Toxic, typical, or ideal: On the categorization of workdays

According to a study by Virginia Commonwealth University, there are basically five different types of workdays. In a survey that looked at the everyday work experiences of employees, the researchers identified various dimensions and key factors that have an influence throughout the day. The five types were derived from a combination of these factors: On the more negative side are “toxic” and ‘unattached’ days, while on the positive side are “ideal” days. In between lies the “typical” day. So-called “crisis days” represent an exceptional situation. These crisis days combine toxic and ideal days and are characterized by dealing with central work-related problems. Following this typification, the researchers established a connection to the creative performance of employees. Unsurprisingly, it was found that toxic and unbound days tended to hinder this performance, while ideal days enabled the best performance in comparison. The former is particularly the case when several negative days occur in a row. Employers should therefore pay attention to the quality of their employees' days – and ensure that negative days can improve and become ideal working days. We were also interested in these topics:

• Skills shortage: There is already an acute shortage in many industries, but the “age of labor scarcity” has only just begun, writes Business Insider. This presents some opportunities for employees, but also risks and dangers.

• Training: There is also a shortage of trainees in the German labor market. The Indeed Training Report 2023 therefore examined whether applicants with lower school qualifications now also have good chances of finding a training place. In fact, openness towards secondary school graduates is tending to increase, but there is still a long way to go before there is equal opportunity for all school qualifications.

• New Work: Critics of New Work concepts often accuse supporters of alternative working models of laziness and unwillingness to work. Isabell Prophet writes in a t3n column why this attitude is wrong and where there are other misconceptions in the New Work debate.

• Onboarding: 17.8% of all new employees quit their job within the first 100 days – a significant increase of around 6% since 2018. Good onboarding can counteract this, writes HR agency softgarden in its new report on onboarding. In addition to statistics, the report also contains options and tips for successful onboarding.

• Collective bargaining dispute: Last week, the ver.di federal bargaining commission approved the collective bargaining agreement on its second attempt. This means that federal and municipal employees will receive higher salaries starting in June; by the end of 2024, salaries are to increase gradually by 11.5%.

• Gen Z on the job market: There are some common preconceptions among employers about the younger Generation Z – that they are not willing to work hard, but prefer leisure time and short working hours. A LinkedIn survey shows that these clichés are only partially true: according to the survey, 81% of people between the ages of 16 and 28 are still willing to work hard for meaningful work, and 60% want to pursue a career and earn a lot of money. Further figures and background information can be found in the SZ.

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