Manufacturers’ News reports Maine is now home to 2,298 manufacturers employing 68,483 workers.

“Maine’s industrial sectors continue to be affected by the housing bust and the recession,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “However, we’re definitely seeing fewer job losses than we did a year ago and the recovery seems to have taken hold.”

Bright spots for the state included the expansions of Scott’s Miracle-Gro mulch and fertilizer plant, LaBree’s baked goods facility in Old Town; Old Town Canoe; Bigelow Center for Blue Biotechnology in East Boothbay, and Marlow Yachts’ proposal to buy a boat building school in Eastport and expand it into a yacht-building facility.

MNI reports transportation equipment remains the state’s largest sector by industrial employment with 9,653 jobs, virtually unchanged over the year. Second-ranked food products accounts for 7,633 manufacturing jobs, down 2.2% over the twelve-month period, following the closures of Oak Island Seafood in Rockland and a Bumble Bee sardine cannery in Prospect Harbor, among others. Paper products saw no significant change in employment, and ranks third at 7,089 jobs.

Sectors that lost jobs over the year included rubber/plastics, down 7.5%; industrial machinery and equipment down 7%; textiles/apparel down 5.9%; and lumber/wood down 5.9%. Jobs remained steady in electronics, while gains were seen in primary metals, up 15%; chemicals up 6.6% and fabricated metals up 4.3%.

MNI’s city data shows Portland is Maine’s top city for manufacturing employment, home to 5,146 jobs, up 1.7% over the year. Second-ranked Bath accounts for 5,080 jobs, with no significant change reported over the year. Industrial employment in Auburn fell 4.2%, with the third-ranked city home to 3,136 jobs. Westbrook saw a 5.2% increase in manufacturing employment, home to 3,024 jobs, while fifth-ranked Lewiston accounts for 2,665 jobs, virtually unchanged from a year ago.

Detailed profiles of Maine’s 2,298 manufacturers and 456 industrial distributors can be found in the 2011 Maine Manufacturers Register, available in print for $87 and on CD-ROM from $119. Each profile provides up to 30 facts, including vital contact information (phone, web, e-mail), 7,411 executives by name and title, product(s) manufactured, annual sales, number of employees, and more. Visitors to mnileads.com may generate custom profiles of manufacturers using thirteen different criteria, including area or zip code, county, SIC, sales volume, number of employees, and more.

Manufacturers’ News, Inc., publisher of manufacturers’ directories since 1912, compiles and produces manufacturing guides, statistics and databases for all 50 states. MNI also maintains IndustryNet.com, an industrial search engine designed specifically for locating
manufacturers and suppliers nationwide. For more information, contact Manufacturers’ News, Inc., 1633 Central St., Evanston, IL, 60201, 847-864-7000, FAX 847-332-1100.

==================

SOURCE Manufacturers’ News, Inc.

CONTACT: Jennifer Ratcliff of Manufacturers’ News, Inc.,
+1-847-864-9440 ext. 241, jratcliff@manufacturersnews.com

Web Site: http://www.manufacturersnews.com

TAGS: Industrial employment, Maine, Bath, Portland, Employment Trends

DALLAS, TX /PRNewswire/ — In a worrying development for equal employment opportunities across the globe, new research commissioned by flexible workspace solutions provider Regus reveals that only 28 percent of U.S. firms declare they plan to hire working mothers in 2011, as compared to 46 percent a year ago. U.S. firms also plan to hire fewer working mothers than their global counterparts, with 36 percent of companies globally planning to hire working mothers in 2011.

The study, which surveyed the opinions of business owners when it comes to working mothers, revealed residual concerns amongst employers. Business owners surveyed responded that they felt working mothers may:

>> Show less commitment and flexibility than other employees – 37 percent

>> Leave shortly after training to have another child – 33 percent

>> Have out-dated skills – 24 percent

In the U.S. employers were particularly concerned about a working mother’s schedule flexibility (25 percent), but much less worried about out-of-date skills (14 percent).

Sande Golgart, regional vice president for Regus comments, “With a record 6.4 million women without work in November 2010(1) coupled with our survey data, it’s clear that business owners still view hiring working mothers as a gamble in uncertain economic times. However, as hiring and retention become bigger focuses in 2011, savvy business owners will find that they are able to attract top talent and provide a more family friendly and productive work environment simply by allowing employees to work flexible hours or from remote offices closer to home. These types of benefits improve morale and
productivity across the board, cultivating a stronger, more motivated workforce.”

