A new CareerBuilder survey, released today, indicates that nearly a quarter of employers (23 percent) rate their organization’s current employee morale as low. According to Jason Ferrara, CareerBuilder’s Vice president of corporate marketing, low morale is an unfortunate side effect of this recession.  

Additionally, 40 percent of workers report that they have had difficulty staying motivated at work in the last year, and 24 percent do not feel loyal to their current employer. These findings should alarm employers, who – if they don’t start working to engage and retain their current employees – could see some of their top talent leave for better opportunities as the job market recovers and more positions open up.   

In order to proactively reduce feelings of low morale, organizations are stepping up their communication efforts, offering more employee recognition programs and providing more flexible work opportunities. (For more ways to increase morale, check out 8 Little Things that Make a Big Difference to Your Employees.)

In the survey, workers revealed the top factors that were contributing to low morale levels:

• 40 percent attributed their low morale to high stress levels at work is high
• 47 percent blamed an increased workload over the last six months
• 20 percent say that are dissatisfied with their work/life balance.

Another possible reason for the low morale levels? Nearly two-in-five workers (38 percent) felt there was departmental favoritism at work, and nearly 30 percent said they didn’t think their department was important to senior leadership. When asked what type of preferential treatment workers thought the favored department received, they said that they: 

• Tend to get higher pay
• Receive more recognition by senior leaders
• Have more flexibility in their work arrangements
• Receive more funding/resources
• Tend to have greater career advancement opportunities
• Tend to have more training and leadership development opportunities
• Are able to follow a more casual dress code
• Are awarded with trips while other departments are not

Do you think there’s favoritism at your company?  What steps are you taking to raise morale levels?

CareerBuilder recently asked more than 2,900 hiring managers about the most memorable employee requests they’ve received in the office suggestion box. To say the results were “interesting” would be an understatement.

The most memorable suggestion box requests:

• Allow people to change clothes in their cubicles
• Add a tanning bed to the break room
• Put beer in the vending machine
• That jail time be covered under family medical leave
• Institute “Bikini Fridays”
• Be required to work only during daylight hours because employee is scared of the dark
• Create a special smoking area for medical marijuana
• That the HR person wear nicer shoes
• More time off to pursue side business as a clown
• Replace employee’s desk with a futon so he could lay down and work
• That the lactation room with gliding chair be used for naps, so everyone can use it
• Install a swimming pool for employees to use
• Have the team meeting be held in Hawaii

So… what are the most horrifying memorable requests or recommendations you’ve received in your office suggestion box? Can you top these?

CareerBuilder recently asked more than 4,000 workers nationwide, “Which Halloween character does your boss most resemble?” – among other questions – for its Halloween survey, released today.

According to the survey, 18 percent of workers describe their workplace as scary. (And no, that’s not as in “scary how awesome it is.” Sorry.) When asked what made their workplace so frightening, workers reported the following aspects of their jobs:

• Workload  (18 percent)
• Performance reviews  (9 percent)
• Tight deadlines  (9 percent)
• Hours worked  (8 percent)
• Their boss or supervisor  (7 percent)
• Sitting through meetings  (6 percent)

It also doesn’t help, perhaps, that many workers likened their own bosses to famous Halloween characters.  When asked which popular characters best reflect their boss’s behavior, and why, workers said the following:

• Glenda the Good Witch – Liked and respected by all (20 percent)
• The Wolf Man – Fine one minute, but howling the next (11 percent)
• The Invisible Man – Never around (10 percent)
• Casper the Friendly Ghost – Eager to help, but often misunderstood (9 percent)
• Dracula – Constantly sucking the life right out of you (6 percent)
• Wicked Witch of the West – Always acting conniving and sending out minions to do his/her dirty work (5 percent)
• The Mummy – Slow-moving, with an ancient thought process (4 percent)
• Grim Reaper – Constantly delivers bad news and inspires fear among workers (3 percent)
• Frankenstein’s monster – Green with envy (1 percent)

Yikes. Not the most flattering depictions, most of these…but at least there weren’t any Norman Bates’ (‘dresses up like dead mother, spies on you in the shower’) or Pennywises (‘haunts your dreams, wears too much makeup’) listed. (Silver lining!) 

Which Halloween character do you think your colleagues would compare you to?

According to the survey, one third (34 percent) of human resource managers said missing open enrollment costs employees, on average, at least $500 in out-of-pocket expenses. Twenty percent reported that it costs employees more than $1,000 while 10 percent reported it costs employees more than $2,500.

