Restlessness knows no generational bounds.
Posted On December 1, 2015
In the 1996 film Trainspotting, one of the characters deliberately tries to tank a job interview without allowing the interviewers to catch on, in order that he might remain on government assistance. Among his strategies, all of which prove wildly successful, is to describe himself as a perfectionist. “For me, it’s got to be the best or nothing at all,” he says. “When things get a bit dodgy, I cannot be bothered.” This quote, minus the ulterior motive and deliberate deception behind it, would seem to be the impression many Baby Boomers have of millennials in the workplace. They have… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Work, Workplace
From “Give me a chance” to “You get one chance.”
Posted On September 2, 2015
Last week I received the following email: We are a small company with a diverse workforce and recently hired a team (4) of recent college engineering graduates as Sales Engineers. The generational differences are creating challenges that are affecting productivity and morale and we are searching for ways to help all of us to overcome these differences with better understanding and support. Workplace challenges amongst the generations continue as they have for the past twenty years. I see no slack in the demand for solutions. And the solutions vary depending on the size and ability of the employer. For… Read More
Categories: Workplace
What’s Motivating Millennials?
Posted On August 25, 2015
Do you know what’s motivating your millennial employees? Research presented earlier this year by venture capitalist Mary Meeker, and shared by the Huffington Post, indicates that many managers don’t. In studies cited by Meeker, nearly half the managers believe the most important indicator of success for millennials is high pay. All other factors paled in comparison, with none registering higher than 12 percent. But when millennials were asked how they define success, only 27 percent said money was most important. Most of those surveyed, 30 percent, said meaningful work was their top factor, while 24 percent said it was a… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace
Attracting Millennials: The location factor
Posted On February 3, 2015
According to a recent report by Cushman & Wakefield, attracting Millennials has a something in common with selling real estate: location, location, location. And more precisely, urban locations. As it turns out, Millennials are city dwellers and they are all about convenience, so if you want them to come to you, well, you may need to go to them. Why the big surge in city living? CW’s report cites surveys, including one that shows 62% of Millennials prefer mixed-use communities. Perhaps more important, Millennials have a tendency toward delayed adolescence (or adultolescence). As I’ve talked about here many times, the… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace
Entitlement: Perhaps it’s not just for the kids
Posted On January 26, 2015
When considering the different generations in the workforce it is easy to slip into blame and pointing fingers: “Back in my day, we would never talk to our superiors like that” and “They are just so out of touch.” Some folks just like to simply deny the problem off the table: “Oh, the younger generations have always pushed limits, nothing to see here.” It’s not surprising that neither of these approaches helps attract, engage and retain a diverse workforce. But even as companies are looking at how to focus on the similarities between the generations (rather than complain about the… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Work, Workplace
South Carolina is bringing apprenticeship back
Posted On January 6, 2015
With the movement of manufacturing jobs overseas, America largely lost the master-apprentice model of skill development. College transitioned from liberal arts to business prep. With manufacturing making a comeback, the need for vocational skills is growing and the labor force is not keeping up. In 2007, South Carolina recognized this gap and implemented an apprenticeship program with 777 individuals across 90 companies. In 2014, there are more than 670 companies participating and the program has reached 11,000 workers. NPR recently reported on the success of the S.C. program. Part of succession planning is passing along institutional knowledge from one generation… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Training Industry, Work, Workplace
Who are you calling a slacker?
Posted On December 30, 2014
The Bank of America Fall 2014 Small Business Owner Report warrants a second post. It’s chock full of generational tidbits, including a look at how the generations describe themselves. There is significant backlash against generational trends and analysis in the media these days—nobody wants to be defined by their generation alone. I get that. But the purpose of trends is to identify shifts and be better able to react to those shifts. And while not every member of a generation will possess every characteristic or fulfill every stereotype of a generation, the overall trends tend to ring true. The BofA… Read More
Categories: Generation X, Workplace
Take your parents to work day
Posted On December 23, 2014
In November, LinkedIn hosted its second annual “Bring in your parents day,” a twist on the “take your child to work day” initiative that started back when Gen X was in elementary school. At first glance this may seem like a gimmick, but there is some sound strategy behind it. LinkedIn is achieving a double-win for the generations with this initiative: It helps educate an older generation about their technology-driven business It helps parents become supportive of their children’s career paths – even when they don’t understand them. Millennials, and to some degree Gen X, have a tendency to have… Read More
Categories: Blog, Generation X, Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace
Don’t follow your bliss
Posted On October 23, 2014
Have you seen this story? Mike Rowe, the guy from the FORD truck commercials and Dirty Jobs, responded to a fan with an answer that would make many managers give him a standing ovation. The fan was asking Rowe why he should not follow his dream; a reaction to a Ted Talk where Rowe told the audience that “follow your dream” was awful advice. Rowe, a young Boomer, told the fan, whose generation is not disclosed, that “Passion is too important to be without, but too fickle to be guided by.” Rowe is known for Dirty Jobs and his new… Read More
Categories: Work, Workplace
Do-it-yourself customer service? Yay or nay
Posted On October 16, 2014
Back in the day, if a customer had a question, she went to the office or store and spoke to the manager. Perhaps she called on the phone. Either way it was a one-to-one conversation. The same was true with making a purchase. A person selected what they wanted, brought it to the checkout and paid a real, live person (and usually with cold, hard cash). Today, customers can engage in entire transactions – from purchase to return to replacement – without ever speaking to a single person. And while I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been frustrated by the… Read More
Categories: Product Design, Work, Workplace