Humansolutions Bulletin - July 1st 2015

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As human beings, we are, of course, emotional creatures just as much as we are rational, if not more so. This means that any attempt to understand human actions without taking account of the emotional dimension is likely to be, at best, incomplete and potentially totally misleading. Part of the reason emotions are so significant is that our emotional response to a situation can actually change the way our body reacts. For example, if we are anxious, angry or frightened, there can be increased levels of adrenaline in our blood stream (the classic ‘fight or flight’ mechanism) and this can have a powerful effect on our behaviour. In effect, our emotional reaction has triggered a biological reaction that is preparing…

In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated. https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

Ask a hundred students at Harvard Business School if they expect to be up for a good job when they graduate, and all of them will say "yes." Ask a bright ten-year old girl if she expects to have a chance at a career as a mathematician, and the odds are she's already been brainwashed into saying "no." Expectations aren't guarantees, but expectations give us the chance to act as if, to trade now for later, to invest in hard work and productive dreaming on our way to making an impact. Expectations work for two reasons. First, they give us the enthusiasm and confidence to do hard work. Second, like a placebo, they subtly change our attitude, and give us…

Understanding the new demands placed on workers and how to manage a stressed workforce is challenging. Gender differences compound the problem. According to a new study by Erin Reid, a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business,  organizational pressures are producing conflict within professionals and men and women respond differently. "Women who had trouble with the work hours tended to take formal accommodations, reducing their work hours...In contrast, many men found unobtrusive, under-the-radar ways to alter the structure of their work," Reid explained. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246190

Public transport is a significant and escalating cost for many people. But while transport may be a drain on the finances of some, for others the cost is far more debilitating. This matters, as it means the poorest in society are unable to travel as far or as often, limiting their ability to compete with the better off for jobs and decent pay. This report reveals how this inequality is embedded within our transport system through government subsidies, further increasing overall economic inequality. https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/taken-ride-how-uk-public-transport-subsidies-entrench-inequality