Herman Trend Alert: Is Offshoring Waning?
For years, the United States and some other developed countries have been sending jobs to less-developed countries. In most cases, the motivation has been cost-savings, almost always in labor costs. It was assumed that workers in the receiving countries would be able to perform the work at least as effectively as the workers who had held their jobs for years, sometimes for decades.
Herman Trend Alert: Government, Religion and Reality
Recent events surrounding Hurricane Katrina will raise serious new issues in the United States about the separation between church and state. In a country where the Supreme Court declared that the Ten Commandments must not be displayed in government buildings, political leaders continue to abdicate their responsibility to religious beliefs.
Herman Trend Alert: Katrina’s Cataclysmic Impact on the Workforce
The incomparable damage caused by Hurricane Katrina will have unexpected impacts on the workforce. The repair and rebuilding of a vast area—including one of America’s major cities and ports–will require a tremendous investment.
Herman Trend Alert: Young Entrepreneurs Drain Labor Pool
Early indications suggest that the Millennial Generation, born after 1985, has a strong orientation toward entrepreneurship. They feel confident that they can achieve great results–at least earn a satisfactory living—by going into business for themselves. This population cohort is showing itself to be self-aware, astute, creative, and comfortable taking the risks involved with business.
Herman Trend Alert: US Facing Surplus of Hispanic Workers?
The second largest contributor to Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product is the money sent back to families in the country from citizens who are working in other countries, particularly in the United States. That amount may soon surpass the revenue generated from Mexico’s leading industry, oil. Labor, much of it unskilled or semi-skilled, is the country’s most significant export.
Herman Trend Alert: Social Networking: The Next Frontier of Recruiting
Wise employers are looking for ideal applicants for open positions. In most cases, the people they want are not actively looking for a job. They will not show up on job boards or in stacks of resumes. The most desirable candidates are passive job seekers, not active. They are comfortable where they are working, but will change employers for the “right” opportunity. The challenge for recruiters is to find these special people. Traditional meat-market recruiting will not work.
Herman Trend Alert: Signs of a Tight Labor Market
While corporate leaders and human resource professionals continue to deny that the labor market is tightening, numbers and reality tell a different story. People who insist that there is no shortage will soon find themselves in a very difficult reactive posture.
Herman Trend Alert: Beyond Cute
When Roomba was first introduced, one of the reactions was that the application of robotic technology to vacuuming a carpet was “cute.” Since its introduction, 1.3 million units have been manufactured by iRobot in Burlington Massachusetts. Delighted homeowners across the country have enjoyed letting the little robot whirr around cleaning the floor. Sixty percent of Roomba owners have named their valuable labor-saving devices.
Herman Trend Alert: Candidate Uprising Waiting to Happen
Many employers are not paying attention. Their lack of sensitivity is about to cause some serious damage to their corporate recruiting.
Herman Trend Alert: The Next Dimension of “Right”
In “Good to Great,” now accepted as a classic in the field of corporate leadership, author Jim Collins emphasized having “the ‘right people’ in the ‘right seats’ on the bus.” This concept has received a lot of attention, though not enough employers embraced this approach.