This Week's Herman Trend Alert Engaged Employees Increase Bottom Line Performance

The Herman Trend Alert January 28, 2009 Where the Jobs Are and Will Be According to a new study by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), for the first time in history, American adults are reading more literature. The study, called "Reading on the Rise" documents a convincing increase in rates and numbers of American adults who read literature, with the biggest increases among young adults, ages 18 to 24. This growth reverses more than two decades of downward trends cited in previous NEA surveys. The overall rate at which adults read literature, novels and short stories, plays, or poems, rose by seven percent. Young adults showed the most impressive increases in literary reading. Since 2002, 18 to 24 year-olds have had the biggest increase (nine percent) in literary reading, and the most rapid rate of increase (21 percent) as well. Reading rates among Hispanic Americans have improved at the sharpest rate---by 20 percent; among African Americans, rates have increased by 15 percent and among Whites, at a mere eight percent rate of increase. Also, for the first time in the survey's history, literary reading has increased among both men and women. In fact, literary reading rates have grown or held steady for adults of all education levels. Fiction, that is novels and short stories, accounts for the new growth in adult literary readers. Nearly 15 percent of all US adults read literature online in 2008 and a slight majority of American adults now reads literature or books in any format. "This dramatic turnaround shows that the many programs now focused on reading, including our own 'Big Read', are working," said NEA's Chairman Dana Gioia (no relation to our author). The Big Read program has an active presence in every state, and reaches almost 500 communities with over 21,000 organizational partners. It is only one example of the countless efforts by teachers, parents, and others to encourage young people to read. In light of the expanding variety of distractions in the form of music, movies, video games, and alternate universes, these results are surprising. We expect this reading trend to continue to increase, in a small way supporting the US in its drive for competitiveness © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF... What would happen if 25% of your top performers left in the next year? According to a recent study from The Corporate Executive Board, that may well happen to you! Turnover costs A LOT, especially when you lose top performers, and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what's really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them... and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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