Methodology

Over 10,000 business respondents from the Regus global contacts database were interviewed during August and September 2010. The Regus global contacts database of over 1 million business-people worldwide is highly representative of senior managers and owners in businesses across the globe. Respondents were asked about their intentions to hire working mothers and about their role in the workplace. The research was managed and administered by the independent organization, MarketingUK.

About Regus

Regus, the world’s leading global provider of innovative workplace solutions with 1,100 locations in 500 cities and 85 countries, offers products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios.

For more information, visit www.regus.com.

To download a copy of the full report please visit www.regus.presscentre.com

(1) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-04/u-s-expansion-struggles-to-become-broad-based-as-job-growth-lags-behind.html

=================

SOURCE Regus

CONTACT: Julia Gaynor, Affect Strategies, +1-212-398-9680,
jgaynor@affectstrategies.com

Web Site: http://www.regus.com

TAGS: Employment Trends, Working Mothers, 2011 Jobs Market,

LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Many great new jobs can be created by innovations in technology that are being developed through university research labs and innovative start-up companies across the nation if Congress can give Americans the opportunity to learn new skills to get those jobs, according to a study published in a new book: Closing America’s Job Gap by Mary Walshok, Tapan Munroe and Henry DeVries (W Business Books, January 2011).

“Job creation opportunities are tremendous if the new U.S. Congress can better align training with America’s areas of successful innovation in such areas as healthcare IT, digital media, precision manufacturing and retrofitting buildings to new environmental standards,” says Walshok, a sociologist who has done research for the U.S. Department of Labor and the dean of continuing education at the University of California San Diego (http://extension.ucsd.edu). “This can best be done by modifying existing workplace skills or helping recent college graduates find jobs.”

According to Closing America’s Job Gap, the top ten ways the new U.S. Congress can create jobs are:

1. Encourage Start-Ups. Congress needs to create and keep good jobs in America by supporting innovative start-up companies that create jobs and provide incentives for retraining people to be qualified for new technologies.

2. Bottom Up, Not Top Down. Rather than federal top-down strategies for job creation, evidence from across America indicates the time has come for a bottom-up approach that harnesses the wisdom of local communities. The federal government needs to invest regionally in the kinds of collaborations that are already producing good jobs in high tech, biotech and clean tech, for which specialized training may be needed.

3. Tax Incentives for Training and Tuition Assistance Programs. Investment in employee training is rising but could use a boost. According to the University and Professional Continuing Education Association, employers want to increase their investment in employee education, a clear recognition that they need a highly skilled workforce to remain competitive. The government should provide incentives.

4. Tax Incentives for Time Off for Continuing Education. One roadblock to “reskilling” is that many employees find it difficult to pursue continuing education while balancing work and family obligations. Employers should offer flexible, convenient educational options to help increase participation. Tax incentives for doing so would go a long way.

5. Support Regional Business Clusters. In today’s environment, regions need to be thinking about the industry clusters that can harness their assets to grow innovative new enterprises that can contribute to job creation. Central governments in advanced countries have launched numerous programs to promote growth-producing collaboration in key industry clusters. In fact, 26 of 31 European Union countries have cluster initiative programs, as do Japan and Korea. The United States needs cluster strategies that include provisions for workforce development.

6. Assemble the Right Team. Federal programs should maximize the resources provided for regional collaboration. Bring together the four key players in economic growth: the research community; the
entrepreneurs and investors; the economic development associations; and the educators and workforce training organizations.

7. Help Adults, Not Just Kids. Congress needs to include adult learners in their education plans, not merely undergraduates and graduate students. Many members of Congress believe that an
undergraduate or advanced degree will provide the knowledge and skills sufficient for a professional career spanning several decades. In today’s world that is no longer true. Expanding on the job training and lifelong learning options are critical.

8. Think Globally. Congress needs to stimulate training programs to assure Americans have a clear sense of the enormous effects of globalization and new technologies on all industries and all workers and what they must do to be competitive. Six out of 10 university students believe their education has not prepared them to address these issues, according to a 2010 IBM survey of 3,600 students.

