Industry News



 

12/07/2012

Worker Confidence Declines in Economic Uncertainty

 
Worker confidence could be shaken in uncertain economic times.

How’s your facility portfolio look?  How are your employees doing?  The Randstad Employee Confidence Index decreased last month to 51.7, breaking a previous two-month climb in confidence.

In the November Index, employees showed increased uncertainty around the availability of new jobs and in the strength of the economy. Despite the decrease in optimism, 59% of U.S. workers maintain strong levels of confidence in their employers' future. Additionally, slightly more workers expressed an increased sense of job security.

"November was a month of ups and downs for the U.S. labor market, but for the most part, our Index has remained fairly high given the mixed economic headlines," says Jim Link, managing director of human resources for Randstad US.

"With the presidential election behind us, economic anxiety still exists around the so-called fiscal cliff, potential sharp tax increases, and the economic outlook overseas. Yet, there are some very positive signs as we move into the last month of the year. The retail holiday season started off strong with more sales activity in stores and online when compared to 2011.

Consumers are also more confident than we've seen since early 2008, the housing market is showing signs of recovery, and third quarter GDP growth was revised upward to 2.7%. Despite this welcoming news, the economy still remains fragile and the unemployment rate will likely show little movement as we close out 2012."

Quick Stats:

Employee Confidence Decreases in November

  • The Employee Confidence Index decreased 2.6 points to 51.7 in November after increasing in both September (0.8 points) and October (1.9 points)
  • November saw a seven percentage point increase in employees indicating they believe the economy is getter weaker (41%  versus 34% last month)
  • 52% of workers  believe fewer jobs are available, an increase of six percentage points over last month
  • Only 20% believe more jobs are available  
  • Most employees, 59%, continue to feel confident in the future of their current employers and companies
  • Almost three-quarters of employees also feel secure in their jobs, with 72% indicating it is unlikely they will lose their job in the next 12 months. This number has held strong throughout 2012
  • 43% of employees in November indicated they are confident in their personal ability to find a new job, however, a quarter of employees (25%) reported they were not confident in their ability to find a new job
  • More than a third of employees, 36 %, are ready to move on to their next job, indicating it is likely they will transition to a new job in the next year
 

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Sloan Performance Also Comes in White

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Lower costs. Increase operational efficiency. Detect problems before they're problems. Johnson Controls is reinventing building efficiency.

Learn more .

Lower costs. Increase operational efficiency. Detect problems before they're problems. Johnson Controls is reinventing building efficiency.

Learn more .

Lower costs. Increase operational efficiency. Detect problems before they're problems. Johnson Controls is reinventing building efficiency.

Learn more .

We Can Help You Reduce Energy by 30%

Our mission is to help our customers manage their buildings' energy costs, improve reliability, and enhance performance while having a positive impact on the environment.
CLICK HERE to find out how.

Need portable cooling?

Rent or buy spot coolers from full-service locations nationwide. On call “24/7”. Primary, supplemental or emergency cooling. Atlas Sales & Rentals, Inc., or call (800) 972-6600.

Click here for more info

Sloan Performance Also Comes in White

Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating is transforming HVAC with advanced Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning solutions that totally redefine efficiency. VRF zoning systems offer lower lifecycle costs, less maintenance, better performance and reliability which lead to increased overall building efficiency. And all at a price that fits within your budget. Let Mitsubishi Electric help you redefine your HVAC efficiency as well as what you can achieve in your buildings.
Learn more www.mitsubishipro.com/redefined
05/16/2013
Net-zero is often on the facility management radar as technology allows for increasingly efficient energy management strategies and techniques.  But could net-zero become the real deal for homeowners as well?
05/15/2013
Walmart has announced that it will conduct in-depth safety inspections at 100% of the factories in Bangladesh that produce goods for the retailer. The company will complete all reviews within six months and will publicly release the names and inspection information on all 279 factories. As a result, workers in these facilities can be assured of safer working conditions, and the entire market will be lifted to a new standard.
05/09/2013

The struggle to obtain maximum temperature comfort for building tenants at an affordable cost has long been a challenge in the commercial real estate market. With new commercial HVAC technology coming into the marketplace every day, the innovative performance of two-stage water source heat pumps are starting to become more widely accepted for achieving maximum comfort at minimum cost. 

05/08/2013
A longtime concern of the facility manager, electrical fires are a persistent issue for home structures and buildings. 

The Home Electrical Fires report estimates that an electrical failure or malfunction factored in 45,000 to 55,000 home structure fires reported to the U.S. fire departments every year since 2000.
05/06/2013

An old microwave oven headed for the dumpster may lead to significant developments on the solar energy front.  Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.
05/01/2013
Do You Smell That? Odor complaints are the most challenging problems I am asked to solve as an Indoor Air Quality Professional.  Often only one or two of the building’s occupants out of 50 or 100 can detect the odor
04/29/2013
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winner of its third-annual Energy Star National Building Competition. More than 3,000 schools, businesses, and government buildings across the country competed to see which could reduce its energy use the most in one year—and a New Jersey elementary school emerged victorious.
04/25/2013
The microbial population in the air of the New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on the city streets.
04/25/2013

The United States ranked first among 21 countries most actively using the tax code to influence sustainable corporate activity, according to the inaugural edition of the KPMG Green Tax Index, reflecting the country's extensive and long-established program of federal tax incentives for energy generally, including specific incentives for energy efficiency, renewable energy and green buildings.

04/24/2013

Let this stat sink in: 98% of lamp's energy goes to lighting the street instead of the night sky. 

Streetlights illuminate the night, shining upon roadways and sidewalks across the world, but these ubiquitous elements of the urban environment are notoriously inefficient and major contributors to light pollution that washes out the night sky. Recent innovations in light emitting diodes (LEDs) have improved the energy efficiency of streetlights, but, until now, their glow still wastefully radiated beyond the intended area.

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