Employers continue to tap into Web 2.0 technology
Web 2.0 platforms are shaking things up in the corporate world, according to McKinsey's second annual survey on Web 2.0. Overall, more companies are embracing the technology to establish two-way communication with employees and clients.
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When asked is your company currently using any of the following Web 2.0 technologies, 34% of respondents report they have blogs, compared to 21% in 2007, while 29% indicate they use podcasts, compared to 23% last year.
Employers, however, admit that the barriers to using Web 2.0 tools include "management's inability to grasp their potential financial returns, unresponsive corporate cultures and less-than-enthusiastic leadership."
Moreover, according to the consulting firm, only 21% of the executives express satisfaction with the way their companies use Web 2.0 tools, while 22% voice clear dissatisfaction.
McKinsey conducted the survey in June 2008 and received responses from 1,988 executives from around the world.
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Despite slow economy, workers are confident on job security
U.S. workers are feeling confident about their employment status, despite many believing that the economy is not getting better, reports a monthly survey by Spherion Corporation and Harris Interactive.
The July data shows that 66% of employees are confident in the future of their current employer, a three percentage point increase from June. About 50% of workers report that they are confident in their ability to find a new job.
What's more, 76% of workers believe it is unlikely they will lose their current job. Yet only 5% of workers believe the economy is getting better.
Overall, the "Employee Confidence Index" dropped almost one point to 45.2 in July, falling to a new low since tracking began in June 2004.
"As I speak to our clients across the country, I continue to hear questions about worker confidence and their actual likelihood to leave their jobs in this environment," says Roy Krause, president and CEO of Spherion Corporation. "The simple answer is that workers are listening to offers, and even small adjustments in pay, benefits and commute times may entice them enough to make a move," he adds.
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Friday Fray spotlights paid time off
The next Friday Fray is devoted to paid leave, paid time off banks and FMLA. Discover what trends, problems and solutions the experts have seen. Ophelia Galindo, a principal at Buck Consulting, and Alison Avalos, a practice leader at WorldatWork, will answer your questions.
The Friday Fray is our occasional discussion series for Employee Benefit Adviser and Employee Benefit News readers. If you would like to submit some questions in advance, e-mail EBN Managing Editor Leah Carlson Shepherd at leah.shepherd@sourcemedia.com.
Also check out related coverage on this topic:
- Getting out of the office: Are your employees using their vacation time?
- Paid leave approved in New Jersey
- Intermittent FMLA absences cause major headaches for employers
New data shed lights on state-run DC and DB plans
The Center for State and Local Government Excellence has made available two sets of 2006 pension data on its Web site, covering retirement plans operated by state governments.
CSLGE pulled together data on 20 defined contribution plans offered by public governments, and DB data on 126 plans largely administered by state entities. The defined benefit plan research cites funding and actuarial valuations of the plans.
Curious about the health of your pension plan? Compare it to the data available here. The Public Fund Survey, which coordinated with the CSLG, also provides data, which is available here.
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Study examines the impact of immigration on health insurance
Politicians and nonprofits like to talk about the number of people without health insurance in the United States. While the uninsured population is still dominated by native-born Americans, the uninsured immigrant population has increased significantly.
Immigrants made up more than half of the increase in the U.S. uninsured population from 1994 to 2006, according to a study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The uninsured immigrant population increased from 6.9 million in 1994 to 12.3 million in 2006, an 80% jump, while the uninsured native-born population increased from 29.7 million to 34.1 million, a 15% jump over the same period.
EBRI says federal law contributes to the uninsured status of immigrants. The relative lack of employment-based health coverage for immigrants is compounded by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which imposed a five-year ban on the receipt of public health funding and other public programs by most newly arrived legal immigrants. The ranks of the uninsured are likely to grow as immigration continues to increase, says EBRI.
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