Welcome to the May 4, 2005 issue of The Total View

Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Visit our Human Resources Blog and Perfect Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts. 

Did you miss reading the book review on Understanding Business Values and Motivators and The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book that appeared in the Sunday News, May 1, 2005:

Read the column at:   "Working Harder But Happier" by Jo-Ann Greene

What's Inside:

1. An Unhealthy Diagnosis for An Aging Workforce.

Nobody wants to hire an employee who has to go to the doctor all the time. But with threats of a skilled workers shortage looming,employers may not have any choice. The merits of retaining baby boomers in the workforce are well-founded. Too bad that silver cloud doesn't come with a very expensive black lining in the form of a explosive demand for health care services.

Starting in 2012, nearly 10,000 Americans will turn 65 every day. The total number of Americans over age 65 and eligible for Medicare will double to over 70 million within this generation, while the population over age 85 will increase nearly five-fold, to almost 19 million, by mid-century. Obviously, the "baby boom" will soon become the "senior boom."

The aging of America, however, is more than a simple matter of numbers. As noted in the 2002 State of Aging & Health in America and other sources, older adults use more health care services than any other age group. Americans over age 65 today are only 13% of the population, but account for half of physicians' visits and half of all hospital stays. The average 75 year old has three chronic conditions and uses five different prescription drugs. Older patients also have unique health challenges and different medical needs than younger adults.

Health care utilization obviously requires the availability of health care providers. But the gap between what many health care providers know, and what they need to know, to optimally treat older patients is growing. For example, a 2002 Merck Institute of Aging & Health (MIAH) survey of 250 practicing primary care physicians found that only half believe their colleagues can adequately treat even common geriatric problems.

Only a small proportion of practicing health care providers have had any formal training in geriatrics. Out of 650,000 practicing physicians in the U.S., less than
9,000 are geriatricians, or about 2.5 geriatricians per 10,000 elderly, and that number is expected to fall to about 6,000 in the near future. Fewer than 3% of current medical students take any elective geriatric courses.

Additionally, only 720 pharmacists, out of 200,000, have geriatric certification. A 1997 survey of 600 nursing baccalaureate programs showed than only 23% of schools required a single course in geriatrics, and less than one-half of one percent of nurses have advanced certification in geriatrics.

Among social workers, only 5% identify their primary practice area as geriatrics.

The shortage of qualified providers is only part of the story. Too few geriatric specialists exist to train others. The majority of educational curricula, including nursing, pharmacy, medicine and dentistry, do not require geriatric training.

Overall, the healthcare workforce lacks the training to provide appropriate care at the present time, and it is wholly unprepared for the graying of America.

Source: The State of Aging and Health in America 2004, Merck Institute of Aging & Health

2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #398 to #399

Don't miss day-to-day updates on Perfect Labor Storm. Save the Perfect Labor Storm blog to your favorites.

Fact #399:  A recent poll of 7,718 American workers revealed some of the feelings employees have about their current position:

• 42% Coping with feelings of burnout

• 33% Feeling at a dead end in current job

• 21% Looking for new job at another company

• 20% Looking for a major career change

• 9% Feeling I do not have adequate training of knowledge for my job

(Source: New Employer/Employee Equation Survey, Harris Interactive 2005)

Don't be caught in storm without all the facts. "The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" is a must-read leading edge forecast that predicts workforce trends for decades to come. Order your copy today - Only $7.95.

3.  On The Tube and In Person

On May 12 at 8:00 P.M., the weekly (PA) Commonwealth network show Journalists' Roundtable will feature an hour with B2B managing editor Ted Byrne and contributing columnists Ira Wolfe and Stan Telson. It will air again on Sunday, May 15 at 7:00 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. Visit www.pcntv.com/affils to determine your local PCN channel. The conversation topics will include everything from strategic management through cost containment, selling, and economic development challenges facing Pennsylvania's key managerial decision makers.

Marilyn Walker will be the keynote speaker at the 37th Annual PA Therapeutic Recreation Institute. Her topic is "Defining Your Dream". Marilyn is the Director of the SPS Employee Assessment Center and Right-Turn-on-Red Career Test Center.

4.  Recognize your employees - great managers do it every day.

     New Products:

A. The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees

B. Organizational Recognition Assessment for Managers

C. The 1001 Rewards and Recognition Fieldbook

A. The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees - only $10.95

Hundreds of reports and statistics prove that a motivating workplace is essential to the success of an organization. This practical guide concisely outlines the steps to creating and maintaining a fun, energized and highly motivating work environment where employees want to work - and stay.

The author believes a smart manager can get 60% of workers to work harder. If a staggering increase in your productivity sounds good, The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees is for you.

More about Motivating Employee

B. Organizational Recognition Assessment for Managers -  Pack of 5, $49.95

Hundreds of reports and statistics prove that a motivating workplace is essential to the success of an organization. This practical guide concisely outlines the steps to creating and maintaining a fun, energized and highly motivating work environment where employees want to work - and stay.

The author believes a smart manager can get 60% of workers to work harder. If a staggering increase in your productivity sounds good, The Manager's Pocket Guide to Motivating Employees is for you.

You'll discover proven tips for creating an environment which fosters motivation, including how to:
Studies show that recognizing employees for their good work is one of the most effective ways to motivate them. So why don't more managers say "thank you" or give praise?

The Organizational Recognition Assessment for Managers measures beliefs and expectations, past and current experiences, and organizational variables that influence your managers' use of recognition.

The 54 statement, self-scoring assessment provides feedback in six dimensions that have a significant influence on why managers use or don't use recognition:

- Impact on performance
- Beliefs about recognition
- Ability to do recognition
- Passion for recognition
- Organizational support for recognition
- Organizational context for recognition

C. The 1001 Rewards and Recognition Fieldbook by Bob Nelson.

5. Recruit More Applicants, Screen Qualified Candidates Faster.

Put yourself in the shoes of an employer looking to hire an new operations manager. The new ad begins its run on Friday. You open your email Monday to find 822 applications. Where do you begin?

The answer lies in Total-APS. Through a customized online interview and job-specific personality assessment, Total-APS whittled the list down to 34 qualified candidates with a minimum of intervention and resources invested by the employer.

For more information about Total-APS.

Syndication available - call us.