Survey Shows Overall Employee Confidence Drops to Year Low

The confidence level of U.S. workers slightly decreased in December, according to a recent survey of 2,827 working adults. The Spherion Employee Confidence Index, a monthly gauge of overall worker confidence, decreased by 0.9 point to 52 in December, the lowest level recorded this year.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Spherion Corporation (NYSE: SFN), revealed that while slightly fewer workers were optimistic about job availability, more were confident in the future of their current employer.

According to the Index, the percentage of workers who believed the economy was getting stronger was unchanged at 12 percent, while slightly fewer workers believed that are more jobs available. Despite this, the percentage of workers who are confident in the future of their current employer increased three percentage points from November to 64 percent. In addition, the number of workers likely to look for a new job in the next year remains stable at 32 percent and nearly eight-in-ten (78 percent) workers feel that they are unlikely to lose their job in the next 12 months.

"With the continuing turmoil in the housing and credit markets and concerns of an overall slowing in the economy, it's not surprising that the Employee Confidence Index has continued its decline," says Roy Krause, president and chief executive officer of Spherion. "This month's Index reached its lowest level in the past year, but not all of the data is negative. In fact, the majority of workers remain confident about their own job security and the future of their current employer. The data also shows that nearly a third of workers plan on finding a new job in the next year, indicating that this certainly isn't the time for employers to ease up on their retention and recruiting efforts. It's those employers who make the extra effort now to be recognized as an employer of choice who will reap the benefits from having top talent in the years to come."

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Employee Confidence Index Slips to Its Lowest Level this Year

The number of U.S. workers expressing confidence in the economy and in their personal
employment situation continued its decline in November, according to a recent survey from Spherion Corporation (NYSE: SFN) of 3,014 working adults.

The Spherion Employee Confidence Index, a monthly gauge of overall worker confidence, decreased by 3.5 points to 52.9 in November, its lowest level seen this year. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Spherion, reveals that fewer workers believe there are more jobs available and that the economy is getting stronger. Despite this, more than three-quarters of workers believe it is unlikely that they will lose their job in the next 12 months.

According to the survey, the percentage of workers who expressed confidence in their own job security increased two percentage points from 77 percent in October to 79 percent in November, while the percentage of workers who felt confident in the future of their current employer decreased four percentage points from October to 61 percent. Nearly one-third of workers, or 32 percent, reported that it was likely that they would seek new jobs in the next 12 months, a decrease of two percentage
points from last month.

"It appears that the volatile stock market, credit situation, housing slowdown and continued anxiety over fuel prices may be fueling apprehension among workers," says Roy Krause, president and chief executive officer of Spherion Corporation. "Though this month's Index decreased, data aggregated from specific survey questions indicate a clear majority of workers remain optimistic and confident about their own job security and the future of their current employer. Furthermore, the data shows that slightly fewer workers intend to seek new jobs in the next 12 months, which is could be good news for employers focused on retaining top performers. When considered along with a comparatively low 4.7 percent unemployment rate and continued job growth in industries such as professional services, healthcare and hospitality, we believe that the overall job market remains strong."

Confidence Levels Hit Lowest Level of the Year: The Spherion Employee Confidence Index dropped to its lowest level this year, decreasing 3.5 points to 52.9 in November. The Index, which measures workers' confidence in their personal employment situation and optimism in the macroeconomic environment, reveals that more workers were apprehensive about the economy, job market and the future of their current employers.

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Craft Beer, Signature Cocktails and Organic Wine Top List of Restaurant Beverage Trends

New National Restaurant Association research shows that alcohol is among the hottest culinary trends in restaurants. A survey of more than 1,000 professional chefs -- American Culinary Federation members -- ranks craft beer, energy drink cocktails, martinis, mojitos, artisan liquors, organic wine and specialty beer in the top 20 trends. In addition to cocktails and bar drinks, alcohol is also used as an ingredient in cooking and as part of meals and menus through food-alcohol pairings.

"While wine, beer and spirits have always been part of the culinary arts and restaurant menus, specialty alcohol is increasingly popular right now," says Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the association. "As American diners are growing increasingly sophisticated, adult beverages can be an important part of both recipes and meals. Alcohol tasting menus, or flights, are served by more restaurants, and pairing beer and wine with complementary flavors on your plate can very much enhance the dining experience. Our new International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event next spring will highlight all of these trends and allow restaurateurs to explore new ways to please their guests' palates in both dining rooms and bar areas."

