Reader Responses April 10, 2017

SURVEY SAYS: How’s the Weather at Work?

We recently covered a survey in which top management said a sense of humor is important in the workplace.
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Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “Which meteorological term best describes the atmosphere in your work environment?”

More than three in ten (30.5%) described their work environment as partly sunny, while 18.6% said it was cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. “Sunny” was selected by 5.1% of responding readers; 6.8% each chose “partly cloudy” and “cloudy with a chance of rain.” Slightly more than 3% said their work environment was cloudy; 1.7% chose “winter storms”; and 8.5% said it was a combination of meteorological terms listed.

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“Other” responses included:

  • Constantly stormy with a rare glance of the sun.
  • Mild with frequent tornadoes
  • galacial
  • snark and partly bit*chy with an 87% possibility of hubris
  • Foggy
  • unpredictable
  • black hole
  • Dark and Stormy
  • Partly chancy with scattered attitude disturbances likely due to lingering upper atmospheric meddling.
  • Hurricane – category 2

In verbatim comments, readers shared that the “weather” in the office is often different in different departments. Also, certain colleagues or events, such as changing computer systems, can change the weather from good to bad. Several lucky readers noted their workplaces are great places to work. Editor’s Choice is a tie this week for the reader who said, “A humorless environment lacks the sunshine needed to live and thrive,” and the one who said, “I try very hard to maintain a sunny attitude. Some days it is easier than others. If you keep smiling, they wonder what you’re up to.”

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!

Verbatim

Different divisions of the company tend to have drastically different work environments.

Most of the time, things are pretty sunny among the staff. Participant phone calls are another issue. Most are good, but you get the occasional thunderstorm, lots of cloudy and some downright gloomy calls.

Our firm is actively seeking to be more amenable to Millennials. Meanwhile, in my department, it's still 1985: jeans grudgingly on Friday, no work from home except for weather or illness.

There are constant responsibility changes and personality conflicts. One person in particular causes a tremendous amount of unnecessary grief for a lot of people, but for some reason the company keeps him around.

The atmosphere at work is typical of weather in most places in the Midwest--always changing, hot, cold, windy, storming, sunny. But I guess we learn to get used to it.

Keep your hat and coat handy, you may be asked, no, told, to leave immediately

We have an ageing office, many will be retiring in the next few years and we really don't have the experience to cover for that loss.

I try very hard to maintain a sunny attitude. Some days it is easier than others. If you keep smiling, they wonder what you're up to.

Having a great HR team makes going to work every day a pure pleasure! I love it when I love my job!

Acid rain

Sometimes the fog is so thick you can't see what's in front of you and you can't move forward. Other times you just can't quite tell what your coworkers are doing. Sometimes the fog lifts for a moment, or in a particular area, and the sun shines and all is clear and beautiful. The path forward is well lit. Then the haze falls and life in the fog begins again.

Just like the real weather, it depends on the day!

Company is 50 Years old. Not much turnover - Long Term Employment - Family type atmosphere

Verbatim (cont.)

Unpredictable would best describe our atmosphere, because we are often caught by surprise by decisions and changes, like the meteorologists are often caught by surprise by the weather.

Foggy, with a high probability of random hail storms.

My company is an awesome place to work! I've never been happier.

We just went through a computer conversion as a result of being acquired by a larger company. Needless to say right now the atmosphere is full on stormy.

My manager has a great sense of humor, he laughs with you not at you.

A humorless environment lacks the sunshine needed to live and thrive.

As we work through another round of layoffs, Dark and Stormy is both a meteorological reference as well as a popular cocktail which seems to fit also.

Like Yukon Cornelius said; "...fog as thick as peanut butter..."

You just never know when the ball will drop....or on whom it will drop...

My immediate work environment is sunny, but this is not the same throughout all departments, which is why I selected a combination.

Days I work all by myself are sunny. Days I have to pin the committee down for a decision on plan design are cloudy w/chance of thunderstorms.

It is too bad that one or two people can negatively influence the atmosphere of an entire company.  

NOTE: Responses reflect the opinions of individual readers and not necessarily the stance of Asset International or its affiliates.
Benefits April 7, 2017

Employers Mostly Pleased Health Reform Didn’t Pass

Although some industry experts noted that the bill would reduce employer costs and administrative burdens, a survey finds the majority of employers were relieved it didn’t pass.
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The American Health Care Act (AHCA) was pulled by the House because not enough votes would have been garnered to pass the bill.

Although some industry experts noted that the bill would reduce employer costs and administrative burdens, a new survey finds the majority of employers were relieved it didn’t pass.

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Mercer surveyed 509 health care benefits professionals during a webcast and found 24% of employers are ‘very relieved’ the ACHA didn’t pass, and 32% indicated they were relieved it didn’t pass. Only 21% were disappointed or very disappointed it didn’t pass, while 23% expressed no opinion.

The professionals were also asked to rate what policymakers’ priorities should be when it comes to health care on a scale from one to five, with five being a top priority. Results included:

  • Reduce pharmacy cost = 4.4;
  • Improve price transparency for medical services/devices = 4.1;
  • Stabilize individual market = 4.0;
  • Maintain Medicaid funding = 4.0; and
  • Invest more in population health and health education = 3.7.

Mercer says, “Policymakers should view this health reform ‘reboot’ as an opportunity to partner with American businesses to drive higher quality, lower costs, and better outcomes for all Americans.”

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