Introducing: CeeBee! Careerbuilder.com's Job Search Smartypants

Mental Health Essential in the Workplace

An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 

That's a lot of people.

What most people don't realize is the burden of mental illness on health and productivity in the United States - and how it's affecting our workers.

Depression affects about six percent of employees every year, costing more than $30 billion annually in lost productivity. Many of these depressed workers are untreated or inadequately treated.

While cost-of-illness studies show that depression is among the most costly of all health problems to employers, a new study shows that investing in depressed employees can cut absenteeism while improving workers' health.

Despite many employers' view that mental health coverage is a financial black hole, the study, funded by NIMH and reported in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, shows spending money on depression is a smart business move, says researcher Philip Wang.

Workers involved in the year-long study were given treatment and even received telephone psychotherapy. Employees who got this intervention worked about two weeks more on average during the study than those who got the usual care - advice to see their doctor or seek a mental health specialist.

At the year's end, 93 percent of workers from the intervention group were still employed, compared to 88 percent of workers not in the group, which helped employers avoid hiring and training costs, researchers said.

Plus, the "intervention employees" were almost 40 percent more likely to recover from depression.

Latest Working News

Worker fired for preparing food with foot

Wal-Mart fires workers over photos of managers

Cops in polygamous town stripped of badges

Top class-action lawyer indicted

Enter the napping device

The CEO who's like, 17

Virtual reality can land you a real job

Have you ever sat at your desk and wished you were doing something - ANYTHING - else? Perhaps you wish you were off fighting a fire? Playing a live concert? Pitching for your favorite baseball team (that happens to be playing right now!)?

Workers and job seekers alike now have the opportunity to work cool jobs - with the potential to lead to real jobs - and earn pay in Second Life's virtual world - and CareerBuilder.com was the first of the major job boards to offer the opportunity.

In Second Life, a three-dimensional online community where people can live out digital experiences mirroring real life,  companies have begun posting jobs and hosting career fairs as additional way to market their company as well as recruit new employees.

For example, CareerBuilder has 50 branded kiosks in locations across Second Life, where users can use the kiosks to search for real jobs on CareerBuilder.com. They can also search for virtual jobs they can instantly, without applying or interviewing.

In addition to job kiosks, CareerBuilder has 'Buzz Agents' who are dressed CareerBuilder clothing as an additional branding tool for CareerBuilder. Other companies hosting job fairs have hiring managers, dressed to the nines, that are looking for potential candidates. The job fairs even allow candidates to find recruiters and major companies and drop off their resume.

So, if you're looking for a new way to change up your job search, log into Second Life (basic membership is free) and start getting creative.

Latest Working News

Cee Bee's picks for this week's working news. There are some strange ones!

Carpenter allowed to work nude

U.S. employers hiring at same pace

Burger King employee almost killed in drive-through dispute

In-home nurses get workers comp for car accidents
 
Firefighter impersonator jailed

U.S. payrolls fell 4,000 in August

McDonald's employee jailed for salty burger

Airline made second passenger cover up

Hairdresser leaves fortune in will

Cube Monkeys!

From the editors of CareerBuilder.com and Second City Communications comes Cube Monkeys!

Coming to bookstores nationwide on September 18th is a new book by CareerBuilder.com and Second City Communications titled, "Cube Monkeys: a handbook for surviving the office jungle."

Filled with hilarious irreverent humor, Cube Monkeys is the "must have" resource for anyone who "must have" taken a wrong turn in their career. From nightmare bosses and co-workers to cube etiquette and meeting mishaps, Cube Monkeys helps workers tackle the challenges faces on the job every day... and brings some comic relief to the workplace.

 

See the Book in Action! CareerBuilder and Second City launched two videos on YouTube, highlighting lessons from the book:

Impress the Big Dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJucTMlc-ks

Boss to English Dictionary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnQRqQP4a6o

Here are some excerpts from the book:

Quiz: Are you the Office Party Animal?

1. Your cubicle...
a. Is always neat and tidy.
b. Has a certain homey charm.
c. Has been moved to the strip club down the street.

2. You prepare for the annual office Christmas party...
a. A few days in advance.
b. A few weeks in advance.
c. In June.

3. How do you take your coffee?
a. With just a hint of cream.
b. With a few packets of sugar.
c. With gin.

4. Your fellow employees enjoy carpooling with you because...
a. You always pay for gas.
b. You make friendly chitchat.
c. It invariably results in a spontaneous road trip to Tijuana.

5. You greet new clients...
a. With polite professionalism.
b. As a future friend and colleague.
c. By handing them a business card that reads: "Sleeping through my job since 1995."

6. Your 401(k)...
a. Is your retirement fund.
b. Is being saved for your kids' education.
c. Has already been used for keg money.

7. Lunchtime is the right time for...
a. Getting extra work done.
b. Returning all of your unanswered e-mail.
c. Doing beer bongs in the bathroom.

8. Your weekend begins...
a. Saturday morning.
b. Friday at 5 P.M.
c. Sunday at midnight.

The Boss Says: "Great job on the report!" Translation: "I'm taking credit for your work."

The Boss Says: "I have to attend an off- site meeting." Translation: "I'm having an affair."

The Boss Says: "Let me give you some broadstroke ideas and you can fill in the rest." Translation: "I still haven't learned how to create an Excel document."

The Boss Says: "Headquarters has assured me we will not be affected by the merger." Translation: "You are going to be fired."

The Boss Says: "I'm not sure if what you are suggesting is in alignment with our core competencies." Translation: "What exactly do we do again?"

The Boss Says: "This office is a family and my door is always open if you ever need to powwow with Papa Bear." Translation: "I am a tool."

The Boss Says: "I'll be out of the offi ce for a couple hours with senior management, but you can reach me on my mobile." Translation: "I'm playing golf."

The Boss Says: "I'll be off- site and unreachable for the rest of the afternoon." Translation: "I'm playing golf and I expect to be very, very drunk."

The Boss Says: "I think we should order in some lunch for the team." Translation: "None of you are getting a raise. Enjoy your pizza."

The Boss Says: "I don't want to have to micromanage this whole operation!" Translation: "I'm the boss because I made good business contacts at my Ivy League university; I don't know how to actually do things."

The Boss Says: "This came down from up top." Translation: "I have no real power."

The Boss Says: "I can't give you an answer at this moment. Let me survey the situation and see what we can leverage out of it." Translation: "Oh God, I wish I was still in sales!"

Cee Bee's Picks in Latest Working News

NYC cabbie group goes on strike

Governor protects gay, lesbian workers

Job candidates tripped up by Facebook

U.S. workers are world's most productive

U.S. jobs data shows suprise fall

Those who hate job are in minority

Southwest Airlines kicks off passenger for "skimpy" outfit

American workers are the most productive in the world

American workers are the most productive in the world, according to a new study by the International Labor Organization.

According to the report, Americans also work longer hours and produce more per person over the year. Americans also get more done per hour than everyone but the Norwegians.

The average U.S. worker produces $63,885 of wealth per year, more than their counterparts in all other countries, the report says. Ireland comes in second at $55,986, followed by Luxembourg at $55,641, Belgium at $55,235 and France at $54,609.

"The difference in rankings can be explained by the fact that annual working hours per person employed are considerably higher in the United States than in the majority of European economies," the report said.

The U.S. employee clocked an average 1,804 hours of work in 2006, according to the report. Norwegian workers put in 1,407.1 hours and the French worked 1,564.4 hours, respectively.

Click here to read the full press release.