Another major finding from the survey is that one of the main reasons employees don’t participate in open enrollment or take advantage of certain benefits is simply because they’re unaware these programs even exists. 

The impact of employee open enrollment on employers 

It’s to your benefit to make your employees aware of their options – and assist them in making better informed financial decisions – during open enrollment. Taking the following extra steps to make your employees aware of their money-saving options will increase their satisfaction levels, increase productivity and boost their feelings of loyalty (something that, according to Harvard Business blogger Michael Watkins, companies need to foster now more than ever if they want to retain their best performers). 

• Boost internal communications. Send out continual email announcements and reminders encouraging people to enroll, and schedule departmental or companywide meetings to do the same.
• Make the process as easy for them to use and understand, as they’ll be more likely to participate that way.  Have HR host workshops with various groups to demonstrate how to use open enrollment, or post a Web tutorial on the company intranet.
• Be up front about any plan increases.  It’s very likely that health care costs at your company are going up, and while you might not be crazy about the idea of telling your employees this, they will appreciate the honest and open communication.  And with the rising costs, you might…
• Consider offering alternative health insurance.  More employers are including consumer-directed  health savings plans among their options this year, according to the Associated Press, which have the potential to cut down on premium payments and giving consumers a tax break.  Whatever you do, you’ll want to…
• Help your employees choose the best plan for them.  Bring in a financial counselor to meet with employees and help them make better informed decisions. Better yet, request a presentation meeting with your carrier to review benefits with your staff and let them ask questions personally.  

How are you keeping your employees in the know about open enrollment?

As in 2008’s most unusual sick excuses, this year’s list is spotted with strange animal injuries, other bouts with nature or pedestrians, and questionable friendships, as well many head-shakers, like “I accidentally hit a nun with my motorcycle.” In a new twist, however, this year’s survey results are reflective of the effect of our tough economic climate, as 28 percent of employers think more employees have been absent with fake excuses due to increased stress and burnout due to the recession.

Here are 2009’s Most Unusual Excuses for Missing Work:

1. No shoes, no shirt, no work:   I got sunburned at a nude beach and can’t wear clothes.
   
2. We’re not in Kansas anymore:  I woke up in Canada.
3. Scaly situation:  I got caught selling an alligator.
4. With friends like these… : My buddies locked me in the trunk of an abandoned car after a weekend of drinking.
5. Mom knows best:  My mom said I was not allowed to go to work today.
6. Stinging conclusion: A bee flew in my mouth.
7. Meh: I’m just not into it today.
8. Not hot: I have a headache from eating hot peppers.
9. Plant rage: A random person threw poison ivy in my face and now I have a rash.
10. Domestic bliss: I’m convinced my spouse is having an affair and I’m staying home to catch them.
11. Beach fun:  I was injured chasing a seagull.
    

“Longer hours and heavier workloads are common in the current economic climate and employers are becoming more flexible with their time off policies,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “Sixty-three percent of companies we surveyed said they let their team members use sick days for mental health days.  If you need time to recharge, your best bet is to be honest with your manager.”

Manager (Over)Reactions?

Managers, however, don’t always give employees the benefit of the doubt, which doesn’t exactly cultivate a culture of honesty and trust. But would you do the same?

• 29 percent of employers have checked up on an employee who called in sick
• Of those employers: 70 percent required a doctor’s note, 52 percent called the employee at home, 18 percent had another worker call the employee, and 17 percent drove by the employee’s place of residence
• 15 percent have fired a worker for missing work without a legitimate excuse
  

So… what are the real reasons workers missed work? (Hint: they have nothing to do with alligators or angry poison ivy-throwing):

• 31 percent needed to get to a doctor’s appointment
• 28 percent needed to relax
• 16 percent wanted to catch up on sleep
• 13 percent wanted to run personal errands
• 12 percent said it was work-related (they wanted to miss a meeting, give themselves some more time to work on a project or avoid the wrath of a boss, colleague or client)
• 10 percent wanted to catch up on housework, and another 10 percent wanted to spend time with family and friends
• But the biggest reason for missing work? About a third of workers (32 percent) just didn’t feel like going to work that day.

What are the most unusual excuses you’ve gotten via phone, text, e-mail, sky message, or carrier pigeon (or, as is the trend above, seagulls)?

