Monday, January 6, 2020

PowerToFly VIP Update

PowerToFly VIP Update Ask and you shall receive Thanks to your feedback, weve made some incredible new updates to your PowerToFly Dashboard, (three cheers for our tech team) including a totally new interface and single sign-on for PowerToFly VIPs Watch my video and try it out yourself - Id love to know what you think You can always shoot me a message on Networks if you have any feedback, and I hope to see you virtually at a Lunch & Learn real soon ) One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a sc affold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the wertmiger zuwachs of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, wome n compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pi pe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Sleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study shows

Sleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study showsSleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study showsZzzzzzzz. Snooore. Snurrrfle. Zzzzzz.What? Wait, are you here? Sorry We were just napping. As long as youre here, then you probably relate its highly likely youre sleepy as you read this, because were all sleepy at work most days.The National Safety Council released a report based on a survey showing just how many of us are struggling when it comes to getting enough sleep for work the next morning. A whopping 43% of respondents said they fail to get at least 7 hours of shuteye daily, and 97% reported having at least one of the nine fatigue risk factors listed in the study to the point where lack of sleep actually threatened their lives.The studyidentified three ways to spot your own sleep deprivation. First, decreased cognitive performance, then microsleeps followed by increased safety risk.A staggering 97% of respondents said their grogginess took a mental toll, with lower v igilance, attention, memory, concentration and more. Almost half surveyed- 47%- said nodding off happens to them at work. Even worse, 16% said they had at least one safety incident because they were tired.These findings are a literal wake-up call When were tired, we can put ourselves and others at riskWe hope Americans recognize that impairment stems not just from alcohol and drugs, but lack of restorative rest fitness for duty starts with getting a good nights sleep, said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council.How our sleep deprivation gets this badHow do we let this happen? Because were working really hard. Around 81% of respondents had jobs they considered demanding.Among the list of risk factors Long shifts, long weeks, no rest breaks, working very late or very early, and not getting at least 12 hours between shifts. Demanding jobs and long commutes were also common.Not surprisingly, the more jobs people had, the worse their sleep deprivation. Sixty-seven percent of people who said they work more than one job also said they work 50+ hours weekly, which, the study says, puts them in danger of sleep deprivation. Heres how to address sleep deprivation.Get some exerciseTire yourself out. The National Sleep Foundation sheds light on how this can enhance your sleep.Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration. Exercise may also bolster sleep in other ways, because it reduces stress and tires you out. Early morning and afternoon exercise may also help reset the sleep wake cycle by raising body temperature slightly, then allowing it to drop and trigger sleepiness a few hours later. It can be especially helpful if you are able to exercise outdoors and let your body absorb natural sunlight during the daytime hours, the page says.Make your room as dark as possibleThe National Sleep Foundation also suggeststhat you consider low-wattage, incandescent lamps at your bedside to help you wind down in the hours be fore sleep and covering up areas where you can see artificial light both inside and outside, and more. When you think your room is dark enough, make it even darker. And of course no smartphones or electronics, which have a blue light that signals to your brain that it should wake up even when its not ready.Take a warm showerLifehacker provides advice get warm.If you often have trouble falling asleep quickly, perhaps a change in your shower schedule can help. Taking a warm shower or bath at night adjusts your body temperature so youre nice and groggy by the time you hit the sack. When you come out of a warm shower into a cooler bedroom, your body temperature will drop. That drop in temperature signals your body that its time to rest, slowing down essential metabolic functions including heart rate, breathing, and digestion, the article says.Also,check out these tips if insomnia holds you back from getting the sleep you need. And turn in early tonight- right after you read this, of co urse.