits to having a college degree. An article from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business reads, “College-educated people are healthier, their children achieve more, they respond better to crises, and they manage financial assets better.”

- Do you think that your college degree was worth the cost?

- How would you counter these arguments?

Making a Difference: Disney Studios Makes a Major Contribution

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:10:00 +0000

We all have our favorite children’s and family movies that Walt Disney Studios has created over the years. Now Disney is pointing in a new direction with a focus they call “Disneynature.” The purpose of the new production unit is to produce films that spotlight the realities of nature. The first of the films in this direction is the incredibly moving documentary called “Earth.” Originally released internationally in 2007, the American version of “Earth” premiered on April 22, a day also known in the U.S. as Earth Day.

“Earth,” narrated by James Earl Jones, follows the lives of three non-human families, polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales, for a one-year cycle in their very precarious and difficult lives.

In addition to distributing this film that documents the fragility of all life, Disney has pledged to plant one tree in the endangered Brazilian rainforest for every person who saw the movie during its first week. The trees are being planted by the Nature Conservancy, whose slogan is “Protecting Nature. Preserving Life.”

Disney has announced that the box-office receipts for the first week totaled $16.1 million, which translates to their funding 2.7 million trees for the Conservancy to plant.

So the challenge here is to respond to the meaning of this new direction by Disney:

Did you see the film? If yes, what did you think?

If you haven’t seen it, are you interested in doing so?

Do you have any thoughts to share on the issue of the fragility of all life on Earth?

Or on the issue of planting trees in the Brazilian rainforest as opposed to here in the U.S.?

We look forward to hearing what you think!

Military Veterans: Disability & Homelessness

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:20:00 +0000

One estimate from the Veterans Administration is that since 2003, more than 60,000 U.S. military personnel in Iraq have been wounded or struggle with psychological disorders. The percentage of veterans who are amputees is said to be the highest since the Civil War, and at least one-third of military personnel who have served in Iraq struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Returning service personnel with a disability are required to submit an application for a Disability Compensation claim. While the time required to transition from submission of an application to being declared eligible for treatment or compensation varies by region, it is presently stated as approximately six months.

In terms of homelessness, as of November 8, 2007, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans indicated there were 195,827 homeless veterans in the U.S., and 2,784 of those were in Pennsylvania.

Individuals interested in how our returned military personnel are faring might research any of the following:

· U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

· National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

· Iraq War Veterans

For those interested in learning more about how to assist returned military, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans provides a “Locate a Community-based Organization” link (under “Homeless Veteran Service Providers”). A search for “Philadelphia” lists six agencies in the area that provide assistance and services especially for homeless veterans.

· What ideas do you have in respect to how our returned Iraq veterans are treated?

· Do you have any ideas to share on what we can do to assist?

· Do you know of any employment opportunities for returned veterans?

· Is your workplace cognizant of returned veterans issues? If so, do you have any ideas to share in respect to your workplace?

A 10-Point Survival: How to Keep Your Job!

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:27:00 +0000

A 10-Point Survival Guide: How to Keep Your Job &
an Interesting Note on Women in the Job Market

Anne Fisher is a Senior Writer on workplace and management topics for Fortune magazine. She also writes a weekly career-advice column called “Ask Annie” for CNN.com. In the January 7, 2009, Ask Annie column, she wrote “Keep your job: a 10-point survival guide.”

1. Create successes for yourself
2. Set 30-day and 60-day goals
3. Watch your attitude
4. Keep your network active
5. Update your skills
6. Make sure your work serves the larger goals of the organization
7. For now, forget about work-life balance
8. Take a hard look at your finances
9. Never badmouth anyone
10. Remember, in the knowledge economy, you are the product

You can find the column on the web at http://www.askannie.com/ or click here for the entire article.

Also on the state of the economy, a new article by Barbara Hagenbaugh of USA Today states, “Women are holding onto their jobs more than their male counterparts in the recession as the types of jobs women hold generally offer more stability, albeit at less pay.”

How can the “Survival Guide” help you keep your job? How are you surviving the economic changes effecting employment? What would you add or change on the list? How secure do you feel about your job in the current market in light of the information about women workers?

Destroying Wilderness

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:08:00 +0000

"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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:48:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:39:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:32:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:38:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:47:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:15:00 +0000

“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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:09:00 +0000

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"

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:54:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:57:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:15:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:58:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:28:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:28:00 +0000

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.”

Quiet Strength: A Book by Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts’ Coach)

noreply@blogger.com (Jasen M. Walker, Ed.D.) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:37:00 +0000

In Tony Dungy’s book, Quiet Strength, he describes his philosophy for managing life, especially work. We look favorably on most anything that relates to sports, so this new book by Dungy caught our attention. The book is an autobiography written by the first African-American coach to lead his team to a win in the Super Bowl.

In the book, Dungy sets forth a list of responsibilities that he uses with his players. We feel that these responsibilities can also serve as a basic guide for workplace managers accountable for mentoring their employees:

Be a pro.

Act like a champion.

Respond to adversity; do not react to it.

Be on time. Being late means either it is not important to you or you cannot be relied upon.

Execute. Do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it.

Take ownership.

Do whatever it takes; no excuses, no explanations.

While, of course, the game of football and professional athletes are Dungy’s frame of reference, we think his basics will serve equally well in the more common workplace.