March 27, 2008

Beware of bossy women
Posted by Diane Danielson at 10:21 AM

According to the Telegraph, a recent study showed that men want their manliness back:

Men said they "felt handcuffed" by political correctness - only 33 per cent felt they could speak freely and say what they thought, whereas two thirds found it safer and to conceal their opinions.

Harvey Mansfield, a Harvard professor and America's best known political philosopher, who tackles the topic in his book Manliness, says the issue is ignored.

"A man has to be embarrassed about being a man. I am trying to bring back the word manliness. It's not respected," he said.

According to the survey, men hold other men who speak their mind in high regard - the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Jeremy Paxman, Bob Geldof and Gordon Ramsay. Their biggest hero is Churchill.

But four out of 10 are frightened of heights and spiders while a third are frightened of bossy women.

Hmmmmm.  Do they hold women who speak their mind in high regard?  Methinks the gentlemen doth protest too much.  But, I suppose it's nice to know that I just need to get me some spiders and a penthouse apartment and I'll be able to frighten away most men.

Despite these fears, women don't always have the upper hand. For example, when it comes to careers, the Journal reports today that pregnancy discrimination is on the rise.

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March 25, 2008

The return of Red Sox fever
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 12:28 PM

It's March. We're two days removed from Easter. And the Red Sox are playing regular season games.

At 6 a.m.

What is a gainfully employed Sox fanatic to do?

While the local nine opened their season early this morning against the Oakland Athletics in Japan, the sleep and work schedules of those who just can't miss an inning were undoubtedly thrown for a loop.

I'm thinking more than a few hardcore Sox fans called in sick to work today. Or at the very least, arrived a wee bit late as they watched the Sox (or, at least, tried to watch the Sox) stage a late-inning comeback, and then hold on for dear life in extra innings.

So just how prevalent is this sickness, this Red Sox fever?

Well, according to a new survey by Bank of America Corp., 35 percent of locals would blow off an important business meeting to attend a Red Sox home opener, compared with only 23 percent of Yankees fans, and 20 percent nationally. In addition, 59 percent of Sox fans would allow their children to skip school for such an event.

How about you? Did you skip work today, or allow your child to skip school, in order to catch the Sox opener in Japan?

Share your thoughts on our message board.

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March 24, 2008

Good news, bad news for college grads
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 10:35 AM

The Globe's Chris Ready reports that a survey by MonsterTrak, the student division of Monster.com, shows a mixed outlook for job seekers coming out of college:

First, the bad news: With the economy slumping, only 59 percent of employers surveyed plan to hire 2008 graduates in the spring or summer; that compares with 76 percent of employers last year, MonsterTRAK said.

The good news? Roughly a third of employers with hiring plans said they will increase their starting salaries; the anticipated average starting salary for 2008 graduates is $39,500, up from last year's average of $36,000, MonsterTRAK said.

One survey finding may give parents pause; 48 percent of the students surveyed said they expect to spend some time living with their parents after graduation, MonsterTRAK said, and 43 percent of 2007 graduates are still living with their parents, mostly because of limited financial resources.

Are you worried about getting a job after graduating? Share your thoughts on our message board.

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March 23, 2008

Why has your workday gotten longer?
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 11:05 AM

In an Op/Ed piece in Sunday's Boston Globe, Monique Doyle Spencer laments the state of the current US workplace, and how she feels women share some of the blame by working harder and putting in extra hours without complaint, and without appropriate compensation.

But the real point of the piece to me, however, is gender-neutral, and points to the fact that with current state of the economy, many US businesses are trying to get as much productivity out of their workers as possible, giving them more responsibilities and, in turn, increasing their workload and length of their work days. With time at a premium, it becomes the little inefficiencies throughout the day that really cause the long hours at the office. Spencer writes:

If your job takes you more than 45 hours a week to complete, you are going to too many meetings that you shouldn't be at.

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If a boss wants people there for him or her at all hours, we were supposed to hire two people, not make one work the hours of two. We were supposed to see if America would put its money where its mouth is: that family matters. If you're not related to me, I should not be spending every evening with you.

