Back to the Strikes?

The Washington Post starts us off with an old theme, with new players. The Screen Actors Guild is now threatening to go on strike: click here

The Boston Globe follows up with an article about corporate volunteers reaching worldwide: click here

Next from the Globe, advice to answer the boss' criticism as if it were true: click here

Lastly, word also from the Globe, that after an interview, the thanks should go both ways: click here

Mayo

As we move into May, the flowers are blooming and we're churning out the articles for you here on the Astron Solutions blog...

First...from the Wall Street Journal...an article about how stay-at-home moms are filling the executive niche: click here

Next, also from the Journal, word about an interesting office perk--getting paid to volunteer: click here

Lastly, from the Baltimore Sun an article breaking down the job data that recently came out: click here

What I’m Hearing…National Volunteer Week

If you haven’t already heard, this week (April 28 – May 2) is National Volunteer Week. How many times have we taken volunteers for granted? Although volunteers are unpaid, so many non-profits function effectively in the community because of their volunteers’ contributions. What would happen to your local hospital, library, or school, if the volunteers stopped helping? Volunteer recruitment, retention, and motivation are no less challenging than for paid team members. If you haven’t said “thank you” lately to the volunteers you encounter in your professional and personal lives, be sure to say something this week.

In addition to thanking those who help us, have you examined the volunteer opportunities in your life? If you haven’t been active, now is a great time to get involved. I suspect I do more than most when it comes to volunteering. Between sitting on the board of HR/NY (New York City’s SHRM chapter), helping out with special HR/NY projects, serving a 3-year term with SHRM’s Total Rewards Special Expertise Panel, and giving back as a peer reviewer for SHRM and WorldatWork publications, I sometimes think that my volunteer activities could make up a full-time job! However, giving back to the professional community, networking, and making a difference in others’ lives make the time and talent contribution worth it. Start small – either professionally or personally – and see how good it feels to give back. Once you start, you’ll be hooked.