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Survey Finds Three-Quarters of Americans Celebrate - and Spend on - Halloween

A new survey released by Visa Inc. shows that seventy three percent of Americans celebrate -- and spend on -- Halloween. According to the survey, among those who celebrate Halloween, the average will spend $40 on candy and decorations. Parents with children under 18 will spend $54 on candy and decorations while those without children under 18 will spend $32. Of mention, Dads tend to go all out, spending $63, while moms are more conservative, spending $46.

"You wouldn't think you'd have to budget for something as 'fun' as Halloween. But I believe all expenditures, large and small, are better planned for in advance," said personal finance expert and best-selling author Jean Chatzky. "Whether you are buying candy or a car, planning a
budget is critical to staying in overall good financial health."

Additional findings in the survey include:

• Men ($46) who celebrate Halloween report spending $12 more than
  women ($34).
• Younger people ($44) say they spend more than those 55 and over
  ($31).
• Those who live in rural areas ($49) spend $10 more on average than
  people living in urban areas ($39) and $13 more than suburbanites ($36).

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Survey of Hurricane Preparedness Finds One-Third On High Risk Coast Will Refuse Evacuation

According to a new survey of people in high-risk hurricane areas conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security, one-third (31%) of residents say if government officials said they had to evacuate due to a major hurricane this season, they would not leave. This is an increase from 2006 when 23% said they would not evacuate.

The survey was conducted in eight states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas—and only included residents of counties within 20 miles of the coast. The poll included a special sample of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

The top reasons people give for not evacuating involve issues of safety and security. Three-quarters (75%) say their home is well-built and they would be safe there. Over half (56%) feel that roads would be too crowded, and slightly more than one in three (36%) feels that evacuating would be dangerous. One-third (33%) worry that their possessions would be stolen or damaged while one in four (27%) say they would not evacuate because they do not want to leave their pets.

“Public officials need to be concerned that the further we get from the severe hurricanes of 2005, the less willing people are to evacuate,” says Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Officials need to remind people that many homes are vulnerable to major storms. They also need to ensure safe evacuation routes are available and the public is aware of them.”

These findings are based on interviews conducted June 18 - July 10, with 5,046 adults in high hurricane risk counties in eight states.

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Video: It's Not YourSpace, It's OurSpace Parents Say

MySpace.com has a reputation for being the premiere online teen hangout -- but perhaps it is undeserved. A recent survey reveals that nearly 40 percent of MySpace users are between the age of 35 and 54. Facebook.com says its fastest growing demographic for its users is older than 25.

Is the Internet getting old? What do kids think of all this?

Tamsen Fadal has the story.

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Sex on the Brain

New evidence on sex differences in people’s brains and behaviors emerges with the publication of results from the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Sex ID Internet Survey. Survey questions and tests focused on participants’ sex-linked cognitive abilities, personality traits, interests, sexual attitudes and behavior, as well as physical traits.

The Archives of Sexual Behavior has devoted a special section in its April issue to research papers based on the BBC data. BBC Science, in collaboration with researchers in the United Kingdom and North America, designed their research project on psychological sex differences in conjunction with their TV documentary, Secrets of the Sexes.

The project culminated in the creation of the BBC Internet Survey, which was posted on the BBC Science and Nature website. In just three months (February-May 2005), more than 250,000 people from all over the world responded to the full survey. Some initial results were presented in July 2005 in the program, Secrets of the Sexes. The complete dataset has been analyzed since, with key findings published in the current issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior.

The BBC summaries of the articles are available online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/articles/results/.

Included in the April issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior is a paper on methodology, describing the study’s history, rationale, ethics and methodological considerations, namely the advantages and limitations of internet-based research.

Stian Reimers, from the Department of Psychology at University College London in the UK, says in this paper, “Much is made of the different agendas of science and the media, and the tensions that can occur when the two interact. Although this tension is not likely to disappear in the near future, it is hoped that this project can serve as an example of how positive interaction between the two professions can have beneficial consequences for both.”


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Young Women Will Spend Far More of Their Tax Refund, New Survey Finds

Significant gender and age gaps exist when it comes to saving money. A new survey released from Visa USA shows women between the ages of 18 and 49 will save far less of their tax refunds than any other group.

The Visa survey shows that only 30% of women ages 18 to 49 plan to put the money they receive from their income tax refunds into savings. By contrast, 40% of men in that age bracket plan to put their refunds into savings. According to the survey, women ages 50 and over are the champion savers, with 48% saying their tax refunds will be saved. Men 50 and older are close behind, with 45% saying they will invest their refunds in savings, the survey found.

