Work-Life Concerns

According to a 2008 USA Workplace Insights Survey conducted by Adecco, a workforce solutions company, the primary work-life concern for 69% of Americans is keeping their job.

Yet, just 24% are saving more money for potential unemployment, and just 11% are delaying planned retirement. Just 13% are currently looking for another job, and only 17% would take a pay cut to keep their job.

Entrepreneurs Remain Optimistic

According to a survey by Microsoft Office Live Small Business and online workplace Elance, America’s entrepreneurs are optimistic about 2009, with nearly nine in ten small business owners saying they would still choose entrepreneurship over working for others. Nearly 60% think 2009 will be as good or better than 2008; 37% are worried but believe their businesses will weather the current economic storm; and 86% are happier running their own business over working for someone else.

Employee Engagement

Results of a Quantum Workplace survey of U.S. companies between 2007 and 2008 indicate that 66% of the firms saw decreases in their employee engagement, which is measured by the willingness of individuals to exert extra effort for the benefit of the company, their tendency to speak highly of the organization, and their intent to stay. By an almost two-to-one margin (134 to 76), more employers had lower overall employee engagement scores in the fall of 2008 than in the fall of 2007.