Archive for January, 2010

Archives for Workplace

Disabled workers are known to fly under the radar of unemployment statistics and recruiters. But in a fast-growing job market, companies may be eager to explore new ways to tap their talents.

There’s no issue on the supply-side. New studies show that disability payments are increasing at “an accelerating pace,” with a 51 percent rise in people on Social Security Disability Income over the last decade, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The cause? More and more, it’s unhealthy lifestyles – namely poor diets and not enough exercise. Still, back and joint problems, cancer and heat disease remain among the top reasons for disability. Some companies try the carrot and stick approach to promoting good health.

But because of the high cost of replacing personnel and fewer qualified candidates to fill open positions, companies are investing in accommodation.

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Archives for Research

We recognize the signs. A young employee shows up late at work or for meetings, misses assignments or takes sick days when they’re on top of their game.

As a boss your first instinct is to rattle their cage. But what will that accomplish?

Employers fret about holding onto Gen Y workers who may be less inclined than previous generations to stick around through thick and thin.  Given the cost of recruiting young talent, employers are understandably concerned about return on investment – keeping an employee long enough for them to develop into strong contributors.

Still, loyalty isn’t part of the “deal” any more between employers and employees, so it’s no surprise that, according to a new study by Taleo, an HR software company, 41% of those who are no longer working for their first employer out of college left in less than two years. That doesn’t strike me as an epidemic – a lot of first jobs simply aren’t good fits.

Taleo teamed with Harris Interactive to conduct a survey of 2,045 adults ages 18 and older, a series of questions about their first jobs and first employers.

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Archives for Coaching

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term work/life balance?  Perhaps it’s the time you leave the office? Or maybe it’s the total number of hours you have worked in a week? Or is the time your colleagues leave the office compared to you?

Have you ever asked yourself whether you have achieved good work/life-balance?  What criteria do you base your answers on?

Most people tend to connect work/life balance with time or hours spent at work.  While that can be part of it, I would like to challenge your thinking on a deeper level.  I believe it’s about the quality of how you spend your time, not just time itself.  I ask myself: “How rewarded do I feel by what I did today?”

Maintaining balance is an ideal that permeates our lives in multiple ways.  People go to chiropractors when they have a “misalignment” in their body and are looking to be “cracked” back into place.  Generally, when one area is out of alignment it can have a ripple effect upon other parts of the body.  The same thing happens in our lives.  When one area is out of balance, it usually can, and most often does, have an effect (whether we realize it or not) on other areas in our lives.

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