| `Look beyond what clients want, and give them what they need' |
| 01.31.05 (3:40 am) |
|
`Look beyond what clients want, and give them what they need' Interview by Ann Therese Palmer special to the Tribune Published January 31, 2005 James J. Martinez, Midwest corporate practice director with GCI Group, the public relations division of Grey Advertising, isn't surprised at all by his career path, begun at age 16 as a high school reporter for a community newspaper.
"My parents both came from Spain," says Martinez, now 49. "My dad was convinced the best way to make sure I learned English was to force me to read the Chicago Daily News and the Chicago Tribune. Just to make sure I'd done it, he'd ask me questions about what was in the newspaper." The only child of Jose, a welder, and Edelmira, a meat processing plant worker, Martinez grew up speaking Castilian Spanish and English in his Roseland home and doesn't "remember ever not reading a newspaper." Martinez's professional newspaper career, though, almost ended shortly after it began, along with his high school education at Mendel Catholic High School. While in high school, Martinez worked for the Calumet Index, a Roseland community newspaper, as a sports news contributor. Mendel's public relations director, a priest, threatened to expel Martinez if he published an article naming Mendel's new baseball coach. On his way home from school Martinez stopped at the newspaper to relay the incident to the editor, Pearl Serbus. "She told me to sit down and type the story," he remembers. "In the meantime, she called my school principal and made him promise that would never happen to me again. The priest never talked to me again. I was assured by Pearl that doing my job for her newspaper wouldn't affect my high school career." Q. What did you want to do when you grew up? A. As a child, I wanted to be a lawyer. About halfway through my freshman year at Northwestern I called home and told my dad I didn't think I was still interested in law school. I was having too much fun in journalism. It felt comfortable. My dad was very happy and said I'd chosen wisely. To him journalists were friends of the people. Q. How hard was it to cross over from reporting to public relations? A. It's amazingly easy. The difference is you're representing a fact-based point of view, as opposed to trying to present all viewpoints, regardless of fact. In the 10 years I was at the Sun-Times I worked for four publishers, seven editors and three managing editors. I'd survived a lot of turmoil and a significant amount of internal politics. After all that change, for personal and professional reasons, it was time to leave. I interviewed with Gannett and Knight-Ridder in California, but decided that I wanted to stay in Chicago. Some of my former colleagues had crossed over to public relations. I was offered a position at Ogilvy Public Relations, where Marilou von Ferstel was the director. She was the first woman elected to the Chicago City Council and, as a newsmaker, had a real appreciation for what reporters do. I learned a lot about public relations from Marilou von Ferstel. I learned about remaining a calming influence. I learned about keeping your head under pressure. Q. What previous job best prepared you for this one? A. After I left Ogilvy, I became the No. 2 person in the corporate practice of Hill & Knowlton's Chicago office. Over five years, we grew the business to 10 professionals. The most important experience was rekindling the office's tech practice. As I began to develop confidence in myself and in my abilities to counsel clients and manage people, I convinced my colleagues to rekindle that practice. Within two years we'd grown it to $2 million and added a number of significant tech clients. Q. Sometimes the best-laid plans get changed due to national events, unforeseen circumstances or something else. Did something like that change your career trajectory in any way? A. If the Sun-Times hadn't been sold constantly, I would never have left. Everyone thinks they can plan their entire lives down to the finest details. Life is a kind of a boat trip. Sometimes you get pushed in one direction, sometimes in another. You have some control over how far you get pushed, but you've got to go with the flow. Q. How did your personal life fare while you were moving up the ladder? A. My wife, Pamela, teaches art part-time at Morgan Park Academy. She's a former art director at an ad agency. We've got four children ranging in age from almost 10 to 18. She sacrificed her career so she could be the stabilizing presence for our children. She was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years. This is her first year back to work outside the home. My success is because of her. I try to spend as much time