This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert November 18, 1998 More Movement Toward 24-Hour Living Our lifestyles are changing. And, as a result, so is the world around us. The strong economy has created greater demands on employers and on their employees. There's so much to do! And with the labor shortage, there simply aren't enough people to get it all done in the "normal" eight-hour day. So, people are working longer hours. With both parents working (in dual income households) and a large proportion of single parents (moms and dads), the kids need some serious attention in the precious little time when the folks aren't at work. Maintaining some sort of balance between work and kids requires creative juggling and a re-examination of priorities. When can we get the shopping done? Run errands? Take care of all those little details of life? More retailers are shifting to longer hours. Grocery stores, pharmacies, discount stores, and similar merchants are now open 24 hours. We're seeing evening hours at automotive service centers and specialty stores like Barnes & Noble (open until 11:00 p.m.). What's next? Need an x-ray? Santara Hospitals in Norfolk offer 24-hour scheduling for radiology services. The trend? Expect to see even more services available on a late-night or 24-hour basis. Municipal government offices, attorneys and accountants, doctors and dentists, florists, dry cleaners, repair shops, and maybe even the post office will be open later. Schools may be open later soon-giving the kids more education and reducing childcare needs. How can merchants maintain those hours in times of a labor shortage? They employ people whose spouses are working other shifts and people who want to work more than one job. And they design staggered schedules for workers, spreading the work over a longer period of time . . . and thus making greater use of existing facilities. Watch for companies to begin promoting long hours more as they compete for the business they need to keep going. And, anticipate continual evolution in how we spend our time to fulfill work, personal, and family obligations. © 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." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. 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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