This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert October 8, 2008 Corporate Blindness According to the latest Economic Anxiety at the Workplace poll results just released by Elliot Masie, 85 percent of respondents have at least some economic anxiety in their workplace and 29 percent experience “severe or high anxiety” in their workplaces. Only 15 percent reported "low or no anxiety in the workplace". The respondents were answering the question, "What is the level of economic anxiety in your workplace?" Interestingly, over 1,444 learning professionals worldwide responded to his poll in 72 hours. This poll is Masie's attempt to take the pulse of how workers and workplaces are reacting to the current economic crisis in the United States (and beyond). Masie's poll asked one additional question: "What, if any, action(s) has your organization's leadership taken to respond to the economic anxiety in the workplace?" The responses to this question reflect that corporations are "out of touch" with the feelings of their employees. The results were as follows: 21 percent said their organizations had provided "briefings by leadership on organization's economic health"; 13 percent said their organizations had provided "briefings by leadership on the economic crisis"; another 13 percent responded that managers had "conversations with employees on economic anxiety"; 7 percent provide "workshops/briefings on dealing with 401K management"; and a full 46 percent reported their organizations had taken "no actions as of today". Elliott Masie heads The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, New York think tank focused on how organizations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. Earlier this year, Gallup conducted a survey of Americans and reported that "the percentage of Americans saying they worry 'a great deal' about the economy has surged by more than 20 points over the past year", moving the issue from 6th on the list of 12 national issues measured in 2007 to a virtual tie for first today with healthcare. Healthcare issues are a concern for about 60 percent and the economy about 58 percent. These results are certainly a wake-up call for employers to take action and take it quickly. This economic anxiety is surely going to take a toll on productivity and retention. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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