Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

5 Truths About Work/Life Fit

My friend, Cali Yost, is an internationally-recognized expert on work/life fit.  In her new book, Tweak It: Make What Matters to You Happen Every Day, she suggests ways to hone in and make time for your most critical priorities.  But before you can do that, she shares some essential truths about work/life fit that are important to understand if we are to be satisfied at work and at home.

Truth #1:  A work/life mishmash is the new reality

As recently as the last decade, the hours of 9-to-5 were standard in most organizations.  You did your work during that period, and then you went home and took care of your personal life.  But the reality of people’s lives no longer matches those neat, rigid expectations.  The growing mismatch is causing people and business to suffer.

Truth #2: It’s not just your employer’s responsibility

Companies and managers alone can’t solve the work/life challenges of their employees.   Managers and HR departments can’t tell each person in the organization how to manage their work and life because everyone’s circumstances on and off the job are completely different.  Employers must create a work environment in which it is okay to discuss potential flexible work/life solutions.  Then we, individual employees, need to meet the organization halfway and come to the table with a plan that takes into consideration our needs and the needs of the business.

Truth #3: It’s work/life “fit,” not “balance”

Using “balance” to describe the goal of flexibility for individuals causes more problems than it solves.  That’s because there really isn’t a “balance” or ideal 50-50 split between work and life.  Most of the time, what we’re after is not working less, but working differently.  By shifting hours, allowing telecommuting, and changing the way work is completed, everyone can manage the way work fits into his or her life.  The goal is to create an environment where all of those different work/life fit realities can live together to achieve the goals of business over time.

For more truths from Cali's book, have a look at the full post on Intuit's Fast Track blog.

Is Your Workplace Safe?

Safety isn’t just a manufacturer-only concern. Protecting workers from falls and other physical injuries is part of it, but organizational safety also encompasses your employees’ ability to express themselves freely, and to come to work knowing that their confidential information will not be compromised. Whether you’re a small retail operation or a big consulting firm with employees worldwide, safety should be a critical issue. Not only will making safety a priority protect you from being sued, but it will also contribute to the overall strength of your culture.

Digicast is an Australia-based workforce consultancy that recently produced a white paper, Three Factors That Influence Workplace Culture, which connected safety to strong organizational culture. One interesting section dealt with the factors that influence safety. I’ve highlighted these in the “Five Commandments of Safety.”

1. Thou Who Has an Office Shall Clean It.

Digicast cites a study by Dave DeJoy and Todd Smith from the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, which found that a well-kept site usually means safety is a priority. “If you talk to people who do safety inspections,” DeJoy says, ”they will tell you that the first impression they get when they walk into a factory or construction site—how neat it is and whether employees seem to be actively engaged—often indicates whether a workplace is safe.”

2. Thou Shall Not Overwork Your Employees.

The same study by DeJoy and Smith also found that when work interfered with family demands, job performance was affected and the risk for injury increased by 37 percent. In 2011, when excessive working hours resulted in pilot error on several airlines, the FAA stepped in with regulations. Even if you’re not dealing with human lives, ensuring your employees have solid work-life balance and are satisfied in their roles will enhance safety and culture.

3. Thou Shall Not Make Safety an Afterthought.

Digicast says that progressive companies with best-in-class safety records include safety in all major decisions. Safety is a topic at every board meeting and all departments consider safety when developing products and services. Leaders don’t bury their heads in the sand, and HR is totally on board. “A lot of organizations are set up so there is a wall between HR and occupational health and safety, but the two can no longer afford to work in silos,” DeJoy says.

Jonathan Thomas of the National Safety Council adds, “The things that HR leaders are most concerned about are also the building blocks for building a safe workplace.”

Have a look at the AMEX Open Forum for more commandments of a safe work culture.

 

For Gen X, The Pressure's On

Perry Marshall is in the compression zone.  So are my husband and I.   So are most of our friends.

When I read Marshall’s blog post, Shout Out to the 30-Something Street Fightin Man, I thought a lot of you might be in the compression zone too.  According to Marshall, here’s what that phase of life involves:

Kid #3 just arrived.  Kid #2 is still in diapers and kid #1 is barely out of diapers.  The day starts when one of ‘em starts screaming at 3:45am and the sweet honey-dew of sleep is OVER.  Momma either stays at home, which means money is impossibly scarce, or momma goes to work and puts the kids in daycare, which means money is… impossibly scarce.  Everybody’s emotional tank is on “E” for Empty.