Obviously, work has cycles. Accountants have to work harder for tax season, yes, retailers work harder for the holidays, everybody works harder when times are tough.

I'm not saying we should all stop working hard, just that we should outlaw 90 percent of the meetings we go to, remove the guests chairs from our offices unless an actual client needs it, and run the office so productively that nobody needs to work nights all the time.

What about your job? Have you seen an increased workload lately that has forced you to work longer hours?

What do you blame? Do you attend too many meetings? Are there inefficiencies that could be corrected to allow you a normal work day?

Share your thoughts on our message board.

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March 19, 2008

Why opting out can make for some very bad boys
Posted by Diane Danielson at 7:30 PM

Laura Vanderkam over at the Huffington Post had an interesting item on the Spitzer scandal and how it relates to the ever-controversial "opting out" movement.  After qualifying that there are some advantages for children when a woman "opts out;" she brings up some very realistic downsides:

But there is definitely a downside to this bargain. For starters, the existence in the workplace of men with no family duties makes life that much harder for moms who don't opt out - and for the men who choose to be involved in the care of their families. People who don't have to think about what time the babysitter goes home don't mind so much if the meeting runs late - even if nothing important is getting done.

And second, while men have learned to be careful about saying their wives "work in the home" rather than "outside the home," switching from two careers to one in high-powered couples changes the power dynamic. Though this probably isn't the case with the independently wealthy Spitzers, in other families, a sole breadwinner can claim anything related to work is important because hey, if he loses his job, it's bad news for everyone. He knows he can get away with a little bit of bad behavior, because if his wife has severely compromised her ability to make a living, it will be that much harder for her to leave.

I have to admit, I'm not surprised about the scandal.  Men like him do things like that.  However, I was disgusted by his wife standing by him.  Should the roles have been reversed, do you think he'd stand by her?  Not in a New York City minute.

Click here to read the full article.

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March 16, 2008

Less help for the unemployed
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:35 PM

Some unemployment assistance workers may soon be needing unemployment assistance.

That's because Massachusetts is contemplating cutting up to 70 jobs from agencies that provide job placement assistance to those looking for work. These agencies also provide unemployment benefits to laid-off workers. This comes as a recession looms, and with potentially more workers needing the type of help that is being pared down. The Boston Globe's Robert Gavin reports:

Administration officials say they are in the process of closing a $6 million shortfall in these programs, which they blame on federal funding that has declined by $15 million over the past five years. As a result, they have launched a voluntary layoff or buyout program, offering takers a $2,500 bonus. They are also considering eliminating walk-up services for people to file unemployment claims in state career centers, which help laid-off workers find jobs. Most people file unemployment claims by phone.

Suzanne Bump, secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, said no final decisions have been made on which services to cut. The state must collaborate with 16 regional Workforce Investment Boards, which, under federal law, oversee career centers and share responsibilities with the state for job training and other employment programs.

"These decisions will [not] and cannot be unilateral," Bump said. "But we've been in a situation of having to provide an ever more extensive support system with fewer dollars."

Despite the fact that a majority of laid-off workers use the phone system to manage their unemployment claims, some worry that getting rid of the walk-up service will hurt those most vulnerable – people who speak little or no English and who are most likely to live paycheck-to-paycheck. The Workforce Investment Association of Massachusetts, which represents financial administrators of the federal Workforce Investment Act and career center directors, raised these concerns in a letter to Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Suzanne Bump.

"This group of unemployed, who are the most vulnerable customers, will be the most negatively impacted by the removal of the walk-in claims services," the letter said. "They may also be the . . . applicants who are financially strapped and need assistance to access their funds ASAP."

Tuesday is the deadline for the voluntary buyout program, according to Bump. Meanwhile, Senator Edward M. Kennedy has proposed legislation to boost funding for unemployment benefits and programs, and is reminding everyone that the state can ill afford to lose unemployment assistance when many people need it most.