"Our research has found a dramatic gender and age gap when it comes to saving money. Women under 50 save far less of their tax refunds than other groups and this could have significant ramifications for their financial health," says Jason Alderman, director of Visa USA's financial education programs. "Taking advantage of tax refunds to save for retirement or a rainy day is vitally important."

The Visa survey of credit and debit cardholders, which grouped respondents by gender and age (49 and younger or 50 and older), found the following statistics:

• Overall, 41% plan to save their refund; 31% will apply it to paying bills; 10% will use it for a major purchase; 7% will use it for everyday living expenses; 6% don't expect to get a refund and 5% don't know.
• Those planning to put their refund into savings span across all education levels, with 38% of those who have high school diplomas or less planning to save, and 41% of those who attended or graduated from college planning to save.
• Women under the age of 50 are the only group who plan to spend more than they set aside from their tax refunds, with 41% saying their refunds will go to paying bills and only 30% saying it will be saved.

In an effort to help all tax refund recipients cash in on a chance to save, Visa USA has released money management tips encouraging consumers to make more of their dollars work hard for them. These tips are being offered as part of Visa USA's free, online financial education program, "Practical Money Skills for Life."

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Survey Finds Strong Relationship Between Work-Life Balance and Ethical Behavior

Does work-life balance influence positive ethical behaviors at work? According to the findings of the "2007 Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Ethics & Workplace" survey, there is a strong relationship between the two factors.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Deloitte & Touche USA also showed that the behaviors of management and direct supervisors, coupled with positive inforcement for ethical behavior, are the top factors for promoting ethical behavior in the workforce.

"In the competitive environment to attract and retain talent, it is imperative that employers provide employees with the means to attain a healthy work-life balance," says Sharon Allen, chairman atDeloitte & Touche USA. "This is not only key to job satisfaction, and retaining your most valued employees, but it is also critical in fostering an ethical workplace culture."

"When you think about it," Allen adds, "if someone invests all oftheir time and energy into their jobs, it may have the unintended consequence of making them dependent on their jobs for everything--including their sense of personal worth. This makes it even harder to make a good choice when faced with an ethical dilemma if they believe it will impact their professional success."

According to the survey, 91 percent of all employed adults agreed thatworkers are more likely to behave ethically at work when they have a goodwork-life balance. A combined 44 percent of workers cite high levels ofstress (28 percent), long hours (25 percent) and inflexible schedule (13 percent) as the causes of conflict between their work responsibilities and personal priorities, hence contributors to work-life imbalance.

Sixty percent of employed adults surveyed think that job dissatisfaction is a leading reason why people make unethical decisions atwork, and more than half of workers (55 percent) ranked a flexible workschedule among the top three factors leading to job satisfaction, second only to compensation (63 percent).

The survey also reveals the important impact management and supervisors have in promoting ethical workplace behaviors. Employed adults ranked the behavior of management (42 percent) and direct supervisors (36 percent) as the top two factors contributing to the promotion of an ethical workplace.

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Online Tax Filing Up, Internet Security Fears are Down

More consumers are filing their taxes online, and fewer are concerned about Internet security, The Conference Board and TNS report.

This year, 39 percent of consumers intend to file their 2006 federal taxes online, up from 28 percent just three years ago. Online tax filing is a growing trend. Close to two-thirds of consumers report having filed online for three or more consecutive years, of which nearly half have been filing online for more than five years.

"Speed, convenience and choice are compelling an increasing number ofconsumers to toss their pencils and papers and file their federal taxes electronically," says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. "Whether using professional tax services or do-it-yourself software, electronic filing continues to grow year after year. And, by far, direct deposit is the preferred refund method. This year's ability to split refunds among up to three accounts is yet another choice that should broaden the appeal of electronic filing."

The Consumer Internet Barometer - produced by The Conference Board, the global business research and membership organization, and TNS, a global market insight and information group - surveys 10,000 households across thecountry and tracks who's doing what on the Internet.

Among consumers intending to file their federal taxes online, nearly 40 percent intend to use a professional tax service, with women more likely than men to seek assistance. Do-it-yourself tax software is more popular among male filers than female filers. The number of online filers using IRSe-file has declined since 2004, as the pool of eligible filers has likely shrunk due to increased complexity in returns and as more alternatives become available. Slightly more women than men (20 percent versus 19 percent) will use IRS E-file.

Consumers are less concerned about security when filing taxes online. Today only 43 percent of Internet users are "extremely" concerned aboutfiling taxes online, down from 52 percent in 2004.

Last year, more than 70 percent of online tax filers chose to receive their refund by direct deposit while 18 percent requested a check. The ease and convenience of direct deposit clearly makes it the preferred choice of online tax filers.