9. Invest in the Skilled Trades. The United States is not investing as much money and time in technical skills development as other nations. Examples of skilled jobs include: electricians, carpenters, plumbers and welders. Shortages of skilled workers are acute in many of the world’s biggest economies, including the United States and Canada, where employers ranked skilled trades as their number one or number two hiring challenge, according to Manpower’s 2010 Talent Shortage Survey.

10. Time for an Upgrade. Congress should help American employers invest in upgrading their workers’ skills at the levels most European and Asian employers do. U.S. companies have fallen to eighth place for investments in training and employee development, as ranked by the World Economic Forum.

Closing America’s Job Gap notes that for the nation to take full advantage of innovation, employers and job seekers need to
wholeheartedly embrace lifelong learning.

==================

SOURCE University of California San Diego Extension

CONTACT: Henry DeVries, hdevries@ucsd.edu, +1-858-534-9955

Web Site: http://www.extension.ucsd.edu

TAGS: Jobs Creation, University of California, UC San Diego Study, Job Trends, Employment Trends,

While Majority of Those Bonus Eligible Expect a 2010 Bonus, 45% of Employees Don’t Expect a Pay Raise in 2011; Employees Report Highest Rate of Health and Dental Benefit Cuts in Two Years

SAUSALITO, CA /PRNewswire/ Despite recent economic reports that show jobless claims down for several consecutive weeks, employees reveal mixed feelings about what is in store at their employer, for the overall job market and their pay check in the year ahead. According to the Q4 Glassdoor.com® Employment Confidence Survey of 2,118 U.S. adults aged 18+ conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive®(1), employees are more confident in their job security and company’s outlook in the next six months than they were in the third quarter. However, this optimism is not universal as employees remain pessimistic about pay raises and have grown more uncertain about the job market since last quarter.

This varied sentiment may be influenced by the types and frequency of employer-initiated actions and cuts that impact employees and their jobs. In the fourth quarter, 40 percent of employees(2) reported their employers made changes to the number of staff, organizational structure, compensation and benefits, or other perks in the past six months, which is down from 55 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 when the majority of these job actions involved layoffs or layoff plans. In the past year, the highest incidence of employer actions shifted to compensation changes or cuts. This quarter, more than half (52 percent) of employees who reported at least some change indicated their company made changes to or reduced compensation in the past six months, up from 50 percent a year ago. One in four (27 percent) said their own compensation (pay, bonus, etc.) was reduced during the same period. However, layoff reports dropped 11 points year-over-year with 46 percent of employees reporting their employers initiated or communicated layoffs in the past six months.

While reported cutbacks in other areas declined or remained at the same level from the third quarter, health and dental benefit cuts peaked at the highest level in two years following steady quarterly increases. This quarter, 28 percent of employees who cited at least some changes reported cuts to their health and dental benefit in the past six months, compared to 22 percent in the third quarter and 17 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. Meanwhile, employees reported fewer cuts in perks (i.e. commuter subsidies, free food, tuition reimbursement) (12 percent) and hiring freezes (24 percent) than in previously reported quarters. The rates for furloughs, unpaid leave and/or mandatory vacation (17 percent) as well as job
restructurings/redundancies (11 percent) remained unchanged from the third quarter.

“Employees are getting mixed signals from their employers and the market, so it’s no surprise employee confidence in the fourth quarter reflects a mixed bag of optimism and caution,” said Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor.com career and workplace expert, who has run global HR departments at Electronic Arts and PepsiCo before co-authoring Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. “Employment confidence is very personal. While there are some recent positive indicators in the labor market, these don’t capture the wide range of employer cuts and other actions employees see and feel on a regular basis. Employee sentiment about their job, company and market will likely remain tempered until they see consistent and sustained periods of growth, fewer cutbacks at work and among their friends’ companies, and more people getting hired into positions that were either eliminated or put on hold during the recession.”

The Glassdoor Employment Confidence Survey highlights four key indicators of employee confidence in the areas of salary and bonus(3) expectations, job security, job market/re-hire probability and company outlook. The fourth quarter highlights are below:

Compensation: 45% of Employees Do Not Expect Raise; Majority of Those Bonus Eligible Expect 2010 Bonus; Men Significantly Outnumber Women on Bonus Eligibility and More Likely to Expect Bonus Increases

Employees are less confident about getting a pay raise in the next 12 months than in the past two quarters. Nearly half (45 percent) of employees report they do not expect a pay raise in the next 12 months while approximately one-third (36 percent) believe they will and 19 percent are unsure. Those who think they will receive a pay raise is down one percentage point from the third quarter and five points from the fourth quarter 2009. Those in the West are even less optimistic where more than half (55 percent) do not expect a pay raise in the next 12 months, up from 48 percent in the region in the third quarter, compared to those in the Northeast (44 percent), Midwest (42 percent) and South (43 percent).

