You’ve heard how a drink or two a day can help minimize heart disease. You may not have heard that the National Cancer Institute claims drinkers may lower risk of lymphoma. Not only are there health benefits, but economists are weighing in also:
Economists assert that benefits from alcohol are also financial, showing that moderate drinking is associated with higher earnings. If two workers are identical in education, age, and other characteristics except that the first has a couple of beers each night after work while the second is a teetotaler, the first will tend to enjoy a “drinker’s bonus” in the range of 10% to 25% higher wages.
writes Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Syracuse University, in the Wall Street Journal. The author also notes that moderate drinkers give more to charity.
So invest in your career…have a drink! But remember, as in the health benefits, economic benefits reverse if you drink too much.
Looks like employee discounts may save General Motors, as all the other car companies jump on the bandwagon. Here are some other employee discount programs offered by other companies:
- Starbucks: A pound of coffee each week for employees working 20+ hours.
- Anheuser Busch: Two cases of beer each month.
- General Electric: 20% discount on appliances.
- Google: Free lunch, every day.
- Blockbuster: Free video rentals.
Love those perks!
An article at CFO.com, provides due diligence activities prior to hiring a consulting firm.
Despite the high price tag, consulting engagements don’t always result in successful deliverables, and it is incumbent upon buyers to both shop wisely and manage the arrangement carefully.
Unfortunately, (or fortunately), just about every professional relationship starts on a task basis, as the client assesses the skills, personality, and manner of the expert, checking not only for technical expertise but also for cultural fit and simple “like-ability.” When you hire an accountant, doctor, or auto mechanic, you’re not looking for a relationship the first time out. You’ve got a problem and you want it fixed…now.
I view it as climbing a ladder. Each rung is a step toward a consulting relationship. When you do a good job you get to move up to the next rung. And when you reach the top, you become a trusted advisor, the epitome of the consulting profession.
This article though closes with an idea that has been a persistent sticking point for consultants and their clients: conflict of interest.
Another trend taking hold in the industry is the blending of consulting and outsourcing services, as more companies that launch outsourcing initiatives seek consulting help as part of the deal — and as vendors that once specialized in outsourcing offer high-level IT consulting services, and vice versa. That’s true not only for IT-driven projects, but also for a range of business processes, from human resources to finance to various links within the supply chain.
Conflicts of interest, one-size-fits-all solutions, or technology “bigotry,” in which consultants think that their job is to convince every client to use their favorite technology or service, are all examples of less-than-stellar integrity.
