Parental Types Believe They’Re Better Workers

Parents struggle to balance work and family, but many believe that having children makes them better employees.

A survey of 1,002 adults commissioned by Lutheran Brotherhood, a financial services company, found 52 percent of employed parents believe they’re more productive because they have children.

The survey conducted by Yankelovich Partners found only 11 percent say parenthood made them less productive.

Gwen Kuhrt, Lutheran Brotherhood’s human resources manager, says the increase in productivity may be because, “some parents may try to work more efficiently so that they have more time to spend with their kids.”

Stressed for success

Job holders working their way up the corporate ladder are prone to headaches, sleep disturbances and difficulty in concentrating.

These are some of the early warning signs of job stress, a problem for up to 40 percent of the work force.

If you suffer from on-the-job stress, a new booklet by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health titled “Stress At Work” may help. It provides tips on stress management and prevention, as well as a page of resources.

For a free copy, call NIOSH at 1-800-356-4674.

Decompressing

Stress management, goal setting and time management will be addressed during a half-day workshop presented by administrative secretarial students at Spokane Community College.

Featured speakers include Roberto Gutierrez, SCC dean of business and hospitality careers, and Patricia J. “Patty” Shea, Avista Corp.’s Spokane area coordinator for customer design representatives.

The workshop is scheduled for 8:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 23 in the SCC Lair-Student Center Auditorium, Building 6, 1810 N. Green. It costs $10 per session or $20 for all three sessions. For information, call Mary Fury at 533-7372.

No gig-gling, please

Do you know where your “gig line” is?

The smartly dressed man knows. It’s the vertical axis along which the shirt buttons, tie, belt buckle and pants zipper should lie. A zigzagging gig is a no-no.

That’s from “Attention to Detail: A Gentleman’s Guide to Professional Appearance and Conduct.” In addition to addressing the finer points of office attire, author Clinton T. Greenleaf III attempts to rid the world of “dead fish” handshakes and other killers of good impressions.

For a copy of the guide, contact the author at clintgreenleafenterprises.com or P.O. Box 291, Chesterland, OH 44026, or (440) 338-4553.