Many Wall Street pundits are surprisingly bullish about the U.S. economy for 2011, but high unemployment continues to ravage Main Street. Still, with corporate profits booming and the stock market rallying, some indicators say jobs may finally be poised for a comeback, too.
In today's economy, the mantra seems to be: "Do more with less." But workers are hardly thrilled. And managers say that the negative attitudes, which are resulting in criticism and lack of teamwork, are contributing to reduced productivity.
The sector specializing in short-term and freelance jobs has taken on a split personality of sorts. Demand for contractors is ticking upward, but pay rates are going the other way.
More than half of large U.S. businesses that reduced staff in the last year plan to rebuild their workforces to pre-recession levels within two years, according to a recent report.