as I can with my kids. But I'm afraid I haven't been the presence I would have liked to be. Showing up at 9 p.m. for dinner isn't good enough. I'm not sure I'm doing it better today, but I'm trying a lot harder. Q. What advice do you have for ambitious folks who aspire to your type of job? A. Always look beyond what clients say they want and provide them with what they need. That gets you more respect and makes you more effective. - - - Step by step 2001-present: Midwest regional director, corporate practice, GCI Group, Chicago 2000-2001: President of public relations, KemperLesnik Communications, Chicago 1998-2000: Senior managing director and head of the Midwest advanced technology practice, Hill & Knowlton, Chicago 1995-1998: Managing director, corporate practice, Hill & Knowlton 1992-1995: account supervisor/senior account supervisor, Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart Public Relations, Chicago 1991-1992: Assistant managing editor, Chicago Sun-Times 1988-1991: Metropolitan editor, Chicago Sun-Times 1986-1988: City editor, Chicago Sun-Times 1985-1986: Assistant city editor, Chicago Sun-Times 1982-1985: Editor, Los Vecinos, Chicago Sun-Times Spanish language supplement 1979-1982: Reporter, Joliet Herald News 1977: Bachelor's degree, journalism, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University 1976-1979: Reporter, Star Tribune, Chicago Heights 1975-1976: Freelance writer, Pickwick Newspapers, Park Ridge 1972-1973: Freelancer, Calumet Index |
| 0 Comments |
| The Work From Home Internet Business is Booming on the Net |
| 01.28.05 (3:43 am) |
|
(PRLEAP.COM) The work from home revolution on the Internet is in full swing. There has never been a better time or opportunity to make money online working at home in front of your computer. The number of money making opportunities is endless. Read more news from Kawartha Publishing |
| 0 Comments |
| Home Based Business and Network Marketing, Meets Gabriel Osorio III. Will It Meet You ? |
| 01.28.05 (3:37 am) |
Home Based Business and Network Marketing, Meets Gabriel Osorio III. Will It Meet You ?Holding a Masters Degree in Business Administration from one of the Nations Top Ivy-League Schools, This 24 year old decides to take the unorthodox route to success. "While my peers were slowly moving along getting great jobs, I sky-rocketed and got my own Home Based business." (PRWEB) January 28, 2005 -- After Graduating from College with a Masters Degree from one of the Nations Finest Universities, and with the huge debt that a fine education affords. Gabriel Osorio entered the work force specifically the insurance industry working as an RFP Consultant. |
| 0 Comments |
| U.S. Postal Service: Beware of work-at-home scams |
| 01.27.05 (9:40 am) |
|
U.S. Postal Service: Beware of work-at-home scams The U.S. Postal Service cautioned consumes to be on the alert for fraudulent work-at-home schemes whereby scam artists offer jobs that offer big financial rewards but do not deliver on their promises. Postmaster Dennis P. Tarmey and Sally Florio, manager of consumer affairs for the Massachusetts Postal District, issued this warning to consumers in advance of National Consumer Projection Week Feb. 6 to 12. "Don't open your door to work-at-home fraud." They said the opportunity to work at home is becoming a poplar and attractive option for many - from stay-at-home moms to college students to retirees. According to the 2000 Census, more than four million people in the United States work at home, every day, and the numbers are increasing. Although there are genuine jobs working at home, they said "many offers are bogus. You've seen the ads: Earn $50 to $200 per hour at home! Start your own business and make $1,000 a day! Envelope stuffing jobs now available." The postal officials said whether the offer comes by phone or e-mail, appears in a flyer or newspaper ad, or arrives in the mail, thousands of people respond to these ads. They cautioned consumers to "ask questions." "Legitimate work-at-home program sponsors should provide information in writing about the program they are offering." They offered the following tips to help consumers evaluate questionable offers: Closely examine the ad or offer: The company may not be offering to employ you directly, only to sell you training and materials and to find customers for your work. A legitimate company will be happy to give you information about exactly what you will be doing and for whom. Check out the company: Research work-at-home opportunities through online sources or in the "Work-at-Home Sourcebook," and other resources that may be available in your local library. These resources provide good advice and list legitimate companies that hire people to work for them at home. Also, check out the company with