HR Professional - February/March 2008 - (Page 17)

UPFRONT Regular cussing at work not only reinforces staff solidarity, but enables them to express negative feelings, according to researchers at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. Management professor Yehuda Baruch studied swearing in the workplace and found that “employees use swearing on a continuous basis, but not necessarily in a negative, abusive manner,” he said. “Swearing [enhanced] group cohesiveness, or as a psychological phenomenon to release stress.” The results of the study, “Swearing at Work and Permissive Leadership Culture,” are published in the current issue of the Leadership and Organization Development Journal. Most swearing was reported by lower-level employees, with executives S W E A R I N G | I N T E RV I E W Q U E S T I O N S | P E N S I O N S Communications NEWS F - - K Y E A H ! S W E A R I N G AT W O R K R E L I E V E S S T R E S S WATSON WYATT using foul language less frequently. The study also found that swearing was limited to staff areas, and never in front of customers. The research suggests that a ban on swearing would hinder camaraderie and could lead to decreased morale. However, abusive swearing should be eliminated where it causes stress. FYI GOOD QUESTION According to Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, the best interview question he’s heard is: Are you lucky? “It’s a question that breaks the theatre of the job interview and the practised lines,” said Pink during an address at the recent 2017-World of Work conference at the University of Waterloo. “You get different kinds of answers: ‘No, I’m not lucky—I’ve worked for everything I’ve got.’ or ‘Yes, I was born in this country and I’ve had all kinds of opportunities unavailable to most of the world.’ “Guess which one turns out to be the better candidate? The lucky one—these are the innovators and the people who collaborate well with their colleagues.” WATSON WYATT SAYS IT WILL DIVEST ITS NORTH AMERICAN MULTIEMPLOYER RETIREMENT BUSINESS TO TWO NEW COMPANIES. IN CANADA, THE AFFECTED PLANS INCLUDE PRIVATE SECTOR, NEGOTIATED COSTS AND TRUSTEED PLANS. THE COMPANIES, PBI ACTUARIAL CONSULTANTS IN CANADA AND HORIZON ACTUARIAL SERVICES IN THE U.S., WILL BE OWNED AND OPERATED BY CURRENT WATSON WYATT ASSOCIATES WHO FOCUS ON MULTI-EMPLOYER RETIREMENT PLANS. THE TRANSITION AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 70 MULTI-EMPLOYER RETIREMENT CLIENTS, ACCOUNTING FOR $15 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE. THE TRANSITION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY JAN. 31, 2008. THE MOVE IS SIMILAR TO WATSON WYATT’S SPINOFF OF ITS PUBLIC PENSION FUND RETIREMENT WORK EARLIER THIS DECADE. w w w.H RThought L eader. c om F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 8 17 ©IS T OC K PHO T O/ RUS SE L L TAT E http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - February/March 2008

HR Professional - February/March 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Boards By the Numbers Did You Know Sustainability Education News: E-Recycling Communications News: HR Study FYI Ethics World Watch News: Legislation Legal Compensation Focus Strategy The Colour of Money Sustainable Skills From Brown to Green HR Trends: From Winners to Also-Rans Branding Human Capital HR 101 Interview with David Suzuki Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - February/March 2008

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