Consistent with trends typically seen at the tail end of the calendar, employers anticipate a moderate slowdown in hiring. Twenty-one percent of hiring managers reported that they plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in Q4, down from Q3, but on par with 2010.

The tempered plans for Q4 follow a slightly softer recruitment picture in Q3. In terms of actual hiring, 26 percent of employers reported they added full-time, permanent headcount in Q3. While better than the same period in 2010, this is down three percentage points from Q2 2011 – reflecting a more hesitant hiring environment in the face of rising commodity prices, a volatile stock market, concerns over Europe’s sovereign debt crisis and other global issues.

“While hiring is historically slower in the fourth quarter, recent world events and a structurally impaired U.S. economy are causing employers to be a little more guarded,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “Job creation levels are not yet high enough to drive down the unemployment rate, but the hiring trends we’ve seen through our surveys and on our job site still indicate an overall positive sentiment among employers. For eight consecutive quarters, 20 percent or more of employers reported adding new jobs and the same is expected for Q4.”

Education and Skills Gap
When looking for talent, companies are still having a difficult time filling certain positions despite the stiff competition for jobs. Two-thirds of employers (67 percent) expressed concern over the education and skills gap in the U.S. and corresponding deficit in talent for specialized positions. The top areas employers identified as having a significant skills gap include engineering (37 percent) and information technology (33 percent).

Hiring in Q3
More than one-in-four hiring managers (26 percent) reported they hired full-time, permanent staff in the third quarter, up slightly from 25 percent last year, but down from 29 percent in Q2. While staff reductions slightly improved year-over-year – 11 percent reporting a decrease in headcount in Q3 2011 compared to 12 percent in 2010 – it was unchanged sequentially. Sixty-two percent of employers reported their staff levels stayed the same in Q3 while 1 percent were unsure.

Hiring in Q4
Looking forward, 21 percent of employers expect to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in Q4. Ten percent expect to downsize staffs while 64 percent anticipate no change and 5 percent are undecided.

Temporary Hiring in Q3 and Q4
To supplement staffs, 32 percent of employers turned to temporary help in Q3. Twenty-seven percent plan to hire temporary or contract workers in Q4 with 17 percent of employers expecting to transition some of these employees into permanent staff.

Hiring By Region
Regional data presents a mixed picture. While the West leads the U.S. regions in the number of employers expecting to hire full-time, permanent employees in Q4 (23 percent), it also houses the highest number of companies planning to downsize by year end (12 percent) – showing a blend of both optimism and uncertainty seen across regions.

Twenty-one percent of employers in the Midwest and South and 19 percent in the Northeast plan to add staff in Q4. Ten percent of employers in the Northeast and 9 percent in the Midwest and South expect to decrease headcount.

Hiring By Company Size
Comparing company sizes, small businesses continue to lag larger organizations in hiring activity, but are also less likely to reduce staff levels.

Companies with 500 or fewer employees – 17 percent plan to increase full-time, permanent headcount in Q4; 8 percent expect to reduce staff levels. Of those with 50 or fewer employees, 12 percent plan to add new employees while 8 percent expect to reduce staff levels.

Companies with more than 500 employees – 27 percent plan to hire full-time, permanent staff in Q4; 11 percent plan to decrease headcount.

Compensation
Forty-one percent of employers anticipate no change in salary levels in the fourth quarter compared to the same period last year. Thirty-eight percent expect there will be an increase of 3 percent or less. Twelve percent expect their average changes will be between 4 and 10 percent and 1 percent predict an increase of 11 percent or more. Four percent anticipate a decrease in salaries.

Totals may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,696 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) between August 16 and September 8, 2011. CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions. CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.careerbuilder.com.

A challenge many small and middle market-business (SMB) owners face is that they recognize the need to grow—whether it’s products or services—yet their funds are in short supply.

Managed Services
One option that owners can consider is managed services, where a third party provides support ranging anywhere from the procurement and installation of IT equipment and hardware, all the way to network management and monitoring.

Unfortunately, value added resellers (VARs) who sell services to SMBs estimate that more than 60 percent of SMBs don’t understand the benefits of managed services, according to a Technology Channel Outlook study conducted by CIT in association with Forbes Insights.

This study suggests that SMBs could benefit by asking more questions about managed services—what the various components are and how they apply to their particular business.

The Benefits
Some of the benefits that managed services offer include:

• Access to the latest technology
• Lower costs
• Increased available resources
• Reduced IT head count.

Managed services could potentially turn a fixed expense into a variable expense and allow an SMB to redeploy expense savings into the business for future growth.