In the annual supplemental year-end bonus question, 75 percent of employees reported being bonus eligible, which breaks down to 79 percent of men and 71 percent of women. Of those bonus eligible, the majority (58 percent) expect a bonus while one-third (37 percent) do not. By comparison, in the fourth quarter of 2008 shortly after the market crashed, 57 percent said they expected a bonus while 40 percent did not. Of those who currently expect a bonus, 21 percent expect it to be more than their last bonus, 47 percent expect it to be the same and 16 percent expect it to be less while another 16 percent are unsure. Of those bonus-eligible, more men (62 percent) than women (53 percent) expect a bonus; and, of those who expect a bonus, twice as many men (16 percent) than women (7 percent) expect an increase in this year’s bonus over their last.

Job Security: Layoff Concerns for Self, Coworkers Drop

After edging up in the third quarter, employee concerns about layoffs dropped in the fourth quarter. Employees concerned that they could be laid off in the next six months decreased to 17 percent, down three points from the third quarter and the year-ago quarter (20 percent). Layoff concerns are highest among those 35-44 (21 percent) and more so among men in that age group (25 percent) compared to women (16 percent).

Employee concern for coworker layoffs also dipped slightly in the fourth quarter, with 31 percent reporting concerns their coworkers could be laid off in the next six months, down from 33 percent in the prior quarter. This is a considerable decrease from the fourth quarters of 2009 (39 percent) and 2008 (42 percent).

Job Market: Optimism Rises among Unemployed Job Seekers; Employees More Uncertain in Ability to Get Rehired

For the first time in a year, slightly more unemployed job seekers think it is likely (31 percent) that they will land a job in the next six months than those who believe it is unlikely (27 percent) while one-third (34 percent) remain uncertain. However, despite recent positive job data, employed adults (including those self employed) reveal greater uncertainty in the job market in the fourth quarter than in the prior seven quarters. If they lost their job, one-third (33 percent) report they are uncertain whether they could find a job matched to their experience and compensation levels in the next six months, up from 28 percent last quarter. This sentiment is pretty evenly split among those who think it is likely (34 percent) and those who think it is unlikely (32 percent). Not surprisingly, optimism in the ability to land a new job in the next six months is highest among younger workers 18-34 (43 percent) compared to those 35-44 (36 percent), 44-54 (26 percent) and those 55+ (26 percent).

Company Outlook: Greater Optimism — 4 Point Increase in Expectation for Company to be “Better”

In the fourth quarter, 42 percent of employees (including those self-employed) reported they expect their company outlook to get better in the next six months, up from 38 percent in the third quarter. Only nine percent expect their company’s outlook to get worse in the next six months, down from 13 percent in the third quarter, and 10 percent in the year-ago quarter. Nearly half (48 percent) expect their company’s outlook to stay about the same. Twice as many employees in the West (15 percent) expect their company’s outlook to get worse in the next six months than those in the Northeast (7 percent) and South (7 percent).

For more details and methodology of the survey, see the Glassdoor.com Confidence Survey Summary and Methodology,
http://www.glassdoor.com/press/.

(1) This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Glassdoor from December 27- 29, 2010 among 2,118 adults ages 18 and older of whom 1,279 are employed full time, part time and/or are self employed, 1,157 are employed full time and/or part time and 151 are unemployed but looking. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For full survey results and complete methodology, please contact individuals listed below.

(2) For the purposes of this study “employees” were defined as U.S., adults 18+ employed full time and/or part time unless otherwise indicated.

(3) The bonus supplemental question is typically administered during the fourth quarter.