"As the economy continues to worsen, we must take immediate action to jump-start the economy and to help families in crisis," he said in a statement. "I call on my colleagues to join me in helping the millions of hard-working Americans who are pounding the pavement every day looking for work, but having no luck. We need to take up legislation as soon as possible to extend and improve unemployment benefits."

What do you think of the state's decision to cut job from the career centers? Have you used one of these centers before, and if so, how was your experience?

Share your thoughts on our message board.

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March 13, 2008

Tech jobs hot, union membership not
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:07 PM

There are a few stories today that focus on trends in the Massachusetts job market. First, the Globe's Robert Weisman reports that although many employers continue to lay off workers as the economy falters, many high-tech companies in the Bay State are seeing a boom in hiring. One such company is Seachange International Inc., which is headquartered in Acton. The company, which makes video-on-demand software and hardware, has hired almost 80 workers worldwide in the past three months, and still has 75 openings, including 30 in the Acton office.

"It's a very competitive job market for software engineers," said Laura Watson, the SeaChange senior director of human resources. "Most of the people who come in here have offers in a few days."

SeaChange's hiring spree is typical of a class of high-tech businesses in Massachusetts that have proved virtually immune to the economic slowdown. These companies sell into global markets that provide a cushion as the US economy struggles with everything from mounting home foreclosures to a plummeting stock market.

The article also points out that Massachusetts gained about 8,400 jobs in professional, scientific, and technical services last year, a 3.4 percent increase, and also added 2,100 jobs in scientific research and development, and 800 in the information sector, which includes software publishing. But the numbers weren't good for other industries, such as manufacturing and construction.

At the same time, Massachusetts lost 2,600 jobs in manufacturing and 3,300 in construction, many of them tied to the slumping housing and building industries, according to figures from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. A survey by the Federal Reserve, released last week, indicated the supply of skilled labor remains tight in New England, especially in such fields as technology, engineering, finance, and biopharmaceuticals.

One thing that has accompanied the decline in manufacturing and construction jobs has been a smaller percentage of Massachusetts workers who belong to unions. The Globe's Nicole Wong reports:

The number of workers in the Commonwealth who belonged to a union declined last year by 35,000 to hit a 19-year-low of 379,000, according to data released yesterday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, union membership nationwide was relatively flat, rising by 311,000 workers to nearly 15.7 million.

The percentage of Massachusetts workers who are in unions - a more important measure because it adjusts for a state's job losses or gains - fell to 13.2 percent of the state's workers, down from 14.5 percent in 2006.

Although the union membership numbers for Massachusetts are the lowest since the government began collecting such data in 1989, the Bay State is still ahead of more than three-quarters of the states in the US. The national average for union membership is 12.1 percent.

Finally, the Globe's Maria Sacchetti reports that Governor Deval Patrick has set his sights on Bay State business owners who pay workers in cash, thus skirting paying some taxes and other costs associated with having on-the-books employees.

Union leaders, business owners, and others say they are being squeezed out of the market by companies that skirt the law, including hiring illegal immigrants. Such abuses are common in the building industry, critics say.

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"It's happening all across the economy, from pizza shop owners to transportation companies," said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Suzanne Bump, who added that the initiative is modeled after similar efforts in California and New York. "It's just everywhere."

Advocates for immigrants raised concerns that the plan could backfire against immigrant workers, whether they are here legally or not. Ali Noorani, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said that increasing enforcement without protecting workers' rights would only make workers more vulnerable.

"We want to make sure that this is not used to target or profile any one worker," Noorani said yesterday. "If this order furthers the rights and protections of all workers, then we are going to stand with the governor to make sure it's fully implemented."

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March 12, 2008

Bay State good for wages
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 3:38 PM

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today, weekly wages in Massachusetts rose almost 5 percent in this year's second quarter over a year earlier. Among New England states, the Bay State's increase was behind Connecticut (6.4 percent) and New Hampshire (6.3) in growth percentage, yet the Massachusetts average wage clocked in at No. 4 in the US – behind only Washington D.C., Connecticut, and New York – at $1,008 a week.

