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.