About Glassdoor.com

Glassdoor.com is a career and workplace community giving a free inside look at jobs and companies. Glassdoor enables employees, job seekers, employers and recruiters to simultaneously see – for the first time – unedited opinions about a company’s work environment along with details on salary, company reviews, as well as benefits and CEO approval ratings. Glassdoor, founded in 2007 with a public beta version launched in June 2008, has since offered job interview questions and reviews, office photos as well as career advice. Headquartered in Sausalito, Calif., Glassdoor was founded by Richard Barton, Robert Hohman and Tim Besse and has raised $9.5 million from its founders, Benchmark Capital and Sutter Hill Ventures.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research
methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy,
telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

SAUSALITO, CA /PRNewswire/ We all know the job interview process can be stressful, but for many candidates it can feel like a pressure chamber, especially when questions seemingly come out of left field. Glassdoor.com, a career and jobs community offering insights on companies and workplaces, has compiled its annual list of oddball interview questions based on the tens of thousands of interview questions shared by job candidates during the past year.

The Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions of 2010 on Glassdoor:

1. “If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out?” – Asked at Goldman Sachs, Analyst position

2. “How many ridges [are there] around a quarter?” – Asked at Deloitte, Project Analyst position

3. “What is the philosophy of Martial Arts?” – Asked at Aflac, Sales Associate position

4. “Explain [to] me what has happened in this country during the last 10 years.” – Asked at Boston Consulting, Consultant position

5. “Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 how weird you are.” – Asked at Capital One, Operations Analyst position

6. “How many basketball[s] can you fit in this room” – Asked at Google, People Analyst position

7. “Out of 25 horses, pick the fastest 3 horses. In each race, only 5 horses can run at the same time. What is the minimum number of races required?” – Asked at Bloomberg LP Financial, Software Developer position

8. “If you could be any superhero, who would it be?” – Asked at AT&T, Customer Sales Representative position

9. “You have a birthday cake and have exactly 3 slices to cut it into 8 equal pieces. How do you do it?” – Asked at Blackrock Portfolio Management Group, Fixed Income Analyst position

10. “Given the numbers 1 to 1000, what is the minimum numbers guesses needed to find a specific number if you are given the hint “higher” or “lower” for each guess you make?” – Asked at Facebook, Software Engineer position

11. “If you had 5,623 participants in a tournament, how many games would need to be played to determine the winner?” – Asked at Amazon, Manager position

12. “An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents, how much is a pear?” – Asked at Epic Systems, Project Manager position

13. “There are three boxes, one contains only apples, one contains only oranges, and one contains both apples and oranges. The boxes have been incorrectly labeled such that no label identifies the actual contents of the box it labels. Opening just one box, and without looking in the box, you take out one piece of fruit. By looking at the fruit, how can you immediately label all of the boxes correctly?” – Asked at Apple, Software QA Engineer position

14. “How many traffic lights in Manhattan?” – Asked at Argus Information & Advisory Services, Analyst position

15. “You are in a dark room with no light. You need matching socks for your interview and you have 19 grey socks and 25 black socks. What are the chances you will get a matching pair?” – Asked at Eze Castle, Quality Assurance position

16. “What do wood and alcohol have in common?” – Asked at Guardsmark, Staff Writer position

17. “How do you weigh an elephant without using a weigh machine?” – Asked at IBM, Software Engineer position

18. “You have 8 pennies, 7 weigh the same, one weighs less. You also have a judges scale. Find the one that weighs less in less than 3 steps.” – Asked at Intel, Systems Validation Engineer position

19. “Why do you think only a small percentage of the population makes over $150K?” – Asked at New York Life, Sales Agent position

20. “You are in charge of 20 people, organize them to figure out how many bicycles were sold in your area last year.” – Asked at
Schlumberger, Field Engineer position

21. “How many bottles of beer are drank in the city over the week?” – Asked at The Nielsen Company, Research Analyst position

22. “What’s the square root of 2000?” – Asked at UBS, Sales and Trading position

23. “A train leaves San Antonio for Huston at 60mph. Another train leaves Huston for San Antonio at 80mph. Huston and San Antonio are 300 miles apart. If a bird leaves San Antonio at 100mph, and turns around and flies back once it reaches the Huston train, and continues to fly between the two, how far will it have flown when they collide?”- Asked at USAA, Software Engineer position

24. “How are M&M’s made?” – Asked at US Bank, Leadership Program Development position

25. “What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria from your uncle?” – Asked at Volkswagen, Business Analyst position.

The interview questions are part of the Glassdoor Interview Reviews section, offering in-depth accounts of the interview process for specific job titles at specific companies – all for free. To date, approximately 80,000 interview questions around the world have been collected. Interview Reviews include details from actual candidates about the entire hiring process — from the interview format and average duration to overall difficulty. Each review also includes details as to whether an offer was made and whether it was accepted or rejected — and why — along with any negotiation tips.

