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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 7, Issue 30
April
23, 2008 This Week's Web Highlight Keeping
Employees Engaged Can Pay Big Dividends for Businesses. Experts say there are steps that you can
take—regardless of the stormy economic climate—to help retain top talent and
keep employees enthused about work. Humor
in the Workplace: What’s Appropriate?
Humor that is exclusive, puts someone down, destroys self-esteem, uses
stereotypes of groups, encourages a negative atmosphere, offends others, or
lacks awareness of others feelings is inappropriate. Secrets
of Schmoozing (or Subtle Sucking Up).
"We respond well to people who like us," says executive
coach Marshall Goldsmith. "Most
of us don't object to sucking up—we just object to people who are bad at
it." Tips
for Thriving in Fast-Moving Workplaces. People who are “visible” are
successful. Being visible means
learning to understand the boss's or team's priorities as soon as possible
and assertively selling yourself as someone who can
deliver on those things. Obligation
to Coworkers Cited as Chief Reason Employees Come to the Office When Sick. Other reasons include "too risky to
take time off," "too busy at work to stay home," “saving sick
days for child care or elder care emergencies,” and “saving sick days for
vacation time.” 10
Ways to Promote Employee “Ownership” in Employee Health Management. How many employees enroll, actively
participate, and persist in both participation and behavior change, is the
major factor in determining the return on investment. New Study Quantifies
Work-from-Home Savings. New teleworkers could annually save 625 million barrels of
oil, reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 107 million tons, and save almost $43
billion at the pumps. Each worker
would save 26 work-days and over $800, time and money now wasted commuting. Executives Worldwide
See Talent Gaps as Top People Challenge in Every Region and Industry. Managing talent is the most critical human
resources challenge worldwide and will remain at or near the top of executive
agendas in every region and industry for the foreseeable future. Legislation
Aimed at Increasing Diversity among Senior Executives. Citing a decline in the diversity of senior
government executives, the House and Senate have introduced legislation to increase
the hiring of women and minorities. Distinguished
Executives Honored at Washington Gala. The Senior Executives Association honored
an elite group of current and former senior executives at the 23rd annual
Presidential Distinguished Rank Award Banquet at the State Department in Administration
Hopes to Leave Performance Management Legacy. Each Federal agency must appoint a
"performance improvement officer" charged with overseeing its
strategic plan and determining the realistic likelihood of achieving its
goals with available funding and other resources. A
Longer Goodbye. As baby
boomers have begun to reach retirement age, companies have offered shorter
hours, flexible locations, and lighter duties, hoping to keep older workers
on board longer. American Workplaces
are "Age Friendlier" in 2008. RetirementJobs.com finds Great Xpectations of So-Called Slackers. Who would have thought the kids would start
taking over so soon? Or that they
would even want to? They were supposed
to be slackers, cynics, drifters. But
don't be fooled by their famous pose of repose. Three
Tips from Gen-Y about the New Workplace. Sure, seasoned professionals can mentor
younger folks on climbing the ladder, but insight can flow in the other
direction, too. Generation Y may be
able to teach baby boomers a thing or two about navigating the 21st century
workplace. Hospital Tells How It Hired 150
Nurses in 4 Months. Could you
hire 150 nurses in 4 months? Dan Staifer did, using 21st Century hiring techniques and a
third party vendor. Expert:
Women in Business Face Maze.
"Women starting their careers don't know it's a labyrinth,"
said Alice Eagly, the chairwoman of the department
of psychology at The Top 10 Companies for
African Americans. What makes
a Black employee develop his or her full potential at a company? Find out how these companies create a
culture of inclusion for ALL their employees. The Minority Legislative Gap. Despite increasing representation in the
U.S. Congress, minority representatives still lag behind their White
colleagues in legislative activity—and minority-majority districts set up to
increase their power may contribute to the lag. Multilingual
Workplace Can Translate into Opportunities. By the watercooler,
in the boardroom, around the cafeteria, a new multilingualism is burgeoning,
sparked by a swelling immigrant population and our deepening ties to the
world economy. Akaka
Endorses New GI Bill. A new GI
Bill improving educational benefits for The
Military's Showdown over PTSD.
There's a showdown coming inside the Lawsuit:
Veterans Affairs has Failed to Prevent Suicides. A class-action lawsuit charges that the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs isn't doing enough to prevent suicide and
provide adequate medical care for Americans who have served in the armed
forces. Navajo Lawmakers to Consider
Medal to Honor Tribe's Veterans.
The leader of the Navajo Nation Council wants to recognize all
honorably discharged Navajo veterans with a special medal that represent
tribal ceremonies performed on warriors returning from battle. Pregnancy
Discrimination Complaints on the Rise. A marked increase in pregnancy
discrimination claims and other key developments illustrate the continuing
struggle of pregnant workers—including pregnant attorneys. Workers with Disabilities Must be
Part of Diversity Discussions.
The workplace is where perceptions of people with disabilities will be
changed, said Christine M. Griffin, commissioner of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, during her keynote address at NY HR Week. Safeway
CEO Campaigns to Bring Disabled into Workforce. During April, Safeway Inc. plans to shine a
light on an issue typically off the radar of most economists and the general
public: unemployment among disabled
people. NCOD
Recommends Improving Federal Data on Americans with Disabilities. In a new report, the National Council on
Disability calls on the Federal Government to do more now to improve Federal
data describing the status of Americans with disabilities. 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. Please distribute this free publication
widely! Subscribe/unsubscribe information is found below. If you
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