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Overwhelmed and Overworked: The Myth of American Productivity
Employment finally seemed back on track during the first few months of 2004. Politicians crowed that "Our tax cuts are working." Then, without warning, job growth slowed to a crawl, resulting in a deficit of more than 2 million jobs from that confidently predicted only a year ago. To counteract that dismal performance, public emphasis turned to another indicator, productivity. The reported increases in American productivity are quite genuine. Individual worker output collectively rose, from 2000 to 2003, by a full 12 percent. Definitely a bonus for Wall Street - but what about Main Street? As the meticulous research of the Economic Policy Institute shows (Snapshot, 09/08/04), real family income fell, over the same period, by 3 percent. Contrast this with the economic period of 1947 - 1973 when productivity and real family income moved in tandem, both doubling over those years. What does this suggest? Americans are working harder and longer for less family income. As companies downsize or fail to replace workers who leave or retire, fewer staff are left to handle the workload. In fear of losing their own jobs, they respond by accepting new duties and new responsibilities and the added work time that accompanies them. In a world where employees are tethered to their workplaces virtually around the clock, by laptops, cell phones, and blackberries, the traditional balance of home and work has crumbled. There is a tendency to believe that such pressures are only operative for the ambitious, career-obsessed, "Apprentice"-like, ladder climbers. In fact, the sixty-hour-plus workweek affects a substantial portion of all salaried workers, even down to front line supervisory staff. The American worker, surveys clearly show, is becoming overwhelmed, over-tired, and fed up. Access rates for outpatient mental health services rise steadily each year. Family disruptions include increased estrangement, divorce, emotional child neglect, and domestic violence. Health problems multiply, fueled by fatigue, stress, and a lack of time for self-care. In the vaunted new technical world, where leisure time was to be expanded to historic proportions, we are working longer, harder, and more diligently than ever. Where can we look for answers? We can look at ourselves, identify our priorities, and learn to spend our time on what is important to us and let the rest go. More critically, we can speak up to make sure that social legislation and the tax code create similar priorities: to reward those companies who staff adequately and flexibly and provide benefits and resources to their employees. At the same time, we need to negatively impact companies who pursue such activities as job outsourcing, retiering of job titles to avoid overtime costs, dependence on temporary (usually none-benefited) labor, and the quiet acceptance of third world manufacturing of their products under sordid conditions, the use of child labor, and payment of slave wages. CEO salaries are running more than 130 times the median worker salary. Viewing the ethical and procedural problems of major corporate figures, now mired in the legal system, Americans must start to ask whether equality and opportunity for all is still a viable creed. Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20 years, developing innovative job search techniques for disabled workers, while serving as a respected Vocational Expert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' Compensation Courts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com
MORE RESOURCES: Employment opportunities Department of Taxation and Finance Search & Apply Lowe's Careers at USCIS USCIS Careers UNCO News Central Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University The Best Jobs in America in 2025 U.S News & World Report Money Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov Jobs, health and inclusion at Davos 2025. Here's what to know World Economic Forum Careers ontarioca.gov Plan your career pathway or job search with comprehensive online resources from Workforce Development Board kawarthaNOW.com Careers | Home USDA.gov The Right Way to Look for a New Job The Atlantic Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Nearly Half Of Workers Will Consider A Job Change If Ordered Back To The Office, Survey Finds Forbes Even Harvard M.B.A.s Are Struggling to Land Jobs The Wall Street Journal Howard Levitt: Tariffs would lead to devastating job losses — without the usual safety nets Financial Post Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Careers Catholic University Communications Anatomy of a jobs promise Financial Times Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them World Economic Forum Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov The Future of Jobs Report 2025 World Economic Forum Careers Franchise Tax Board Careers The Ocean Cleanup Careers Fred Hutch News Service Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem The Wall Street Journal Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Careers BASF Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care The 15 fastest-growing jobs in the US, according to LinkedIn Business Insider Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign UK employers cut jobs after Budget, official data shows Financial Times Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers West Virginia Department of Education Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Future of Jobs Report 2025: These are the fastest growing and declining jobs World Economic Forum Auberle's $1.5 million YouthBuild grant will change lives through training programs that lead to jobs Pittsburgh Union Progress Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance U.S. Job Growth Ends the Year Strong The New York Times Why elite MBA graduates are struggling to find jobs The Economist Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy U.S. payrolls grew by 256,000 in December, much more than expected; unemployment rate falls to 4.1% CNBC Physician recruitment agreements: Understanding signing bonuses, relocation expenses, or loan repayment incentives. Medical Economics Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Early Careers | Students & Recent Graduates | BCG Careers Boston Consulting Group State Job Openings CT.gov The Top 40 Jobs for Women Looking to Change Careers at 40+ Parade Magazine KPMG Careers KPMG Work with us | Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs 33 Jobs That Require Little or No Experience in 2025 Money Crashers Aviation to advertising, top 10 fastest-growing jobs in India 2025 The Indian Express BP axes 4,700 jobs in cost-cutting drive Financial Times Most Americans Feel Good About Their Job Security but Not Their Pay Pew Research Center Join our team FHI 360 Careers Olympic Channel and OBS Olympics Work at the U.S. Department of Energy Energy.gov Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Bring Resumes To Health Ministry’s Career Expo And Employment Fair Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Information Service Careers at Jacobs Jacobs WORK AT LVMH LVMH |
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