It has been so long since the sound has been heard in the North Korean capital that at first it seems an illusion, a buzzing in the ear perhaps. But no, that really is a power saw, and that pounding really is a hammer at work at a construction site. By the dizzying standards of Asia’s exploding mega-cities, the construction underway here is nothing you could call a real estate boom. But it is a remarkable—and somewhat mysterious—development in a city that looks as though it were frozen in time, with its Stalinist slabs of concrete from the 1950s and ‘60s. More
Talking Health and Safety with Young Workers
from Canada Newswire
When it comes to discussing safety with today’s youth, people often speak of saying no to drugs and not drinking and driving—both of which are very important conversations to have, but what about workplace health and safety? Are the youth in your life prepared to enter the workforce? Are they even aware of their basic health and safety rights and responsibilities at work?
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Stopping Pandemic Bird Flu
from Technology Review
Bird flu tops the list of the world's next "potential pandemic"—virulent influenza strains that spread rapidly across the globe—but figuring out how to fight it has been far less clear-cut. So far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a few vaccines that may be able to fend off the virus, but all of those are grown in chicken eggs, take up to six months to produce, and are each effective against only one strain of the virus. A brand-new DNA vaccine, which scientists hope to soon test in humans, may provide much broader protection. More
Tories Pledge to Make U.K. the Most 'Family-Friendly' Place to Work
from Guardian.co.uk
A Conservative government will seek to make Britain the "most family-friendly place to do business," shadow women's minister Theresa May pledged.
May cast the modern Conservatives as a party that accepted that "families today come in all sorts of shapes and sizes" who needed greater choice to better balance their work and home lives. And she vowed to champion the pay gap between men and women as she announced that the Conservatives would introduce a private members bill in December that would strengthen the law against pay discrimination, which sees women earning on average 17 percent less than men.
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Product Showcase: LogiSon Acoustic Network
 More than 70 percent of employees say they would be more productive if their workplace was quieter. The LogiSon Acoustic Network increases speech privacy and reduces disruptions by introducing a masking sound that makes conversations and noises more difficult, or impossible, to hear. It’s a cost-effective method of improving overall acoustic comfort. More info
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Building Control Systems Key to Reduce Energy Use
from Electrical Contractor
A perfect storm is heading for the building industry. Energy prices continue to rise due to worldwide demand that increases both the cost of construction and building operation for owners and developers. The public is becoming increasingly concerned about the environment and global warming and demanding that both the private and public sectors act to reduce greenhouse gases. In addition, the United States produces only a fraction of the energy it uses on a daily basis, obtaining much of its needed energy from foreign suppliers. This energy deficit is raising concerns about national security and adversely impacting the U.S. economy. More
The Uproar Over Music in the Office
from Globe & Mail
While some organizations still enforce no-music policies to keep sound distractions down to a dull roar, others are bending to the will of workers who wonder what the problem is if they've got headphones on anyway. Others, such as National Semiconductor Corp. and Capital One Financial Corp., have even been reported to shell out for iPods and MP3 players in bulk so employees can listen to training sessions. But should music rule at work? Studies show the right background music can help smooth out stressful situations and keep employees motivated, happy and focused. But choose the wrong music at the wrong decibel level and be prepared for the not-so-sweet sounds of office bickering. More
Renewable Energy Shift Will Create 4.2 Million Green Jobs, Report Says
from AP Via Pioneer Press
A major shift to renewable energy and efficiency is expected to produce 4.2 million new environmentally friendly green jobs over the next three decades, according to a study commissioned by U.S. mayors. The study to be released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, says that about 750,000 people work today in what can be considered green jobs from scientists and engineers researching alternative fuels to makers of wind turbines and more energy-efficient products. More
When Your Friend Becomes Your Boss
from The Wall Street Journal
When Brian Anderson's friend asked him to come work for him at a start-up, he had a lot to think about. It wasn't the potential instability of a start-up that caused him the most concern. It was the thought of what the dynamic would be when his friend became his boss. While the idea of a friend turned boss might sound appealing, there are a number of possible pitfalls. Here are a few ways to ensure a good friendship-work dynamic. More
Beijing ‘to Reinstate Car Rules’
from BBC
Beijing is preparing to reinstate certain traffic restrictions, after rules enforced during the Olympic Games helped clean the city's polluted air. Analysts say the move is an unusual example of Chinese policy being shaped in response to public opinion. Rules drawn up for the Olympics saw one million cars—a third of the total—taken off Beijing's streets. The drastic action, along with a freeze on industrial production, brought unusually blue skies to the city. Employers are meanwhile being asked to stagger working hours to reduce peak traffic.
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Hot Laptops: Engineers Aim to Solve ‘Burning’ Computer Problem
from Science Daily
If you've balanced a laptop computer on your lap lately, you probably noticed a burning sensation. That's because ever-increasing processing speeds are creating more and more heat, which has to go somewhere—in this case, into your lap. More
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AgilQuest Corporation
 Most office systems end with hoteling, but that’s just where we get started. We’ll help you make your entire workplace as agile as your workforce. More |
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It has been so long since the sound has been heard in the North Korean capital that at first it seems an illusion, a buzzing in the ear perhaps. But no, that really is a power saw, and that pounding really is a hammer at work at a construction site. By the dizzying standards of Asia’s exploding mega-cities, the construction underway here is nothing you could call a real estate boom. But it is a remarkable—and somewhat mysterious—development in a city that looks as though it were frozen in time, with its Stalinist slabs of concrete from the 1950s and ‘60s. More