It may seem silly, but when you’re in these situations yourself, it doesn’t always feel that way – personal hygiene and appearance are pretty sensitive subjects, and rather than risk awkwardness by trying to save someone from future embarrassment, many of us will do anything we can to avoid it altogether.  Case in point: When I told a friend of mine about this survey, she immediately related:

“We had a guy at my office who smelled,” she said.  The guy’s body odor was so distracting, in fact, that my friend went to HR about it. When HR told her that it was her job to tell the employee, she went to some male co-workers asking them to say something to the guy, but they, too, refused. 

“What did you eventually do?” I asked her.

“Nothing,” she said. “He doesn’t work there anymore.” 

“Oh.” Not the answer I was hoping for.  Awkward silence.

“He wasn’t let go or anything,” she added. ”He just left. I forget why.” 

For her, the problem solved itself (sort of), but I still felt bad for the employee she was talking about; however, I don’t know how I would’ve handled the situation myself, and as the survey results indicate, not many others would have handled the situation differently than my friend had:

Only 28 percent of survey respondents revealed that they would tell a co-worker at an equal or lower level that he/she needed a shower; while only 11 percent would do the same for a higher level co-worker.    

On a similar note, I recently came across this post on ERE.net by recruiter Sarah Welstead, who suggests that it’s in recruiters’ best professional interests to give candidates with bad personal hygiene a heads-up. After all, the author reasons, “if we don’t tell them, who will?…These candidates will be unemployed for months.” 

What are your thoughts? Do you agree? Have you ever had to confront a co-worker about bad hygiene, and if so, how did you do it?

Keep reading for full survey results.

CareerBuilder asked over 4,400 workers nationwide, “If given the following embarrassing situations, which of your co-workers would you tell the following?”

“Your zipper is undone.”

• Same level co-worker – 67 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 62 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 50 percent

“You have something in your nose.”

• Same level co-worker – 51 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 46 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 33 percent

“You have food in your teeth or on your face.”

• Same level co-worker – 66 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 60 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 49 percent

“Your hair is messy.”

• Same level co-worker – 33 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 30 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 13 percent

 “You have a stain on your clothes.”

• Same level co-worker – 51 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 47 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 34 percent

“You need a breath mint.”

• Same level co-worker – 33 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 29 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 14 percent

“You need a shower.”

• Same level co-worker – 28 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 28 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 11 percent

“Your apparel is not appropriate for the office.”

• Same level co-worker – 32 percent
• Lower level co-worker – 37 percent
• Higher level co-worker – 10 percent

As we continue to experience the effects of a sluggish economy, many workers are struggling with household budgets. A whopping 61 percent of workers report they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet, up from 49 percent last year and 43 percent in 2007, according to a new nationwide survey of more than 4,400 workers by CareerBuilder. Thirty percent of workers with salaries of $100,000 or more report that they too live paycheck to paycheck, up from 21 percent in 2008.

So, how are workers getting by?

• More than one in five (21 percent) workers say they have reduced their 401(k) contributions or personal savings in the last six months to get by. (Six-figure earners aren’t exempt, either; 23 percent report doing the same to make ends meet.)
• More than one-third (36 percent) of workers say they do not participate in any programs such as 401(k), IRAs or retirement plans at all, up from 31 percent in 2008.
• In addition, one-third (33 percent) report that they don’t put any money aside and into their savings each month, up from 25 percent in 2008
• Of those who do set money aside for savings, 30 percent set aside $100 or less per month and 16 percent save less than $50.

“Workers are employing a variety of tactics to help make ends meet in this economy,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.

“Whether it’s by keeping a tighter budget, finding ways to bring in additional income or adjusting their savings strategies, workers are doing their best to weather the current storm.  These good financial habits will not only help workers in the short-term, but better position them for the future.”

But just because your employees are employing their own survival tactics doesn’t mean you don’t have a responsibility as an employer to do what you can to help. Haefner offers the following tips to help your employees ride out the economic downturn and prepare for the future (full tips here):

• Keep track of spending – Help employees create a spreadsheet to analyze what they spend each month, including the money spent on those inevitable invisible expenses, such as a morning coffee, cab rides or afternoon snacks. Once they can see where their money goes, they can more clearly see where they can cut back.

