More Talent Management Facts #9

“Statistics are like bikinis.  What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.”

 

Aaron Levenstein

 

Another addition of leadership and talent management “facts” from all over the world. Some are very intuitive and some are not….what do you think?

 

1. A recent 2009 survey of 372 human resources professionals by industry publication Workforce Management were asked about their experiences in conducting layoffs.  Over 50% reported they have suffered from sleeplessness, 35% have considered changing their careers and 23% have occasionally used a “substance” to cope.  Only 9% reported using their own employee assistance program (EAP) services to deal with their own work and life stress.

 

2. A 2009 telephone survey of 1,000 senior executives conducted on behalf of staffing firm Accountemps revealed that just one typo in a resume can cost you a job.  40% reported they wouldn’t hire a candidate who had a typo at all. I’m glad I’m not out actively looking for a new job…..

 

3. A 2009 poll of 2,261 U.S. adults by Harris Interactive on behalf of employer information website Glassdoor.com found that unemployed husbands and wifes reported more stress than single job seekers (81% to 51%, respectively).  Two thirds of the respondents said that the stress affected other areas of their jobs and 40% said it hindered personal relationships with friends and family.

 

4. A recent 2009 Executive Quiz results released today by The Korn/Ferry Institute reveal that nearly half (47 percent) of employed executives are either somewhat or very dissatisfied with their current position.

 

5. In the same Kron Ferry International Executive Quiz a surprising 31 percent of executives stated they do not trust their boss. Despite this, however, three-quarters gave them favorable performance ratings: excellent (19

percent), above average (35 percent) or average (22 percent). Even worse, 36 percent of executives reported they do not trust their CEO. In fact, when asked if their current CEO is the best person for the job, only 38 percent said “absolutely,” while 34 percent responded “somewhat” and 28 percent said “not at all.”

 

6. Women control almost $12 trillion in consumer spending, 65% of the global total. By 2028, they will control 72% of worldwide consumer spending. But contrary to stereotype, a BCG survey of over 12,000 women in 22 countries found that only 5% of women say shopping makes them extremely happy, compared to pets (42%), sex (27%), and food (19%).

 

7. People who suffer from insomnia take sick days twice as often as those who do not, according to a report by The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. The study found that over a six-month period, the condition cost employers an average of 4.4 days of wages for each untreated sufferer, plus indirect costs due to lower productivity and mistakes made because of lack of sleep.  Better get your zzzzzz tonight!

 

8. Both men and women put on weight in response to work-related stress and difficulty paying bills, according to a longitudinal study published this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Men also gained weight because they felt they lacked decision authority or skill discretion (the ability to learn new skills and to choose to do new or different tasks) at work. For women, weight gain was also likely to be associated with a feeling of constraint in their lives in general and having difficulty with family relationships. During the 9.2 years of the study, men added an average of 1.37 kg/m2 to their body mass indices, while women added an average of 1.57 kg/m2 (Note: kg = 2.204623 lb).

 

9. A 2009 survey by the Trust for America’s Health found that The rate of physical inactivity among adults increased in 9 percent in U.S. states last year. (Physical inactivity is defined as engaging in no exercise other than their regular jobs for 30 days.) Except for New Jersey, the states with the highest rates of physical inactivity also rank among the top 15 in obesity. The least inactive states included Minnesota (16.3% adults are inactive) and Oregon (17.6%) and the most inactive states included Mississippi (31.8% are inactive) and Kentucky (30.4%).

 

10. Workers who use the web for entertainment while at work — whether they’re tweeting, watching YouTube videos, shopping, or catching up with the news — are 9% more productive than those who don’t, according to a recent study by Professor Brent Coker at the University of Melbourne. (As long as they don’t spend more than 20% of their time in the office doing what Dr. Coker calls “workplace internet leisure browsing”.) Why? People need quick breaks in order to maintain a high level of concentration throughout the day.

 

11. In a 2009 survey by CareerBuilder, laid-off workers are finding ways to make the best of a difficult time, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey of 1,800 unemployed American adults. In addition to looking for work, 22% are spending more time with family and friends, 15% are fixing up their homes, 14% are exercising more, 11% are finally taking time to relax, 8% are volunteering, and 7% are going back to school.

 

12. Women are under-represented not only in the C-suite, but also in the high-potential leadership development programs that would help them get there, according to an analysis of 12,000 leaders in 76 countries by Development Dimensions International. Researchers found 28% more men than women in early-career high-potential programs and 50% more men in executive-level high-potential programs.

 

 

Back to research some new talent development facts….Be well….

 

[tags]talent management, succession planning, leadership development, succession planning, micromanage, performance review, performance appraisal, overweight, obesity, wellness, coaching, executive coaching, executive development, surveys, kenneth nowack, Envisia, Envisia Learning, leadership development, ken nowack, Nowack [/tags]

Ken Nowack

Kenneth Nowack, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist (PSY13758) and President & Chief Research Officer/Co-Founder of Envisia Learning, is a member of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Ken also serves as the Associate Editor of Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. His recent book Clueless: Coaching People Who Just Don’t Get It is available for free for a limited time by signing up for free blog updates (Learn more at our website)