The Astron Road Show
Now with September coming to a quick close, we see October to be just as busy. Our first stop will be on October 6th and 7th, where Astron will be exhibiting at the 18th Annual SHRM-Atlanta Conference. You can find Director, Client Services, Paul Hart Miller and Marketing Specialist, Stephen A. Lella here, enjoying some warmer weather. The very next week, we see National Director, Michael Maciekowich and Paul Hart Miller at the 2008 Wisconsin SHRM State Conference held from October 15th through 17th. Mike will also present a concurrent session on October 17th. Looking forward to seeing you on our travels!
Mini-Interview
1) What is your position in Astron Solutions, and how long have you had this position? I am currently an Information Technology Intern here at Astron Solutions. I have been working here for about three weeks now. 2) What convinced you to do HR consulting? I liked what Astron Solutions presented to me during the recruitment process. I could see myself doing this in the near future. I like what HR is doing in the larger business world. 3) What do you do when you are not consulting? I am still a student at Rutgers University and will be graduating in December. I am also a huge Eagles and Phillies fan. I have season tickets for the Eagles and haven’t missed a home game in 10 years. I also go to the Rutgers football games as well. 4) What is your favorite place to travel to and why? I haven’t really left the east coast yet but I really want to go to Italy. My favorite place to travel would be the Jersey Shore because I have been going there all my life. 5) Where do you see Astron Solutions this day next year? I see Astron Solutions increasing the amount of clients we currently have and continuing to grow.
iShuffle
-I’ve Got Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks Favorite: Living on a prayer by Bon Jovi - You gotta love Bon Jovi and this is the 9/11 cut which is pretty cool. Least Favorite: Thriller by Michael Jackson - I like the song but its overplayed at some bars and people always try and do the dance but just look ridiculous. Only Michael can pull off those moves. Seen live: I have seen Dave Mathews Band a few times in concert and they play a pretty good show. I also saw Kenny Chesney in Hartford, CT a few summers ago. Kenny was awesome and the tailgating was beyond anything I have ever seen before.
Back to School Pt. 3:
Work & Parenting…Can They Coexist Harmoniously?
 As
the new school year continues, highlighting the complex aspects of
working and parenting is relevant to many Astronology readers. Any
parent can tell you – raising kids can be challenging.
Stay-at-home-moms (and in some cases, dads) are very hard to come by.
In many cases, parents have the arduous task of balancing a career and
home life. These important roles not only have an effect on their
families, but also their job performance. After-school activities in particular seem to bring challenges to parents in connection with work productivity. These competing priorities can be costly for organizations, and possibly derail an employee’s success. Social psychologist Karen Gareis states, “Our findings show that PCAST (Parental Concern and After-School Time) can be very toxic to employee attitudes, work performance and well-being.” PCAST can cost businesses between $50 billion and $300 billion yearly. On average, workers with high stress due to concerns of their home are absent from work 11.8 days per year. Organizations aren’t the only ones to bear the cost. The family of the worker is also impacted. The term “latchkey kid” refers to youngsters who are left at home, or are left responsible for their own care for a time period. Having a child return home to an empty house can prove to be an emotional setback to the child. “I was a latchkey kid and hated it. I hated coming home to an empty house with nobody to talk to, especially if I were upset about something that happened that day. Even in high school, I hated it although I admit I did take advantage of it” comments a writer on the website yourfamilyshealth.com. Coming home to an empty house when there is news to be shared – both good and bad – can sometimes disappoint a child. Additionally, children may develop emotional conflicts and possibly fall into some trouble while being home alone. Balancing work and parenting is not unattainable, however. Much can be done to help ease the stress of PCAST, by both the organization and the parent. What Can Organizations Do? Organizations can take a number of steps in order to help relieve the stress of PCAST and encourage productivity. The key antidote is organizational support. For starters, allowing employees to have more control over their work schedules can help. Research has shown that having flexibility in case of emergencies can reduce PCAST levels. Some organizations have work programs or offer reduce after-school care. These programs are often low cost for the organization but bring a wealth of benefits. Additionally, simple things such as Lunch & Learns and workplace health & wellness committees can offer great support to anxious parents. What Can Parents Do? Parents must realize that there are no guaranteed steps or procedures to ensure that their children are 100% safe if they are left at home alone, or in the care of someone else. If a parent is considering giving his / her child the responsibility to come home alone after school, the parent should at least consider the child’s feelings. See if they think they are ready to watch themselves for a few hours. Parents must also consider the local regulations as to how old a child must legally be to be left home alone. Many parents are also concerned with taking days off, even if the benefit is purposely provided to assist them. Research has shown that some parents fear that taking advantage of these provisions may hinder career growth. This type of reasoning may not be unfounded in some organizations. What parents must realize, however, is that there must be a balance between work and home. There may be a time where there is a need to leave earlier or come later to work. If the provision is offered in the organization, use it, but don’t abuse the privilege. It is very possible for a parent to have both a successful home life and career. What is impossible, however, is attempting to manage both with no support. More and more organizations recognize this need and offer support in a variety of ways. Such support helps the organization to have happier, healthier, and more productive employees. In turn, these same employees help the organization overall to be productive and successful.
Reader Poll Archive
Wonder what your fellow readers think about critical HR topics? Is your organization unique from or similar to others?Click here to view the results of our past polls!
Coming next time in Astronology
 Democrat/Republican HR Positions-Election Preview
Astron Road Show
iShuffle
Mythbusters
Have a Question?
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this e-mail. See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an
upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting? Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues. For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com.
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