First Comment

Sometimes, the news just states the obvious...or what we think to be the truth (I call these "duh!"s). Here are a few examples of "duh"s in the recent news relating to the job world:

• Watson Wyatt and WorldatWork did a survey that Workforce Management quotes which says that cost cutting has damaged worker morale (duh!).
  

Yes, if you have been managing and awake at all during this Big, Bad Recession, you know that A) organizations have been slashing budgets and cutting costs in order to survive; and, B) that such large-scale cost cutting tends to have a highly negative impact on the most critical part of your organization—your workforce.

So, this new survey by Watson Wyatt and WorldatWork isn’t so much newsworthy or surprising as much as it as reconfirmation of what you already know and have probably experienced firsthand. Pay cuts, furloughs, layoffs, buyouts and other budget reductions might help organizations cope with the big economic downturn, but the flip-side to that is these very cuts are doing a number on the morale and engagement of the very employees you need to get beyond these bad times.

According to the 2009/2010 U.S. Strategic Rewards Survey, “employee engagement levels for all workers at the companies surveyed have dropped 9 percent since last year and close to 25 percent for top performers. Additionally, 36 percent of top performers say their employer’s situation has worsened in the past 12 months and the number who would recommend others take jobs at their company has declined by nearly 20 percent. Compared with last year, top-performing employees are 26 percent less likely to be satisfied with advancement opportunities at their company. They are also 14 percent less likely to want to remain with their company versus take a job elsewhere.”

• One of the hardest hit sectors, the insurance industry, has job losses for a 10th consecutive month according to Insurance Headlines (H/T Wendy). The unemployment for that sector is now at 9.7% and getting close to the 10% expected number. Not surprising for the industry that contained groups such as AIG.

• Lastly, a British graduate scored a job by using a sandwich-board according to Yahoo! Finance (H/T Wendy). Job seekers are always told to think differently from others, and this man certainly did. So it's not surprise he got an offer...of some sort. This may not be the best way about getting every offer you desire, however. From the recruitment firm that decided to interview him:

"I liked the fact he had thought out of the box. I was impressed by that. I was even more impressed after the interview. He's very employable, so much so I offered him a job to work with me."

Ryan Johnson's WorldAtWork blog says that equal pay will get even more play now with the Sarah Palin nomination as VP: click here

And indeed, Barack Obama's first shot at Palin came about because of this: click here

This is not the only issue for Human Resources that's at stake here...

Questions are floating around about whether she was picked because she was a woman and where she should be at this point in her life considering her special needs toddler and her pregnant teenage daughter. Whether you fall on one side of the issue or the other, these are legitimate questions to ponder...and to relate to as a Human Resource professional.

Are there double standards here? Would a male in the same position be examined in the same spotlight? Do you/others do this at your company? And how far do you think the Democrats can go in pursuing this line of thinking? Sexism has been a hot topic of the presidential race from Hillary Clinton to Sarah Palin and the issue is far from going away. This may be a good time to think about if it exists in your own company and how to combat that. And while politics don't always reflect real life, it'll be interesting to hear all the stories that come out in support or against Palin based on personal experiences people have had with this in the workplace.

UPDATE 10:45 AM EST: Politico has caught on and is saying the Senate Democrats are going to force McCain to vote on the issue of equal pay: click here

This info from WorldAtWork, when taken in tandem, doesn't look all that great...

Average annual medical premium costs increased 6% this past year: click here

Pay increases on a national level are going to be 3.9% for this year: click here

(Doesn't seem to be a very good combination...)

Here are the results of the survey on a state/province level...

TABLE 1. Average Salary Budget Increases by Major Metropolitan Area (U.S.)

	Actual 2008	Projected 2009
NATIONAL	3.9%	3.9%
Atlanta	3.8%	3.8%
Baltimore	3.8%	3.8%
Boston	3.9%	3.9%
Chicago	3.8%	3.8%
Cincinnati	3.7%	3.8%
Cleveland	3.8%	3.8%
Dallas	3.8%	3.8%
Denver	3.9%	3.9%
Detroit	3.7%	3.8%
Houston	3.9%	3.9%
Los Angeles	3.8%	3.9%
Miami	3.8%	3.8%
Minneapolis	3.7%	3.7%
New York	3.8%	3.8%
Philadelphia	3.8%	3.9%
Phoenix	3.8%	3.8%
Pittsburgh	3.7%	3.8%
Portland	3.8%	3.8%
San Diego	3.8%	3.9%
San Francisco	3.9%	3.9%
San Jose	3.8%	3.8%
Seattle	3.8%	3.8%
St. Louis	3.7%	3.8%
Tampa	3.8%	3.8%
Washington, D.C.	4.0%	3.9%

TABLE 2. Average Salary Budget Increases by State (U.S.)

	Actual 2008	Projected 2009
NATIONAL	3.9%	3.9%
Alabama	3.8%	3.8%
Alaska	3.7%	3.8%
Arizona	3.8%	3.9%
Arkansas	3.7%	3.7%
California	3.9%	3.9%
Colorado	3.9%	3.9%
Connecticut	3.9%	3.9%
Delaware	3.7%	3.8%
Florida	3.8%	3.8%
Georgia	3.8%	3.8%
Hawaii	3.8%	3.8%
Idaho	3.7%	3.8%
Illinois	3.8%	3.8%
Indiana	3.6%	3.7%
Iowa	3.8%	3.9%
Kansas	3.8%	3.8%
Kentucky	3.7%	3.8%
Louisiana	3.9%	3.9%
Maine	3.8%	3.9%
Maryland	3.8%	3.8%
Massachusetts	3.8%	3.9%
Michigan	3.7%	3.8%
Minnesota	3.7%	3.8%
Mississippi	3.8%	3.8%
Missouri	3.8%	3.8%
Montana	3.7%	3.8%
Nebraska	3.8%	3.8%
Nevada	3.8%	3.8%
New Hampshire	3.7%	3.8%
New Jersey	3.8%	3.8%
New Mexico	3.9%	3.9%
New York	3.9%	3.8%
North Carolina	3.7%	3.7%
North Dakota	3.9%	4.0%
Ohio	3.8%	3.8%
Oklahoma	3.8%	3.8%
Oregon	3.8%	3.8%
Pennsylvania	3.8%	3.9%
Rhode Island	3.7%	3.8%
South Carolina	3.7%	3.7%
South Dakota	3.8%	3.9%
Tennessee	3.7%	3.7%
Texas	3.9%	4.0%
Utah	3.8%	3.8%
Vermont	3.8%	3.8%
Virginia	3.8%	3.9%
Washington	3.8%	3.9%
Washington, D.C.	4.0%	3.9%
West Virginia	3.7%	3.8%
Wisconsin	3.8%	3.8%
Wyoming	3.9%	3.9%

TABLE 3. Average Salary Budget Increases by Major Metropolitan Area (Canada)

	Actual 2008	Projected 2009
Calgary	4.0%	3.9%
Edmonton	4.0%	3.9%
Hamilton	3.8%	3.9%
Montreal	3.6%	3.6%
Ottawa	3.8%	3.8%
Quebec	3.6%	3.5%
Toronto	3.7%	3.7%
Vancouver	3.8%	3.8%
Winnipeg	3.9%	3.8%