Many factors can influence a woman’s choice of career. Cultural, or family, traditions. Her specific skill set. Her interests and passions. And whether she senses an abundant supply of available men. That’s the conclusion of newly published research, which finds the mating market, not just the job market, impacts the way women pick their professions. The finding, which is rooted in evolutionary biology, has fascinating implications given the rapid rise of women both on college campuses and in the workplace. “Does the ratio of men to women in the local population influence ... Read More
Working Moms: The Kids Are All Right
March 8, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Working mothers tend to be happier and healthier than mothers who stay at home caring for young children, according to recent research. But many of those who work are often haunted by the question: “Am I screwing up my kids?” A new study provides a reassuring answer. Writing in the journal Social Science Research, sociologists Jeremiah Wills and Jonathan Brauer conclude — with one important caveat — that “maternal employment largely is inconsequential to child well-being.” They reached this conclusion after examining data on 6,283 American mothers and their children. The ... Read More
Coworking Offices Abuzz With Independent Workers
March 7, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Working solo has its rewards. Still, we crave connections with other people. Which explains the rise of the coworking space, where “laptopreneurs” can drop in for a desk, a wireless connection, a productive atmosphere — perhaps even some collaboration. The idea took root around 2004, and a recent count tallied around 800 such spaces worldwide, 350 in the U.S. A seemingly urban phenomenon, coworking is now in small towns like Beacon, New York, population 15,500, 60 miles north of Manhattan. In 2009, Scott Tillitt, a Brooklyn transplant, opened Beahive there. About 20 people at any ... Read More
Ten Tips for Business Success in 2012
December 31, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
In a time of significant upheaval in corporate America, “climbing the corporate ladder” may be quite different than it was even a few years ago. Vast changes in the workplace have made corporations as we know them flatter and nimbler, with more employees located offsite than in office towers, many working part time. The very nature of work may have been altered forever by economic crisis, increased technology, and globalization. At a time when the income disparity in the U.S. is among the highest in the world, when people are finding it difficult keeping jobs or finding good jobs, and ... Read More
The Science Behind TGIF
November 4, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
As Charlie Brown has said for decades, happiness is a warm puppy. Researchers, however, say it’s really spending 1.7 hours more with family and friends. With help from Gallup, John F. Helliwell, an economist at the University of British Columbia, has discovered what seems, well, obvious: Americans are significantly happier on weekends and public holidays than during the workweek. In a recent study for the National Bureau of Economic Research, Helliwell and his colleague, Shun Wang, take a careful look at people’s daily emotions. Based on data that was collected by Gallup in a random ... Read More
‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Hurts Workplace Performance
August 22, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Don’t ask. Don’t tell. Don’t do your job as well. That’s the implication of newly published research, which links poorer job performance with uncertainty about a colleague’s sexual orientation. “Supporters of policies that force gay and lesbian individuals to conceal their sexual orientation in the workplace argue that working with openly gay individuals undermines performance,” writes a trio of researchers led by UCLA’s Benjamin Everly. “We examine this claim in two studies and find the opposite effect.” These findings, published the Journal of Experimental Social ... Read More
Woman Boss May Lower Men’s Pay, Prestige
July 5, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
The measure of a modern man’s masculinity typically is taken in the workplace. How big is his office? How high is his salary? How impressive are his responsibilities? Newly published research adds an unexpected ingredient to this mix: What sex is his supervisor? Victoria Brescoll of the Yale School of Management reports male employees get penalized when their boss wields power in defiance of gender stereotypes. Her research suggests men in such positions suffer a loss of status and prestige due to a perceived lack of masculinity. “These results further indicate that gender ... Read More
Bad Credit Reports Put Job Seekers in Catch-22
June 3, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
"There was only one catch and that was Catch-22 ... Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle." — Catch-22 by Joseph Heller Heller's famous conundrum is often ... Read More
Sarcasm Boosts Creativity? Yeah, Right.
June 1, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Although it’s frowned upon in business school, some managers think of anger as a motivational tool. Employees aware that an impatient customer is seething, or the boss is near the boiling point, work more quickly and efficiently, don’t they? Newly published research from Israel suggests this blow-your-stack strategy can produce the desired results — but only when workers are performing relatively simple tasks. If their job requires creative problem-solving, the catalyst you crave may be caustic contempt. “Sarcastic expressions of anger, in contrast to direct expressions, can have ... Read More
