Lack of job security, communication weigh on workers Even with the economy seemingly humming along, there is much uneasiness among American workers. What could be troubling them when consumer confidence is up (as of the end of November), orders for durable goods continue to rise and new-home sales are setting records? Career consulting firm Right Management Consultants (www.right.com), a subsidiary of Manpower Inc., reports in its 2005 global survey of more than 9,200 workers in 18 countries, that worker confidence is down in the United States by nearly 24 percent. Only workers in Switzerland and Germany were found to have lower levels of confidence than their American counterparts. Even though this is the third consecutive Right Management survey in which a majority of the countries had an overall gain in worker confidence, the most dramatic decreases in confidence occurred in the United Kingdom, United States and Switzerland. Doug Matthews, group executive vice president at Right Management, speculated that the aftereffects from Hurricane Katrina likely impacted U.S. workers' confidence levels. In addition to asking about the chances of losing their own jobs, the survey asked how likely would it be for the average person who was laid off to find a similar job at the same pay. In all countries but Korea, more than half of the workers indicated it would be somewhat or very difficult. The percentage who thought it would be hard climbed to more than 80 percent in several major industrialized countries including the United States (80.2 percent), Netherlands (80.9 percent), Italy (81.3 percent), France (89.4 percent) and Germany (95.5 percent). Another reason why workers may be disconnected from their employers is a lack of communication. Right Management, in conjunction with International Association of Business Communicators Research Foundation, has found a low rate of leadership communication in organizations. In a separate survey, nearly half (48 percent) of organizations surveyed worldwide indicated their management has not effectively communicated their business strategies to employees and encouraged them to incorporate these strategies into their daily jobs. This has resulted in only 37 percent of organizations reporting that their employees are effectively aligned to company mission statements and visions. Chris Gay, senior vice president at Right Management, said ongoing, consistent communication at the senior leadership level is critical, even when there isn't anything new or vital to communicate. He said this communication builds trust and credibility. Hooray for horticulture Speaking of communication, an article in the Nov. 27 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram should provide operators of horticultural businesses some encouraging news. An increasing number of high school students are becoming interested in horticulture. William Stagg, spokesman for the National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Organization in Indianapolis, told the paper that "Horticulture is something that translates very well in suburban and urban areas. Many students are interested in it, and it's a program that you can manage without a lot of land." FFA membership is at a 25-year high with more than 490,000 members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The Star-Telegram reports that the variety of agriculture careers is leading to an upswing in student enrollment in these courses. At Northwest High School, north of Fort Worth, the agricultural program has risen from 160 to 295 students over the past five years. Texas Cooperative Extension reports that floral and nursery crops, valued at more than $750 million, are one of the fastest growing segments of the state's agricultural industry. With an increasing interest in horticulture from high school students , this offers the floriculture industry an opportunity to recruit potential employees, customers and eventually business operators. Now all we have to do is help communicate what the industry has to offer these young, energetic students who have a real interest in pursuing a floriculture career. For more: National FFA Organization, 6060 FFA Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46268; (317) 802-6060; www.ffa.org. Send this article to a friend Enter your e-mail address: Enter your friend's e-mail address: Click the image below to send: © 2006 Branch-Smith Publishing