September 2, 2009

Edited and Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Published by Success Performance Solutions. Major Sponsor,

2008 Best Places to Work In Pennsylvania

What's Inside this issue of The TotalView:

1.  Are Baby Boomers Overstaying Their Welcome?

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Warnings

3.  Expert Advice

4.  Webinars in September

5.  eSKill Office Skill Testing

6.  Quotes from the Hire Authorities

1.  Are Baby Boomers Overstaying Their Welcome?

The "I'll work forever" attitude of the Baby Boomers is bringing movement up the career ladder to a complete stand-still.  It's like waiting for a table in a busy restaurant when the guests at the table you want have finished their dessert and paid the bill but are busy chatting well beyond their "allotted" time.  The longer they stay, the more intense the glares and more uncomfortable everyone becomes.

 
Fellow blogger Sue Danbom posed an intriguing post this week when she asked, "Brett Favre - Poster Child for "Un-retirement." Will Boomers Do the Same?" Sue highlights Favre's journey from his Hall of Fame career to the soap-opera history of his retirement to un-retirement to retirement. And then again last week announced his latest un-retirement.

(For those unfamiliar with Brett Favre, he's the former quarterback of the Green Bay Packer in his 1st life, then New York Jets, in his 2nd, and now the Minnesota Vikings.) She rightfully asks if Boomers, "Like Favre, will they have second (and third and fourth) thoughts after they leave the workforce?"

There is no question that the Baby Boomers will be hanging around the workplace longer than anyone ever expected.  For some organizations that's a good thing....for others, it's bad.  While Boomers may have the experience, they don't always possess the talent and skills needed to compete in the "new economy." (Don't confuse the War for Talent with a shortage of people to fill the jobs.  The War for Talent is still being fought over skilled workers, with an emphasis on "skilled." And think I'm advocating putting all the Boomers out to pasture - I'm one of them, remember!  But bringing in fresh new talent has always been re-invigorating for an organization. A side effect of the recession threatens innovation and change if complacency takes over while Boomers hang on for a few more years.)

By retaining Boomers longer, management will be remiss if they don't anticipate the loss of Gen X who feel they are trapped by the likes of Boomers in Brett Favre clothing.   The postponed retirements and perpetual un-retirements is creating a measureable resentment in the Gen X cohort who are getting blocked by a thickening Gray Ceiling.  This ceiling is not only frustrating Gen X, but Gen Y too. These new entrants into the workforce  are blocked by their predecessors who can't move out of the way until the Boomers make room.

For those organizations who don't take heed and notice the resentment building, they could easily lose the experience and wisdom of both the seated guests (Boomers) and the wait list (Gen X and Gen Y) at the same time.

And to keep the record straight, Brett Favre is not a Baby Boomer.  While Brett Favre's behavior might resemble that of the older Boomers, he is a Generation X born in 1969.  So I ask, is Favre a Baby Boomer trapped in a Gen X body or is his behavior a sign of things to come for aging Gen Xers, too?
 

What do you think?  Do you see growing resentment in the workplace?  Comments? Post them on my blog.

Comments? Post them on my blog.

Perfect Labor Storm Warnings   

Women are projected to account for 49 percent of the increase in total labor force growth between 2006 and 2016.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

For more workforce and hiring trends. subscribe to the Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 blog.

Purchase the NEW Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 books (soft and hard cover versions) at PerfectLaborStorm.com.

Q:  My manager wants me to write a policy for social media use in our workplace.  Where do I find a template regarding the employee's use of Face Book, Twitter and other networking websites?
 

A:  The best "policy" is going to be contingent on the medium used, your company culture, and industry.  (Some industries may obviously be more regulated than others; some cultures may be more open.)
 
While I highly recommend writing guidelines for usage, I'd caution everyone from attempting to over-regulate it...it will be very much like previous company attempts to regulate "water-cooler" chatter.   You can't effectively control it and generally don't enforce it because key employees are often the worst offenders.
 
Forbidding access to social networking sites during work hours is also ineffective and impossible to control.  Unless you're going to seize all mobile phones and monitor every social networking site, online chatter and texting will continue to grow.  So I offer these suggestions for guidelines:
 

1.  Offer training to employees on work-appropriate behavior on social networking and other media sites.
2.  Allow people to voice their opinion - as long as it's "appropriate."  It gives you an opportunity to respond to negative comments. Forbidding social networking online because of negative comments is foolish.  The comments are being said offline anyway, behind your back. 
3.  Learn to use social  media to manage your internal reputation. Some of the biggest benefits of social networking sites when used properly is brand and reputation management, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement.
4.  Allow employees to help write the guidelines, including what constitutes inappropriate behavior and consequences. The guidelines will likely be better and definitely more effective than coming down as an HR and management mandate.
5.  Stay cool and use common sense.  Social networking is here to stay and will become more pervasive. Learn to leverage it, not control.

For a company or association presentation on social networking, contact us today about scheduling Link Me, Tweet Me, Friend Me.

Back to Back! Two "fabulous" webinars in September.

Link Me, Tweet Me, Friend Me

Wondering if your business needs to be on Facebook or Twitter?  Confused about LinkedIn and blogging? Then you don't want to miss this 60 minute introductory webinar. Register here.

Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization

Celebrate the release of the new book Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization with a webinar and discussion led by author Ira S Wolfe.  Learn how four generations and technology will change business and how to manage the four major clashpoints that are dividing the multi-generational workforce.  Register here.

Test for Office Skills Accurate & Affordable   

eSkill assessments are an effective method of ensuring your candidates have the skills needed for your jobs before an extensive interview process. eSkill's online testing tool creates valid, job-based tests by combining multiple subjects and skill levels as needed into a single assessment.  

• Accounting
• Bookkeeping
• Arithmetic
• English and grammar

Click here to learn more

Quotes from Hire Authorities

"Again and again, the impossible problem is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made."
 
Robert H. Schuller

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Ira S. Wolfe Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution by permission only.