July 14, 2003
Company culture; targeted training
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart
at 10:45 AM -
From "Out in the Field", BostonWorks' weekly round-up of workplace stats and trends:
Company culture role seen in internal strife
The American Management Association reports that 81 percent of 493 executives believe the negative attitudes of departmental or unit managers are responsible for friction between corporate departments, causing their staffs to work in isolation rather than cooperatively. According to the study, 59 percent blamed their companies' corporate culture for preventing departments from working together, and 50 percent said some units place their own priorities ahead of their employers' goals, resulting in friction.
Study charts benefits of targeted training programs
A new report by the Aspen Institute concludes that specialized training that coincides with the needs, economic cycles, and demands of a particular industry can boost low-wage workers' salaries significantly and increase job security. "The current labor market is complex and contradictory," writes Maureen Conway, coauthor of the study. "In the midst of rising unemployment rates, employers in critical industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and the building trades continue to struggle to recruit and retain workers with sound basic and technical skills.
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