I’ve posted about this phenomenon before, and talked about it with clients over the years, but still people have a hard time believing it is true. Yes, I’m talking about parents getting all up in their grown children’s employment business. The topic is back thanks to an article in Huffington Post Business “Millennials Now Bring Their Parents along to Job Interviews.” HuffPost is reporting out statistics that say 3% of job seekers have their parents sit in on an interview – a number that seems statistically insignificant until you realize that until a few years ago not only would the… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Parenting, WorkplaceWe know they are the largest generation since the Baby Boomers and will have a significant impact on how businesses run in the future, but are Millennials already making leadership waves despite their relatively short tenure in the traditional working world? Recent research from Deloitte India seems to indicate so. As reported in Forbes, Deloitte India studied the work and leadership styles of Millennials in eight countries around the world. Of the 2422 respondents, nearly half held leadership positions. 50% of Millennials are in business leadership roles? Well, yes and no. It all depends on how you define leadership. For… Read More
Categories: Entrepreneurship, WorkplaceYou can barely pick up the paper these days without hearing about the 10,000 Baby Boomers who are reaching retirement age every day and how they will a) be a drain on the social security system and b) not “go gently into that good night.” Yet whether it is for the flexibility to visit with grandchildren and pursue travel dreams, the need for added income, or simply the desire not to be seen as past their prime, more and more Boomers are taking post-retirement careers. Boomers that achieved executive status often return to the workforce as consultants – working flexible… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Work, WorkplaceBoomers and Xers make up 88% of the workforce, but only about 27% are actively engaged employees, according to the most recent Gallup research. In fact, the only generation with a strong margin of actively engaged employees was the Traditionalists (I call them the Matures), whose engagement profile is 44% – yet they represent only 4% of all employees. So what does this mean for employers? If nearly 75% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged – that is, they would considering leaving their place of employment if another opportunity surfaced or they are actively seeking alternate employment –… Read More
Categories: Generations, WorkplaceTradesmen. Craftsmen. Artisans. Skilled laborers. Whatever you want to call it, they are a dying breed and businesses are taking note. As Gen X and Millennials vie for white collar office space, or skip the corporate world and jump right into a start-up, the master-apprentice tradition of learning specific skills on the job and over years is getting lost. And as Boomers retire, trade skills are getting lost too. Businesses that rely on skilled labor need to work hard, and fast, to replace that centuries-old tradition and bring new apprentices into the fold. As mentioned in the article linked above,… Read More
Categories: Generations, WorkplaceIt is no secret that technology know-how of youth raised in the age of the smartphones in the pocket far outpaces those who were raised with rotary phones tethered to the kitchen wall. Today’s youth don’t really need to be taught how to use technology, rather, they need to be taught when and why to choose technology to communicate in the best way. Even then, they may be teaching that to you. A recent study by CompTIA reveals that Millennials often look at the technology offerings of potential employers when determining interest in potential job. Using social media effectively for… Read More
Categories: Downloadable Media, WorkplaceGen Xers have long been jaded with the traditional corporate structure – hierarchies don’t sit well with this group that gives respect via personal interactions rather than at the command of an org chart. Still, the corporate world has its perks and Gen Xers were known to negotiate for them – flex time, company cell phones, telecommuting – these were the hallmarks of the generation. Today, studies indicate these perks may not be enough. According to the BBC, companies are increasingly focused on retention of Boomers and attracting Millennials, while Gen Xers are feeling left behind. Frustrated by a lack… Read More
Categories: Succession Planning, WorkplaceI’ve long recommended that employees connect younger employees with the elder statesmen (and women) of the company – either in addition to or instead of the traditional “next level up” mentor system. From a generational perspective, it seems that this youngest generation in the workforce has a sense of idealism that resonates with older generations – and is wholly lost on the Gen Xers in between. At MoSoConf – Canada’s mobile and social conference held in Saskatchewan last month – marketing exec Michael Douma delivered the keynote address with a speech titled “Thinking Like a Millennial in an Industry of… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generations, Product Design, WorkplaceGen Xers are currently in their mid 30s to early 50s and they are feeling the pinch of dual responsibilities. Many are faced with funding college educations while simultaneously supporting elderly parents who may not have the retirement savings to support longer lives and growing health care costs. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 30% of Gen X employees have tapped into their retirement savings and 36% expect they will need to – numbers significantly higher than their Boomer and Millennial peers. So, what does that mean for employers? It means a core portion of your workforce is extremely… Read More
Categories: Financial Services, WorkplaceA lot of HR time is spent figuring out how to attract the best and brightest young talent – what are the perks and expectations that can bring the next workforce stars to your business? The AARP, however, wanted to know who was doing a good job attracting the bright, experienced talent that is already available in the Baby Boomer generation. In their recent ranking of the Best Employers for Workers over 50, the National Institutes for Health topped the list. The NIH is joined by four more health care companies in the top five. The AARP attributes the dominance… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace