A recent study in the UK found that by far the heaviest drinkers were those employed in the media, but IT staffers aren’t far behind.

The study, by the country’s National Health Service, found that media workers consume the equivalent of more than four bottles of wine (or more than 19 pints of beer a week).

Media folks drink an average of 44 units a week, around double the recommended limit.

The maximum recommended alcohol consumption for men, according to NHS, is 21 to 28 units a week –- three to four units a day. For women, the maximum is 14-21 units a week – two to three units a day.

People in the profession also drink 10 units more a week than the next heaviest drinking professionals –- IT workers, who also consume more than the recommended limit, with 34 units a week.

Next on the list are service-sector workers at 33 units, and people in finance, insurance and real estate at 29 units.

People working in education, transport and travel are the country’s most moderate drinkers, consuming an average of 24 units a week, although that’s still above the recommended limit for women and around the maximum for men.

In addition to courses on networking and programming, IT students pursuing masters’ degrees at Potsdam Univerisity near Berlin will be taught another important skill: flirting.

The course will include topics such as writing romantic e-mails and text messages, impressing people at parties, and coping with rejection. It’s part of a new group of courses designed to improve techies’ social skills and get them ready for the working world.

The university seems bent on removing the “computer geek” stigma from the IT field. Potsdam’s IT students will also take course on topics like body language, public speaking and presentation skills.

The amount of worry employees are feeling varies depending on what field they’re in, according to a recent survey by Yahoo Hot Jobs.

Most concerned are employees in manufacturing and operations, with 27% of those workers saying they’re anxious about job security. Construction workers are second at 23%.

IT employees are also very concerned, with 20% of them reporting serious anxiety.

How supervisors can help

Examples of problems that may be caused by employees’ concerns: low morale, drops in productivity and higher turnover. Many employees are considering taking new jobs or even switching careers to find work that’s more secure, Yahoo reports.

The most important role player in helping employees stay focused and productive: their managers. Here are some tips for supervisors on managing people during uncertain times, according to HR consultant Bill Treasurer:

• Acknowledge the challenges while looking forward. Managers need to give employees solid advice on what the company and its workers can do to get through a difficult period.
• Don’t resort to threats. Sometimes managers’ own fears are reflected in how they manage their staffs. But getting too hard on people will only make things worse.
• Avoid sugar-coating everything. If managers remain overly upbeat no matter what happens, employees will see right through it. The key is to be optimistic, yet realistic.
• Look for opportunities. Challenges often bring out the best in great employees. Tough times can be a good opportunity for managers to find the most innovative and dedicated people on their staff.

The current cap for H-1B visas is 65,000, with an additional 20,000 available to candidates with a Master’s degree or higher.

Last year, a total of 163,000 applications — including 31,000 for candidates with advanced degrees — were received within the first five days they were accepted.

Experts expect similar numbers this year, so they recommend companies submit their applications on March 31.

Working with IT to delete the former employees’ user accounts.

Upper management often keeps downsizing details as a closely guarded secret. But it’s important to let IT know as soon as possible, so they can take on the task of removing the accounts.

Otherwise, disgruntled former employees may have a window in which they can still access the company’s computer system and do serious damage.

It’s also important for help desk workers to keep an updated list of who is and isn’t an active employee. If they don’t, ex-employees could call and ask to have their access restored.

In a typical month, more than half (56%) of IT pros have to fix at least one food-related computer glitch, according to a recent survey by Sunrise Software.

The most common problems are the build-up of crumbs in someone’s keyboard and drinks spilled on laptops.

But the worst story of them all: One IT staffer went to examine a malfunctioning server tower — and found a half-eaten sandwich left inside it.

In one of the biggest settlements of its kind, Virginia-based Globalcynex, Inc. has agreed to pay $1.7 million to 343 employees.

The employees came to the U.S. through the H-1B visa program, which gives work visas to skilled professionals, mostly IT employees. They claim Globalcynex failed to properly pay them for all hours worked.

The DOL announced that this type of case is a priority, because the department wants to be sure employers don’t try to skirt around labor laws by hiring foreign workers and thinking they can get away with legal violations.

So what qualities do IT managers want in job candidates?

The answer can be broken down into two main categories: security backgrounds and soft skills.

Only 54% of the managers surveyed said their staffs had enough security expertise, according to a recent survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association.

Also, more than half said non-technical skills were just as important as tech ability in today’s work environment. Specifically, they’d like to see more:

• writing ability
• aptitude for public speaking
• teamwork experience, and
• curiosity.

Most expect there to be a glut of IT workers in the market soon as the big organizations either merge or get shut down by restructuring and acquisition.

For the top execs, the golden parachutes should keep former CIOs in the style to which they’ve become accustomed.

But for lower level IT employees, the going may be a bit tougher.

As firms consolidate or are acquired, it stands to reason that staffs will merge and many will be let go.

That means some excellent IT talent could hit the job market soon — at bargain basement prices.

These six questions can help you create or revise a policy on telecommuting, according to Computerworld columnist Tam Harbert has some advice:

1. Can (and should) this particular person work at home? Some jobs obviously require the employee to be on-site. For others, it’s a gray area. A good rule of thumb: If people could go an entire week without leaving their desks, they’re probably able to telecommute.
2. How will you watch performance? This varies from position to position, but the important thing is for managers to know how they’ll evaluate employees before the company agrees to allow off-site work.
3. Will creativity/quality suffer? It’s not just whether or not work gets done that managers need to watch out for — it’s also the quality of employees’ work. With some people, motivation might go down the tubes once they’re in the comfort of their own homes.
4. What about collaboration? Even in jobs that can be done alone, communication with others is still necessary in most cases. Figure out how IT will keep people connected.
5. What about those that are “left behind?” Studies have shown that job satisfaction goes down for office employees with co-workers who telecommute. Making sure communication tools are in place is one way to help. Also, make sure telework privileges are handed out fairly and consistently to avoid grumblings about some folks getting favorable treatment.
6. Do you have an exit strategy? It’s not uncommon for companies to cancel telecommuting arrangements after deciding it wasn’t the best option. Make sure employees understand they aren’t permanently freed from the confines of the workplace. Things change, and you don’t want employees to think telecommuting is a right.