National Edition - December 23, 2007
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Reverse commuters reflect shift in land use
Zipping down an open road with traffic jams in the opposite direction is every commuter's fantasy. During rush hour, however, everyone's usually heading in the same direction, giving rise to stop-and-go traffic into downtown city business districts at dawn, and bumper-to-bumper traffic back to the suburbs at dusk. Until very recently, workers living downtown and commuting to offices in the suburbs enjoyed leisurely drives, both morning and night. Apparently, the proverbial cat is now out of the bag and an increasing number of employers and employees are jumping on the band wagon. The net result: heavy traffic in both directions at all times.
(Source: Report on Business)
Biometrics take 'funky' out of workplace
Taking on a part-time job at a high-end department store during the holiday season may seem like the perfect scheme to unscrupulous individuals who hope to pilfer their way through their holiday shopping lists. Not so fast, bub! These same tony retailers are sticking it to retail theft, an some $3.6-billion question for retailers in Canada, by putting the high-margins on must-have, sweatshop-produced fashion items to good use by reinvesting in biometric tills. These fingerprint scanners are a "steal," considering that they have eliminated a whole raft of in-store theft and pay for themselves in no time flat! Privacy fanatics need not apply.
(Source: Business Edge)
How to get serious about laughter
Only the bravest of executives would dare to propose implementing a humour program in the workplace to improve employee morale and productivity. In fact, the suggestion could even get them laughed out of the boardroom. However, results speak for themselves and are far more revealing that the most polished of presentations. Today's most forward-thinking companies are exploring this seemingly comical option by hiring humour consultants (think: failed stand-up comics) to josh around with employees and create a light-hearted atmosphere in the workplace.
(Source: Nova Scotia Business Journal)
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Facing an interview panel
It's harder to play the role of a convincing sycophant when standing before an entire job interview panel - someone's bound to see through the act. Eye contact remains key. The experience is at least twice as difficult to pass off as facing a single hiring manager. In fact, the stress-level factor amplifies exponentially depending on the number of people on the panel. If the story of your career path is too long-winded and downright boring, you'll be wasting everyone's time. Keep in mind, what's costly to them could be curtains for you.
(Source: Jobboom, Career Zone)
Stepping up to the plate
Children are the future of the earth, just as new managers are the lifeblood of successful organizations. As such, the demographic crisis afflicting the North American workforce is encouraging HR practitioners to promote high-potential employees to management positions much sooner than they would otherwise like. Seeing that the success of new managers is one of the lynchpins of succession management, the hand-held approach taken with children is in order.
(Source: Jobboom, Career Zone)
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Sniffing your photocopies again? Not everyone's job is as dangerous as Homer Simpson's in sector 7-G of the Springfield power plant. However, hidden hazards abound in even the most seemingly normal of workplace settings.
| - | If you work in a basement, check radon exposure - it's a proven carcinogen, second only to tobacco as a cause of preventable cancer.
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| - | Photocopiers emit ozone, a toxic gas with a sweet smell that can irritate eyes and the respiratory system, in addition to causing dizziness and fatigue.
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| - | Water leaks can be serious as they have the potential to introduce biological agents. Decaying food can introduce moulds into workplaces, and some moulds have even been associated with allergies.
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(Source: Financial Post)
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NOTICE: Jobboom and its sponsors do not necessarily endorse the opinions conveyed in the articles selected for this e-zine and do not assume any legal liability in consequence thereof.
Comments: info@jobboom.com
Research and editing: Austin Macdonald
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