Another Way To Save
Given the current uncertainty in the global economy, many businesses—especially SMBs—are greatly concerned about capital expenditures on equipment. Leasing is an option that can help address these concerns. Leasing equipment, point out the experts at CIT, not only provides a way to procure the equipment and pay for it over time, but also the flexibility to upgrade it, which is particularly important in the technology sector, where life cycles are often shorter than for some other types of equipment.

Free Report
For more information or to download the full study for free, go to http://www.cit.com/managed-services.

Meeting the goals established by Congress for producing biofuels requires new crops that add to the corn and soybeans currently being used. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified a number of potential sources, including:

• Native prairie grasses, such as switchgrass, big bluestem, Illinois bundleflower and purple prairie clover
• Hybrids, such as perennial Miscanthus giganteus (giant Miscanthus)
• Oil seeds, such as camelina
• Woody biomass, such as fast-growing hybrid poplar trees.
• Other potential biomass crops include algae, jatropha (an oil seed), and energy cane (a form of sugarcane).

The USDA, at the end of last year, finalized rules and began implementing the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) and the Biorefinery Assistance Program (BAP), to help farmers and bioenergy producers grow and refine such sources of energy, but the House of Representatives recently proposed cutting the money for these programs from the 2012 budget.

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which gives financial assistance to farmers planting new bioenergy crops, is expected to create an estimated $88.5 billion in economic activity and 700,000 jobs by 2023.

BCAP project areas have been established in 10 states—Arkansas, California, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington.

The Biorefinery Assistance Program, which helps companies secure private loans to finance construction of biorefineries, is helping companies to build new biofuel facilities in rural areas. This year, under this program, the USDA announced loan guarantees to three biorefineries in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, expected to generate 1,000 jobs. The announcement of four to five additional loan guarantees is expected. BAP’s estimated cost in next year’s budget will be $150 million.

“Renewable, homegrown, clean energy from American producers is vital to our country’s energy future because it reduces our reliance on foreign oil and creates good-paying production jobs that cannot be exported,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Vilsack expects that such clean energy will make a significant contribution to rural America and create new jobs, demonstrating the great economic potential that the production of renewable energy holds for our rural communities.

You can contact your congressional representatives and let them know how you feel about this or any other issue.

The vast majority of Americans (77 percent) are stressed by at least one thing at work, finds the Harris Interactive-Everest College Work Stress Survey. The most common issues are: low pay, commuting, unreasonable workload and concern over being fired or laid off. But these are not the only issues American workers are facing – annoying coworkers also made the list, followed by difficulty with a boss, poor work-life balance and lack of opportunity for advancement.

“We’ve seen numerous surveys that confirm workplace stress has increased during the last several years,” says Wendy Cullen, vice president of employer development for Everest College.

Concerns over low pay and job security are consistently one of the top stressors for Americans. In most regions of the U.S., 16 percent of Americans listed low pay as their top stressor, and concerns over job security were a close second. For example, 13 percent of college graduates ranked losing their job as the biggest stressor, which is in line with Americans without college degrees.

“One change we are seeing is that more and more Americans are pursuing careers in industries like health care, which offers more long-term stability.” Switching careers or going back to school to gain access to a more secure or better paying career is one technique that many individuals use to deal with insecurity in the workplace.

How to deal with stress
“The impact of stress cannot be overstated,” says Davis Brimberg, a Los Angeles-based psychologist who focuses on workplace issues. “Almost all psychological problems are worsened by stress. People of all occupations and income levels are greatly affected,” he says. Workplace stress can have negative consequences on your performance at work, and your life.

There are a number of techniques for dealing with workplace stress. First, learn to recognize the symptoms – you may feel a constant sense of nervousness, which can often lead to feeling withdrawn, irritable or apathetic. Stress is also associated with physical problems, such as fatigue and muscle tension.

Physical exercise is also shown to help with stress management. Aerobic exercises have been shown to release mood-raising endorphins, so getting 30 minutes of exercise a day can actually help decrease your stress levels. It is also important to get enough sleep, which can help your body deal with the effects of stress throughout the day, and makes you better able to manage emotional swings.

There are also important strategies in your workplace that can help you deal with stress. Do not over-commit to non-essential tasks. Prioritize important tasks, and learn to delegate non-essential ones. Also, you can schedule regular breaks into your daily routine to allow yourself to get away from your workstation or office.

Additionally, Brimsburg suggests that getting help can be effective. “Counseling can be very helpful in relieving signs and symptoms of stress-related issues.”

The survey results suggested an impact of shift work on people’s work productivity, with one in three shift workers reporting having missed work altogether at least once in the past year because they were too tired. And three in 10 surveyed (29 percent) said that they have dozed off at work in the past month, most of them multiple times, with another 37 percent saying they’ve come close. Still, more people surveyed are worried about job security than their own safety.

