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6/05/05

WORKPLACE
Be more productive, go home on time

To all those diligent workers who really think staying late at the office will help them land a raise or a pat on the back from the boss: Go home.

That's the message Lauren Stack, founder of the Colorado consulting firm, Productivity Pro, wanted to get across when she dubbed June 2 as the launch of National Leave the Office Earlier Day.

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And as befitting any day that guarantees workers time away from the office, this one has its own rules and regulations, according to Stack, author of the book, "Leave the Office Earlier: The Productivity Pro Shows You How to Do More in Less Time...and Feel Great About It."

Last week, she told all 10,000 of her monthly coaching clients to leave the office on time that day.

Stack said she was tired of hearing complaints from people who routinely worked 50, 60 - even 70 hours per week, including weekends. Stack maintains truly productive people don't stay late. They go home. Instead of schmoozing most of the day, they devote their energies to the tasks at hand so they can leave in time to eat with the family, commune with friends, or just relax.

She attributes this devotion to work to fear. "When the economy was bad and unemployment levels were high and job productivity was down, people stayed late," said Stack. "They were afraid of losing their jobs in a poor economy. But that was a couple of years ago, and things have changed except that companies have gotten used to that level of output. Right now, people are on a treadmill and they can't stop."

Stack said she wants people to understand that staying at the office beyond regular hours causes burnout. Her seven tips for leaving the office on time were designed to get people to think more effectively about how they use their time.

"It's none of their business that your commitment is with yourself or your family ... People tend to support others when their goals are made public," Stack said.

There will always be more things to do than there is time to do them."

BENEFITS
Health insurance costs climb 9.1% over 2004

Medical costs for a US family of four have risen 9.1 percent since last year, hitting the stratosphere at a time when many working families can least afford it.

The news, released last week by Seattle-based Milliman Inc., a company that tracks the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage, reveals that a typical American family of four should expect to pay, on average, $12,214 this year on medical costs, up from $11,192 last year.

Called the Milliman Medical index, the report shows the degree to which health insurance costs have increased over the past five years for families. The information was culled from hospital data and insurance claims brought by about 15 million US residents.

Over the last five years, however, average insurance costs for the typical family of four increased 9.8 percent per year. The study concluded that the bulk of this year's costs - about 45 percent - will be used to defray the cost of hospital care, including outpatient services. Another 37 percent will likely cover doctor's visits, and 15 percent will be used to pay for drugs. About 3 percent will be used to pay for miscellaneous purchases.

JOBS
Firms may ease rules as worker shortage looms

A Chicago outplacement executive has some unusual advice for job-seeking college graduates: Don't worry too much about those tattoos or body piercings.

John Challenger, chief executive at Challenger, Gray and Christmas, said that with a worker shortage looming, employers won't be as particular about body art. They might not like that pink and blue Mohawk, however.

"Some employers are already having trouble finding skilled workers," said Challenger. "They are not going to let some body art get in the way of hiring the best qualified candidate. Plus, a growing number of employers recognize the benefits of diversity in all its forms and are embracing the unique attributes that make people stand out from the crowd."

Standing out doesn't mean being outrageous, however. "Streaks of blue, green or fire-engine red will not scare off most hiring authorities, but a Mohawk or a hairdo resembling a bird's nest might," he said. So, will low-riding pants (the kind that show off belly buttons and boxers).

PAY
Mass. economists back hike of minimum wage

Massachusetts economists are backing a bill that would increase the state's minimum wage.

In a letter released Tuesday, 50 economists said they support a bill filed with the Legislature that would raise the minimum wage to $8.25 by 2007. The bill also calls for cost-of-living increases to prevent erosion of the hourly wage due to inflation.

"As economists concerned about the difficulties facing low-wage workers across the Commonwealth, we support increasing the Massachusetts minimum wage and indexing it to inflation," the economists said in a statement.

They also said that although the increase may seem large when compared to other states, the inflation-adjusted value of the current minimum wage of $6.75 is "now well below that of prior decades. An increase is needed to reverse this decline and to address the basic economic needs of working families."

Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a trade group representing over 7,000 firms, is opposed to the increase because it would make this state's minimum wage one of the highest in the country.

The lead sponsor of the bill is Massachusetts Representative James Marzilli, a Democrat from Arlington.

Diane E. Lewis can be reached at .

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