Here is some more Massachusetts-related numbers from the Globe's report on the BLS numbers:

In Massachusetts, wages grew fastest in Middlesex County, rising 6 percent to $1,179 in the three month period from April to June compared to a year earlier, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Suffolk County had that state's highest average weekly wage at $1,284, up 4.7 percent. Among the state's most populous counties, average week wages and year-over-year growth in the second quarter were: Norfolk, $986, up 1.2 percent; Essex, $879, up 4.5 percent; Worcester, $843, up 3.7 percent; Plymouth, $803, up 3.6 percent; Bristol, $758, up 3.7; Hampden, $748, up 3.7 percent; and Barnstable, $708, up 3.7 percent.

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March 11, 2008

Some companies are still hiring
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 4:02 PM

The Associated Press reports today that even though there are concerns about the economy, and around 63,000 jobs were cut in the US last month, slightly more than a quarter of companies in the US plan to hire within the next three months.

Nationwide, some 26 percent of companies expect to increase the size of their workforce between April and June, according to the survey to be released today by Manpower Inc. Nine percent plan a decrease, 60 percent predict no change, and 5 percent are unsure, the Milwaukee-based global staffing company found.

The results show that employers are being more thoughtful in their hiring practices, but they're not scaling back completely, said Jonas Prising, Manpower's president for North America.

"Nobody's pulling the handbrakes yet," he said. "Everybody's braking somewhat. Everyone's cautious. Most sectors are being cautious."

The news wasn't great for workers in the construction industry, the AP notes. According to the Manpower survey, 28 percent companies in the industry anticipate growth while 13 percent expect to cut jobs, which is down from a year ago when 36 percent expected to hire and 7 percent planned cuts.

On a more local level, the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA) released a survey late last month that also shows lower expectations for job growth over last year, but more than half of the companies polled still anticipated adding full-time workers in 2008.

Significantly, in a recessionary climate over 54% of firms polled anticipate the number of full-time employees to increase over the next year (down from last year's 65%). Another 37% expect to remain at the same staffing levels, and only 8.5% expect a decrease. The top five industries hiring according to the survey include high technology, financial services, professional services, manufacturing, and healthcare.

The majority of those hiring will add staff in the professional level, entry-level, and mid-management.

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March 6, 2008

Feel appreciated?
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 5:27 PM

Would rewards make you work harder?

Southborough-based company Globoforce, who provide "strategic on-demand employee recognition solutions," is trumpeting this Friday as "Employee Appreciation Day," and offering companies advice on how they can help keep workers engaged and productive.

Now, much of the advice has to do with implementing rewards programs, which Globoforce is in the business of providing. Although there also doesn't seem to be a universally-agreed upon "Employee Appreciation Day" in the US ... in fact, if you search the term in Google you will get more than four different dates, and they seem to be company-specific. Maybe this is an effort to consolidate the holiday into one standard day.

Still, a blog on the company's website provides "five keys to employee engagement," including the following ways a business can increase employee engagement and productivity:

2. Create a "Recognition Moment" through Meaningful Rewards: Giving employees the generic company watch or one-size-fits-all "gift" is an uninspiring – and often meaningless – way to say thank you. Rather, award your employees by giving them a choice of meaningful, self-selected rewards such as gift cards, quality merchandise or travel vouchers. When employees redeem their award, it will create an important "recognition moment" – with impact.

3. Empower Everyone in the Process – From the Board Room to the Mail Room: Employee recognition should not reside solely on the shoulders of management. Every person in the organization should be empowered to acknowledge their peers and co-workers for a job well done. This enables frequent recognition and engages the entire staff – not just the top 10 percent – in the process.

What do you think?

Do you feel like you are recognized for the work you do enough at your job? Does your company have a rewards program, and does it help your productivity?

Or do you think such programs have no effect on how well you do your job?

Share your thoughts on our message board.

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