In this revealing study, Larry Hirschhorn examines the rituals, or social defenses, organizations develop to cope with change. Using extended ease studies from offices, factories, and social services, he describes why these often irrational practices that fragment and injure individuals within the workplace exist, how they operate, and how they can be reshaped to enhance people's work experience.

This book investigates the crucial question of how meaningful work can be fostered and sustained throughout a range of work environments.

Addresses the characteristics of Americans born since 1982--their early career planning, desire for instant feedback and positive recognition, comfort working in teams, and trouble with "soft" workplace skills--and how managers can them into an asset as they enter the workforce.

Workplace safety is failing. Despite better procedures now in place on the job, people are still getting hurt. The problem lies in our thinking. We must shift the focus from rules to relationships. In PeopleWork, author and safety management consultant Kevin Burns presents his M4 Method of people-centered management for safety in the workplace. He lays out the practical, how-to steps that frontline supervisors and safety people can master. This promotes a relationship-based culture focused on mentoring, coaching, and inspiring teams. It's an approach that ultimately improves employee productivity and allows everyone to achieve their personal goals and the goals of their company. With PeopleWork, you can raise workplace safety to a level where it actually works.

Essential reading for those who'd like to find more meaning in their jobs, "The Stirring of Soul in the Workplace" offers ways to balance a personal spiritual path with job realities and expectations.

NFPA's far-reaching Electrical Safety in the Workplace teaches individuals safe work procedures and provides companies with a process for defining and implementing effective electrical safety programs. The text draws on the authors' 35 years of experience in developing corporate standards and procedures and electrical safety programs, and is up-to-date with the 1999 NEC(R) and NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. Chapters cover critical information about electrical hazards and hazard analysis, explain risk exposure management, and discuss NFPA codes and documents published by OSHA, NEMA, UL, and ANSI. Concepts applicable to both commercial and industrial activities include: persuasive statistics on the benefits of electrically safe workplaces, plus proper practices such as lockout/tagout and responsibility of personnel; advice on designing and implementing electrical safety programs; real-life examples and case studies of electrical accidents; and tips on working with safety professionals and effective workplace auditing procedures.Electrical Safety in the Workplace is a must for professionals involved in construction and heavy industry, electrical contractors, and union and trade group trainers.

Whether you're an administrator or library leader concerned about the health and well-being of your team, or a library worker excited to launch a health and wellness movement in your library, you'll find sensible guidance and inspiration in Newman's handbook. As part of their dedication to improving the lives of their patrons, libraries have long offered services, programs, and outreach dedicated to the health and wellness of their communities. There is a growing recognition that library workers themselves are in urgent need of such attention; low morale, and complaints of burnout and a toxic work environment, are only a few of the obvious symptoms. The good news is that by turning inward, libraries can foster wellness in their workplace and make a real difference in the day-to-day lives of their staff. Newman, who has led a popular course on the subject attended by workers from many types of different libraries, here takes a holistic approach to examine why and how libraries should focus on improving the health and wellness of employees. Filled with hands-on advice, examples of successful initiatives, and suggested action steps, in this book readers will learn how to define health and wellness, including its physical, psychological, and social aspects, and why they touch upon nearly everything that happens in the workplace; what a workplace looks like when it strives to ensure the complete physical, mental, and social well-being of workers, and the ways in which this approach to a work environment benefits both the library and the community it serves; the role played by the physical aspects of the workplace, such as the ergonomics of sitting and standing desks, the effects of air quality and smell on worker health and productivity, and noise levels stemming from open plan workspaces; about key policies relating to wages, working schedules, where employees work, and child and elder care; real-world advice on addressing complicated workplace issues like emotional and invisible labor, with a look at the part that burdensome or indifferent policies and practices can play in contributing to compassion fatigue and burnout; ways to make healthy choices for oneself and encourage healthy choices in co-workers and staff; concrete, evidence-based steps that libraries can take to improve workplace wellness; how to make a lasting difference by focusing on one aspect they can change personally and one that they can advocate changing library wide.