Can spring spawn optimism?

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: Editor's page - Editorial

With spring in sight, I'm hopeful optimism will return to the capital markets, the business climate, bank lending, hiring, taxes and all the other items FEI members, readers and advertisers are wishing for. If only a change in season could indeed change the mood and depressed economy ...

In his early days after taking office, United States President Barack Obama continuously presented grim statements on the state of the economy. In late-February, he delivered a budget to Congress that would add trillions of dollars of expenses to an already ravaged system. U.S and global business activity has slowed exponentially, unemployment is the highest its been in 26 years and on and on and on. By press time, the stock market--normally an indicator of the future--had just peaked over 7,000 (improving on its recent more than 12-year lows)--but no one was yet calling a "floor."

Obama's televised statement just prior to delivering his budget did not express much confidence in the economy fixing itself; thus, he's promoting record-high government spending programs--that, at first glance, are not too kind to businesses, particularly small businesses, where job creation is the highest. Not to get political here, but most companies likely not eligible for big bailouts will not be getting much tax assistance either.

* * *

Again in this issue, we continue our efforts to provide information for FEI members and readers to make the best decisions they can, given the conditions they're dealing with.

The cover story, written by United Kingdom-based Mike Johnson and Andrew Chadwick, gives a view of the workplace of today and how the contract between employer and employee is changing. Economic problems or not, companies are still doing business--and they will need to make adjustments in certain cases to accommodate the new workforce as they plan for the future.

Freelance writer Joel Berg says that...