Among those who do not file online, the leading reason cited is that the consumer does not do his/her own taxes (34 percent). Coming in second (23 percent) are concerns about personal information on the Internet.

The Consumer Internet Barometer is based on a quarterly survey of10,000 households. A unique sample is surveyed each quarter. Return ratesaverage 70 percent, which ensures highly representative data. Data is weighted as well to reflect the latest U.S. household demographic information. The latest survey was conducted during the first quarter of2007.

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Survey Reveals Family Ties, Traditional Activities Keep Arctic Communities Vital

A newly released survey of indigenous Arctic people indicates that an overwhelming majority of the region's native people think traditional pursuits such as hunting, boat-building and manufacturing crafts are important to their identity. Unique because it measured quality of life and involved them in data gathering, the survey also says a substantial portion engages in traditional activities in addition to working in the cash economy, according to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

"Four decades ago, as wage work rapidly became more common in the north, scientists and policymakers assumed that indigenous people would take advantage of opportunities to participate in the cash economy, abandoning harvest and traditional food processing activities," report notes.

The survey results indicate that despite lifestyle changes that have swept into northern communities as non-natives move to remote areas, traditional values still are important to native peoples, and they are willing to use their earnings in the cash economy to support those ways of life. Despite historical efforts by national governments to assimilate native peoples and encourage them to give up native traditions in favor of wage labor, nine out of 10 Inuit continue to think traditional activities are important to their identity.

The findings come from the "Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA)," which was produced through a partnership of indigenous peoples and researchers from the United States, Canada, Greenland, Russia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Researchers hope the study results will provide Native organizations and local governments across the Arctic with information to help make policy decisions. As a major step toward that goal, the team is hosting an international meeting with indigenous policy makers March 22 in Anchorage, Alaska.

The survey results will be posted on the Web on March 22 at http://www.arcticlivingconditions.org/.

"In Alaska, most products of hunting, fishing and gathering do not enter the market economy. Rather, subsistence products are directly consumed by the harvesting household, given away or exchanged," the report says. "Cash plays an important role in the Alaska mixed economy, however. Money buys snow machines, gas and ammunition."

More than 7,000 interviews were conducted between 1998 and 2001 to gather the survey data. In short, the survey concludes, "it takes money to pursue traditional activities. But households with higher incomes can, and do, choose to spend income on these activities."

"Unlike previous attempts to sample and quantify information about the lives of indigenous Arctic peoples, SLiCA aims to measure the quality of life conditions in ways that Arctic residents find important," says Jack Kruse, the U.S. project team leader. "It also documents and compares living conditions among the indigenous peoples of various regions of the Arctic and improves the understanding of living conditions in ways that will benefit Arctic residents."

Kruse also noted that the International Polar Year (IPY)--a two-year, concentrated campaign of field science across a broad spectrum of disciplines which began earlier this month--provides an unmatched international framework for conducting such research by encouraging scientists to work across both national and disciplinary borders.

"I am excited to see the results of this very ambitious effort that is quintessentially the kind of work that IPY should be about, especially through its circumpolar Arctic scientific and community collaboration," says Anna Kerttula de Echave, director of the Arctic social sciences program in NSF's Office of Polar Programs.

"A key element of the project was the inclusion of indigenous people in conceptualizing the survey instrument and collecting data. This research is an excellent example of NSF's efforts to increase the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in the sciences," she says.
NSF is the lead U.S. government agency for IPY.

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Study Finds Much Support In Canada For Including People With Intellectual Disabilities In Workplace

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) should be included in the workplace, and supported in their efforts to get there, say a majority of respondents in a Queen’s University poll on public attitudes toward employing people with ID.

Sixty-five per cent of respondents say that workers with ID should work alongside workers without ID, while 71 per cent note that a lack of appropriate training programs is likely preventing those with ID from obtaining employment, the university says.

The study will appear in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation on the eve of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, March 30.

“The findings from our poll are very positive in terms of the willingness of the public to see people with ID working,” says Rosemary Lysaght (Rehabilitation Therapy). “They indicate that people understand the right of people with ID to contribute and derive the same benefits from work that other people get. In fact many people with ID already perform significant amounts of volunteer work for their communities. We know from interviews we have conducted as part of another study with paid and unpaid works with ID that many would prefer to be paid.”

Lysaght conducted the research along with study lead Philip Burge (Psychiatry) and co-investigator Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz (Psychiatry/Community Health and Epidemiology). They are all members of the South Eastern Ontario Community-University Research Alliance in Intellectual Disabilities (CURA), which funded the research through a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grant.

