Thursday, August 23, 2007

Co-Working Improves Social and Business Lives of Employees Who Work from Home

Feeling socially isolated as a result of working from home, Alex Hillman, a 23 year old Web entrepreneur, was inspired to create a local version of the new trend, co-working.

Co-working allows people who work from home to reap the benefits of working in an office, like socializing and sharing ideas. Without the distractions of home, it also helps employees stay on track and separate work life and personal life.

The article, “A Step Up From Working in PJ’s”, in The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights the co-working group using a work space at Independents Hall in downtown Philadelphia. With a chic interior design, conference room and kitchen, employees are willing to spend $175 to $275 a month to use the space.

To learn more about co-working visit:
http://coworking.pbwiki.com/

Independents Hall in Center City.
http://www.independentshall.org/

Workplayce in Elkins Park.
http://workplayce.net/

Decreasing isolation is an important step in building a stronger business.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Pay for Performance a Bad Idea

Harvard economist, Roland G. Fryer, has devised a plan to keeping inner city children motivated to succeed in school. The controversial new program would give fourth and seventh graders from lower income families, $100 to $500 for performing well on ten tests throughout the school year.

In The New York Times article by Joseph Berger, “Some Wonder if Cash for Good Test Scores is the Wrong Kind of Lesson”, advocates of the program say similar incentive programs in countries like Mexico have increased school attendance. Others believe the program will not only help underprivileged children, but children from all economic backgrounds by creating a driven, highly motivated school environment.

Opponents of the program believe that instead of being motivated by a love of learning and an inner desire to succeed and create better opportunities for themselves and their families, children would only be motivated by money.

Other opponents like Suzanne Windland, a Queens resident and mother of three, believe the program is unfair as it only favors lower-income children, which could spur resentment among the other classmates who don’t qualify for the program.