the Better Business Bureau, state Attorney General or local consumer protection agency. Steer clear of "start-up" fees: Fraudulent promoters often ask for up-front payments for software, business kits, supplies, membership fees, or lists of hiring companies. Find out what the total cost is for work-at-home programs and what you will get for your money. Know the refund policy - If you must purchase equipment or supplies, ask if, and under what circumstances, you can return the material for a refund. Find out if there is really a market for your work: Claims that there is a market for work such as envelope stuffing and craft making may not be true. if the company says it has customers waiting, ask for the names of the customers and contact them to confirm. Get references for other people who are doing the work. Ask the references if the company has kept its promises. Be suspicious: Beware of advertisements that make unbelievable claims about job opportunities. Particularly be wary of any job offer that doesn't pay a regular salary or involves an overseas company. Take your time: Don't be pressured into making a quick decision. Con artists make a living on their victims' poor judgment. Be smart. Seek advice and double check the "facts." They reminded consumers: "Don't believe that you can make big profits easily. Operating a home-based business is just like any other business - it requires hard work, skill, good products or services, and time to make a profit. There is no easy way to wealth. A consumer's good judgment is the first, last and best line of defense against the con artist." There are many other mail fraud schemes including identity theft, travel schemes, chain letters, insurance fraud, medical fraud and false billing. "Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," they cautioned consumers. For additional information visit the Postal Inspection Service Web site. For more information about NCPW, visit the NCPW Web site. |
| 0 Comments |
| Balance: Moms find options with at-home businesses |
| 01.27.05 (7:07 am) |
|
Balance: Moms find options with at-home businesses [i]By Lynne Voelliger [/i] [b]Sandy Kennis, 49, of Bettendorf has been living her dream of generating an income from home since 1979, a few months after her first child, Charles, was born. [/b] Kennis had returned to her full-time job at Alcoa shortly after Charles' birth. It didn't take long for her to consider a better option. "I found that it was expensive to work outside the home," she recalls. "I wanted to be a full-time mom, but needed to contribute to the family income." Kennis found that her neighbor and friend, Terry Garrett, wanted the same thing, so the two decided to find a way to make it work, together. The two women tried various jobs - catering, a craft business and a wholesale clothing line - until they found the perfect fit. "Both the craft business and wholesale clothing line were very labor intensive," she recalled. "We were hiring seamstresses and working from a rented office space." "We needed to find a way to work smarter because we couldn't have worked any harder," she added. The two found their answer eight years ago when they were introduced to Advocare, a line of nutritional supplements and sports products. "It's easier and more efficient to promote a consumable product that is backed by service," she said. Kennis admits that it was a challenge at first to make the transition of working at home. But the balance she has found, which changes at varying stages of her family's life, has been worth it. "There were so many choices of how I could spend my time," she said. "I had to learn to say 'no,' especially to myself." Kennis especially appreciates the flexibility her business provides. As a grandmother, she often chooses to spend time with her grandchildren. "When they are over, I can put the business on hold," she said. "If the phone rings, I just don't answer it." Kennis regularly talks with other women who are looking for a way to earn an income from their homes. "People who haven't tried it, can't see how it can balance their lives," she said. "But if you are disciplined and learn to say 'no', it can provide tremendous balance." Kennis warns women on the flip side of the coin who think it looks easy to work from home. "A home-based business can be all-consuming if you aren't disciplined," she said Kennis realizes that her balance has come from many years of experience. "You can have it all - flexibility, choices and income - if you work smarter," she concludes. - Lynne Voelliger |
| 0 Comments |
| All-mom bands rock the house and the cradle |
| 01.16.05 (7:15 am) |
|