Entitled Public Views on Employment of People With Intellectual Disabilities, the paper notes that this is the first time a sizable sample has been surveyed on the issue of inclusive employment in Canada.

“We now know that public attitudes are not a barrier to keeping workers with ID out of the workplace. Another study we are conducting shows that, in our region, the majority of workers with ID who do find work hold service-oriented jobs and are regularly in contact with the public. Our poll also told us that people sense that the supports and services to get people with ID into meaningful work are not adequate,” says Lysaght.

The 680 poll respondents were asked their views on the best type of employment for most adults with ID, the impact of ID workers on their co-workers without ID, and the barriers to workplace inclusion faced by workers with ID.

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Will More than 20 Million Americans Leave the United States?

New Global Initiatives Inc. has released an overview of its two-year study of American emigration to other nations. Six surveys totaling more than 100,000 adult Americans were completed from June of 2005 through December of 2006. Respondents were first asked, "Are you planning to relocate to another nation for more than two years for reasons other than the requirements of the military, the government or your job?"

Results indicate that more than 3 million Americans have already madethe decision to move, another 3 million say they are seriously considering it and are likely to move, while another 14 million say they are considering it and may move to another nation. In addition, more than 6 million Americans say they are seriously considering the purchase of avacation home or other property outside the US.

This is the first study of its kind ever undertaken, New Global says.

As Bob Adams, New Global's CEO puts it, "The numbers were far higher than we expected. Theyare clear evidence that migration is not a one-way street from poorer nations to the US. The global migration picture is far more complex than that."

The report discusses some of the demographic characteristics of American migrants, where they're interested in relocating, and their reasons for moving to another nation. "For some people, this is going to b ea controversial report," says Adams, "in terms of what people want to leave behind and what they expect to find."

One surprising result is that the group most interested in relocation outside the US is the 25-34 age group and by a substantial margin in comparison to other age groups.

"Traditionally, this age group has been thought to be the least likely to move outside the US. They were expected to be focused on marriage, family, and career at that age, thus most likely to settle down and stay put, but they are proving to be the most willing to pack their bags and leave the country. There is more than one surprise instore for the reader," notes Adams.

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Majority In Poll Say Bloggers Important To Journalism

A majority of Americans (55%) in an online survey say bloggers are important to the future of American journalism and 74% say citizen journalism will play a vital role, according to a new poll.

Most respondents (53%) also say the rise of free Internet-based media pose the greatest opportunity to the future of professional journalism and three in four (76%) say the Internet has had a positive impact on the overall quality of journalism.

The results are based on a recent We Media -- Zogby Interactive poll.

The We Media survey results were released by iFOCOS and pollster John Zogby as part of an iFOCOS conference on media innovation hosted by theSchool of Communication at the University of Miami, with major support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

In the national survey of adults, 72% say they were dissatisfied with the quality of American journalism today. A majority of conference-goers who were polled on the subject agreed -- 55% say they were dissatisfied,and 61% say they believed traditional journalism is out of touch with what Americans want from their news.

Nearly nine out of 10 media insiders (86%) say they believe bloggers will play an important part in journalism's future.

"We are now seeing mainstream acceptance of what we call the Power of Us -- the value, credibility, and vital expression of citizen and collaborative media," says Dale Peskin, a managing director of iFOCOS, the organization that conducts the annual We Media conference. "We've arrivedat a tipping point. A new definition of democratic media is emerging in our society."

Peskin says that, until recently, many traditional news enterpriseshave been skeptical about We Media. "They were either fearful or dismissive of our 2003 research forecasting and documenting the change in the media ecosystem," he says. "Now the Zogby poll provides additional evidence that 'We Media' is an essential component -- perhaps the essential component --for the agenda for news and information into the future."

"The research documents the widespread recognition that control and influence on how we know what we know is shifting to a vastly moredistributed network of empowered individuals and organizations," says Andrew Nachison, co- founder of iFOCOS. "This obviously will have a big impact on how media organizations evolve and conduct business, but it's really about how we all discover, create, share and apply information, and that's important to all industries, to entrepreneurs, to non-profits, to governments, to individuals and to society as a whole. We are all part of the ecosystem."

The Zogby Interactive survey of 5,384 adults nationwide was conducted Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, and carries a margin of error of +/- 1.4 percentage points. The Zogby Interactive survey of 77 members of the media who attended the Miami conference carries a margin of error of +/- 11.4 percentage points. While periodic audits show the results from Zogbytelephone and Internet surveys closely track each other, a companion telephone survey of this topic was not conducted.

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