The date is May 2nd, 2005. Where is your business headed...this month? This year? This decade?

Jane would like to direct your attention to an article from the Christian Science Monitor, kindly sent to us via our friend, Al, at The White Rabbit Inn: (not AL...but, AJ...much thanks to our faithful readers)...

The ascent of hours on the job

which supports our post from last Monday saying that women will be the driving force behind a new work environment in the new millennium. Marilyn Gardner, staff writer for the CS Monitor, writes from the heart, describing the dilemma so many women -- and, dare we admit it--men, also?-- are feeling in this hurry, hurry, rush, rush, Internet, real-time world?

According to a quote in the article, by Tammy Whaley, a communications director for the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, "Everybody is racing against the clock, trying to get as much accomplished and as many items checked off their to-do list in a given workday."

Whaley also says, "The workplace moves at such a fast pace, with email, voice mail, faxes (faxes? do people still fax??) and pagers, you are expected to respond to everyone immediately."

Can you hear Jane heaving a sigh of frustration -- in full agreement? Further on in this outstanding article, Richard Mason, a professor (so the article says) of business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is noted saying that "the American workplace is at a pivotal point" such that, "supporting the humanity of employees returns much more than the widespread focus of incremental productivity gains."

Which means, more free time, more flex-time, happier workers, more work getting done.

Jane wonders-- are YOU, dear readers, taking this into account? Are you allowing your workers more time off, more flexibility, and a better work environment? If you aren't, you may find them shuffling off to ...Buffalo, or St. Louis, or anyplace that understands them-- better than you do.

Since 'working' women account for the backbone of all business...we suggest you market to them according to preferences, needs, desires, and time. Recognize that no one group should be the be-all and end-all of your focus; baby boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Ys and even teens, are all logging online to shop-- but, they respond to different stimuli. A trip over to Ageless Marketing might help, or a visit to WonderBranding...both places that serve the women's market and baby boomers...along with our friend Tom Peters, who never hesitates to remind his readers that-- women get it, really they do!

Explore your market-- note that the emerging change in the workplace environments is going to impact the both time and focus for online shopping. Learn how to inter-relate-- interact with--inspire and understand the millions of women who shop online. Build an online coffee-klatch atmosphere...extend a friendly hand...show the women who come to your blog or your website that you relate to their need for relaxation and recreation-- even while they shop.

Hey, what's not to like about that?