NewsLink

Links to Internet news items and other information related to diversity and inclusion, provided every week by the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Employment Opportunity (06), a program office within VA's Office of Human Resources and Administration.

Volume 6, Issue 49                            September 5, 2007

This Week's Web Highlight
The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of U.S. Public Schools

Should Managers Encourage Healthy Lifestyles?  Employers can enhance the productivity of the workforce, reduce the growing burden of healthcare costs, make the workplace more attractive, and build a better and healthier global community.

The Impact of Manager Personality and Style on Employee Performance.  Instead of managing by intimidation, managers have a greater need to inspire the loyalty of their workers through a caring, mentoring management style, or at the very least, a style that inspires respect and admiration.

Ten Ways to Prepare Yourself for a Leadership Role.  Perhaps more important than having the right degrees and certifications is acquiring the softer skills that enable you to move on to leadership positions.

Employee Engagement and the Service-Profit Chain.  New research underscores the importance of engaging employees in their jobs and companies as a way to foster high productivity, high morale, and excellent customer service.

The Time We Waste.  The average worker apparently now wastes 2.1 hours a day on activities ranging from surfing the Internet and staring into space to tidying desks and running chores.

Growing Number of Employees are Not Loyal.  High-risk employees in the American workplace outnumber those who are truly loyal, according to a recent national study of employee loyalty.

Organizations with Low Employee Retention Need to Unpack Underlying Issues.  The core problem usually stems from a lack of talent management and onboarding programs, which triggers a ripple effect across recruiting, hiring, and retaining, as well as professional development and succession planning.

Employee Retention? Not a Problem When Training Your Leaders.  Competitive pay, benefits, and amenities are the market ante for any employee, but how long people stay and how well they perform is determined in large part by their personal and professional relationships with their immediate supervisors.

Ten Questions to Ask Your Employees.  The key to keeping employees is promptly addressing issues that could lead to their leaving, and to make sure they clearly understand situations that can't be easily changed.

The Best and Worst Business Books  Steer clear of silly fads and bad advice. Read the books that provide the useful insights you need to advance your professional development.

Gotta Move?  Most senior executives in the Federal government stay at one agency for the majority of their careers, building expertise in a particular field.  Indeed, many stay in one office at one agency.  Would mobility make them better leaders?

Executives List Obstacles to Outsourcing HR Services.  According to a new study, Federal personnel executives are willing to consider alternative sources of human resources services, but face significant hurdles in transitioning to new systems.

New Regulations Place Renewed Emphasis on Recruiting Veterans.  Effective September 7th, new rules go into effect regarding the recruiting and hiring of military veterans, according to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Are You Discriminating Against Employees Without Realizing It?  The problem with systemic discrimination is that even a well-intentioned company might not realize it is behaving in a discriminatory fashion.

New Public Opinion Research of Indians, Non-Indians Reveals Wide Gaps.  "Walking a Mile: A First Step Toward Mutual Understanding" explores Indians' perceptions of their place in contemporary American society and how non-Indians view American Indians.

In Little Rock, Arkansas, a Small Act of Defiance Endures.  On the 50th anniversary of the standoff that led military troops to enforce Federal law in the South for the first time since Reconstruction, an emotional image of racial conflict endures.

FORTUNE 500 Companies Provide Sexual Orientation Discrimination Protection.  Equality Forum, a national and international gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, announced that 94 percent of the 2007 FORTUNE 500 Companies voluntarily include sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies.

NewsLink is part of VA's ongoing effort to increase awareness and acceptance of diversity and to promote a flexible and inclusive work environment. For more information, visit the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Employment Opportunity Web site at www.va.gov/dmeeo.

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