[url=http://www.dfw.com/mld/starte...][b]DALLAS - They're housewives, workaholics, PTA members and ... rock stars?[/b][/url] Women fighting to shatter the stay-at-home-mom stereotype and rediscover their youthful voice are forming bands, such as Housewives on Prozac in suburban New York, Frump in Dallas and Placenta in Oakland, Calif. These moms rocking the house and the cradle sing about breast-feeding, exhaustion and making kids do their chores. "I feel like what we do is remind people about their passion and that sense of importance and that sense of vitality," said Joy Rose, a 47-year-old mother of four who founded Housewives on Prozac in 1997. "Life is really short and it's important to live colorfully." Mothers have struggled for identity and fulfillment for decades, growing more exasperated with their increasing career and child-rearing demands, said University of Michigan professor Susan Douglas, who co-authored the book "The Mommy Myth." She said those feelings may explain the enormous popularity of the television show "Desperate Housewives" and the growing number of mom rock bands. Rose estimated there are about 50 active mom bands across the country, with 20 of them having been formed in the past year. "In our cultural common sense, what could be more opposite from the icon of mom than a punk rocker?" Douglas said. Suzie Riddle, who has three children ages 19, 12 and 6, started Frump in 2001 as a gag for her 40th birthday party. A punk rocker in her youth and a children's librarian as an adult, Riddle hounded other mothers at her church and her daughters' school until she found three women willing to play along. At first, they performed five songs, including "Suzie is a Headbanger" by The Ramones and "We're Really Beat," a song Frump guitarist Frances Peterson wrote to the tune of "We've Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's. "See the mothers driving down the street, see their makeup melting in the heat, straight from work, the pantyhose are tight, It's take-out tonight," the song begins. Three years later, the band has grown to five, adding new members as others have moved away. Frump now practices every Saturday night and performs about once a month at parties, churches, and community events, such as the Punky Mamas Christmas Bazaar in Dallas. Some of their songs are covers, some are original and some are a combination. An original song, called "Pick Up Your Socks," warns kids "I'm not going to tell you again, and then I count to three, I'm starting to lose my tenuous grip on my sanity." The band members even encourage their daughters to get involved. The girls formed their own band called Spawn and have played "Wild Thing" at two gigs with their moms. "It is the best feeling in the world," said Frump lead guitarist Diane Harris, whose 11-year-old daughter Anna plays drums in Spawn. Frump is still trying to forge an identity, teetering between being a novelty and a serious band, Riddle said. She'd like to add a second weekly practice and focus on cultivating a unique sound - their playlist currently ranges from punk to folk. But, she admits, any group that bills itself as an all-mom garage band is going to get a few chuckles. "I am really proud of this and I'm proud of the attention that it's gotten us," she said. "It's kind of a silly idea and a lot of people have taken notice." At the Punky Mamas bazaar, an audience of mostly middle-aged women and their children clapped and tapped their feet to Frump's music, even getting up to dance to "Twist and Shout." A few young couples on a Saturday evening date watched from the back of a half-full dance hall. Julie Hougland of Lewisville came with her 6-year-old daughter, her 55-year-old mother and her 35-year-old sister. She said she was surprised by how much fun they had. "How many venues are there where I can take my daughter and dance?" Hougland said. Rose hopes the movement soon will catch on commercially as more people see mom bands in concert. Housewives on Prozac has recorded two CDs and a holiday CD single, which is available on Amazon.com. Several mom bands will converge on New York City throughout May for the fourth-annual Mamapalooza festival. The festival, founded by Rose, will feature at least five days of events, including a free outdoor concert and a poetry and jazz night. And for the first time, mini Mamapaloozas are planned for Dallas, Detroit, Nashville and San Francisco. The Nashville event will be held May 17-18, but the others haven't yet been scheduled. "It's kind of been this whirlwind ride of mother rockers spreading the good word that life isn't over after 40, that music and creativity are still alive," Rose said. [b]ON THE NET[/b] [url=http://www.housewivesonprozac...]Housewives on Prozac[/url] [url=http://www.frump.com/]Frump[/url] [url=http://www.mamapalooza.com/]Mamapalooza[/url] |
| 0 Comments |
| From home to work with a mouse click |
| 01.16.05 (5:35 am) |
