Workforce Development - A Good Investment?

For work needing specialized skills, there's a labor shortage, not a jobs shortage

How Well Do You Deal with Moral/Ethical Dilemmas?

You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Think before you continue reading. 

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first. Or, you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.

In the workforce we face similar life-choices on a regular basis, and quite often, we make sub-optimal choices, due to our limited thought process, or bias.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. He simply answered: 'I would give the car keys to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams.'

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations.

Never before has it been more important for people to 'Think Outside of the Box' yet increasingly, our thinking is constrained by the need to come up with a single 'right' answer (where we assume that there is only one).  Also fear of not getting it 'right', often  influences our guessing what we perceive to be the safest (i.e. multiple choice selection) option.

Sadly, this phenomenon is rooted deeply in our school systems which increasingly push 'not making mistakes' and 'getting the "right" answers, over "right brain" thinking which includes creativity, imagination and intuitive processing.

Perhaps we need to re-evaluate what kinds of answers we are looking for, and expanding the capability of those from whom we are seeking answers.

Are you ready for a strange new world?

The future does not look good for traditional jobs--or "regular activities performed in exchange for payment," as dictionaries and public perception define them. Their days are numbered. But wonderfully new and better kinds of work lie on the near horizon: hyperjobs.

Typical Job of Yesterday

· One job (singular) per worker.

· Employed by a company.

· Functional.

· Rely on specialized skills such as accounting or engineering.

· Compensated by money.

Typical Hyperjob of Tomorrow

· Multiple simultaneous “jobs.”

· Self-employed.

· Purposeful.

· Rely on hyper-human skills such as discovery, creativity, and responsibility.

· Compensated by money and also by other forms of social exchange ranging from barter to “time dollars.”

Hyperjobs are a whole new kind of work. They leverage people's unique, noncomputerizable skills and abilities, and power the emerging global society.

Technology is, by its very nature, a job killer. The whole idea of tools, machines, and systems is to do things more easily, faster, or better than barehanded humans can. White-collar workers may currently feel comfortable about their own prospects, but in fact service occupations--including the most technical and intellectually demanding--are the new targets of technological advance.

Every day we see new evidence of service-sector job erosion: grocery checking taken over by self-service checkout stations; telephone directory assistance taken over by speech recognition and response systems; air terminal counter work taken over by ticketing kiosks; and middle-management functions taken over by increasingly sophisticated software applications.

The most intellectual and technical jobs have also made the hit list. Take college teaching and software development, for example. Cash-strapped colleges and universities hold the lid on professors' salaries by hiring less-costly adjunct professors and launching distance-learning programs that extend the productivity of professorial talent. Completely automated learning systems for some subjects are on the horizon.

Knowledge workers such as software developers are also on the automation chopping block. Software development is perhaps the most automatable of all the technical disciplines, and software-development tools are constantly being created to extend the productivity of human developers. Fewer people are needed to produce X amount of code.

Social trends also impact the earning potential of software developers. For example, the increasingly popular "open source" movement is now challenging Microsoft for preeminence in operating systems and business tools such as spreadsheets and word processors. That's great for society, but open-source developers typically make their contributions for free. They can do it because they have "day jobs." The question is, what will their day jobs be if and when paying positions, as at Microsoft, go away as open-source takes over?

No matter what the educational or intellectual level of the jobholder, white-collar jobs as we know them have become an endangered species.

 

Are you prepared to compete in this strange new world?

Preparing unemployed and underskilled workers for skilled positions

The other day I got a message from Laura Johnson, over at Public/Private Ventures in NYC.  She was telling me about a new study that had come out entitled "Tuning In to Local Labor Markets: Findings from the Sectoral Employment Impact Study" available on their website.

I did a quick review of it, and from my point of view and it's an impressive study, loaded with sound thinking, backed up by empirical data, and packaged to answer any question a reader may have.  Here's a synopsis from the report.

For American workers, having a high school or general equivalency diploma (GED)—which once represented a means of entrance to the middle class—is no longer adequate for finding steady employment. In fact, three quarters of low wage workers have these qualifications but lack the relevant occupational skills and connections to employers needed to launch a career. At the same time, in some regions of the country there are persistent skills gaps clustered in particular industries, such as manufacturing and healthcare.Many of these jobs are expected to grow and require specific technical skills that can be gained only through focused training that is closely linked to the needs of local businesses.

