If there’s one thing for certain, it’s not taxes
Posted On July 22, 2014
Don’t tell the Baby Boomers, but despite their numbers and impact on the world, they are not going to live forever. Apparently the most universal of truths is contributing to the latest in Boomer-driven business trends: eco-friendly burials. At least that’s what the Associate Press is telling us. According to “Eco-friendly burials gain favor among Baby Boomers,” Al Gore’s generation is feeling a little guilty about the environmental legacy they are leaving behind and are increasingly opting to eschew traditional burials for a more “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” approach. Make no mistake, the 40 green cemeteries in the… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generation Y / Millennials
Is health insurance still an attractive benefit?
Posted On July 17, 2014
With the recent Supreme Court decision excusing Hobby Lobby from providing certain birth control options in its employee health plan and the goal of Obamacare to make health care affordable and accessible to all Americans the employer-assisted health plan is getting tons of attention. We know costs keep rising and many employers are passing more and more of that cost on to employees. And with the rise in part-time and contract workers, employees are finding themselves increasingly ineligible for employer plans. Will all these trends converge to make employer-provided coverage a relic? I don’t see it happening right away, but… Read More
Categories: Financial Services, Generation X, Generation Y / Millennials, Retirement, Workplace
The science of “fit”
Posted On July 15, 2014
It is fairly common practice for companies to hold team or peer-to-peer interviews for incoming employees, in addition to traditional human resources and manager interviews. The goal, of course, is to make sure that a candidate who looks good on paper is a good fit for the proposed peer team. And since we know that employees are more likely to stay OR leave a job because of the people than because of benefits or pay, this peer interview approach is important. But it is still based on gut feel, a hunch. And let’s be honest, one’s hunch can always be… Read More
Categories: Workplace
Today’s young adults are a new breed
Posted On July 11, 2014
Bosses, parents and peers shake their heads at today’s “peter pan” kids – young adults who won’t grow up and seem to have lost their way. There were some in the Xer generation and even more with the Millennials – as they stepped out into the great big world right as the world folded in on itself (at least economically speaking). Where 20 years ago a new college graduate would strike out on his own and start making his own way, today’s graduates are saddled with debt and having trouble holding onto even the lowest rung on the corporate ladder…. Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Recession Economy
Out of the mouths of baby boomers. Or is that Xers?
Posted On July 8, 2014
I was scrolling through the online news when this caught my eye “I think (Generation X) is the last hardworking generation[…]Generations after us have become more spoiled. Kids aren’t disciplined.” And if it weren’t for the parenthetical I would have drifted right on by, expecting yet another complaint from a Boomer against the Xer work ethic. Except perhaps we’ve outgrown that one. Apparently the Xers are claiming a spot on the “back in my day” soapbox. Was it only a matter of time? The quotes are from an article discussing the Pew Research Center’s series “The Next America.” That series… Read More
Categories: Generation X, Generation Y / Millennials, Work, Workplace
Generation why? A naysayers view on generational norms.
Posted On July 3, 2014
Celebrities like to say that they never read reviews, never listen to the critics. Really? I understand not letting tabloids impact your life, but hearing dissenting ideas can often help sharpen your own. That’s why I was intrigued by this article in Canada’s National Post. In it Robert Fulford laments the “absurd alphabetification of society.” And no, spell check doesn’t think that is a word, either. Fulford explains the history behind the Gen X label, and points out that it has only been recently that generations have been labeled as anything specific – Boomers, Gen X…and Y and Z (or… Read More
Categories: Generations, Uncategorized
Want good Millennials workers? Do good.
Posted On July 1, 2014
Corporate foundations, social responsibility committees, paid volunteer days – these may seem like “nice to haves” to many business leaders. For Millennials in the workforce, however, they are increasingly important to overall interest in working for company and job satisfaction once employed. The 2014 Millennial Impact Report surveyed Millennials about their interests and expectations around cause-related work and charitable giving associated with the workplace. The results indicate that companies that put an emphasis on doing good are more likely to appeal to Millennial workers. It is not enough to give generously – underwriting a board chair position at the university… Read More
Categories: Advertising, Generation Y / Millennials, Succession Planning
Technology and the elderly – a growing market
Posted On June 26, 2014
Older workers sometimes feel displaced by younger workers who are more tech-savvy, having grown up in a mobile-oriented world. But those same aging Boomers are creating business opportunity for technology companies. As this San Francisco Gate article points out, Boomers want to be using technology to make their lives better and more enjoyable…but they have different challenges with it than the younger generation of developers personally encounter. So savvy tech companies are turning to seniors as consultants in new technology development. It’s not rocket science – companies have been using focus groups to understand their target audiences for years. But… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Product Design
Snapshot of the generational gap: Humans of New York
Posted On June 24, 2014
Have you followed Humans of New York? Photographer Brandon Stanton takes portraits of random individuals and asks them a question or two. The answers appear at the photo captions. It’s utterly captivating art and social commentary. Every so often an image will strike a nerve with HONY followers as with this recent portrait. Or more accurately, the caption that accompanied the image. “I’m a little headstrong at work, which can get me into trouble with my manager. But if my way works just fine, why do I have to do things his way?” The generational gap in two sentences. The… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace
Part-time nation
Posted On June 19, 2014
For better or worse, the American workforce is increasingly focused on flexibility. Some workers want the flexibility to work on their own time, often in their own environments. Some want the flexibility to pursue personal passions outside of their 9-5 jobs. Some companies want the flexibility of hiring and firing at will, with minimal HR administration. Some want the financial flexibility of limiting employee benefits. No matter which side of the conversation you are on, there are serious conversations happening about flexibility in the workforce. In “Rise of the ‘flex’ economy,” Christian Science Monitor writer Simone Baribeau provides a 360-degree… Read More
Categories: Generation X, Generation Y / Millennials, Workplace