In terms of emotional impact, more than half surveyed reported feeling frustrated and drained in the last week, with many others reporting irritability (42 percent), anxiety (36 percent) and anger (32 percent).  Survey respondents also report daily concern for their energy level (47 percent), weight (43 percent), ability to get enough sleep (39 percent) and their sex lives (30 percent). The average shift worker has not had a meal with their family in two weeks or exercised in 24 days.

“While the physical and emotional toll that shift workers are reporting is certainly of great concern, to me the most alarming finding of the survey is that a great majority of shift worker respondents (72 percent) seem to think that being tired is ‘just a part of the job’ and do not consider speaking with their physician about their symptoms,” says Jean J.E. Bonhomme, MD, MPH, spokesperson for Men’s Health Network and Cephalon. “What we know is that people who work nontraditional hours may be suffering from a real medical condition called shift work disorder that can be diagnosed and treated by a doctor, if only they mention their work schedule during physician visits.”

Shift work disorder is a recognized medical condition that occurs when an individual’s internal sleep-wake clock is not in sync with their work schedule. Because of this disruption to the body’s natural rhythm, people with shift work disorder may struggle to stay awake during their working hours, known as excessive sleepiness, or have trouble sleeping during their sleeping hours, known as insomnia.

“It is easy to ignore the overall health impact of our work schedules, but it’s so important that people experiencing excessive sleepiness and/or insomnia take the time to see a doctor and mention that they work nontraditional shifts,” says Dr. Bonhomme. “Very often shift work disorder goes undiagnosed because either the physician or the patient is not making the connections between the symptoms, work schedule and condition.”

For more information about shift work disorder, please visit http://www.TheWakeUpSquad.com.

by Paul Yarossi

The results of failing to invest in an outdated transportation network and maintain a state of good repair are threatening America’s resilience, security, economic performance and ability to compete globally.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, America needs to make a $2 trillion infrastructure investment during the next five years.

Yet, to make real progress, the American people and Congress need to know why they should invest. What is the public being asked to pay for? We don’t have a comprehensive national transportation plan that includes an integrated strategy for all modes of transportation, so it’s not clear to many people where their hard-earned dollars are going.

This can be an opportunity, on the other hand, to create the transportation network this country needs and create jobs to turn around the economy. It can ensure infrastructure strength and capacity to support growth in international trade. It can shore up security and safety for all citizens and significantly affect the quality of life in many metropolitan areas.

If we don’t find common ground, we will continue to lag behind competitors such as China and India. We will face ever-increasing municipal and individual debt, as we attempt to fund infrastructure replacements with piecemeal funding strategies.

The answer lies in a coordinated, strategic, national infrastructure program that covers all types of transportation, explained in a way the American people can understand and support—what’s in it for them?

The plan has to leverage both public funding and private investment—a source that we’ve failed to fully mine.

Three key hurdles to consider if we are to make real progress are:

• The public needs to know what it’s paying for.
• The transportation industry must work together to affect policy.
• American voters must elect strong leadership. Persistent misinformation, mistrust and a lack of vision could threaten the transportation sector.

Action Steps
HNTB is working hand in hand with clients and industry partners to explore options for improvement. The public can provide input too by:

• Continuing the dialogue across transportation modes and advocating for change.
• Calling, visiting and sending letters to policymakers urging a new approach and working together to create a well-balanced, well-funded transportation network.
• Working to elect leaders who share a positive vision for the country’s infrastructure, understand the urgency and are willing to take the lead.

Learn more at http://ARTBA.org, http://ACEC.org, http://uschamber.com/lra and http://www.HNTB.com.

Everyone recognizes a Post Office.

There are lots of Post Offices—about 32,000. But there are even more other places to get U.S. Postal Service stamps, products and shipping services-more than twice as many. Altogether, there are over 100,000 locations—banks, ATMs, grocery stores, drugstores and other retailers. Service may be closer than you think. There is no need for a special trip to the Post Office. Many are open in the evening and on the weekend.

“We’re teaming up with hundreds of new stores so customers can do postal business at places where they already shop,” explains Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe. “Americans have more to do and less time to do it. We know simpler is better—online, on your mobile device, on your way, with an expertise that you can count on.”

You can use your mobile device. The U.S. Postal Service has one of the top 10 free business applications, on Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch mobile devices, that lets customers track packages, locate Post Offices and calculate postage prices anywhere. A new Android app has also just come out.

You can also shop online at http://www.usps.com, print postage from your computer, and your letter carrier will pick up packages at your home or office without extra charge.