Dad works 1 1/2 jobs and he’s the “Go-To-Guy” in both of them.  His ‘superiors’ regard him as a promising young lad who has a lot of potential and a lot of heart, if only his daring adventures would pay off.  One morning he calls in late because a spat about loading the dishwasher all wrong turned into World War 3, and if we don’t sit down and talk this out right now, Momma’s probably gonna move in with her parents.

Deep in his heart he craves, yearns for, thirsts for… Respect.  From… somebody. Anybody.  “I wish SOMEBODY would listen to me. I wish ONE of these projects would come through as promised.  I wish ONE of these resumes I’m sending out would get an answer from a real manager instead of a form letter.”

When he was in the midst of the compression zone, a friend of Marshall’s told him:  “If you get through this and keep pressing forward, you’re gonna get to a next stage that’s a whole lot better.  It’s the harvest season of your life.  It’s when things really do start paying off.”

Is there really a light at the end of the tunnel?  More at Intuit's Fast Track blog.

In the Workplace, Appearance Still Counts for A Lot

In June of 2012, the University of Virginia announced the resignation of its president, Teresa Sullivan.  Faculty members received an e-mail indicating that the dismissal was due to a “philosophical difference of opinion” with the institution’s governing board.  Sullivan had been with the university just two years, and in the opinion of some, had been let go for little or no reason.

College presidents are chief executives too

In the New York Times Magazine, Sullivan’s allies suggested that she didn’t fit the governing board’s image of a chief executive.  Sullivan’s fashion sense, which was typically academic, had apparently offended the higher-ups.  During Sullivan’s performance review, she received comments that her dress was too informal. “I don’t know what the unprofessional dress was,” Sullivan told the Times. “I do live here at the university, so when I’m working out or doing something else here, people will see me.”

Would the same criticism be given to a man? Here what I think over at Intuit's Fast Track blog.

Turn Your Temp Job Into Full Time Gold

When most people think of temp work, they picture young professionals with no or very recent college diplomas working a series of low-level administrative jobs.

I’ve recently learned that this perception is very outdated.  In New York City recently, I sat down with Rebecca Cenni, CEO of Atrium Staffing, to talk about how the new kind of temporary worker is actually a mid-level professional who takes on a short-term consulting assignment in order to bolster her portfolio and fill in the employment gap while looking for a full-time job.

According to Rebecca, large and small organizations are increasingly turning to temporary workers as a way to mitigate the risk of hiring full-time employees in what is still considered a down economy.  By working with what Rebecca calls an “applicant-centric” staffing agency, professionals at all levels can assess the market and their individual options.

For many, those options might include a 2 week-3 month short-term assignment at an established company that might be more difficult to break into as a full-timer.  During the stint, their benefits would be paid by the staffing agency.

The question I’m sure you’re asking, though, involves how you can turn a temporary assignment into a full-time and more stable job. 

Understand what you’re getting into

Unlike full-time employees, you will initially lack context regarding how you are expected to perform and why.  To combat this, research the company ahead of your assignment and ask your staffing counselor or recruiter to tell you about how to get along in this particular culture.

Check out the full post on Intuit's Fast Track blog for more from Rebecca.

Hire Smart Like Billy Beane

Who could resist a movie with Brad Pitt?

In Moneyball, which is based on the 2003 book of the same name by Michael Lewis, Pitt plays Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics.

Pitt or no Pitt, I normally stay away from sports movies. But Moneyball is no ordinary sports movie. It’s a lesson in hiring to which all small- and large-business owners should pay attention.

Baseball’s Mistake in Identifying Top Talent

The basic premise behind Moneyball is that baseball scouts have recruiting all wrong.  For more than a century, they’ve been relying on statistics like batting average and runs batted in (RBI) to assess players’ future performance on Major League teams. 

Worse, more often than not they “go with their gut” when making hiring decisions, letting personal feelings about a player, how he looks in a uniform, and the role they picture him having on the team, influence their selections. 

