ADE Bitcoin Group SE

56% of U.S. adult workers believe America is unprepared to compete in a global economy according to a new Workplace Insights survey commissioned by Adecco (NYSE:ADO), the world leader in workforce solutions. Further, three-quarters of employed adults (76%) agree that today's U.S. employers do not invest enough in training and development to keep the U.S. workforce competitive with those in other countries. With the presidential campaign trail to campuses across the country underway and discussions around increased competition for talent from emerging markets such as China and India heightening, education and training is top of mind for many adults. Although much has been said about the need to strengthen education and training from academics, politicians and economists, we have not yet heard from the U.S. workforce on this issue until now. Other findings from the survey include: Nearly two-thirds of employed adults (64%) agree that the U.S. educational system is not providing workers with the necessary skills to be prepared for the jobs of the future 9 in 10 employed adults (92%) agree that strengthening the education system should be a top priority for the U.S. in the next decade Older adults (ages 55+) are significantly more likely than younger adults (ages 18-34) to agree that America is not prepared to compete in a global economy (59% vs. 48% respectively) �What this survey reveals is that a majority of workers have a negative perception of how we�re being educated and trained in America,� says Bernadette Kenny, Chief Career Officer for Adecco USA. �However, according to the Bersin & Associates� 2007 Corporate Learning Fact Book, total training spending grew from $51.1B in 2005 to $55.8B in 2006. This tells me that overall corporations are investing in training their people, but are not communicating effectively to them just how much and how important it is to their organization.� What companies can do: Issue a training and development report each year to all employees that outlines what training is scheduled to take place, how it will impact the organization, and how the company envisions improving employees� performance If possible, let your employee base know how much your company is investing in training and development and communicate how critical your company views its programs to the success and the growth of the company Celebrate successful training programs by showcasing examples of how people have implemented what they�ve learned into their work and also be candid about programs that weren�t as effective and involve employees in making them better �At Adecco, we believe that your career is your greatest investment and that your education and training should not only be supported by your employer, but also by yourself for yourself,� continued Kenny. �We encourage people to spend just as much time and energy on their career health as they do their financial and physical health. One�s own career management is too often overlooked.� Invest in your own career and training too by: Dedicating some time to focus on your own career development. Assess how much time you spend each month on your career development. Is it 3 hours? 5 hours? None? Try to come up with a realistic number of hours you will commit to investing in your own career development or training by reading books related to your job, participating in professional organizations, taking a course, etc. Creating/updating your career map. A career map can help you determine where you would like to take your career, whether it�s your next promotion or to help achieve your dream job. You should spend time at least once a year to assess where you are in your career, evaluate where you would like to go and outline some key steps to enable you to achieve your goals. Then, check in with your career map every few months or so to see how you�re doing. Identifying something to do better every week. Each week, pick something related to your career that you can do better. It can be as simple as getting to the office a half hour earlier or as involved as improving morale on your team. With about 52 weeks in a year, you can really invest in improving your career performance by making this a ritual. �Education and training is critically important to the success of our nation, as well as corporations and the workers who make them run,� says Kenny. �If we all invest a little more effort each day, each week, each year, America can continue to be at the forefront of innovation and growth in the global economy.� Survey Methodology: This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Adecco NA between February 12 and February 14, 2007 among 3,434 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. Figures for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents� propensity to be online. With a pure probability sample of 3,434, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. The sampling error for the sub-sample of employed adults (n= 2,321) is +/- 3 percentages points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated. ADECCO WORLDWIDE: Adecco S.A. is a Global Fortune 500 company and the world leader in workforce solutions. The Adecco Group network connects over 700,000 associates with business clients each day through its network of over 33,000 employees and 6,600 offices in over 70 countries and territories around the world. Registered in Switzerland, and managed by a multinational team with expertise in markets spanning the globe, the Adecco Group delivers an unparalleled range of flexible staffing and career resources to corporate clients and qualified associates. ADECCO NORTH AMERICA: Adecco is the workforce solutions leader in the United States and Canada, with a comprehensive service offering that includes temporary and contract staffing, permanent recruitment, outplacement and career services, training and consulting. Adecco operates the following specialty divisions in the U.S. and around the world: Adecco Office; Adecco Industrial; Adecco Engineering & Technical; Adecco Human Capital Solutions; Adecco Finance; Adecco Legal; Adecco Information Technology; Adecco Medical & Science; and Adecco Government Solutions. Adecco S.A. is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH001213860) and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange with trading on virt-x (SWX/VIRT-X: ADEN), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ADO) and Euronext Paris - Premier March� (EURONEXT: ADE). Additional information is available at the company�s website at www.adeccousa.com. ABOUT HARRIS INTERACTIVE: Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world�s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com. To become a member of�the Harris Poll Online and be invited to participate in online surveys,�register at www.harrispollonline.com.