Metrics

Your oldest workers are probably the most engaged in their work, according to a new Gallup poll. So-called traditionalists—born before 1946—are most likely to be “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace,” Gallup’s definition of engagement.

The unemployment rate—now 5.7%, compared to 10% in October 2009—is one measure of how well the economy is rebounding. But labor economists often note that the unemployment rate is something of a statistical blunt instrument that fails to capture the nuances of what’s really happening in the job market. Economists increasingly turn to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey to spotlight the detail in the broader employment picture.

Women are perfectly capable of succeeding in senior executive jobs, but factors largely beyond their control have kept them from achieving more corporate success. That’s the attitude pollsters at the Pew Research Center uncovered when they asked 1,835 randomly selected adults what keeps more business women from holding leadership positions.

About half of the HR professionals recently surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management said they have participated in at least one formal job-analysis activity. The goal is usually to identify the key tasks employees perform on the job and the skills they need to do their work successfully.