CareerBuilder survey finds gap in pay raises

As companies recover after the Great Recession, U.S. workers are reporting significant gaps between raises, according to a survey out today for Gannett's industry leading employment site, CareerBuilder.

The survey found 49% of workers said they have not had a merit increase since 2010. And 25% have not had a merit increase since before 2008.

In terms of salaries, most workers said they earn their desired salary (23%) or are close to it (45%). Nearly one-third (32%) said they're not anywhere near their target pay level, the survey found.

Methodology
The survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive among 5,772 workers (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) ages 18 and over between Feb. 9 and March 2.

When's the last time you got a raise? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Here's text of Corporate's new employee survey

A reader has provided the text to an online survey Corporate is now asking employees to complete. Assuming I've copied and pasted correctly, the questions appear below, starting with the introduction.

Please note the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements. If you feel you are not in a position to make a judgment about any statements, please select the "I don't know/ Not applicable" option.

1. We will have to enter new businesses / make new investments to continue to be successful
2. We will have to improve the overall quality and relevance of our content
3. We will have to improve operations / cost-effectiveness across business units
4. We will have to enhance our capabilities as a provider of local marketing products and services
5. We will have to find the most effective way for consumers to pay for content (i.e. new content subscription models)
6. Gannett has a clear growth strategy that is understood by employees
7. The transformation initiatives underway adequately address the business challenges facing the company
8. The Gannett Management Committee recognizes that Gannett needs to fundamentally change the way we operate to achieve future growth
9. The Gannett Management Committee shares a clear and explicit vision for the transformation
10. People within my division recognize that we need to change the way we operate to ensure our future success
11. My supervisor shares a clear and explicit vision for the transformation
12. I clearly understand the overall strategy of Gannett's transformation
13. Our consumers (e.g. readers, viewers) believe that Gannett needs to undergo significant change in order to better meet their needs
14. Our business customers (e.g. advertisers) believe that Gannett needs to undergo significant change in order to better meet their needs
15. I believe the transformation will deliver sustainable performance improvement and profitability for Gannett
16. I believe the transformation will lead to long-term growth for Gannett
17. We will be seen as the market leader in the media industry with this transformation 
18. The Gannett Management Committee will ensure obstacles to executing the transformation are removed
19. This commitment will receive the active support of middle and senior managers
20. The appropriate people will be deployed to the transformation effort – versus those resources that are simply available
21. Workload will be rebalanced to reflect the additional burden associated with the transformation
22. We have a good track record in executing major projects
23. We have the necessary skills in my area to deliver the required changes and execute the transformation
24. I am confident I will receive the support I need from my manager to implement the required changes for the transformation
25. We are making moves to change our culture to support the open, two-way communication necessary to make the change happen
26. We will not lose the initial momentum on the transformation – we will carry on until we feel that the transformation is a success
27. Our consumers (e.g. readers, viewers) believe that we will be able to successfully execute the transformation
28. Our business customers (e.g. advertisers) believe that we will be able to successfully execute the transformation

Survey | Louisville's got 23 staffers in production

But I don't have figures for employment in any of the other departments at Kentucky's Courier-Journal, including editorial and advertising. Do you know?

With your help, I'm building a list of employment by department at Gannett's 80 U.S. community dailies, the company's biggest division; it has more than 20,000 workers in all.

Please check this read-only spreadsheet to see if your site is represented. Then, in the comments section, below, please post your figures.

Survey | Do you use your own equipment at work?

I'm talking especially about cameras, laptops, smartphones, and other hardware or software.

If so, please describe:

1. the equipment
2. its cost to you
3. your department (advertising, editorial, etc.)
4. why you use it instead of company equipment
5. whether your supervisor knows you do this

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Where does your department's employment rank?

At California's Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register, the newsroom accounts for a third of those papers' nearly 100 employees, according to one of my readers.

What's the story at your worksite?

Following a suggestion by a Gannett Blogger, I'm breaking down employment by department at each of the U.S. community dailies -- Gannett's largest and most financially challenged division. It has more than 20,000 of GCI's 31,000 employees. Plus, those papers are now undergoing a buyout that will reduce employment even more.

Please review this spreadsheet, then post your site's numbers by department. How to get the information? Count the names in your phone directories. Or look at the staff contact list on your website.

Then please post information for your site in the comments section, below.

Survey | How much do you get paid annually?

Anonymous@7:32 p.m. writes:

32 years in journalism, all with Knight-Ridder and then Gannett. About 21 years as a reporter, 11 as editor on metro side. Mid-50's age group. Masters degree. Earn about $65,000 a year. So, am I typical?

