Archive for September, 2010

Autumn’s a time of change. This past month, we learned that Rahm’s leaving the White House for Chicago to make a mayoral run, we said goodbye to Tony Curtis and Greg Giraldo, and we said hello to Google Instant — and  a new planet (?!). Continue reading

• 
• Posted by: Amy Chulik on September 30, 2010
• There are 0 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: In Review, Insights & Trends, Monthly Review

A while back, a friend (we’ll call her Penelope) complained to me that her manager often wouldn’t pay attention to her in one-on-one meetings. As Penelope poured her heart out and told her manager of her work woes and recent successes, her manager busily listened and offered insightful feedback typed away on her Blackberry, checking messages and responding to e-mails (likely nodding occasionally and raising her head to give Penelope an empty smile or concerned furrowing of her brow).

Troubling, yes? At the time, I was shocked, but since hearing this anecdote, I’ve encountered this type of situation many times myself. My question is, when did the “other” things we’re doing become so important that we can’t pay full attention to the person speaking to us — and is it affecting employees in ways we may not even realize?

Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Amy Chulik on September 29, 2010
• There are 9 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Employee Engagement, Insights & Trends, Technology

What’s special about today? Well, sure, it’s Wednesday, which means we’re halfway through the work week. And, yes, the first U.S. Congress adjourned on this date back in 1789. And it’s also true that writer Henry Robinson opened his Office of Addresses and Encounters – the first historically documented dating service — on this day in 1650. But no, I’m talking about something a little more… delicious.

It’s NATIONAL COFFEE DAY! Judging by my caps, I may or may not have enjoyed some already this morning. (I did.) To celebrate National Coffee Day in all its glory, I suggest you:
1) Consume some of the tasty brewed beverage if you are so inclined (many coffee shops are offering free or discounted coffee),
2) Grab a cup of java for your employees if you are not,
3) Discuss your love of all that comes from the coffee bean on Twitter via #nationalcoffeeday or on Facebook,
4) Read on for a dose of the latest coffee consumption trends brewing in the workplace, courtesy of a new joint survey by Dunkin’ Donuts and CareerBuilder among 3,661 full-time U.S. workers.

Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Amy Chulik on September 29, 2010
• There is 1 Comment. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Employee Engagement, Survey Results

While you were attempting to give Katie Couric a run for her money, admitting what everyone had pretty much already assumed,  being deemed “too hot for public access TV,” or having the most productive two days of work you’ve had in years…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week…

• Does the latest ad trend mean that casting calls will replace employee interviews?
• The recession ended in June 2009? Funny how we missed that somehow.
• “Hey boss, take my wife (to dinner), please!”
• Maybe if Sen. Harry Reid is real nice to them, the Jets will spring for his workplace sensitivity training, too.
• The other kind of ”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
• If you, as an American worker, feel tired and overworked, workers in Luxembourg must be exhausted! And finally… Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on September 24, 2010
• There are 0 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Week in Review

“Employers are at an advantage in our current economy.”
“Candidates will take any offer you make because they need a job.”
“It’s an employer’s market — candidates can’t expect to make what they used to.”

Heard any of these statements lately? Continue reading

• 
• Posted by: Amy Chulik on September 23, 2010
• There are 2 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Economy, Retention, Survey Results, Talent Acquisition

“We need to look around our environment and say, ‘Is our environment encouraging the best talent possible? Are we choosing the right generational mix of people?’” Meagan Johnson says about the responsibilities managers have today.

Johnson and her father, Larry, are multigenerational workforce experts who recently spoke with me about their new book, Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters–Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work, and the challenge of managing multigenerational workforces.  One of the unique challenges managers face today, they told me, is learning to work with and manage a new generation of workers they refer to as “Linksters.”

Who are Linksters? A Cheat Sheet

• Also known as “The Facebook Generation,” this group of 15- to 19-year-olds live and breathe technology
• They still live at home and, unlike previous generations, are typically best friends with their parents
• They are more tolerant of alternative lifestyles than their predecessors
• They’re very much involved in green causes and social activism

Despite all they have to offer, however, Linksters are still very young and inexperienced, and managing them requires understanding the environment in which they grew up as well as the unique way in which they communicate. During our interview, the Johnsons shared 10 tips for managing this generation. Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on September 23, 2010
• There are 7 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Employee Engagement, Generational Hiring, Talent Acquisition

I know what you’re thinking: “Linkster? I hardly even know her! What’s a Linkster?” Linksters, also known as The Facebook Generation, are members of the population who were born after 1995, according to Larry and Meagan Johnson, authors of the new book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters–Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work. I recently spoke over the phone with the father-daughter workplace expert team and founders of the Johnson Training Group, to discuss how companies can help manage multi-generational workforces.

What gave you the idea to write this book?

Meagan: Back when I graduated from Arizona State in ’93, I got a job with Quaker Oats, and I absolutely hated it. I hated the way boss managed me, I hated what I considered stupid rules, and I thought the reward system and bonus system was archaic. I was complaining to my parents about it when my dad said, “Hey, you should be grateful. When I was your age, I would’ve removed my left arm to have this great job, and a company car and make more money than my peers.” I think that was what planted the original seed of the book.  I started speaking about generational differences in the workplace, and, finally, the idea of the book came into fruition: Our own experiences with the generational gap and our own perceptions about what the worklife world should look like.

You talk specifically about this generation you call “Linksters,” which refer to teenagers still living at home, working part-time.  Where did the term Linksters come from?

Larry: Meaghan and I were looking at the new generation coming up into the workforce, and the most obvious thing about them, is that they’re digital natives, as opposed to digital immigrants. Most of us who are older have learned to be digital. For instance, I have a Facebook page, but I’m struggling with it. These kids, they were born into it. They think as much about it as I think about using a toaster. They seem to all be “linked up,” so Meaghan and I came up with the term “Linksters.” It seems to fit.

Meagan: Linksters, when they came on board – when they came back from the hospital – Facebook was already set up. Landlines were already obsolete. They are coming on board where technology is already a part of everyday life. Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on September 22, 2010
• There is 1 Comment. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Employee Engagement, Generational Hiring, Talent Acquisition

Well, it’s official: the recession is over – and has been for quite some time now (shocking how we could’ve missed that), according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, which means now might be the time employers start worrying about the possibility of a talent exodus.  But while employers might be worried about which employees are going to leave their organization, instead, they might want to worry about those employees who actually stay. Continue reading

• 
• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on September 20, 2010
• There are 5 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Employee Engagement

Ah, yes — a lot has happened this past week in the world of recruitment — and we don’t want you to miss any of it. From a candidate listing ‘God’ as a referral on a resume, to a call to CEOs to be more loving to employees, this week has had its ups and downs. Continue reading

• 
• Posted by: Amy Chulik on September 19, 2010
• There are 0 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Week in Review

With so many job seekers looking for work – and getting increasingly alienated from not hearing back from employers regarding where they stand – it’s become a common topic of conversation over at our job seeker-focused blog, The Work Buzz, as to exactly when and how (and how much) to properly follow-up with employers regarding candidate status…

So, finally, we decided to help our colleagues over at The Work Buzz out, and come straight to those who can speak to this question the best:

When it comes to candidates following up with you, where do you draw the line between persistence and peskiness?

Is follow up even necessary? Can it salvage a lackluster interview? Give us your deal-breakers, your golden rules, your horror stories personal experiences, etc…We want to hear from you! Continue Reading…

• 
• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on September 17, 2010
• There are 3 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Interviewing, Selection, Talent Acquisition