You, Me and Baby Makes Three

From the point a couple decides to conceive, a slew of questions pop up: Are we ready for this? Can we afford this? Will we be good parents? Also weighing heavily on their minds is: How will my boss take the news?

While companies of at least 50 employees are covered under the family-leave law, provided the employee has worked there for at least a year, many individuals are not lucky enough to meet those qualifications and have no guarantee of financial support from their employer. “According to a 2005 study by the Families and Work Institute, a nonprofit research group in New York, only 7% of companies offer at least six weeks off with some pay. Meanwhile, the number of employees who get fully paid maternity leave of any length dropped to 18% in 2005 from 27% in 1998.”

Even more surprising is that the United States is only one in a handful of countries whose governments don’t provide parental leave from work, joined by Papua New Guinea, Lesotho and Swaziland. To add insult to injury, we look to the other end of the spectrum where countries such as Sweden provide up to 480 days of paid leave to new mothers. 480 days!

Another concern employees may face during maternity leave, particularly if it is unpaid, is covering health insurance and continuing contributions to their 401k. Yet at a time when money is tight, it’s not hard to see why this financial burden can lead to added stress during and just after a pregnancy.

What types of coverage does your company offer its employees? Read more from MSN.

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group

Calling In "Well"

We’ve all had those days when our alarm sounds and, as we slowly roll over, we want nothing more than to call in sick for the day and go back to bed.

Today I contemplated calling in “well.” That’s right. My health is fine, but I’d argue that I could be more profitable to the organization if I were to stay home today and retain my health rather than coming in to work and getting sick. You see, in the past few days, I’ve noticed a number of different illnesses floating around the office but I had no choice but to go about my job and hope that my weekend plans weren’t sidetracked by sickness.

And I’m sure I’m not alone here. We’ve all at one point confined ourselves to our offices to avoid the germ carriers….or perhaps you were the one others were avoiding? So why do Americans in general have such difficulty taking a day off when they are ill? For some it is the workload they are leaving untouched for the day, or perhaps the looming thought of what the pile may look like when they return. For others it seems they have something to prove by “roughing it out.” Either way, their work suffers.

With cold and flu season just around the corner, we could all stand a reminder to take care of ourselves and not bring unnecessary germs to the workplace. It will prove to be more productive in the long run for everyone involved.

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group

Hold the Phone

Efficiency, productivity, technology. The three go hand-in-hand, and no one knows better how to use them than Generation Y. One of the keys to productivity today is the ability to multitask, and the easiest way to do that is to take advantage of the latest technology trends.

Gen Yers know firsthand how to take advantage of technology offerings to produce results. “ ‘It’s a lot more than “what can you pay me?” It’s about “what am I going to do and what kinds of tools will I have to do it?” ’ ” Some of these tools may include the following:

• Cell phones
• Text messaging
• Laptops
• Instant Messaging (IM)
• MySpace and Facebook
• Voice recognition software

While many of these seem foreign to an older workforce, technology is taking over and the workforce is becoming more one of multitasking, whether it be communicating through IM in the middle of the workday, or meeting via internet chat room or virtual meeting setup.

Pick up a copy of the September 4th Marketplace Magazine to read more.

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group

Broken Glass-Part II

When speaking of the “glass ceiling” effect, we typically think about the challenges women face in seeking equal treatment and compensation to their male counterparts. However, what happens then to a male in a female-dominated profession? Does he encounter the same limitations, or is he able to break through those barriers?

Today, more so than ever, the gender lines are blurred as women take to a male-centric business world and men are open to new opportunities in professions such as healthcare, travel and public relations.

So why do we still have these divisions in the 21st century? “Women enter into those areas because they are the most fulfilling. Men don’t because they feel they need to take on the responsibility of providing for the family, and the way they earn love is to earn money,” says psychologist Warren Farrell. Now that more households are pulling in a double income, it is less a priority for men to take a job based solely on the pay, and many men are beginning to chase professions which are more rewarding and interesting to them.

This also has an impact on certain professions as men and women think and work very differently in various situations. Whereas women are typically good at social occupations such as public relations, men can sometimes offer a new business perspective. Farrell adds, “If you have an attraction to a certain profession, chances are you’re going to be good at it.”

Finally, as we see more males entering female-dominated fields, we must also be aware of the possibility for a “glass elevator” or “glass escalator” scenario where there is a rapid promotion of men over women in those fields.

Does the “Reverse Glass Ceiling” Exist?

Nontraditional Jobs for Men

Posted by Shelly Paul, Career Management Coordinator, The H.S. Group