Over the past two decades, an innovative approach to workforce development known as sectoral employment has emerged, resulting in the creation of industry-specific training programs that prepare unemployed and under-skilled workers for skilled positions and connect them with employers seeking to fill such vacancies. Based on earlier outcomes studies pointing to the promise of this strategy, Public/Private Ventures (P/PV) set out to conduct a random assignment evaluation to assess whether sector-focused programs could in fact increase the earnings of low-income, disadvantaged workers and job.

This study focused on three distinct programs across the country:

1. an employer/union association,
2. a social venture and
3. a human service organization.

These programs had strong effects for participants, including higher earnings and better jobs (as measured by hourly wages and access to benefits).

In the conclusion, of the report the authors point out that as we emerge from the Great Recession, which has disproportionately affected disadvantaged workers, these strategies and the organizations that implement them may represent a key element in America’s economic recovery—for its workers and its employers.

In other words, the playing field has changed over the past 3 years, and the understandings and approaches that we as workforce managers need to change as a result.

 

 

Why Dilbert-style upper management still stymies good performers

Pattie Vargas of The Vargas Group, in San DIego did an article last year called On Incompetent Employees.

This article which referenced a piece appreaing on Bnet, entitled  “The Five Ways Managers Breed Incompetence” struck a chord with me.

One of my former Booz-Allen & Hamilton colleagues recently queried a group of us asking, "What was the top ethical issue" in the marketplace today?

After thinking about it, I responded, "setting the wrong incentives" which as we know, more often than not, results in rewarding the wrong behaviors.

Pattie hits the nail on the head with her article when she states:

One of the ways cited in the article was “Rewarding Mediocrity.” Hear, hear. An organization I once worked for had this process down pat. As I was leaving a meeting where one of the senior product managers had tap-danced his way through a late schedule, incomplete deliverables and cost over-runs, I cynically thought to myself, “He’s in line for a VP position.” Even though I was half joking (gallows humor, you know) my premonition came true within the week.

So I'd like to thank Pattie for bringing this issue into clearer focus for me.

Perhaps the "top ethical issue" is the damage that "setting the wrong incentives" for poor performers has on the rest of the workforce who are trying to do the right thing, just because it's the right thing, not because there is a "carrot" being help out in front of you.

Thank you Pattie !

Make better economic workforce decisions

The labor market today, as well as the overall economy is vastly different from what we had five years ago.  New situations pose new challenges for executives and workforce development specialists.  Among the issues being studied are:

1. Why is early retirement not a good instrument to reduce youth unemployment?
2. How would an increase in the standard retirement age affect the behavior of employers and workers?
3. Why do many firms employ older workers, but few firms hire older workers?

These and many other contemporary issues are covered in a recent book, "The Economics of Imperfect Labor Markets", published 2008 by Princeton University Press (authors: Tito Boeri and Jan van Ours)

When hard work isn't always appreciated

I know plenty of people who pride themselves on putting in 18 or 20-hour days and brag about how they used to pull those "all nighters" back in college.  Thinking back, I remember that more often than not, it was because we didn't know there was a smarter way to get things done, and given our youthfulness, we were able to use the "brute force" method and get anything done that we set our minds to.

In retrospect, today I would feel ashamed to admit to anyone that I took 18 or 20 hours to do what I now know is a 2 or 3-hour job with the right knowledge and technology!

I recall reading about a famous auto company executive during his peak years.

One of his senior vice  presidents bragged to him one day about the long hours he constantly put in on the job seven days a week, month after month.

Instead of receiving praise from the top executive, this person received a real butt chewing for being so inefficient and disorganized that he couldn't plan out at least two weeks a year for vacation to recharge his batteries and do everyone a favor… including his coworkers, who lived with this taskmaster and his long suffering family.

It isn't about how much you work that counts as much as it is getting the important work done.

Maybe it's time to revisit your time management skills?

What price do we pay for not creating "ground floor opportunities"?

Unless something dramatic happens, opportunities are likely to be much more limited for todays youngest generation of workers who are less likely to get on the first rung of the ladder in order to learn their craft.

If todays youngest generation don’t get on the first rung of the workforce ladder, then the opportunity to progress further in their careers will be further limited.

Could we see a generation of 30-somethings with nothing more than McJobs on their resume?

How this recession is hitting people differently...