|
[i]By Adrian Tan [/i] [b]Heard of homeshoring or homesourcing? No? A pity then. It's a new way of working that is becoming popular in the United States and the United Kingdom.[/b] It all began when employees tired of long commuting times persuaded their employers to let them use the Internet to work from home. At first it was mainly confined to employees in IT and finance. But with the spread of broadband, homesourcing is spreading to customer services. For example, a concierge in a five-star hotel in California uses her PC to work from her living room. Using broadband, she can talk to and assist hotel guests, her fellow employees and third parties such as travel agents. And oh yes, via a web camera, they can see one another's faces. And this is not all. Last month, research firm IDC reported that a number of American companies are setting up non-traditional call centres. Their workers will soon be handling calls from their homes because in certain situations, homesourcing can boost productivity while cutting costs. According to IDC, there are more than 100,000 home-based call centre workers in the US and the number is growing. While IDC focuses on the quality of service, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported that a certain Mr Michael Wolff has tried to quantify the savings. A proponent of homesourcing, he calculated that home workers cost £13.74 ($42.43) an hour to employ, the same as what it would cost to employ a worker at an Indian call centre. The cost per effective hour (each hour of work that is actually productive) for a standard UK-based worker is just over £20, the same analysis showed. His numbers are based on the premise that the wages of an employee in an Indian call centre are only 15 per cent of the total cost of employing him. The remaining 85 per cent goes to meeting the costs of operational overhead such as maintaining IT infrastructure and office space. This means that that the relatively low hourly wages are offset by the cost of maintaining the office space. His conclusion is that homesourcing could save UK call centre jobs from being sent overseas. A worker working from home could earn about the same as those in a UK call centre but the companies hiring them would be able to forego overhead expenses such as rent and utilities, among others. By now, I'm sure you get the drift of what I'm going to say — homesourcing could be a new way to improve Singapore's competitive position without driving down wages. It has the added advantage of making use of our competitive strengths: Good information communications infrastructure and an educated and hard-working workforce. This isn't a radical idea because it is a logical extension of the Government's home office and flexi-time initiative. If entrepreneurs can use their homes as offices, why can't employees do the same? And as I and many others can testify, operating from home is the ultimate in flexi-time work. Finally, homesourcing also ties in neatly with the Government's aim to promote Singapore as a shared services (SS) centre. For those not familiar with SS, it involves the consolidation of physically distributed support functions such as information technology, finance, logistics, human resources, administration and back-room transaction processing into one central location. Multi-national corporations (MNC) could establish their own internal shared services centres to serve their regional and global businesses. Or they could outsource these functions to third-party service providers. When SS are outsourced, the term used is Business Process Outsourcing or BPO. But because Singapore is a relatively high-cost centre, shared services operations here would have to send some jobs offshore to places such as India. Homesourcing could keep some of these jobs here. Sure, there are challenges involved in homeshoring, including data security risks. Remote work means new and different ways of managing a team and it tends to work best with higher-skilled and self-motivated individuals. Also, home workers could feel alienated. But as homeshoring can help both employees and their companies, the challenges are worth the risk. But first things first, someone has to do a study to see what a typical MNC based here or a Singaporean company (big and small) could save from using homesourcing. Junior colleges, polytechnics, universities, are you listening? Ministry of Manpower? The writer specialises in subjects related to business. Do you have a view on this comment? If so, email us at news@newstoday.com.sg Adrian Tan Heard of homeshoring or homesourcing? No? A pity then. It's a new way of working that is becoming popular in the United States and the United Kingdom. It all began when employees tired of long commuting times persuaded their