16
GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 15, 2021
COMMENT & OPINION
GUEST COLUMN Win Irwin
Time to stand up and remove barriers to work A s hair of the board of directors of Irwin Seating Company and an owner of the company, I value and honor the contributions that our employees make every day to provide quality public seating to our customers. We are a 114-year-old family-owned company that survives because of the skilled people who come to work every day. We are committed to following the Golden Rule to treat people as one wants to be treated. It is wrong to put people in jail when it is unnecessary and to keep them there prevents them from earning a living, supporting their family and community, and takes away their freedom. For those who drive to work, losing a driver’s license not only results in a lack of transportation to get to the workplace, but results in punitive costs and fees that those who make an hourly wage are simply unable to pay. Too often, minor nonviolent offenses — sometimes even offenses stemming from unpaid tickets — leave Michigan residents stuck in jail without a trial and without the ability to pay to get out. A traffic ticket with a heavy fine an individual can’t pay leads to a license suspension, which if unaddressed, leads to arrest and jail. Another large sum of money they can’t afford to spend comes in the form of arbitrary bail charges. So, what happens? For too many people, they remain in jail until their trial date, not convicted of any
crime. Not only does a person lose their freedom, but they also put their employment at risk. Lawmakers in Lansing are on the right path with a solution: pretrial fairness bills. The eight-bill package modernizes Michigan’s pretrial practices in several ways. Chief among the solutions is improved due process. Everyone in Michigan, regardless of their background and net worth, has the constitutional right to due process. Everyone accused of any crime should be seen by a judge within 48 hours of being arrested. If a judge assigns cash bail, it should be set at an amount that’s reasonably within their ability to pay. Detaining someone accused of nonviolent and minor crimes because they can’t afford to pay a large sum for cash bail is an infringement on their constitutional rights, and it also takes them out of their community. It prevents them from going to work, taking their kids to school, attending classes, paying bills and taking care of other responsibilities. We need to treat all people with respect and dignity. It is especially encouraging to see both Democrats and Republicans in Lansing working to address this complicated issue. Pretrial fairness efforts have the support of our local lawmakers Tommy Brann (R), David LaGrand (D), and Steve Johnson (R), who have each sponsored one of the bills in the package. These bills will
improve the Grand Rapids region. I am asking our leaders in Lansing to hold a hearing and take public testimony on these bills, so the benefits of modernizing our
pretrial system can be heard.
Earle S. “Win” Irwin is chair of the Irwin Seating Company Board of Directors.
These unparalleled changes and continued uncertainty are fueling employees’ collective burnout and fatigue. These issues can lead to employee burnout and fatigue, which directly — and often adversely — impact the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration noted, “fatigue can cause weariness, sleepiness, irritability, reduced alertness, impaired decision making, and lack of motivation, concentration and
The problem What’s behind the increase in employee burnout and fatigue? There are a variety of reasons, but the biggest issue clearly is the stresses from the pandemic. Employees in Michigan and other states were on lockdown for long periods of time. After a while, that isolation can really take a toll on individuals. The pandemic also required working parents to balance the needs of their school-age children with the challenges of working from home. These circumstances, combined with continued social unrest that has dominated media headlines over the past year, can consume an employee’s thoughts. Additionally, the labor force is stretched thin, which makes it challenging if not impossible to maintain normal business operations. This means some employees may have had to endure even more changes to their everyday job expectations. These unparalleled changes and continued uncertainty are fueling employees’ collective burnout and fatigue.
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Four ways to tackle employee fatigue E memory.” Each of these effects can lead to an increase in poor job performance, such as general carelessness on the job, decreased productivity and, most importantly, workplace injuries and accidents.
EDITOR
Ehren Wynder: ewynder@grbj.com
GUEST COLUMN DeAndre’ Harris and Kelsey Dame
mployees are tired. After 19 months of struggling with COVID-19, employers and employees are reporting a sharp increase in burnout and fatigue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares that throughout the pandemic, working adults have elevated levels of substance abuse, suicidal ideation and other adverse mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. The CDC pointed to several groups, including essential workers, who reported higher instances of mental and behavioral issues than the overall population.
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Employer solutions What’s an employer to do? There are four things that can have an immediate and positive counterbalance to fatigue and burnout: • Reassurance: It’s critical for employers to set a positive tone and create a supportive workplace
culture. Whether the issues are related to or beyond the pandemic, establishing a positive workplace culture requires a top-down approach. Management should let their teams know how much CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
Expand E15 pump options Editor: Michigan is positioned to lead the way to a clean energy future and deliver climate solutions, and we need to use every tool at our disposal to meet this challenge. That’s why we urge leaders in Lansing to support broader use of E15, a clean-burning, higher ethanol blend that cuts down on harmful pollution, reduces dependence on fossil fuels and benefits Michigan’s economy. Any passenger vehicle built since 2001 can use this fuel, and LETTERS POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and guest commentary. Letters and columns must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the philosophy of the Business Journal.
it saves families money at the pump. By increasing the amount of ethanol in our gasoline from 10% to 15%, we have an opportunity to deliver a win for Michigan farmers, Michigan families and Michigan’s environment. I encourage our leaders in Lansing to support expanded options at the pump with E15. Chuck Lippstreu President Michigan Agri-Business Association
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