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Survey | Are you a mobile Gannett Blog reader?

Those of you on a smartphone or tablet will notice Gannett Blog is now displayed in a format for mobile devices. The type is bigger, and pages load much faster. With this change, I'm conducting an informal poll, near the top of the green sidebar, right. (For mobile readers, choose "view web version" at the bottom of this page.)

Survey | How long are the new logo guidelines?

Corporate has published guidelines for how its hundreds of newspapers, TV stations and other subsidiaries should use Gannett's new logo and tagline, "It's all within reach."

How many pages does the .pdf document contain?

• 18
• 30
• 37
• 61
• 100

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Survey | How does your newspaper compare?

[A view of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Building]

Here's what I saw today in a sample of Gannett newspapers in the Newseum's database of front pages:

• The Tennessean of Nashville, bottom right corner: "© 2011 Gannett Co. Inc."
• Florida Today of Brevard, bottom left: "Gannett Co. Inc."
• New York's Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, bottom left: "Copyright 2011 Gannett Rochester Newspapers."
• USA Today, lower left: "© Copyright 2011 USA Today, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Earlier: Gannett Bloggers debate agenda for tomorrow's companywide meeting

Where does your newspaper disclose that it is owned by Gannett? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Survey | Who owns your paper or TV station?

Imagine you assembled 100 people representative of your Gannett community, then asked them to identify the owner of their local newspaper or TV station.

• How many would answer correctly?
• Would promoting GCI's ownership increase advertising or subscription sales? Why, or why not?

Earlier: Is a new Gannett branding campaign in the works?

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Survey | What are your latest press deadlines?

As the Design Studio hubs get rolled out amid more press consolidations, some Gannett Bloggers worry press deadlines will be moved up even earlier. This prompts three questions:

1. What time is your last scheduled press deadline?

2. What is the absolute latest time you can send a final chase page?

3. What news events have you failed to get in print because your press deadlines have been moved up in recent years?

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

[Photo: The famously inaccurate Chicago Tribune banner headline Nov. 3, 1948, the day after incumbent President Truman beat Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey in the presidential election.]

Survey | When you left Gannett, what did you do with your company pension and 401(k) money?

Gannett eliminated more than 11,000 jobs since 2007 -- often through layoffs that forced employees to confront a major decision: How should I handle my pension plan and 401(k) money?

Many Gannettoids took their money with them, rolling it into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). This resulted in the transfer of many millions of dollars from one custodian to another.

I'm considering selling advertising directly to marketers, including financial services companies. To prepare for that, I'm now gathering information from readers who left GCI in recent years.

The question
Concerning your pension plan and 401(k) money, did you:

• Leave the money in Gannett's care
• Roll it into an IRA at a bank
• Roll it into an IRA at a stock brokerage like Charles Schwab
• Take an early distribution and pay any taxes and penalties
• Other (please specify)

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Survey | How old were you when you got laid off?

That's the question I'm now posing, as Gannett Bloggers once more debate whether Gannett discriminated on the basis of age during recent layoffs. Several of you have asked for this survey.

GCI has now been through six broad job reductions that included extensive layoffs, mostly among the U.S. newspapers. The dates and approximate number of jobs:

• August 2008: 1,000
• September 2008: 100 managers
• December 2008: at least 2,200
• April-May 2009: more than 300
• July 2009: more than 1,300
• November 2010: nearly 160

Instructions: Please post the month and year you were laid off, plus your age at the time. Post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

How much are page designers, copy editors paid?

It's been eons since I conducted an informal wage survey. Now, with page designer and copy editor jobs in play among the U.S. newspapers, Gannett Bloggers are wondering how much the more than 200 new jobs will pay at the just-announced News Design Center hubs.

For some context, here's what I'd like you to do. In the comments section, below, please post the following information:

• Your title
• Your annual pay
• Numbers of years you've worked for Gannett, as follows: Less than five years; 5-9 years; 10-14 years; 15 years or more

For example:

• Page designer
• $30,000
• 5-9 years

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Final survey results: What you'd pay me to blog

More than half of those who took my recent survey said they'd pay me at least $1 every three months to edit Gannett Blog. And, more encouraging, 41% said they'd pay $5 or more.

To reprise: I proposed charging a voluntary subscription fee each quarter so I could start generating income once my USA Today severance checks end later this month.

