I often keep a jigsaw puzzle going on a side table when I’m working. I’ve got a 1,500 piece one sitting here right now, just finished—after five months. Working on the puzzle is a calming exercise when I’m thinking, or on hold, or taking a breather as I transition from one project to the next. […]
What do the Working Mother 100 Best Companies Have That Other Employers Don’t?
Last month, Working Mother magazine released its “100 Best Companies” list. Companies need to apply to get onto the list, and one of the things I do is help my clients with these applications, so I know a thing or two about what it takes. Yet it’s still always gratifying to see the extent to […]
Challenging Truisms, Fostering Inclusion
Last week Working Mother Media held its annual conference, now called the WorkBeyond Summit (this year’s theme: “Transform to Innovate: What’s Next?”) The event, which culminates in a gala dinner honoring organizations on the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list, brings together representatives from these and other companies as well as research and advocacy groups and […]
A Voice for Older Workers
Have you heard about this group yet? Respectful Exits calls itself the “organized voice of aging workers,” and it aims to give voice to a group that is often forgotten (except in the most legalistic way) in the whole question of work-life and diversity. It advocates for employers to end mandatory retirement ages and implement […]
Great Employers: Don’t Skip To the End of the Story
I’ve just put a bow on my busiest season, the late spring and summer months when I work with companies to put together the best possible submissions for next year’s Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. In other words, I spend each summer helping my clients tell their stories—stories about how they work […]
25 Years after FMLA, Paid Leave Remains a Pipedream
In 1992 I moved to New York, got married, and starting working in the media department (ok, as the media department) for Families and Work Institute. Families and Work, which recently folded, was a research institute, not an advocacy group, but at the time we were a small, passionate, unabashedly liberal staff. So I well […]
What Makes a “Great Place to Work?” The Rules Have Changed
Last month I attended the Great Place to Work Institute’s annual conference, and once again I was struck by how things have changed. Great Place to Work Institute (aka GPTW) is the organization responsible for Fortune’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, as well as a bunch of other best workplace lists published […]
Women Are Entering Worlds Once Dominated By Men. The Same Can’t Be Said in Reverse.
My son graduated from music conservatory with a degree in composition last spring, so naturally he’s back in his old bedroom and, currently, earning some part of his keep by babysitting. His job includes picking up kids at a private school, often afterwards heading to the school playground. The school has even issued him an […]
What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Engagement?
“A growing body of research shows that an engaged workforce is the key to better customer experience.” I came across that sentence the other day and sighed. Talk about stating the obvious. It’s a bit like saying, “a growing body of research shows that ice cream tastes good.” Of course engaged workers are going to […]
Taking on the “Should-Dos” in a Sea of Distraction
I haven’t blogged in months. I feel bad about that. While I doubt any of my subscribers are waiting on the edge of their seats for the next post, I still feel I’ve broken some sort of commitment. Besides, blogging is an important part of my business model. It serves to remind current and potential […]