Today is Equal Pay Day – When it comes to equal pay, the gender pay gap persists, according to research by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation. What’s more, the research finds that this pay gap begins right at the starting gate and gets worse over time. One year out of college, women working full time already earn only 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn, even after controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors known to affect earnings. By ten years, comparable women’s pay falls to 69 percent of what men earn.
The AAUW research also shows that this pay gap exists despite the fact that women outperform men in school—earning slightly higher GPAs than men in every college major, including science and mathematics. See state-by-state data on pay equity. (Via The HR Blog).
A look ahead – Anne Freedman sees increased globalization, and more workers who are modular and remote when she looks in her crystal ball. In “The Next 20 Years”, which appears in the current issue of Human Resource Executive, she identifies managing across international borders and accommodating cultural diversity as some of the challenges facing HR managers. Here’s a brief excerpt:
“Managing people will entail a different can of worms, however, as many may not be working full-time. Many of the experts see significant increases in project-based work, with HR being cast in the role of producer, bringing together the talent necessary to get specific jobs done before each individual takes off for the next project.
A related scenario includes a renaissance in the creation of guilds and unions, where loyalty to a profession, such as a software engineer, for example, replaces loyalty to an employer.”
The rewards of being nice – We enjoyed this anecdote about coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, first impressions, and how it pays to be nice – a brief parable from The Group Guy.
Guns at work – Chris MCKinney at The HR Lawyer’s Blog revisits the guns in the workplace in the aftermath of Virginia Tech. (See our recent post – Should employers have the right to ban guns at work?)
Dental health – Are dental plans a part of your wellness program? There’s a lengthy article in the Los Angeles Times (free registration may be required) that discusses the relationship between gum disease and serious health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy complications. Several recent research studies demonstrate a relationship between dental health and overall health. In the light of this research, some large insurers are revising health plans to offer additional services for high-risk individuals. But the bad news is that more than 100 million people have no dental insurance.
Business tools
- Cliff Ennico offers a how-to guide for hiring an attorney in entrepreneur.com.
- Problems e-mailing very large files? Try YouSendIt. Some basic services are free, but you can also purchase business plans that allow branding and other features.
- Susan Heatherfiled offers tips for better new employee orientation.