Interviews with 1,115 male and 271 female professionals revealed significant gender differences in objective characteristics (job title, salary grade, and numbers supervised) and few differences in subjective characteristics (rewards, peer cohesion, staff support, role conflict/ambiguity, workload). (SK)

Responses from 343 of 496 business/engineering graduates revealed different patterns of acquisition of information about their new job setting. The 105 who had mentors relied on observation and their mentors, the others on observation and co-workers. Mentored workers learned more about organizational issues and practices. (SK)

Discusses Temporary Help Industry segment of the contingent work force. Discusses benefits and drawbacks to both the employer and "employee." Suggests profiles of people who can benefit from this alternative employment experience. Concludes that, with strong understanding of qualities and skills that Temporary Help Services employers need in…

Examined the role of social support in moderating the effects of job stressors and in contributing to the job satisfaction of 85 randomly selected female clerical workers. Perceived social support from co-workers seemed to be associated with job satisfaction. Found that spouses or partners were effective buffers of adverse work conditions as well.…

Looks at some of the ambiguities in the Americans with Disabilities Act and suggests how to avoid them. Lists specific practices to avoid such as asking applicants about disabilities, failing to accommodate the disabled, and requiring preemployment physical exams. (JOW)

International careers specialist offers some strategies for helping students translate their dreams into goals and transform their goals into actualities. Presents advising strategies for international employment and describes variety of programs and services for students who seek international careers. Sidebar notes current issues affecting…

Results of a questionnaire sent to human resource personnel (n=76) suggest that much of the interpersonal communication that occurs in business will be in the form of informal small group settings and that business educators should emphasize the communication processes that occur in those settings and provide a variety of experiential exercises…

Discusses the need for students to learn to recognize and cope with difficult co-workers. Describes a few types of personalities that exhibit difficult or disturbed behavior and offers suggestions for coping with these personalities. (JOW)

Examined multifactorial model of caregiving strain and its effects in 341 employed caregivers. Found that work disruptions associated with caregiving significantly affected caregiver strain and perceived likelihood of job termination. Work interference was in turn affected by care recipient's level of impairment and perceived adequacy of support…

Work force diversity programs are designed to protect the company's return on investment by bringing to the surface the subtle discomforts, fears, and biases most people experience when they find themselves working with people who are different from themselves. (Author)

Employers must ensure that all employees can interact comfortably and productively with people who have disabilities. Trainers can use experiential exercises to break down fears and prejudices that nondisabled workers might have toward those with disabilities. (Author/JOW)

Developing sexual harassment training involves these steps: survey employees, establish policy and reporting procedures, get management commitment, and use programs both to educate about the issues and eliminate unacceptable behavior. (SK)

Else-Marie Osmundsen, manager of an International Labour Office project, "Workers' Education and the Environment," discusses the importance of union participation in environmental programs. She describes the implementation of the project in the Caribbean. (JOW)

Argues that, unless information technology managers pay attention to how people share information, advanced technological systems cannot achieve their full potential. Outlines how organizations can rebuild their information cultures, integrating human flexibility and disorder into information systems and changing employee behavior. (JOW)

The ability to learn is the basis for all other skills and distinguishes effective employees from those that are not so effective. Trainers must teach employees to turn common events into learning opportunities and to create their own learning systems. (JOW)