Economists say the untold story of this recession is how it has devastated people in certain job and income categories, while leaving the affluent mostly alone. 
 
Among the lowest-income — roughly the minimum-wage workers — unemployment nationwide is at true Depression-era levels of 20 to 30 percent, says a report last month by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

However, it's only 3 to 4 percent for those making $100,000 or more.

The report, entitled "Labor Underutilization Problems of U.S. Workers Across Household Income Groups at the End of the Great Recession: A Truly Great Depression Among the Nation’s Low Income Workers Amidst Full Employment Among the Most Affluent" tells us what this recession has wrought — mainly an even greater widening of the gap between rich and poor than we had before — isn't getting more focus from the press and political leaders is a scandal, the Northeastern University economists suggest.

"Who will tell the people?" they write at the end of their paper. "Does anybody care?"

Are You Working for Doogie Howser ?

Robert Wendover, of the Center for Generational Studies is one of the experts I look to when seeking guidance on multi-generational issues.  In his recent newsletter, he posed a question that many older professionals are asking...

"What to do when your boss is younger than you?" It’s a question that is surfacing more and more in conversations among the Boomer generation. As those in Generation X assume increasingly senior responsibilities, those who have spent years in the workforce reporting to someone older are now finding themselves supervised by those their children’s ages. Here are five suggestions for making the relationship a success:

1. Keep this situation in perspective. It can be easy to spiral into frustration or depression about having a younger supervisor. Instead, interpret it as a wake-up call to take stock about how you can better position yourself for the future.

2. Provide support. Just because this person has been put in charge doesn't mean they know what they're doing. Look for opportunities to share operational insights which will smooth this transition. If what you share goes unheeded, it's probably a good idea to back off and learn more about the person's style and how you two might relate.

3. Refrain from offering advice from your life experience unless requested. If this person is insecure about their authority to begin with, your stories might be interpreted as patronizing or perhaps even an attempt to undermine that authority.

4. Stay clear of the undercurrent that may consume the work environment about this person. This is not a time to participate in the gossip or grapevine. The new person will most certainly know that one exists and will be watching for signs of who is fostering these conversations.

5. After the dust has settled, ask this person about how he or she sees you thriving within the organization. Then listen carefully. In spite of his or her age, this individual might have better contacts within the organization. Rather than resenting this, look for ways to capitalize on it.

Remember, if you're in your 50s your life's not over simply because your boss is considerably younger. As most employment relationships continues to evolve from calling to contract, you need to remain vigilant about additional training and opportunities within and without your organization. Going forward, personal versatility is key.

Study unveils how Sr Executives are using the internet

A recent study entitled "Google unveils research on executive Internet use" was published in BtoB has some interesting implications for online learning.

The study of both large and small-business owners indicates that they use search and social media more than you might expect, according to new research unveiled by Sam Sebastian, director-local and b to b markets at Google, during his keynote Thursday at BMA’s “Unlearn” conference held in Chicago.

Seventy-three percent of C-suite executives indicated that they are using the Internet daily, Sebastian said, referring to new research Google conducted with Forbes of 500 executives at companies with sales of $1 billion or higher. “They’re not delegating,” he said. “They prefer to do a lot of this stuff on their own.”

Among the findings from the research, which will be formally released in the coming weeks include: 64% of C-level execs conduct six or more searches per day to locate business information.

Interestingly, 1 in 5 said they preferred to watch video rather than read text. Focusing on the impact of video, Sebastian said there are “1.5 million business searches daily on YouTube,” making it the second-most-visited destination for business searches, behind Google.  eLearning execs take note - that as more rich media becomes available, that static "page turner" learning materials will become less popular to learners.

Why is the construction industry broken? Can it be fixed?

Over 25 years ago The Business Roundtable raised the red flag on the in-effective use of construction dollars and its impact on the global economy has a treatise provided in-depth reasoning on the culprits.  What is troubling however is why the construction industry has not corrected faults to mitigate such excessive construction cost overruns and has even begin to accept these everyday occurrences as the norm.

Is the culprit the workers, how they are trained, or perhaps, how projects are managed?

D. Clark Pile, P.E., who as a Senior Vice President with Hill International, offered an observation:  
"For those of us in the industry for 30 plus years, so many of today's projects simply don't progress as smoothly as they once did because parties today are focused on pushing the risk to the other team member. "

He cites a book presenting a critical assessment of the industry that was published in 2007 entitled "Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets" by Barry LePatner that presents a comprehensive view of historical construction industry data and offers solutions to make things better. 

