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Overworked, Underpaid, and No Free Donuts and Coffee
Published: March 9, 2009
by Timothy Prickett Morgan
The economic meltdown has caused quite a few business practices to change in fairly short order, and office perks and various benefits that were affordable during good times are downright impossible to justify in the current economic climate.
To get a sense of what is going on out there in cubicle land, CareerBuilder.com commissioned a poll of 3,259 human resources managers (working at companies in the United States), which was performed by Harris Interactive in late November and early December last year, just as the economic crisis was ramping up to a scary pitch. Some 38 percent of managers said they expected to make administrative cuts (not necessarily layoffs) in 2009, and among those admitting they will be making cuts, 65 percent said they will be cutting back on corporate social events, such as picnics and holiday parties, and 61 percent said they would be cutting travel budgets. A quarter of the companies polled said they will have to cut healthcare benefits in some fashion and 11 percent said they would cut wellness benefits (such as sponsoring gym memberships). Another 21 percent said they would be chopping their philanthropic activities this year, and 34 percent said they would cut special office perks such as coffee, ice machines, and discounted vending machines.
The good news is that 39 percent of the HR managers polled said that they are offering flexible work schedules and telecommuting as options to their employees, which saves the company and the employee money in many cases. Some companies are offering discounts on public transportation, compressed work weeks (doing your 40 hours in four days instead of five, as if any of us work just 40 hours any more), and reimbursing at a higher rate for mileage on your car when you use it on behalf of the company. We'll see if these perks hold up if the economy stays tough, or worsens.
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Register today for COMMON's 2009 Annual Meeting & Exposition, April 26 - 30, 2009, in Reno, Nevada, at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino - learn more at www.common.org/annualmeeting
This premier Power Systems educational and networking event is COMMON's largest event of the year, offering five full days of IBM i and AIX education, evening networking socials, and the largest Power Systems-related Exposition to supplement your education. The Annual Meeting will feature well over 500 educational sessions, hands-on labs, and all-day workshops covering a wide variety of topics. All sessions are delivered by the most respected and knowledgeable presenters in the industry. Highlights include:
· Providing attendees with over 500 educational sessions to choose from over five days on
IBM i and AIX-related topics.
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· All-day pre-conference workshops providing an unprecedented opportunity to gain in-depth
and wide-ranging education that will immediately impact your daily work.
· The largest Exposition of its kind, giving you the ability to supplement your education
with the latest Power Systems-related solutions available.
· Over 80 vendors present in the Exposition to experience first-hand the next generation of
technologies and solutions that you can implement immediately.
· Special keynote address during Opening Session by Jeff Jonas, IBM Distinguished Engineer
and Chief Scientist, Entity Analytic Solutions, IBM Software Group.
· Extraordinary networking opportunities with other members of the COMMON community.
· Having fun and sharing with your peers, renowned speakers, IBM executives, and
fellow members.
Best Conference Value in 2009
The broad range of education on IBM i and AIX topics, the non-stop networking opportunities, and the largest Power Systems-related Exposition make the COMMON Annual Meeting an invaluable conference event. In fact, when you consider value of holding this event in Reno, this Annual Meeting is the most cost-effective Power Systems educational conference option in 2009.
Largest Power Systems-related Exposition
You will also have access to the world's largest Power System-related Exposition, which encompasses more that 80 of the leading industry exhibitors, including a large IBM presence. The COMMON Exposition provides a one-stop source of up-to-the-minute information and products for the IT industry. Discover what's new in the Power Systems world, and learn how you and your company can reduce costs and improve productivity by leveraging the products and services featured at the COMMON Exposition. It's a great way to supplement your education with hands-on exposure to the latest products and solutions available.
Invaluable Networking
In addition to the leading edge education, the Annual Meeting and Exposition provides an invaluable networking forum for attendees to interact with their Power Systems community. After a full day of education, the evening "Power Down" social events provide attendees the opportunity to relax, have some fun, and exchange knowledge and real-world experiences with fellow attendees, speakers, solution providers and IBM. The contacts you make at the conference will be as valuable as the education you receive.
The COMMON 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition is a Power Systems educational
and networking event that you and/or your team won't want to miss.
To learn more about the conference visit www.common.org/annualmeeting
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Editor: Timothy Prickett Morgan
Contributing Editors: Dan Burger, Joe Hertvik, Brian Kelly, Shannon O'Donnell,
Mary Lou Roberts, Victor Rozek, Kevin Vandever, Hesh Wiener, Alex Woodie
Publisher and Advertising Director: Jenny Thomas
Advertising Sales Representative: Kim Reed
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March 7, 2009: Volume 11, Number 10
February 28, 2009: Volume 11, Number 9
February 21, 2009: Volume 11, Number 8
February 14, 2009: Volume 11, Number 7
February 7, 2009: Volume 11, Number 6
January 31, 2009: Volume 11, Number 5
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