WORKPLACE TRENDS PICK UP WHERE THE 1900s LEFT OFF
Just when you thought changes in the workplace were starting to jell,
another millennium rolls around with more changes on the agenda. This time,
they're being blamed on a softening economy, rather than the firecracker
business environment of the 1990s -- though values inspired by high-tech
businesses will take deeper root in the workplace. Family needs will
continue to influence the workplace, largely due to the ongoing influx of
women in the labor pool. But even men -- 82% of them ages 21 through 39 --
now give top priority to family, according to a recent poll. Flexibility
also will continue to be a deal-maker for many employees -- and they won't
settle for lip-service corporate plans that force users to commit career
suicide. Part-time, work-at-home and other nontraditional setups will be in
high demand. A study by the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts says
outdated policies and attitudes concerning part-time work are driving women
lawyers to quit. Nearly 40% of women attorneys who left their firms over a
two-year period cited such obstacles and prejudices. And, speaking of
women, another survey found that only 50% of teen girls wanted a career in
a big corporation, seeing greater happiness and independence in a small
business, suggesting that large corporations might need to brush up their
image. ("How the Softening Economy Will Affect Workplace Trends,"
Interactive Wall Street Journal 27 Dec 2000)
http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB977873914469868532.htm