Users can find or share Interview Reviews through the “Interviews” tab from the Glassdoor.com home page or via
http://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/index.htm.

About Glassdoor.com

Glassdoor.com is a career and workplace community offering a free inside look at jobs and companies with access to millions of job listings. Glassdoor enables employees, job seekers, employers and recruiters to simultaneously see – for the first time – unedited opinions about a company’s work environment along with details on salaries, company reviews, CEO approval ratings, job interview questions and reviews, and office photos as well as career advice.

Headquartered in Sausalito, Calif., Glassdoor officially launched in 2008, and was founded by Richard Barton, Robert Hohman and Tim Besse in 2007. The company has raised $9.5 million from its founders, Benchmark Capital and Sutter Hill Ventures. More information about Glassdoor can be found on its blog (www.glassdoor.com/blog), Twitter (www.twitter.com/glassdoordotcom), and Facebook
(www.facebook.com/glassdoordotcom).

==================

SOURCE Glassdoor.com

CONTACT: Samantha Zupan, +1-925-324-3954, or Dawn Lyon
+1-415-846-4706, pr@glassdoor.com, both of Glassdoor.com

Web Site: http://www.glassdoor.com

TAGS: Interview Questions, 2010, Oddball Questions

With Unemployment As The Top Issue Facing Our Country Entering The New Year, Most Americans Feel That Professions That Improve People’s Quality of Life Make a Profession Most Valuable to Society

NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Reflecting relentless unemployment figures and online stories of long and unsuccessful job searches in professions that have long been viewed as secure, Americans see unemployment (83%) as the most important issue facing our country today.

Choosing a profession in this economic environment becomes a complex decision, which can lead to introspection as to what value a person’s work contributes to society. Americans identify the top three qualities that can make a profession valuable to society as jobs that improve people’s quality of life (72%), solve world issues (48%), and give back to the community (38%).

Positions perceived as making valuable contributions to society, however, are not necessarily viewed as prestigious. Relative to other professions, teachers are rated highest based on the value they contribute to society with three-quarters of Americans saying they are extremely valuable (76%). That said, Americans rate teachers as one of the lowest in terms of prestige (15% extremely prestigious).

These are just some of the findings from StrategyOne’s The Value of Professions Survey, a public opinion poll of 2,014 Americans, conducted between September 18 and 20, 2010. StrategyOne, a strategic polling firm, is a Daniel J. Edelman company.

“Choosing a meaningful profession is a challenge today for Americans at any age,” said Catherine Reynolds, senior vice president of StrategyOne. “It becomes the difference between what feels good versus what looks good to others professionally.”

Survey Methodology:

StrategyOne conducted 2,014 online interviews among a representative sampling of Americans between the ages of 21 and 65 a between September 18 and 20, 2010. The margin of sampling error at the 95% level of confidence is = +/- 2.2% overall and larger for subgroups.

About StrategyOne:

StrategyOne, a Daniel J. Edelman company, employs custom public opinion research and secondary research methodologies to deliver strategic counsel to corporate, organizational and governmental clients globally. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, London, New York, Paris, San Mateo, Washington, D.C., and Abu Dhabi, StrategyOne provides global clients with evidence based stakeholder insights, analysis and measurement. Visit www.strategyone.net for more information.

===================

SOURCE StrategyOne

CONTACT: Catherine Reynolds, Senior Vice President, StrategyOne, +1-212-704-8299, Catherine.Reynolds@StrategyOne.net

Web Site: http://www.strategyone.net

TAGS: Professional Prestige, Survey, Poll, Teachers, Value of Work

Hiring expectations showed a significant improvement over 2009, with 39% of companies expecting headcount increases of 1% to 5%, and 18% expecting reductions of the same amount. The corresponding figures in last year’s edition of the survey were 21% and 26%. Retail,
Professional Services and Technology companies showed the strongest hiring forecasts. The greatest impediments to Hiring were seen as:

– The Broader Economic Outlook (49% of responses)

– Level of Demand for Company Products and Services (36% of responses)

– Government Regulations (8% of responses)

– Health Care Costs (7% of responses)

“While there is an active societal debate on Health Care, this survey shows economic fundamentals are a more significant driver of hiring decisions,” stated Vincent McHugh, Managing Director of Empsight International, LLC.

