Tag Archives: John Challenger

Workplace napping can boost productivity

Does your boss frown on workers taking naps at their desks?

Snoozing on the job is a no-no for air traffic controllers and
other critical jobs, but a growing number of employer see the value of
employees taking power naps at work, says global outplacement firm Challenger,
Gray & Christmas.

The Society for Human Resource Management says the number of
workplaces with nap rooms rose slightly in 2011 and 34 percent of the companies
responding to a NationalSleep Foundation survey said they allowed
employees to take naps, according to a Challenger news
release.

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March Madness will cost companies $134M in ‘lost wages’

March Madness starts next week and that means productivity
will plummet as nearly one-third of U.S. workers will be watching basketball at
least three hours a day during work hours, according to an annual study by
global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas

During the first two days of the NCAA Division 1 men’s
basketball tournament – when most games are played during work hours –
businesses will suffer at least $134 million in “lost wages the study says.

Not only will employees watch games during work hours, but
before the tournament begins , “people will be organizing office pools,
researching teams and planning viewing parties.
When the games begin around noon, eastern time, on Thursday, many
companies will probably notice a significant drop in Internet speeds, as
employees start streaming games and clogging up the network’s bandwidth,” CEO
John Challenger said in a news release.

But will the annual hoops ritual really hurt the economy?
Will companies feel the pain?

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More signs of strengthening economy, job creation

New reports showing retail sales growth, increased industrial production and continued investment in business inventories are clear signs of an improving economy.

And this suggests we could see accelerated job creation in the coming months, says John Challenger, CEO of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

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Companies not hiring but still in party mood

Despite a still sluggish economy, 70 percent of companies will hold holiday parties for their employees this year, according to a survey by outplacement consultancy firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“The economy is not improving as fast as many had hoped. While some companies are seeing improvements, most are still stuck in first gear and continue to hold off on hiring, equipment upgrades and other big expenditures. Yet, despite the less-than-celebratory business conditions, the majority of companies refuse to abandon the year-end holiday party,” CEO John A. Challenger said in a news release.

Is your company still in a party mood?

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Job fair strategy key for job seekers

Job fairs are attracting thousands of job seekers these days. Making yourself standout from the
crowd can be difficult.

Having a plan before you show up at the fair is more important that ever, say the experts at the outplacement consultancy Challenger, Grey and Christmas.

“You cannot go in blind or without a plan. It is important that you know which employers will be there and the types of positions they are trying to fill. Only visit those that align with your objectives,” CEO John Challenger said in a news release.

Challenger offers a laundry list of tips for increasing your chances of scoring a job when a visiting a fair.

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Employee perks making a comeback

It seems hard to believe, but come companies are bringing back perks in an effort to keep employees from taking a better gig.

So says a recent survey by global outplacement and executive coaching consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

Forty-two percent of the of the HR execs surveyed said they are “growing more concerned about other companies poaching top talent, as the economy improves,” Challenger said in a press release.

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Teens face tough summer job market

It’s going to be another tough summer for the teen job market this year.

Outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. projects little improvement from summer 2010 when the number of teen jobs increased by 960,000 from May through July, a 17.5 percent drop from 2009 and the lowest summer job growth since 1949.

The 3.3 million teens employed last July was the lowest since 1959, Challenger, Gray said in its annual teen employment outlook.

Despite the dismal forecast, parents can cling to the hope their kid’s job hunt will be successful.

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Increased holiday hiring expected

Recent announcements by Toys ‘R’ Us, Kohls and other retailers indicate holiday hiring will be significantly improved this year, says global consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

Last year, temporary holiday hiring was up 54 percent as retail payrolls nationwide saw a net increase of 501,400 workers in October, November and December.

Retailers are expected to add even more holiday jobs this year.

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Increased suit sales = more jobs

Are increased profits by suit retailers a sign that hiring is about to pick up?

Sounds like an off-beat analysis, but according to the @Work blog better-than-expected earnings by clothing retailers indicates that jobless workers are updating their wardrobes to prepare for job interviews.

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