We have been rushing, rushing, rushing this past week like The Road Runner—only not as fast.
There are lists, finished products, half-finished projects and projects yet to be started. But it’s safe to say the main cause is an overeagerness to tackle projects and unrealistic expectations about our time, productivity and energy levels.
What do you do when there's so much to be done? Do nothing! We decided to escape to the shores of Lake Erie for a few hours. There’s something so calming about watching the waves and to see water as far as the eye can see. We can’t wait to be in the water like the above photo…when the water is much, much warmer.
It seems the key to find that elusive balance, or, short of that, get as much sleep as you can manage. Somehow, things always seem more manageable after you rest. And if all else fails, chug coffee and take a power nap. Then, get to work!
A Look Back
As we have mentioned before, we are based in Cleveland, Ohio. In its heyday, our fair city once had the nation’s highest concentrations of millionaires, and one of the main downtown thoroughfares was aptly named Millionaires’ Row.
We’re fans of yesteryear, so we were delighted to see a profile about a once thriving garment manufacturer from a local news outlet. The Richman Brothers made high-quality men’s clothing, and author Tom Matowitz says getting a suit from the company was like a rite of passage for young men. But perhaps more of interest to you is that their reputation extended beyond their clothing to how they treated their employees.
The company created a culture of safety and respect—a sharp contrast from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, which had tragically caught fire about a decade before the Richman Brothers factory opened. Here are few examples of this culture:
- Management provided interest-free loans.
- Employees were given two weeks of paid vacation, and the company added a third week in 1949.
- Employees worked a 36-hour work week—at the time 48-hour weeks work common—and pensions after 15 years of service. They were also offered paid maternity leave.
The Richman Brothers were said to be able to stand at the front door and greet each of the 2,000 employees by name as they entered. We don’t know many executives who can do that today. Sadly, the company ceased to exist by 1992, and the factory has been vacant for years.
Read more about the company and see historical pictures here.
Beware of MBAs
We saw a new headline on Bloomberg that caught our attention: “If Your Boss has an MBA, You Might End Up Earning Less Money.”
U.S. executives with business degrees are more likely to cut wages. They’re also not likely to deliver an increase in profits or sales, according to a recent paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
When companies hire execs with MBAs, wages fell by 6% within five years, while the labor share of profits dropped 5 percentage points.
Authors and economists Daron Acemoglu, Daniel le Marie and Alex He suggest business schools may be a factor at play, as similar results were seen in Denmark when people with MBAs are tapped to lead. “We interpret these findings as capturing the impact of management practices and values imparted by business schools and business degrees,” they write.
In fact, the authors thing business degrees could be bad for business. “Our evidence suggests that business managers are not more productive: Firms appointing business managers are not on differential trends and do not enjoy higher sales, productivity, investment or employment growth following their accession.”
The full paper is available here.
Sit, Stay, Good Human
We love our four-legged friends. We don’t know how we would’ve managed the pandemic without them. It seems that’s the case for many people, as shelters were emptied out as COVID-19 made its way across the country.
Dogs have always played an important role in our life, and that role grew bigger during the pandemic: “For many people, the dogs were the only warm body around—therapist, companion and entertainment system rolled into one.”
It is understandable, then, that some people don’t want to leave their pets and return to the office. We imagine many pets like the constant attention, treats and walk availability work from home affords their owners.
It was always a day we knew would come, but one that got fuzzier as the pandemic dragged on. Now, after a couple years of close proximity, separation is taking some getting used to for both parties, writes The New York Times.
One person interviewed said leaving her pandemic pup harkened back to when she was leaving her baby to go to work. There are ways to minimize the separation anxiety; obedience school and puppy day care can help. But as for the humans, it might be more difficult to adjust. After all, there’s a reason why dogs are called man’s best friend.
Read the story and see adorable photos of dogs here.