At a time when economic recovery will depend upon a strong construction industry, it is imperative that all stakeholders understand what is the current state-of-affairs, issues requiring attention, stakes involved, and how we will be affected if needed fixes do not happen.

According to the American Institute for Economic Research, roughly 300,000 jobs are lost each year due to globalization and the relocation of American manufacturing to international locations.  One key to revitalizing the economy is increasiing the job creation potential in Construction, which represents a trillion dollars of our annual economic output, and is historically one of our largest job creation engines.

But, as LePatner's book points out, an engine that needs work today.

The Job They Want May Not Be The One You're Offering

Todays younger generation, and the current Baby Boomers are looking at the job market quite differently than you might imagine.

Observed from two ends of the career spectrum, a signifcant percentage of young adults entering the workforce are looking at how they can make a difference in peoples lives and the community.  Not surprisingly, many Baby Boomers are feeling the same way, after many long and arduous years, asking the question "Is this all there is?"

There are two factors that guide most career decisions: salary and personal satisfaction. At the end of the day, you have to bring home a paycheck big enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. But most young people also want a work environment that satisfies them on a personal level. For some people, that kind of job satisfaction comes from collaborating with like-minded coworkers, or creating a quality product.

Sometimes that can be found in the commercial or governmental workforce, often it cannot.

For those that are self-directed, have a strong work ethic and a passion for making a positive difference in peoples lives, working in a non-profit setting can be a perfect setting for career growth, contribution to society and self-expression.

I have been working with non-profits for over 30 years job in a variety of worker and leader capacities and am surrounded by happy people who describe job satisfaction meaning going home after a long and often challenging day knowing your work has helped improve someone else's quality of life.

My experience with non-profits has also shown me young professional who are willing to atartt at the bottom and give it your all. If you are smart, work hard and honestly care, you will rise to the top very quickly. There are lots of opportunities for advancement for the right individuals.  These workers tell me that they find great satisfaction from engaging with all levels of the organization, and often in a relatively short time can be working shoulder to shoulder with the CEO, attending board meetings, and interact with other agencies, boards, as well as clients.  

Unfortunately more and more workers are being thrown out like yesterday's trash, and the loyal customers, once viewed as the cornerstone of any company, are being silenced by the short-term -- and often shortsighted -- financial demands of the bottom line.

The cost of these savings, however, come at the expense of dedicated workers who once loved their jobs and enjoyed making their businesses successful.  

Baby Boomers nearing retirement express a desire to make a difference.  So it is not surprising to find that an increasing number are saying "thanks but no thanks" when being encouraged to stick around past retirement, take on new assignments, or come back from retirement to backfill a knowledge or skillset shortage.  Several of these Boomers are finding that a non-profit gig is very personally rewarding.

It's not all rosy of course.  Non-profits struggle to attract and maintain a quality workforce to staff programs, usuually because of the low wages offered for such demanding work.  Additionally bureaucracy often associated with government, or private funding agencies and programs can be a bit stifling at times. Paperwork, paperwork, and paperwork never seems to go away. For some it often can feel meaningless, but keeping it at bay allows non-profit workers to maintain the real "bottom line": providing quality support to your clients.

From Training to On the Job Skills Transfer - 5 Important Tips

In these financially difficult times more and more companies are starting to look to their training budgets as a possible area for cuts.

Stop! This is time to invest even more in training. The secret is smart investments that truly transfer to the workplace.

MaryEllen Gibson, who writes in the Work + Money area for Yahoo, recently developed a short article entitled "Five Tips for Training to Transfer to the Workplace" that has some excellent guidance, especially in light of the market-related turmoil that has upended the plans of many businesses.

In her article, she justifies why is is not only important, but downright essential NOT to cut into the training and development area.

Here's a high-level summary of her article:

1. The trainer makes a big difference.  Don't underestimate this vital point.  Lose your good trainers and youcan undermine your entire program.

2. Training must remain a key part of a consistent message from the organization.
3. In order to increase organizational commitment, you need to ask each individual’s manager, and the manager’s manager, to attend the training session with their staff.
4. There is more value and long-term results from training delivered in “chunks” that are scheduled over a period of time, versus "big bang" that has lower learner retention.
5. Focus is necessary in order to train people in skills and information that are immediately applicable on the job.