Billy Beane’s Lean and Mean Hiring Machine

Once Billy Beane realized that neither the objective nor subjective measures being used correlated with team wins, he turned the whole system on its head. Beane worked with Athletics’ data analysts to reveal the key factor in predicting future player success: the on-base percentage. The more effectively a player can control the strike zone, the better he’ll perform overall.

Fortunately for the Athletics, this quality was cheaper to obtain than traditionally valued attributes, and despite being outspent by $80 million by teams like the New York Yankees, Billy Beane’s Athletics were competitive and strong.

For advice on how you can hire like Billy Beane (and save a bundle), read the full article at the AMEX Open Forum.

Gen Y Employment Trends for 2013

Members of Generation Y are desperate for jobs.  

Born after 1979, most have come of age during the recession, and their professional opportunities have been limited. Payscale, a provider of compensation data and software, and Millennial Branding, a Gen-Y research company led by personal branding expert Dan Schawbel, recently found that in general, Gen Y is unemployed and underemployed at a greater rate than the rest of the working population.

Gen Y Goes Retail

The research showed that although those in Gen Y admire companies such as Qualcomm, Google, Medtronic, Intel and Microsoft, they aren't holding out for jobs that would use advanced skills such as data analysis and social media optimization, opting instead to take lower-skilled jobs to pay the rent. In 2012, many Gen Y college grads hold either full or part-time jobs as retail floor clerks and sales associates.

They Do It Their Way

While they may be working at the mall now, Generation Y entrepreneurial ambitions. According to a recent study from freelancing website Elance, Gen Y workers are embracing the freelance lifestyle at a faster rate than their older peers.  And Schawbel and his colleagues uncovered that the third most-popular major for Gen Y college students was entrepreneurial studies.

For more on what Gen Y is looking for in a work environment, check out the full article at the AMEX Open Forum.

Independent Work is Increasingly Common

Having your own business was once a rarity. 

I remember when I first took the leap. I’d go to a party and tell people what I did, and oohs and ahs would ensue. The admiration bestowed on me then was similar to that of a movie star or a neurosurgeon. Most could not even imagine being their own boss.

Today, they’re not just imagining it. They’re doing it.

MBO Partners, an advisor to organizations who want to efficiently manage their  contingent workforces, recently released its second State of Independence in America study and the results of its first Independent Workforce Index. Since 2011, the independent workforce has grown by nearly a million people and currently contributes about one trillion dollars in revenue to the U.S. economy. 

Most interestingly, though, the research tells us a great deal about the face of the independent worker–defined as people who work at least 15 hours or more per week in non-traditional, non-permanent, full- or part-time employment–in 2013.

For more on the face of the independent workforce, read my Culture Beat column at the AMEX Open Forum.

Improving the Lot of Female Leaders

According to the 2011 Catalyst Census, women are no further along the corporate ladder than they were six years ago. Women still hold only 7.5 percent of executive officer top-earner positions and only 16 percent of board seats.

I recently met a psychologist who studies gender dynamics in the workplace, and she told me that she can’t imagine a world in which the gap between male and female leaders is totally closed. Apparently, there are too many biases and other factors involved—many of which we can’t control.

But what about what we can control? Are there things we can do within our cultures to facilitate the growth of female leadership? For five suggestions, please have a look at my Culture Beat column at the AMEX Open Forum.

 

Would You Work With Your Spouse?

If you want to know the future, your best bet is to ask Weiner, Edrich, Brown (WEB), one of the world’s top futurist consulting firms. WEB, a four-person operation founded in 1977, identifies and analyzes long-term trends that impact business. The direction of the firm is guided by two dynamic co-vice presidents who happen to be husband and wife.

Erica Orange and Jared Weiner met at the University of Rochester, and several years later, Erica began working for Jared’s mother Edie at her firm Weiner, Edrich, Brown. Edie gave Jared the ultimatum that if “things don’t work out between the two of you, I’m still keeping her.” Fortunately, it did. The two married and eventually Jared joined the firm.

The pair lives in an apartment in Manhattan and works in the same office two feet from one another. Incredibly, they don’t drive each other crazy.  To learn what makes their unique arrangement work, check out my full post at the AMEX Open Forum.