The new workplace injury statistics released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are a mix of good and bad news. The good news: Fatal workplace injuries were down 28 percent in 2009 compared to 2008. The bad news: 4,340 workers still died as a result of on-the-job injuries. So we’re happy to see a reduction in fatal injuries, but don’t we want that number down to zero?

Which sectors had the biggest improvements?
If you look only at the raw numbers, here are the occupations with the most to the fewest fatal occupational injuries last year:

• Transportation and material moving (1,376)
• Construction and extraction (988)
• Management (514)
• Installation, maintenance and repair (317)
• Sales and related (269)
• Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance (248)
• Protective service (243)
• Farming, fishing and forestry (229)

The change in percentage of fatal workplace injuries by industry reorders the list a bit:

• Transportation and material moving (28 percent decrease)
• Protective service (21 percent decrease)
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (18 percent decrease)
• Construction and extraction (16 percent decrease)
• Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance (6 percent increase)
• Resident military personnel (21 percent increase)

What does this tell us?
Although drawing conclusions from preliminary numbers is a tricky process, you can make some general observations.

As the BLS notes, the construction industry has experienced significant setbacks since the recession began in 2007. Therefore a reduction in fatalities could be linked to the reduction in construction jobs. Again, a mix of good and bad news.

Fewer deaths for law enforcement officers and fire fighters helped with the decrease in fatal injuries for protective services. And while many cities have struggled with budget issues to compensate and retain law enforcement officers, they have not laid off workers on the same scale that construction has. Therefore the decrease in fatalities seems to be a completely positive change that doesn’t correlate to fewer employed police officers and firefighters.

And

To read the full report from the BLS, visit their site here.

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Why my youthful disdain toward money? Because I had a savings account, that’s why. All the money I got for birthdays/Christmas/grade school graduation went straight to the bank, and my parents expected me to be happy when I exchanged a would-be shopping spree at Toys-R-Us for a deposit receipt and a lollipop. I was eight, and I was not happy.

Reflecting on those times now, I realize I’d be thrilled with a savings account as well-endowed as the one I had in fifth grade — its present-day counterpart is paltry, to put it optimistically. Though I know the importance of saving money, there are certain times when it seems almost impossible to save — a feeling that is shared by an increasing number of workers these days.

According to a new CareerBuilder survey: “Saving money is not an option for some workers, as one-third (33 percent) state that they do not participate in any programs such as 401(k), IRAs or retirement plans. One-in-three (30 percent) report that they don’t put any money aside into their savings each month, while 28 percent set aside $100 or less per month for savings and 14 percent save less than $50.”

The survey also reports that the number of workers living paycheck to paycheck has risen in the last year: 77 percent of workers report living paycheck to paycheck in 2010, compared with 61 percent who reported doing so in 2009.

Unfortunately, since we’re in the middle of a recession, it’s likely that many of us will be living with tight purse strings  for the foreseeable future.

Yet according to Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, that may not be such a bad thing, since living on a budget  may ultimately make us more financially responsible. “The last 18 months have required some workers to tighten their day-to-day spending and make some adjustments to their financial futures,” says Haefner. “Our survey found that six-in-ten workers say that the recession has made them more fiscally responsible. Maintaining a budget is not only important now, but will better position workers – both personally and professionally – for the long run.”

When it comes to  budgeting, workers reported using the following tactics to help make ends meet:

•             Cut back on leisure activities – 54 percent

•             Used coupons or shopped at discount stores – 48 percent

•             Drove less to save on gas – 37 percent

•             Cancelled cable and other subscriptions – 12 percent

•             Used public transportation – 5 percent

Cut back on cable, carpooling to work and still stretching your paycheck thin? Haefner offers the following tips for getting the most out of your money and creating a livable budget:

Cut back where you can – That daily dose of Dunkin Donuts coffee can add up. Create a spreadsheet or keep a small notebook to track your expenses. At the end of the month, analyze where your money goes, and cut back where you’re spending unnecessarily.

Be saving savvy – While you may not be able to stash away a few hundred dollars each month, it’s still important to save what you can, even if it’s a small amount. If you tend to spend whatever is in your checking account, try setting up an automatic deposit into a savings account. 

Maximize your benefits– Talk to your HR department to see if there are any benefits you’re not taking advantage of.  Many companies offer perks like free museum admission, discounts at certain stores, etc. Also, if necessary, re-evaluate your benefits plan to make sure you’ve selected the right one for your budget.

For more on the recession and its effect on workers, check out:

Is Going Back to School the Right Move?

Workplace Fatalities Reach Record Low

Surprising Growth Industries

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Does the thought of making small talk make you cringe? Does schmoozing make you feel like a schmuck?