employers to let them use the Internet to work from home. At first it was mainly confined to employees in IT and finance. But with the spread of broadband, homesourcing is spreading to customer services. For example, a concierge in a five-star hotel in California uses her PC to work from her living room. Using broadband, she can talk to and assist hotel guests, her fellow employees and third parties such as travel agents. And oh yes, via a web camera, they can see one another's faces. And this is not all. Last month, research firm IDC reported that a number of American companies are setting up non-traditional call centres. Their workers will soon be handling calls from their homes because in certain situations, homesourcing can boost productivity while cutting costs. According to IDC, there are more than 100,000 home-based call centre workers in the US and the number is growing. [url=http://www.todayonline.com/ar...]Read Full Article...[/url] |
| 0 Comments |
| The Work From Home Internet Business is Booming on the Net |
| 01.16.05 (5:19 am) |
|
[b]/24-7PressRelease.com/ - January 16, 2005 - The work from home revolution on the Internet is in full swing. [/b] There has never been a better time or opportunity to make money online working at home in front of your computer. The number of money making opportunities is endless. With today's technology it is quite possible to run your entire business online from anywhere in the world using your laptop computer. You no longer need to leave your house to make a living for your family. It can be done from the comfort of your own home. No commute required. No travel time with reduced fuel consumption and maintenance on your vehicles. Best of all you are your own boss. The amount of people using the internet worldwide continues to increase almost monthly. This bodes well for internet business entrepreneurs and anyone wishing to take advantage of the internet work from home business industry. Global Internet Statistics shows over 800 million people worldwide are now using the internet. In fact everywhere you look on the net almost every single site you go to is making money from some form of advertising or work from home business opportunity.The internet is forever changing the global job scene and the world economy with new internet opportunities arriving on the internet every day even as you read this. We can only hope that this will make the world cleaner and a better place to live with less pollution from automobiles and reduced pollution from factories. This in turn could create a backlash on the economy but it has yet to be seen. We all know the reasons behind why we are still using oil and gas rather than clean energy. (It would kill the global economy). Internet business could be just as threatening as electric cars and cars running on fuel cells. We are indeed in a revolution. The last revolution was called the industrial revolution. This one is called the information revolution. Or what I like to think of, the work from home revolution. About Kawartha Publishing Kawartha Publishing is a work from home internet business which publishes online content on how to make mony online from home on your computer. http://www.kawarthapublishing... # # # |
| 0 Comments |
| Is One Paycheck Enough? |
| 01.04.05 (5:46 am) |
|
[b]Planning. That is the key word in any financial decision. Throughout life you will face tough choices. You can prepare in advance or deal with them after they overwhelm you.[/b] At no time did this principle become more evident than when I was working on my book “Women Leaving the Workplace.” Some surprising news caused me to take a closer look at the trend of women quitting jobs outside the home. The marketing director for one of the nation’s largest pantyhose manufacturers told me their sales had dropped 25 percent. She attributed the decline, in part, to women leaving the marketplace, reducing their need for pantyhose. To investigate the trend further, on my radio program, “Money Matters,” I solicited letters from women who had quit work to return home. I received close to 1,200 letters and calls. The gist of their message: this is a crucial decision that requires careful planning and the commitment of both husband and wife. [url=http://www.newmanmag.com/arti...]Read Full Article[/url] |
| 0 Comments |
| What mom doesn’t want to be strong, sexy and confident? |
| 01.01.05 (7:41 am) |
|
