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US economy adds only 20,000 jobs in February; unemployment falls to 3.8…
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe federal government’s February jobs report shows that payroll employment rose 20,000 last month, a sharp departure from the 311,000 new jobs added in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. February’s unemployment rate of 3.8 percent compared favorably with 4.0 percent in January. "One month does not make a trend," says Elise Gould, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. On that note, job growth averaged 186,000 over the past three months. "One reason for the February weakness was harsh weather, depressing job growth in construction, hotels, and restaurants," according to Gould.
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Curbing mission creep and micromanagement
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementMission creep and micromanagement are disorders of a board. The symptoms and cures are different. Both create disruption in an organization. Mission creep is not a disparaging characterization of a member of the board. It is the process where a gradual shift in purpose occurs, with or without awareness. Micromanagement is a style where a manager or board members monitor employees too closely. It has a negative impact on staff when employees feel they are not trusted and are being evaluated by the board.
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How to organize a conference that provides lasting value
Simma Lieberman Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAs much as I enjoy meeting new people and connecting with old friends, I don’t have time or energy to attend conferences that rehash the same ideas or leave me exhausted and wishing for a bar of chocolate to make me feel better. But not all professional development conferences are equal. Some conferences are showcases for mediocre speakers, not a lot new information and boring workshops. Other conferences provide opportunities for learning, transformation and growth. The Watermark Conference for Women on Feb. 22 in San Jose, California, was an example of the latter.
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Don’t let these ‘terrible 10’ mistakes sabotage your…
Fred Berns Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn today's competitive business environment, it's vital for business owners to recognize the most common roadblocks to their success. Every year, these obstacles derail too many small to mid-sized companies too often. At best, these issues create temporary detours. At worst, they can be career killers. Here's a "terrible 10" list of success saboteurs, and some tips on how to overcome them.
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2019: The year employee loyalty ended
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementTINYpulse recently released its 2019 Employee Engagement Report, and the results are somewhat disturbing. Here's what I mean. What would you say if I told you that 43 percent of employees would leave their current employer for a measly 10 percent salary increase...or that employees think only 9 percent of their co-workers are very happy? And that in spite of this big push to improve company cultures, most organizations are barely moving the needle. Less than one-third of people believe their company has a strong culture. OK, so now that you know this, what will you do with this information? Here are some ideas to consider.
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How to correct negative misperceptions
Anne Rose CommunicationsNegative misperceptions are easy to acquire and hard to erase. "She's a very rude and unfriendly person. She looked right at me and didn't even say hello or acknowledge me." "Oh, that guy is a crook. I called him about some work I needed, and he wanted $300 just to give me a quote." Maybe the "rude" person who didn’t say hello actually didn’t see you but was staring off in the distance in a daydream. Maybe you’ve mixed up the service fellow with a different but similarly named person. Where and how do these misperceptions originate?
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Analysis: Standard work arrangements surprisingly dominate labor force…
Seth Sandronsky Association ManagementBeware of talk that we are living through the rise of nonstandard employment. We turn to a new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Economic Policy Institute based in Washington, D.C. “In 2017, the total share of the labor force working in nonstandard arrangements was 10.1 percent, down from 10.9 percent in 2005,” according to Eileen Appelbaum, Arne Kalleberg and Hye Jin Rho. Accordingly, the fraction of workers in standard work arrangements was 89.9 percent in 2017, roughly the same as 1995.
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Strategies for speculative job applications
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementA speculative job application occurs whenever someone applies to an employer for a job that is not open. Job seekers do this in the hope that something on their application or résumé sparks an interest from the employer. Most employers’ websites offer the ability for candidates to post résumés and online applications regardless of whether or not there is a specific opening associated with the application. Most speculative applications are poorly done and never result in a call for an interview.
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The real truth about teamwork
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementI’m from New England, where I guess you could say we know a lot about teams here. After all, both the Patriots and Red Sox are currently world champions in their respective sports. If you truly have a team, then the team wins and loses together. This lesson is one that many companies still haven’t learned. Here’s an example that highlights what I mean. Aramark recently made the decision not to pay bonuses to thousands of low-level managers. These are the "team members" who are ultimately responsible for executing on the company's strategy. Those in upper management received bonuses.
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Changing positions at your work helps you grow and mature
Frank R. Myers Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhile I was a firefighter in the Emergency Response Division for my former department, I sincerely looked forward to every tour of duty. However, I never saw the "other" side of my department and understood what happens behind the scenes. It was not until I was awarded the position of driver engineer instructor for me to realize what occurs. It brought my professionalism up to the next level. When I first reported for my first day in my new position, it was great. Sitting in my new office and working with another instructor reviewing some hydraulic equations, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I said to myself, "This is great." Soon after, I learned the many other aspects involved with this position.
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