 Did You Know? "18.7 million adults who are 55+ years of age contributed on average, more than 3 billion hours of service in their communities per year between 2008 and 2010. This means an estimated $64 billion of yearly economic benefit of service to the nation." Awesome! Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
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Go Green!
"Environmentally responsible design and architecture used to suffer from an unattractive image. But all that's changing as a new generation of designers and building contractors take on the challenge of making gorgeously eco-friendly places that even the most aesthetically discerning among us would aspire to live in. Marvel at the inspirational creations highlighted in
eco-building features on home and garden television and parade of home shows."
From:
1,001 Ways to Save the Earth
By Joanna Yarrow
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Quote of the Month
"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. . . Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful . . . that's what matters to me."
-Steve Jobs, Wall Street Journal, 1993
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Greetings!
GREETINGS! October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). This is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.
We continue to help clients find the right talent and help you find a job that you love. We hope you are finding the articles informative and useful. Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may be interested.
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We continue to help clients find the right talent and help you find a job that you love. We hope you are finding the articles informative and useful. If you like our newsletter, feel free to it to anyone who may be interested. And, we invite you to 'Like' us on Facebook too.
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Superjobs: Do You Have One?
 As we all know, companies expect a lot more from their employees these days. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal a chef from a top-rated restaurant in Denver has not only been handling the bakery area, but doing double duty as the maintenance man since he's naturally handy. He has spent hours repainting the oven, fixing the plumbing and installing a garbage disposal. His hours have expanded to more than 60+ per week.
In this new era of the superjob, companies of all sizes have asked employees to take on extra tasks that have little to do with their primary roles and expertise. For example, engineers are going on sales calls, accountants are pitching in on customer service and chief financial officers running a division on the side. Some employees believe this will continue as the pace of change demands more flexibility from everyone at the office.
Some workplace experts say the superjob is the next step in management's quest to make the workplace more cost efficient. Companies redistributed the workload since the recession started. In a recent survey by Spherion Staffing, 53% of workers surveyed said they had taken on new roles, most of them without extra pay (just 7% got a raise or a bonus). Some consultants say this is why only 43% of Americans (a record low) are satisfied with their jobs.
Taking on extra work doesn't always mean you will be getting a promotion. Some professionals are finding themselves spending time on chores that used to be handled by the junior staff. Juggling new roles is hard and involves multitasking. Recent research on this topic suggests that multitasking can reduce productivity, because it takes a ton of mental energy to switch from one task to the next. "The sheer number of hours demanded by the superjob also can impair your performance, as your brain gets fatigued" says Susan Koen, an organizational psychologist and consultant whose clients include Pfizer, Alcoa, and Procter & Gamble.
More than half of all employees say they have taken on extra roles at their jobs since the recession began. So what can you do if you are coping with a heavy workload?
Get Coaching: There are lots of courses on time management and delegation of responsibilities.
Blow Off Steam: Check out the availability of stress-reduction seminars.
Manage Up: Notify your boss when you're given conflicting priorities or an unmanageable workload.
Cap Your Hours: Working 14+ hour days usually disrupts your sleep pattern and may lead to cognitive impairment. Strive to keep the day's work hours in single digits.
If things don't change, maybe it's time to look at other job opportunities and see what other companies are offering so you can have a better work/life balance.
Contact us today for job coaching or to prepare for your next position.
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PCs on Company Time
 More workers want to use their iPads, smartphones and other personal technology at work, forcing many corporate IT departments to be more flexible. According to a recent article in the New York Times, employees are bringing in the technology they use at home and demanding the IT department accommodate them. IT departments are more often than not saying yes.
"We heard from people saying, 'How come I have better equipment at home?' ", said Mike Cunningham, the Chief Technology Officer for Kraft Foods. "So the company addressed the issue with handing out a stipend. Employees use the money to buy whatever laptop they want from Best Buy, Amazon.com or the local Apple store."
"Bring Your Own Device" policies, as they are called, are shifting the balance of power among electronic makers. Manufacturers good at selling to consumers are increasingly gaining the upper hand, while those focused on bulk corporate sales are slipping. Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry have dominated the workplace, but Apple - the iPhone, iPad and MacBook have made major inroads.
IT departments are gradually warming up to the idea simply because their bosses have left them little choice. A survey of more than 1,700 information workers earlier this year by Forrester showed how much of the equipment-buying decision rests with employees. Nearly half of the respondents said they bought their work smart-phone while 41 percent said their employer paid; 9 percent said the cost was shared.
"As long as they're productive, innovative and engaged, we're happy" said Steve Swasey, a spokesman for Netflix. Kraft Foods' "Bring Your Own Laptop" policy started a year and half ago and now around 800 employees receive a stipend.
"Bring Your Own Device" is not for every company. Because of security concerns and data retention laws, some firms like Wells Fargo do not let employees connect to corporate networks with their personal electronics. "Protecting the customers is more important than any benefit from letting employees use their personal devices for business" said Jim Spicer, Chief Information Officer.
Many companies have expanded the choice of corporate-owned devices that it issues to employees to include more consumer-oriented products. What is your company doing with their "Bring Your Own Device" policy?
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Sincerely,
Julie Lentner
Core Management Search, LLC
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