[url=http://www.the-signal.com/New...]Fun for Mom Valencia mom creates venue for stay-at-home moms.[/url] 12/31/2004 Anne Marie Mills [Signal Staff Writer] [b]“What mom doesn’t want to be strong, sexy and confident?” is the question posed by Shannan Labrador, a Valencia resident, mother of two daughters, and founder of “Motherlicious,” which offers a whole new way of looking at being a stay-at-home mom.[/b] Santa Clarita Valley mothers have access to Motherlicious through Labrador’s website, which serves as an inspirational and supportive learning venue that celebrates and supports women who do not work outside of the home but have made raising children their profession. “It’s the hardest, most grueling job, and it pays nothing, but the rewards last a lifetime,” Labrador said. “Part of my personal mission statement for my life is to serve and educate. I have a deep desire to help other moms, whether its finding them the right at-home business, helping their self-esteem, parenting skills, beauty, fashion and marriage/relationships, Labrador said, “ I love to see people reach their goals. Just because you’re a mom does not mean you have to sit on the sideline of life.” Labrador feels that stay-at-home mothers need to practice being good to themselves and in doing so are in an even better position to take care of their families. “Motherlicious” offers short on-line classes coined “E-licious classes,” as well as coaching and consulting opportunities on everything from a makeover, to keeping marriage alive, to managing family life. “We want to grow and learn but who has the time? E-licious classes make it simple,” Labrador said. “I came from a very traditional home; my mother was a stay-at-home mom. We ate home cooked dinners around the table every night. Every holiday was a giant celebration,” Labrador said about her own childhood and the environment her mother created, “I like that there was a schedule and routine when I was growing up. Today, it helps me be well organized and the great planner that I am.” The Motherlicious website includes forum for moms covering topics such as how parents can make time for each other, staying in shape, and discipline. Additional features of the site include relevant articles and profiles of before and after makeover candidates. “I love doing these make overs, I love to see the expression in their face. Their self-esteem just shoots through the roof,” Labrador said, “I try to help them find a routine to create their new look every morning. We might go make up shopping with one mom and show her how to start wearing makeup and to fit that into her morning routine. According to Labrador’s website, the mission of Motherlicious is to “teach moms how to thrive — not survive in motherhood, teach moms how to look and feel great everyday, bring intimacy into your marriage and relationships, raise confident, moral children.” “I do not claim to know it all or to be perfect, I just know I have a real desire to help and reach other moms,” Labrador said. For more information about Motherlicious, visit [url=http://www.motherlicious.com]motherlicious.com[/url] . |
| 0 Comments |
| Work from home and cut stress |
| 01.01.05 (6:45 am) |
|
[b]JAPAN has launched a pilot Internet programme that aims to have 20 per cent of the nation's work force 'telecommute' from home by 2010.[/b] This is expected to minimise stress and family disruption caused by office life. Currently four million Japanese, or 6 per cent of the work force of 63.2 million, use technology to work outside the office, said Mr Taketo Deguchi, an official with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. From January, the ministry will have six employees spend at least one day a week working away from their offices - either at homes, universities or libraries - using high-speed Internet services. Twenty per cent of its 2,500 employees are expected to work from home by 2006, if the ministry finds this pilot programme effective. The project, in which workers can hold meetings through Internet chat rooms and teleconferencing, hopes to 'improve the efficiency in the workplace'. Telecommuting would allow office workers to spend more time at home with their family and at the same time they can assist in household chores, Mr Deguchi said. It should also help ease traffic congestion, which leads to environmental pollution, and overcrowding on rush-hour trains, he said. LESS TRAFFIC Mr Deguchi said the ministry's goal was to raise the percentage of Japanese telecommuters to 10 per cent by 2005 and 20 per cent by 2010 'by encouraging the sharing of knowhow about telecommuting with the private sector'. 'As we head into a high-tech era, with the Internet easily accessed from anywhere, our aim is to encourage more Japanese workers to take advantage of the new technologies,' he said. A survey in July found that 44 million workers in the United States telecommuted at least part-time. This figure is expected to rise to 51 million by 2008 with the growth of high-speed Internet access. - AFP. [url=http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/...,4136,80346-1,00.html]NewspaperAsia1[/url] |
| 1 Comments |
