Working hard to get to Heaven — this saying rings particularly true when we delve into the peculiar and sometimes eyebrow-raising facts about the world of work. From an employee who turned ghost-working into an art form to the burgeoning lifestyle of digital nomads, here are some detailed accounts of how our relationship with work … Continue reading Fascinating Work Facts: From Ghost Workers to Digital Nomads
Wealth, Education, and Federal Employment: A Snapshot of Washington D.C. and Its Suburbs
Five out of the ten richest counties in the United States are located in the suburbs of Washington D.C., within Maryland and Virginia. These counties boast a median income of approximately $134,000. Furthermore, when considering Washington D.C. alongside the fifty states, it holds the highest proportion of individuals with a college degree. Moreover, D.C. is a hub for a vast array of federal government and agency roles, inclusive of contractors. The jobs generally tend to pay well.
Delta Employees’ $30M Gesture: A Boeing 767 Gift in 1982 Crisis
In the midst of economic turmoil in the airline industry in 1982, Delta Air Lines employees came together to raise $30 million, enabling the purchase of a new Boeing 767 as a gesture of thankfulness and recognition for the company.
McDonald’s: A Pillar of the American Service Economy
The McDonald’s Corporation has emerged as a potent emblem of the American service economy, currently accounting for 90% of the nation’s new job opportunities. From its humble beginnings with around 1,000 restaurants in 1968, McDonald’s has expanded its global presence, boasting over 28,000 establishments and inaugurating nearly 2,000 new outlets annually. Astonishingly, it is estimated that 1 in 8 workers in the United States has been employed by McDonald’s at some point in their career.
A somewhat popular joke draws a comparison between the mandatory military service practiced in some countries, such as Israel, which often includes both men and women, and the ubiquity of food service employment in the United States. The jest implies that working in the food service industry, particularly at McDonald’s, is almost an American rite of passage.
No-Poaching Collusion: Tech Giants’ Wage Suppression Scandal
In the 2000s, major companies like Google, Apple, Adobe, and Intel, along with other corporate giants, conspired to avoid poaching each other’s employees in an effort to suppress wages. This collusion ultimately resulted in a $400 million class-action lawsuit. This illegal practice, known as a “no-poaching” or “anti-poaching” agreement, stifled employee mobility and salary growth […]
Email Overload: The 28% Impact on Office Workers
On average, office workers dedicate 28% of their professional careers to reading and responding to emails. This significant time commitment is attributed to the growing reliance on electronic communication in the modern workplace, which has led to an increase in email volume. In fact, studies show that employees receive around 121 emails per day, and […]
The Cognitive Impact of Shift Work
Working in shifts can lead to cognitive decline due to the disturbance of the circadian rhythm and subsequent hormonal irregularities, as well as neurobehavioral issues. This decline can manifest in several ways, such as reduced processing speed, impaired working memory, psychomotor vigilance, decreased cognitive control, and impaired visual attention. Shift work disrupts the body’s natural […]
Microsoft Japan’s 4-Day Workweek Increases Productivity by 40%
As part of its “Work Life Choice Challenge,” Microsoft Japan implemented a 4-day workweek by shutting down offices every Friday. This trial resulted in a remarkable 40% increase in productivity, as measured by sales per employee, compared to the same period the previous year. Furthermore, the shortened workweek resulted in a host of other benefits […]
The earliest known résumé is credited to…
The earliest known résumé is credited to Leonardo da Vinci, who created it when applying for the position of military engineer for the Duke of Milan. It primarily consists of a list of his designs for siege weapons, including trebuchets. He also included a brief statement about his artistic skills, “In painting, I can do […]
Satoru Iwata, years before he became…
Satoru Iwata, years before he became the president of Nintendo, was an unpaid intern at Commodore Japan.