Looking to socialize with the rich? You don't need to head to the Hamptons. Are your employees snoozing the afternoon away? Might want to build a nap room. And summer may be over, but it's never too soon to prepare for next summer. Here's a closer look at some of the latest small-business surveys.
Big Spenders Social Club
The rich aren't so different from you and me after all: They're logging on to Facebook in increasing numbers. The percentage of U.S. millionaires using Facebook nearly doubled (to 46 percent) this year, up from 26 percent who used the social network in 2010, according to the Spectrem eZine report "Social Media and Affluent Households." (Millionaires are defined as having a net worth of $1 million to $5 million, not including their primary residence.) Nearly half (47 percent) of Ultra High Net Worth investors, those with a net worth of $5 million to $25 million, and 55 percent of the mass affluent, with a net worth of $100,000 to $1 million, also use Facebook.
Other social media platforms are far less popular with the wealthy. Just 19 percent of millionaires, 26 percent of Ultra High Net Worth and 22 percent of mass affluents use LinkedIn. And only 3 percent of millionaires, 6 percent of Ultra High Net Worth and 5 percent of the mass affluent use Twitter.
Catching Some Zzzs
Are your employees sleeping on the job? A National Sleep Foundation poll found that about two-thirds (63 percent) of Americans say their sleep needs are not being met during the week (I can so relate to that statistic). Of that group, about three quarters (74 percent) of those over 30 said that sleepiness affects their work.
If you want your team to stay awake at work, the solution might be to let them get some shuteye. A 2011 study by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) found that 6 percent of workplaces had nap rooms in 2011, a slight increase from the previous year. Clearly, tired workers aren't the most productive, so letting them snooze isn't just a selfless act.
Vacation, Yes. Exposed Toes, No
Summer's over. Time to prepare for... next summer. So what were the most popular summer perks this year? Casual dress and flex time topped the list in a recent Adecco Staffing US survey. The majority of respondents (60 percent) say they want flex time (e.g., summer Fridays or ability to leave early on certain days), while 53 percent voted for extra vacation days as their most-desired perk.
"Dressing down" was even more highly valued. Seventy-four percent of survey respondents wish they could dress more casually at work in the summer. Make sure your staff understands your definition of "casual," however. Asked about the biggest summer "wardrobe offenders," 74 percent of respondents say flip-flops are inappropriate in the workplace. So if you're going to loosen up the dress code, remember a good part of your staff is likely toe-phobic.