Survey numbers, which are detailed in the link below, show salary Merit Budgets forecasted at 3.0% at Median, compared to 2.6% in the same survey in 2009. The number of companies planning Merit increases was 98% of the total compared with 94% in last year’s edition of the survey. Of the 11 Industry group breakouts, the Oil/Gas/Services industry group recorded the highest Average Merit Increase, at 3.24%, while the Insurance industry the lowest at 2.37%.

78% of companies expect to pay Annual Cash Bonuses at the same or higher levels than last year, with 27%, at the executive level, expecting payouts Somewhat or Significantly Higher. 90% of companies expected their Long Term Incentive awards to be About the Same or Somewhat Higher.

Employee Retention, Employee Morale, Cost of Benefits, Compensation Competitiveness, and Managerial Skill Levels continue to register as Somewhat to Very Significant Concerns for companies. These factors will increase in importance if there is significant growth in the economy.

The survey was conducted between November 18 – December 8, 2010 by Empsight International, LLC a compensation survey and consulting firm focused on Fortune 500 and large multi-national companies.

Full survey results available for download at
http://www.empsight.com/spotsurveyresults.

Note to media:

Vincent McHugh vincent.mchugh.pr@empsight.com (212-537-0187), and Jeremy Feinstein jeremy.feinstein.pr@empsight.com (212-683-7745), Managing Directors of Empsight International, are available for interviews.

About Empsight:

Empsight International, LLC is a human resource consulting firm which helps employers make better decisions about their investment in people. Our primary focus is on conducting compensation surveys in niche markets (Law, Government Relations, Corporate Communications, Compliance, Audit, Risk, Security, HR, and Executive Administrative Support), domestically and internationally. Our surveys are seen as definitive data reference sources in markets where such information is critical to maintaining competitiveness. Our clients are,
predominantly, leading multinational corporations. Our Principals and staff have significant experience in consulting on compensation, organizational and human resource issues across multiple industry sectors.

For information about Empsight please visit http://www.empsight.com/.

=================

SOURCE Empsight International, LLC

CONTACT: Vincent McHugh, +1-212-537-0187,
vincent.mchugh.pr@empsight.com, or Jeremy Feinstein, +1-212-683-7745, jeremy.feinstein.pr@empsight.com, Managing Directors of Empsight International

Web Site: http://www.empsight.com

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please
click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/express-employment-professionals-find-stress-and-workloads-increasing-across-the-country-112398084.html

Express Employment Professionals, one of the world’s largest staffing firms with more than 550 locations in four countries, recently surveyed 9,340 current and former clients on stress levels at work. Results revealed that 36 percent of workers feel “very high” or “overwhelming” stress at work, and 49 percent say their current work stress has increased since last year. Additionally, 68 percent of workers state their current workloads have increased.

“I can’t say we’re surprised by the results,” said Robert A. Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals. “Coming out of the recession, employers are hesitant to hire full-time workers due to uncertainty of new banking, tax and health care regulations. As a result, staff members are working double-time in an attempt to keep up. But they are also in danger of burn out in a time when their employers need them most.”

The survey also found that employees of small businesses (1-50 employees) are feeling the greatest level of stress, compared to medium (51-499 employees) and large businesses (500 or more
employees).

Despite the struggling job market and overstressed workforce, however, Express remains optimistic about the coming year. According to a national hiring trends study conducted by the company, which surveyed 15,070 respondents, 29 percent plan to hire for commercial positions, 19 percent plan to add administrative jobs and 12 percent have plans to hire for engineering positions. Overall, Express franchise owners are reporting a 47 percent surge in hiring in 2010, and the company has found jobs for 290,000 people since January. Companies using staffing firms for recruiting and filling current and former clients, commercial, administrative and engineering positions will likely see increases in the first quarter of 2011. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of workers placed by temporary staffing agencies overall has risen, with 404,000 jobs added since September 2009.

“Companies across the country continue to rely on staffing firms to recruit and fill positions in a variety of professional, commercial and administrative jobs,” Funk said. “Though we’re still seeing hesitancy from employers when it comes to hiring full-time staff, it is without question that companies have work that needs to be done. Many are turning to a flexible staff to meet their needs and ease the stress on existing workers.”

