These interesting stats come from “Human Resource Executive” magazine and will make you think:
* According to the 2008-2009 Global Leadership Forecast, only 35 % of 13,700 leaders and HR professionals surveyed express high confidence in their companies’ leaders, the lowest numbers recorded since 1999.
* Employee absence costs U.S. organizations the equivalent of 36% of their base payroll, according to a Mercer survey of 455 employers.
* In 2008 22% of 3,169 hiring managers say they use social networking sites to research job candidates, up from 11% in 2006.
* The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration reports that 13.1 million illegal drug users held full-time jobs in 2007.
* 108 — Number of different occupations that Barbie has held during her 50-year run. Tickets to July’s National Barbie Doll Collector’s Convention sold out in two days!
* $17.94 — Average hourly wage for rank-and-file workers in the US in May 2008.
* 1 in 5 — Chance that an illness or accident will keep an employee out of work for at least one year. The length of the average long-term disability absence is 2.5 years.
* $6.8 Million — Valuation of a human life as determined by the EPA’s 2008 Value of a Statistical Life calculation!
* 10.6% — Unemployment rate in Michigan, the state with the highest level of unemployment. At the other end of the scale is Wyoming, with a 3.4% unemployment rate.
* 25 — of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Average, the number announcing job cuts since Oct. 25, 2008. Only two of the 30 companies saw their share prices go up in 2008: McDonald’s and Wal-Mart.
Now, after all that rather depressing news, go to www.barbaraglanz.com for some spirit lifting. Remember if you need help creating a workplace of great service, joy, and caring, Barbara Glanz, Certified Speaking Professional, is the one to help you!