Zack, who’s the president of Only Connect Consulting and an expert in personality and the workplace, travels the nation, rubbing elbows with and making presentations to executives in private industry, the public sector and federal agencies; she’s also an introvert … so who better to write about introvert networking than a person who shatters the stereotype?

Introverts Can Sizzle on Networking Job Search

By Devora Zack author of “Networking for People Who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed and the Underconnected.”

To network or not to network?  That is the question.

What’s at stake?  Whatever you most want to accomplish; no biggie.

What if you don’t like networking and have no interest?  It drains you.  It never works.  You don’t have time.  You don’t need to.  It’s phony, self-serving, fake, inauthentic, superficial, conniving, manipulative and useless.

Hold it right there.

In my experience, people who claim to hate networking also believe they are not good at it.  The reverse is true.  People who hate networking fail at traditional networking by following advice never intended for them in the first place.  You have the raw materials to be a stellar networker.  You are just following the wrong rules.  Standard networking advice fails you, so you assume you fail at networking. Plus you hate it.  What is networking?

Networking is the art of building and maintaining connections for shared positive outcomes.

That doesn’t sound so bad.  You can now learn networking methods aligned with the true you.

Networking propels you to your potential.  Think of a goal.  Perhaps you want to find a job, build your career, win a promotion, make a connection, improve the world, build a reputation, achieve your dream or grow a business.

Networking will further your aim.

As a consultant and author, I have never met a person who did not benefit tremendously from learning how to network on his or her own terms.

The more authentic you are, the more resilient and valuable networks you create.  You can successfully network by being real; applying natural strengths.  You can learn to work with, rather than fight against, your lovable self.

The very traits previously labeled as liabilities are now your finest networking assets.

I am an off-the-chart introvert.  I have conversations with people in my head that I think actually took place.  I need to process ideas before speaking up – or get myself into trouble.  The idea of a free-floating happy hour propels me into free-floating anxiety.  A cacophony of external stimuli doesn’t excite me; it drives me away.

I happen to also be Type A with an exceptionally high energy level.   Introverts can be low-key or intense; prefer the back of the room or the spotlight.  These traits are not linked to what defines introversion.

Introverts are reflective, focused, and self-reliant.  Extroverts are verbal, expansive, and social.  These characteristics lead to three key distinctions:

• Introverts think to talk; extroverts talk to think.
• Introverts drill deep; extroverts stretch wide.
• Introverts energize alone; extroverts energize with others.

These differences lead to a plethora of opportunities for introverts to shine in the networking arena.  Don’t condemn yourself for who you are.  Embrace, accept, and flaunt your natural style.  Okay, maybe flaunting is a bit much to ask.  Still, it is something to work towards.

I have discovered techniques that turn the world of networking for introverts upside down — or shall I say right side up? These insights can transform you into a networking star. You can even enjoy your customized version of networking.  Seem impossible?  It’s not.

Standard networking adages include:

• Promote yourself constantly.
• Never eat alone.
• Increase contacts for increased success.

Until now, networking advice has been written for people of a particular temperament – the very personality style already predisposed to enjoy the prospect of spearing cheese in a room full of bustling strangers.

Research reveals this personality type is 30-50 percent of the general population.  The rest of us have been left to wander aimlessly through the foreboding terrain of meet-and-greets.

Networking tips just for introverts

Pssst.  Want customized networking techniques created especially for you? 

Introverts think to talk.

• Focus on listening rather than self-promotion in initial job search conversations.
• Carefully select what job search events to attend – target those of most interest.
• Prepare in advance specific questions to ask new contacts. 
• Prepare and practice aloud responses to FAQ while on a job search.

 Introverts drill deep.

• Research the type of job most suited to you and focus your attention there, rather than dissipating your energy casting a wide net.
• Arrange one-on-one meals with select individuals rather than joining large groups.
• Follow up with others based on their interests, proving your immediate value.
• When at a career fair or job conference leave yourself blocks of time between sessions to pace yourself, increasing your focus at the programs you do attend.

 Introverts energize alone.

• While at networking events, periodically step away from the group to recharge.
• Volunteer – this gives you a focus, purpose, and specific role while networking.
• When arriving at an event, pause to look over attendee nametags – giving you initial alone time and the opportunity to strategize who to meet.
• Make notations about new contacts on their business cards – increasing your ability to remember details and creating breaks between conversations.

No more stamping out your instincts.  Welcome to the world of networking for people who used to hate networking. 

Interested in learning more about networking? Click here for more on TheWorkBuzz.com.

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