Express Employment Professionals offers a full range of employment solutions, including evaluation hire, temporary staffing, professional search and human resources. With over 550 offices in four countries, Express is committed to the vision of helping as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people. For more information, visit www.expresspros.com.

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SOURCE Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals

CONTACT: Christine Picchietti, Sanderson & Associates, Ltd., +1-312-829-4350, christine@sandersonpr.com

Web Site: http://www.expresspros.com

TAGS: Stress, Workplace Stress, Staffing Firms, Express Employment Professionals, Workload

The Education Trust’s report released today, “Shut Out of the Military: Today’s High School Education Doesn’t Mean You’re Ready for Today’s Army,” cites compelling evidence of the effect of inequitable educational opportunity on the ability of Americans to serve in the military.

The report finds that almost one-quarter (23 percent) of recent high school graduates fail the enlistment entrance exam for the armed services. That number is considerably higher for African Americans – 39 percent of whom do not reach the qualifying minimum score, versus 16 percent of White applicants and 29 percent of Hispanics.

The Education Trust report comes as Fattah, the Congressional champion for leveling the playing field between rich and poor school districts, prepares to reintroduce his Student Bill of Rights Act in the 112(th) Congress.

“In this major report by the Education Trust, we can see the effect of our broken and inequitable education system upon national defense preparedness and the opportunities open to our young people,” said Fattah, just re-elected to his ninth term from Philadelphia.

“All too often, our schools are failing in their main mission: to graduate young men and women who are prepared to take advantage of life’s opportunities, whether that means higher education, a good-paying job, or enlistment in the military. And all too often, some schools lack the resources to fulfill that mission,” Fattah said. “The Student Bill of Rights proposes an end to inadequate and inequitable educational opportunity that leads to these disparities.”

The Education Trust report finds that, in addition to the gap between African-American and White applicants, there are significant racial disparities between and within states. Less half of African-American high school graduates in Mississippi who seek to enlist pass the eligibility exam, while 74 percent of African-American applicants in Arizona met the standard.

To link to the complete report by the Education Trust:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6879/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=2946

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SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

CONTACT: Ron Goldwyn of the Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah, +1-215-387-6404, ron.goldwyn@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, DC /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – - Government Business Council (GBC), the research division of Government Executive Media Group, today released findings from a recent survey of federal managers regarding the Obama administration’s intention to implement a federal pay freeze. Among the survey findings, nearly 40 percent of government employees expect a pay increase in 2011 despite the likelihood that a federal salary freeze will pass this week. Many of these managers expect to gain promotions to higher job grade levels – a process not affected in the proposed freeze.

Conducted last week, GBC’s study captures the perspectives of more than 1,500 government managers from civilian and defense agencies on the potential pay freeze. A report on the study is available at http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=46712.

Additional findings from this study include:

- – more than a third of federal employees who are eligible to retire will consider doing so sooner than originally planned;

- – of those not eligible to retire, 32 percent said they will look to the private sector for career opportunities;

- – over 75 percent of responding federal managers feel that the proposed freeze is unfair;

- – almost 90 percent of those surveyed believe that the pay freeze will decrease employee morale.

“This study is the first of its kind to produce real insight into how the pay freeze will affect the federal workforce,” said Bryan Klopack, Director of Research for GBC. “Overall, they are frustrated and fear direct consequences in achieving their agency’s mission; the survey sheds light on the potential loss of senior executives as a result.”

Government Business Council executed this online survey in December 2010. A total of 1,527 Government Executive magazine subscribers, randomly-chosen from civilian and defense agencies, responded to the survey, with a margin of error of 2.6%. Of that total, 70 percent are GS/GM grade 13 or above and 64 percent manage at least one direct report.

For more information on the report, read the full story on
GovExec.com. To stay updated on government pay news, sign up for the federal pay and benefits newsletter.

About Government Business Council (GBC)

As Government Executive Media Group’s research intelligence division, Government Business Council is dedicated to advancing the business of government through analysis, insight and analytical independence. As an extension of Government Executive’s 40 years of exemplary editorial standards and a commitment to the highest ethical values, GBC studies influential decision-makers from across the federal government to produce intelligence-based research and analysis.

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SOURCE Government Business Council
CONTACT: Bryan Klopack, Director of Research, Government Business Council, +1-202-266-7122, bklopack@govexec.com
Web Site: http://www.GovExec.com