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US economy adds 164,000 new hires; unemployment rate stays at 3.7%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In July, U.S. payrolls added 164,000 workers versus job gains of 224,000 in June, as the unemployment rate stayed at 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 6.1 million unemployed workers in July, close to the same number as June. The number of long-term unemployed persons decreased 248,000 in July from June. The employment-to-population ratio rate stayed nearly the same in July versus June, the BLS reported.

How to role model good choices for your employees

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

I am not advocating parenting your employees. But some of your employees may not have had the best role models in their life, so they have undeveloped critical judgment skills and poor decision-making with an inability to predict the consequences of their behavior. I worked with a young lady once who had barely been on the job for one week before asking for a day off to go shopping with her mother. That judgment is bad enough, but she confided to me that her mother had advised her to simply call in sick and not risk asking for the day off!

Cruises are popular, but what effect do they have on the environment?

Bambi Majumdar Waste Management & Environmental

Princess Cruises, a Carnival subsidiary, recently made news for the wrong reasons. Carnival will have to pay a $20 million fine after illegal and environmentally damaging acts were revealed on Princess ships. Princess violated the terms of its 2017 probation when it was convicted for improper waste disposal. Perhaps even more damaging was that the cruise line did not report the findings of environmental inspections to the authorities. Carnival is not the only cruise line to flout regulations, and the environmental costs of these firms' negligence are high.

Flex time for interior designers

Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

In years gone by, clients hired an interior designer to execute an entire project. With some exceptions, it was generally understood that the designer would conceive, design, furnish and manage the project from start to finish — in consultation with the clients, of course. Today, that is no longer the norm. On the contrary, clients today have embraced the term "menu of services” quite literally, ordering a la carte and when they wish. This trend has been building for some time.

Are we witnessing the death of Main Street, or its rebirth?

Lucy Wallwork Retail

The decline of America’s downtown "Main Streets" is nothing new. First, the rise of the automobile meant they were displaced as the nexus of community and commercial life by out-of-town malls. More recently, even the malls have fallen victim to the rise of online shopping, with 1 in 4 expected to be closed by 2022. The outlook for Main Street doesn’t look good, as the headlines tracking empty frontages keep telling us. But are we giving in to nostalgia too much? Perhaps the rebirth of Main Street might not look to the past at all, but to the future.

Study: Surgical gowns remain contaminated with C. difficile after disinfectant

Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied Healthcare

Clostridium difficile infects 500,000 Americans and kills 29,000 each year. Commonly affecting older adults in hospitals and long-term care facilities, symptoms of infection include diarrhea, fever, rapid heartbeat, inflammation of the intestines, and kidney failure. C. difficile spores are resistant to many commonly used disinfectants, sanitizers, and cleaning agents, including alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Surgical gowns and stainless steel often remain contaminated with C. difficile even after treatment with a recommended disinfectant. According to Dr. Tina Joshi of the University of Plymouth in England, because the spores can grow after decontamination, disinfecting measures in hospitals need to be reconsidered.

For well-being, natural is almost as good as nature

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Numerous research studies have shown that people experiencing stress, fatigue, trauma, and recovery from illness respond positively to natural settings, natural elements (such as indoor plants and water features), and views of nature. But what of nature imagery or patterns similar to those found in nature? Does exposure to sensory stimuli that remind us of being in a natural setting produce a similar effect? Several recent studies indicate that they do.

Why Wisconsin’s recent survey of mussels is important

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

The state of Wisconsin recently did something for the first time in four decades: Conducted a massive statewide survey of native mussels in an attempt to show the benefits of the water-cleaning clams on the state's waterways. Why does this survey matter? Several reasons. Mussels are considered one of the world’s most imperiled animals. 70% of the world’s mussel species are in decline. Mussels are considered "ecosystem engineers" because they modify the aquatic habitat, making it more suitable for themselves and other organisms. A single freshwater mussel can filter gallons of water a day, removing pollutants like mercury and other contaminants.

Secrets of 3 Texas state parks

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

Texas has some wonderful state parks. The maps of hiking trails and online resources are great, but they don’t include everything. Here are some secrets at three of Texas' state parks — McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Choke Canyon State Park in Three Rivers, and Caprock Canyons State Park in Briscoe County.

Why cultural-fit hiring is the enemy of diversity

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

A study by Cubix International of 55 organizations, including Ikea, found that 9 out of 10 recruiters passed over applicants that were not a "cultural fit." Hiring for "cultural fit" has become somewhat of a trend and buzzword. It usually applies to values, visions, norms and the way a company does business. Some people have told me that hiring for "cultural fit," as opposed to just skills, is a way of ensuring that the new hire gets along with everyone and be a "team player." I’ve also been told that it is a way of increasing diversity since you’re not just hiring based on degrees and grades. But what if this is part-fallacy?

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