The breakdown of 318 reader responses so far to the question, I'd pay Jim this much per quarter:

• $0: 44%
• $1: 13%
• $5: 25%
• $10: 16%

Note: figures don't total 100 due to rounding.

So, I'm going to keep this idea on the front burner. While I haven't completely given up on the idea of publishing advertising on this blog, I want to pursue voluntary subscriptions first.

Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.

How much would you pay me to edit Gannett Blog?

My last USA Today buyout check arrives soon, and I'm now setting goals for what's next. Top of my list: start generating income. One place I might do that is right here on Gannett Blog.

For a variety of reasons, I'm not comfortable selling ads. Instead, I'm toying with another idea: a voluntary subscription fee, collected quarterly during a pledge drive. I'd set a financial goal for each quarter -- perhaps $8,000 -- then ask readers to pay $1 or more. I'd collect the money through a secure online payment service, such as PayPal or Google Checkout.

As a starting point, I'd like you to answer the following question -- posted in the new survey box, near the top of the green sidebar, right. I'd pay Jim this much per quarter:

• $0
• $1
• $5
• $10

Also, what do you think about my trying to make money here? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.

Where you work: Most are current employees

That's according to new findings from my ongoing "Where do you work survey," near the top of the blue sidebar, right. Although far from super-duper scientific, the survey now taken by more than 1,800 Gannett Blog readers offers a glimpse at where you're coming from:

• Gannett Corporate HQ: 4%
• A Gannett newsroom: 33%
• Gannett, but not a newsroom: 26%
• I'm an ex-Gannettoid: 27%
• Never worked for Gannett: 7%

Note: figures don't total 100 because of rounding.

Survey says: I'm surprised by recent hiring

Amid CEO Craig Dubow's campaign for more diversity, I expected a lot more minority hiring when I asked Gannett Blog readers this week about their department's newest employees. Fully half of the 86 who responded to my survey said their last hires were white. (I was expecting closer to 25%.)

Now, this wasn't a random sample. But the results are still interesting, if only as a collection of anecdotes. So here, then, is how those 86 readers responded when I asked them to complete this statement: The most recent person hired in my Gannett department was

• Asian-American: 13%
  
• Black: 22%
• Hispanic: 3%
• Native American: 2%
• White: 50%
• Other/don't know: 1%
• I'm not a Gannett employee: 6%

Note: figures don't total 100 because of rounding

Related: Sinner? Saint? Sweetheart? Survey shocker!

Your thoughts, in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, use this link from a non-work computer; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.

[Image: the 12 members of the rather lily-white Gannett management committee]

Survey: In recent hiring, whites still dominate

[What we say, not what we do: Gannett's top management]

Updated on May 30: The final survey results are here. 

Earlier: Despite buyouts, layoffs and the occasional mysterious departure of publishers, Gannett is still in hiring mode, as CEO Craig Dubow aims for more workforce diversity. In a new survey, I'm asking readers how this is playing out across the company, based on recent hires in their department.

If you haven't already, please consider completing the short survey, in the poll box at the bottom of the green sidebar, right.

A breakdown of the first 57 responses to the statement, the most recent person hired in my Gannett department was:

• Asian-American: 10%
  
• Black: 21%
• Hispanic: 5%
• Native American: 3%
• White: 49%
• Other/don't know: 1%
• I'm not a Gannett employee: 8%

Related: After decades of diversity, looking for reader gains

Your thoughts, in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, use this link from a non-work computer; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.

And the most miserable New Jersey paper is . . .

[Misery loves company: carbon copied Frank Gannett]

Puh-leeze! Was there ever any doubt? Courier-Post staffers endured Poopgate and other conditions so bad, they threatened to file a complaint with the U.S. Labor Department, saying they were denied pay for overtime worked. For all that (and so much more!), Gannett Blog readers on Sunday named the paper, winner of the inaugural Frank E. Gannett Memorial Misery Loves Company Award.

But, you know what? If I ever returned to Gannett (hah!), I'd work at the Courier-Post. They've got moxie. Ich bin ein Cherry Hiller!

Here's a breakdown of the 122 responses to the reader-suggested survey question: The most miserable N.J. paper is . . .

• Courier-Post at Cherry Hill: 30%
• Courier News at Bridgewater: 22%
• Asbury Park Press: 18%
• Home News Tribune at East Brunswick: 13%
• The Daily Journal at Vineland: 9%
• Daily Record at Morristown: 4%

Note: Figures don't total 100 due to rounding. (Plus, Blogger's survey widget sometimes has bad hair days.)