Archive for May, 2008
Rising Fuel Costs Raising Employer Concerns
May 22, 2008
It’s no secret that companies across the country are feeling the burn of the current fuel crisis. With oil prices setting new records daily and gas prices of $12 predicted as “inevitable,” many companies are being forced to take extreme measures in order to make up for rapidly increasing company costs.
American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier, has announced that they will begin charging $15 for your first checked bag, in addition to cutting flights and staff. According to CBS3.com, some Pa. trucking companies are even spending more on fuel costs than on drivers’ wages.
- Categories: Economy, Employee Retention, Going Green
Companies That Go Green May Start Seeing Green
May 21, 2008
When it comes to “going green,” are we missing an important piece of the puzzle? That’s the concern Laura Vanderkam raised in yesterday’s USA Today about the growing number of businesses jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. While more companies are tweaking their products to appeal to an increasingly environmentally conscious consumer base, they should also focus on internal initiatives, like letting employees work from home or investing in energy-saving technology. Not only do these efforts reduce the strain on the environment, as USA Today’s Edward Iwata points out, but also – and perhaps more enticingly – they save companies money. Companies spend less on fuel and real estate while reducing turnover rates and increasing productivity by keeping their workers happy.
What’s more, attention to environmental issues can be a great bargaining tool recruiting new employees, a recurring topic of discussion at FORTUNE’s Brainstorm: Green conference last month. After all, with the Baby Boomers on the brink of retiring, environmentally aware “Millenials,” members of Generation Y, make up the next generation of workers, and more companies, like conference attendee Lehman Brothers, find implementing green initiatives to be a key factor in recruiting this age group.
- Categories: Employer Advice, Going Green
Going to SHRM 2008 in Chicago?
May 20, 2008
SHRM 2008 in Chicago is only a month away. If you are attending this year, make sure to stop by the CareerBuilder.com booth #2031 to learn how to maximize your recruiting efforts – and meet Chicago Bears legend, William “The Refridgerator” Perry.
Be on the lookout for more details from CareerBuilder.com in the coming weeks.
- Categories: Events
Warning Signs of Slumping Morale at Work
May 20, 2008
As a manager, you try to do everything right by your employees. You’ve read all the books that explain how to be a great leader, you keep free coffee in the kitchen, you host “Hawaiian Shirt Fridays” – all in the hopes that they will grow into energetic, enthusiastic workers. Heck, maybe someday they’ll even be managing a new generation of workers themselves. But one day, out of the blue, one of your employee dashes those dreams by coming to you and saying those three words that every manager dreads hearing: “I don’t care.”
When employee morale takes a turn for the worse, it may seem sudden; in reality, however, there are often warning signs to indicate an oncoming slump. Do your own employees exhibit the following behaviors?
- Categories: Employer Advice

