Holding leaders accountable for toxic organizations
By sheer coincidence this week, I’ve been exploring the theme of “Toxic Organizations” with all the first year Commerce students in my organizational behaviour classes at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. It’s a growing research topic in my field, and too much of my consulting work these days involves helping people get rid of the […]
Working Moms Make Time for Baby on the Weekend
Working moms may spend at least 40 hours a week away from their children, but when it comes to quality time—time spent caring for and interacting with their children—the difference between working and stay-at-home moms may be smaller than you think. At-home mothers spend about 38 hours a week of quality time with their children, […]
Stress at Work and at Home Increase Risk of Death
Aug 15, 2008 1:53 pm For men with an above average risk of heart disease, the combination of a very stressful job and their marriage breaking up increases their chances of dying by as much as 69 percent compared with men in low stress jobs who remained married, according to a new report published recently […]
Are your Childcare Needs Being Met?
Are employers doing enough to support working parents? For the most part, the answer is no. Parents sign up years in advance hoping for a spot in regulated daycare. Others rely on grandparents who may be unaware of contemporary parenting techniques, or nannies if you’re wealthy enough to afford one, or, in many cases, babysitters, […]
Poisonous Environments at Work
Do you work in a poisonous environment? Think about the phrase “poisonous workplace”. What does it make you think of? Do cynical, unfulfilled, contemptuous people come to mind? People exploiting their ‘power’ within an organization? Maybe an atmosphere laced with bullying and intimidation, and most predictably, harassment. Does the word “harassment” make you feel uneasy […]
Leadership Examined
Leadership: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Leadership is challenging in good times, and even more so in difficult ones. The demands of leadership are great and the task daunting. Few are born to it, yet many have it thrust upon them. Leaders usually come out of the rank and file and have a passion […]
Woman Executives and Mr. Moms at Higher Risk for Health Problems
Men and women who defy traditional societal roles may suffer health consequences such as heart disease, researchers reported recently. “Nontraditional roles may not be healthy,” stated lead author Dr. Elaine D. Eaker, head of Eaker Epidemiology Enterprises. Eaker and colleagues at the Framingham Offspring Study, followed patterns of heart disease and death among nearly 3,700 […]
Greenhouse Work can Pose Asthma Risk
Aug 15, 2008 1:36 pm Greenhouse workers may face a heightened risk of contracting asthma due to exposure to molds and allergy-causing flowers, according to the results of a small study. Occupational asthma is a well-known hazard of certain jobs in which workers are routinely exposed to chemicals, dust, gases, food allergens and other potential […]
Burning Calories and Building Brain Power
Not long ago, a researcher at the University of Illinois made a startling discovery. He put a group of rats on a treadmill for one hour every day. A second group was deprived of the treadmill. After 30 days, he measured the number of blood capillaries in the brains of both groups and guess what […]
Regular Hot-tub ‘Vacations’ Drown Out the Daily Grind
Our muscles tense up, our brains stress out, the day feels like it’s been dragging for hours and it’s barely 10 a.m. We all suffer from stress to some degree or another, but do we all have the option to indulge in the healing powers of swirling warm water and therapeutic jets in our own […]