• Speak up – Set up a meeting with your employees and members of your HR department, in which employees can learn or be refreshed on what is available to help them save on monthly expenses. Is your company still offering flexible spending accounts, wellness benefits, retail discounts, transit reimbursement or anything else employees may not be aware of? An informal meeting in which employees can ask questions and clear up uncertainties may be extremely helpful for them.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

While awareness and satisfaction levels for staffing firms have increased over the past year (that’s the good news), a new survey by CareerBuilder and Inavero Institute indicates there’s still a lot of room for improvement in these areas (that’s…well, you get it)

 “While staffing firms have done a better job delivering their value to clients, job seekers, however, are still looking for a more engaging and positive experience,” said Todd McCormick, president of CareerBuilder’s Recruiter Business Unit.

CareerBuilder and Inavero surveyed more than 2,100 staffing industry clients and 19,000 job candidates nationwide over the course of four years, and published the results in the newly released Opportunities in Staffing 2009: a Comprehensive Guide to Clients and Candidates.  ”This guide is designed to identify opportunities to expand business and support the continued growth of staffing firms in the recruitment arena,” said McCormick.  

Looking at the client and candidate perceptions and opinions of the staffing industry, highlighted in the guide, it seems as though those opportunities lie in at least three major areas:  

Branding efforts:

• While staffing firm awareness and utilization is up slightly among job seekers, the study found that 78 percent of job seekers still don’t utilize a staffing firm as part of their job search. Lack of awareness and misconceptions about staffing firms are common reasons for not utilizing staffing firms as part of their job search.
• The survey also found that, while awareness of staffing firms among clients has increased since last year, the survey showed that no staffing firm is “top of mind” (first brand mentioned) with more than 5 percent of clients.
• These findings indicate that staffing firms need to extend their branding efforts across the board – targeting both clients as well as candidates.

Social media presence:

• The average job candidate spends more than five hours on social media sites each week; however, only one in five organizations indicated utilizing social networking as part of their recruiting strategy.
• By ignoring the influence and prominence of social media in job seekers’ everyday lives, organizations are missing out on an opportunity to tap into a significant talent base.

Candidate sourcing:

• The survey found that the majority of candidates (84 percent) utilize more than three resources as part of their job search, indicating staffing firms need to expand their efforts and reach out to candidates through a number of different means. (Seems utilizing social media would be a good start…See above.)

For more findings or information on the study itself, download a free executive summary here or go here to see the press release.

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey on military veterans re-entering the workforce, 41 percent of employers reported that they have hired U.S. veterans or members of the National Guard in the last six months.  Just over 20 percent said they are actively recruiting veterans and members of the National Guard for open positions today – most commonly in the areas of information technology, engineering, management and sales.    

So what makes this group of workers so special that employers are specifically targeting them? Survey participants also listed the top attributes they associated with military personnel: 

• Disciplined approach to work (cited by 68 percent of employers surveyed)
• Ability to work as part of a team (63 percent)
• Respect and integrity (57 percent)
• Leadership (50 percent)
• Problem-solving skills (46 percent)
• Ability to perform under pressure (44 percent)
• Communication skills (37 percent)

To further help companies find employees with these valuable skill sets, CareerBuilder recently launched MissionGetHired.com, dedicated to helping match employers and military personnel. Veterans and National Guard members can identify employers who are sensitive to their employment needs, while employers can benefit from targeting these uniquely skilled workers for their positions.

Released today, the report, conducted by CareerBuilder and Robert Half International, provides an overview of the current employment situation, as well as a glimpse of the future hiring landscape.  More than 500 hiring managers and 500 workers nationwide participated in the study, now in its fifth year.

Looking at the results of the report, it looks like employers are going to have to pull out all the financial stops to retain their high performers as the economy turns around: Fifty-five percent of workers plan to make career changes, look for new jobs or go back to school after the economy improves.  And nearly half (49 percent) of employees said that the most effective way to keep them on board will be pay increases.  In fact, 28 percent plan to ask for a raise.

Another 20 percent of employees said they hope for better benefits and perks – mostly in the way of technology upgrades, tuition reimbursement and subsidized training – once the economy turns around.  

Not least of all, employers have to consider the impact of the recession on its workforce when looking at retention strategies.  “As businesses look to the future, they also have to consider how tough decisions made during the financial crisis have impacted job satisfaction and loyalty of their current staff members,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder, in today’s press release.

These are only a few of the many key findings in the report: I encourage you to read the full press release here or download the full 2009 EDGE report here.  Also, be sure to watch this video of Matt Ferguson on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street as he discusses the findings and what it means for the job market.