Adds Donahoe, “We’re everywhere so you can be anywhere.”

To find the nearest U.S. Postal Service retail location go to http://www.uspseverywhere.com and type in the ZIP Code or city and state.

This trend is not limited to popular magazine articles, academic journals or libraries. For example, it’s possible to access official federal government publications free online.

Known as “America’s Authentic Government Information,” the Government Printing Office’s (GPO) Federal Digital System—called FDsys—is designed to benefit the American public by enhancing its access to information.

With FDsys, consumers can:

Search for documents and publications—GPO’s FDsys provides advanced search capabilities and the ability to refine and narrow a search for quick access to the information you need.

Browse for documents and publications—The system offers browsing by collection, congressional committee and date.

Access background information about documents and publications—Information is presented about government publications in standard XML formats.

Download documents and publications in multiple renditions or file formats—With FDsys, it’s possible to download a single file or download content and metadata packaged together in a compressed file.

If you find a publication on FDsys that you wish to purchase, navigate to the “More Information” page for that publication and click on “Purchase your own copy.” If it is available for purchase, that link will take you directly to the publication on GPO’s Online Bookstore website.

The GPO provides publishing and dissemination services for the official and authentic government publications to Congress, federal agencies, federal depository libraries and the American public.

To learn more, visit the website at http://www.fdsys.gov.

What You Can Do
How? By wearing cool and casual hospital scrubs for sleep-wear, exercise clothes or just about any informal occasion, that let you help cancer patients with every purchase.

To encourage cancer patients to feel good about themselves, the clothing’s creators provide patients with a fashion-forward way to cover the most outward sign of sickness: hair loss.

Approximately 12 million people are newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Millions of those will require chemotherapy. Some say that they fear chemotherapy as much as they fear the mortality from their cancer.

Now, however, as one recipient, Margaret Moore, put it, “After undergoing chemotherapy at MD Anderson in Houston, I finally got to wear a Blue Sky Scrubs hat. I feel so much better now. This is a big ego booster.”

A free hat goes to either a cancer patient at the hospital or to the customer. The hats are made from the highest-quality cotton fabrics and offered in literally hundreds of designs.

What Else You Can Do
Other ways you can help people with cancer include:
If you have a friend or relative with the disease, ask specifically when you can help and what jobs you can do.

Find events and volunteer opportunities—runs, bake sales, other fundraisers—that are run by cancer research organizations or patient-support groups.

Engage with elected and appointed officials to keep cancer a top government priority. Stay healthy yourself with a balanced diet, regular exercise and no smoking.

What Others Can Do
The clothing company, Blue Sky Scrubs, hopes that in addition to helping people with cancer, its actions will inspire other firms to channel their giving efforts toward a specific population of people in need.

How To Get In On It
The hats, clothes, jewelry and other accessories are available online at http://www.blueskyscrubs.com.

Here are a few environmentally friendly tips to help:

Power down. Turn computers and other electrical equipment off at night and on the weekends.

Monitor your thermostat. Reduce cooling bills by raising the temperature 1 degree and heating bills by lowering it a degree.

Recycle. Use recycled paper whenever possible.

Motivate employees to use less fossil fuel. Encourage your staff to take public transportation, to walk or cycle to work.

Limit travel. Reduce work-related travel by teleconferencing.

Refill rather than restock. Refill printer cartridges rather than buying new ones.

Use green contractors. If you use an interior landscaping company at work, be sure the company has been certified as Planet Positive.

For example, Ambius, a leading provider of interior landscaping solutions, recently became a certified business in recognition of the company’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its operation. This gained an international environmental mark that recognizes a company’s commitment to creating a better way of living.

The Planet Positive status certifies that Ambius has measured and actively reduced its carbon footprint and developed a long-term strategy to become a sustainably green company. In fact, it succeeded in reducing its carbon footprint by approximately 10 percent.

To achieve the certification, it followed a four-step process, including the measurement of the company’s carbon footprint and a commitment to reducing emissions on an annual basis. In addition, a report explaining the carbon footprint and outlining actions, targets and reductions has been made available in the public domain. The company has also made a contribution to the Cool Earth climate project that protects vulnerable rain forests from destruction.

This certification signifies a high standard of environmental achievement that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take a more positive attitude toward climate change.

As part of Ambius’ ongoing strategy, it plans to reduce its vehicle fleet fuel consumption and building energy usage up to 10 percent this year. This is being done through innovative programs to change behavior, designed by Planet Positive.

Ambius businesses across North America and Europe are now Planet Positive-certified businesses. For more information, visit http://www.ambius.com.