Month: March 2026

This week’s blog post is a thought provoking one for sure. Researching the pros and cons of labor unions yields a wide variety of information and a wide range of opinions. Depending on who you ask, labor unions may either be loved or hated. For me they fall somewhere in between. I find that there is a clear utility behind employee collectivism and collective bargaining, (i.e. better working conditions, safer workplace, higher wages, etc.) (Klawans, 2025). This is especially true when you look back over the last 100 years and read about what types of working conditions employees faced at the turn of the 19^th century. Wages and working conditions have improved dramatically over this time and I believe there is clear evidence to show that labor unions helped play a role. On the other hand, I also believe that unionization is not a catch all solution that will solve every worker’s problem. The truth is that employee dissatisfaction stems from a variety of areas and simply unionizing a company will not solve many of the intangible, company culture related issues. Unions are effective in the areas where they have historically been effective (i.e. wages, safety, working conditions, etc.), but less so in the more intangible areas. I also think that certain industries lend themselves to unionization better than others. With that in mind, I don’t believe my work as a project manager within the construction industry lends itself to being in a union. In fact, my role in a company could many times find me on the opposing side working with unions. Regardless of whether I’m part of a union or not, my key focus in working within the construction industry will be to walk in excellence and work hard to accomplish whatever tasks are at hand with the people that are available, whether they are union or not. Ultimately I just want the job to be done and done well.

Klawans, J. (2025, February 13). The pros and cons of labor unions. The Week. https://theweek.com/business/labor-unions-pros-cons

I just finished taking my Life Stress Inventory, the Coping and Management Skills test, and the Type A personality survey. The results stated that I am “not very stressed”, and “not a type A personality”. As a Father with three kids, a job, and full-time school its not that I’m not stressed, its more that I’ve learned in the last several years how to effectively manage it and maintain a positive outlook under difficult circumstances. Among the lessons I’ve learned is the need to pursue gratitude for the things in my life. In many hard seasons, or on a hard day, what can begin to turn the tide is simply taking time think “gratefully”. The change isn’t always immediate, but as I shift my thinking, my perspective begins to change. Other important strategies include having a close support network to rely on for emotional support. This includes my wife, close friendships, and mentors. Lastly, I exercise and work to remain active even during busy times. As I progress through my professional career, the tools I’ve learned will only become more important to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

As I’ve researched the issue of workplace stress, a key issue that organizations are facing is employee burnout. Research from SHRM in 2024 noted that 44% of U.S. workers are burned out from their work and that almost half of those employees are seeking a new job as a result (“Employee Mental Health: May 2024 EN Insights Forum,” Society for Human Resource Management, 2024). Not only does losing an employee impact the organization, but the resulting stress negatively affects the physical and mental health of the employees. This can cause employees to gain weight because of stress eating, or even cause personal relationships to suffer or end (“2024 Workforce State of Mind Report,” Headspace, 2024). To fight this epidemic, some of the most relevant strategies organizations are using include setting boundaries for employees to have time for personal connection (such as not requiring work on weekends or overtime) and encouraging employees to engage in peer-to-peer or intergenerational mentorship (“2024 Workforce State of Mind Report,” Headspace, 2024). There are other strategies as well, but these are important options that carry weight when relied upon.