Workplace Buzz: Today's Headlines

How Long is Your Work Day?
"Nine to Five" is more than a movie and song title, or the name of an organization working on workplace issues for women. It's been used as the name of a movie, a song and an organization because it is a common phrase in the American lexicon, signifying not just the hours of the standard American workday but all the attendant rituals, frustrations and lore of the modern working world. Which is all very nice, but it does suggest one small question: Is anyone out there actually working that standard 9-to-5 workday? Seattlepi.com

Vulnerable to Assault
Women today flex their power and freedom as never before -- in the workplace, in leadership positions, in the presidential race. So it's jolting when a serial rapist terrorizes a neighborhood. Despite hard-fought battles for equality, this basic truth does not budge: The female half of the city's population is far more vulnerable to sexual assault; they are the ones whose freedoms are strangled. Chicago Sun Times

Friendship in the Office
Most days, co-workers Natasha Burke and Zipporah Dvash spend their time together at the office. But as fast friends, the two also have a tight social life away from work. They've attended weddings, bar mitzvahs and dinners together. Dvash has even tried to set her colleague up on dates. … Many employers are looking to build interoffice friendships in light of mounting research showing that strong social connections can boost productivity and have a positive effect on company profitability. USA Today