When corporate America was slammed with recession and started clearing the deck with layoffs to save costs, a good portion of companies upped their in-house communication in an attempt to thwart water cooler gossip and keep a handle on morale. But such talk is waning according to a new study by Watson Wyatt.
In an exceptionally healthy workplace in the 90′s, an on-site gym, cleaner organic food in the company cafeteria, and the occasional chair massage might have been the norm. These days, since workers are more concerned with keeping their jobs than putting on a few extra pounds, it’s a different story. One could argue it ‘s just as important to feel good – as to look good – mentally and physically.
It’s part of the Accenture Media Exchange – a program which encourages employees to put their creativity to work while addressing inside company issues.
The title of “People Operations” replaces “Human Resources” at Google. The innovative leaders in that department appear to have a different take on the human condition at work. Google is known for how they value their human capital, thus setting the stage for innovation and brilliance.
A winter freeze has taken residence across parts of the country. The snow is falling, people are staying indoors and a storm is brewing outside (and in the markets) as I write these words. Although the wicked weather is a frightful mix of whipping winds, gray skies and the occasional snowflake where I live in New York, a rather large afternoon crowd took to the treadmills, weights, and steamroom this afternoon at my local gym; myself included.
This is really the time to turn up the heat and put more effort into removing holiday pounds. And with the job numbers at a new low not seen since after Katrina, it’s also a time to turn up the heat at work or in your career. Talk of recession might spark some jitters in job stability moving forward in 2008 due to the housing market mess and other fallout from the subprime crunch. It really depends on the sector in which you work. Regardless, it’s not such a bad idea to pump up the volume on your image at work or in business. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
What is the role of happiness in business? Does it have a place? This question was posed by Tom Clifford at DirectorTom.Com – an enlightened corporate filmmaker who I have had the pleasure to work with.
I think it comes down to lexicon and an individuals perception of what happiness is. Let’s deconstruct.
In his column on Web Worker Daily, Lea Babauta, who is also the proprietor of ZenHabits.net, offers some practical advice in his post, Cutting the Fat to Get to Lean Productivity. He lists items we should do away with or systems that need to be morphed to become a more lean machine at work. It’s…
Investors couldn’t run from the bulls fast enough today on Wall Street. In a quick departure on poor housing numbers and increasing credit woes, the Dow closed down more than 300 points or about 2.2 percent. The question is – will the housing concerns spread to the broader economy? The Fed’s Beige Book this week…