 

 

Can Workers Afford to be Financially Confused?

In today's workforce, every worker must have a modicum of financial savvy, not just those with responsibility for handling money or managing financial matters.  The recent global financial meltdown has exposed the reality that far too many people have an inadequate level of understanding of financial matters, and awareness of how these matters affect them.

Likewise, employers have discovered how financially stressed workers deliver lower productivity and are less attentive to their work, which can manifest itself in safety issues, health problems, turnover etc.

If you are employed, you may want to ponder the following questions?

Goal Setting is essential.  Humans are motivated by incentives.  Do you have goals for yourself?  What motivates you?  Are financial goals important?  Do you have a rational plan to achieve those goals?  If you are falling short of your goals, do you know what you need to do to get back on track?

Are you comfortable with basic Personal Finance.  Do simple tasks such as building a Budget or sticking to one cause you discomfort?

How familiar are you with the workings of Financial Institutions and Borrowing?  Many people today are in hot water because they had little understanding of home equity loans, variable rate loans, and credit cards.  Do you understand the different types of banks, credit unions and other financial unions and how to make them work for you?  Are you able to avoid the Financial Sharks that appear to be throwing you a lifeline, but in reality are driving you into further indebtedness.

Have you taken the first steps towards investing in your future.  Are you building a Nest Egg, or waiting for the right time to start, sometime in the future?  Have you considered what not starting already has cost you?

What is your attitude toward savings and Iinvesting?  Do you understand the basics of Risk and Reward?  Lots of people don't get it. 

Unfortunately Americans have stopped saving for a rainy day.  Instead, they are living paycheck to paycheck, depending on credit cards to get them through emergencies, and hoping that the rising value of their homes will give them a retirement nest egg.

This personal economic chasm is showing up in the national savings rate, which has been declining for years. The Commerce Department reported that the personal savings rate fell to zero, the lowest since a one-month buying binge in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The United States is on track to record a savings rate for the year below 1%, which would be the lowest since the depths of the Great Depression, when the rate turned negative.

Is money management vitally important for employees?  You bet it is!

The nation's paucity of savings is raising alarms from the Federal Reserve to consumer watchdogs, who worry that the nation is counting on foreign savings to maintain a spendthrift lifestyle. Some groups are cranking up advertising campaigns to try to remind Americans that they don't need to participate in every sale.

And there are now high-level suggestions that the tax system needs to be changed to encourage savings instead of spending.  "In two generations it seems that we've lost the culture and habit of savings," says Nancy Register, of the Consumer Federation of America "There's so much marketing pressure to spend and buy and have instant gratification. And if you can't buy it now, put it on your credit card."

Recently, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned that the low savings rate is impairing the nation's long-term economic prospects. An improved savings rate would provide investment money for businesses, which would create jobs, he said.

Today's financial reality is vastly different than 1 year ago.

People are facing delinquencies, or foreclosure, potential loss of jobs, being upside down on their mortgages and in a tight-credit market, left with few options.  The stakes have never been higher for employees to be "fit" as relates to financial considerations.

As for employers, the dearth of financial wherewithal affects them too.  But we'll deal with these concerns in a future post.

 

When Political Discussions in the Workplace Need to be Managed

In the next week, expect that the level of political discourse will go from a buzz to a roar.

Add to the already relentless discussion about the state of the economy, and we can expect the conversations about politics and the event of the upcoming election to take center stage, not only in our business, but also in your customers', suppliers' and anyone else within earshot.

An article I read last March in All Business by Rebecca Mazin entitled "How to Handle Political Discussions" reminded me that not only do such discussions have the potential to impact relationships outside the business, but also need to be managed within the workplace.

Constant political commentary with or without negative references could make some employees just plain uncomfortable. The boss who extols the virtues of Ralph Nader at every opportunity is unlikely to have a subordinate respond with statements about their preference for a different candidate.

Talk about political correctness! Yes, talking about political correctness is exactly what you should do. It’s a good time to remind employees what kinds of comments should be avoided in the workplace. Dust off your harassment and discrimination policies and remind all staff members of their content, including consequences for violations. Keep the policies handy and be prepared to remind employees again.

How the Economic Meltdown Impacts Productivity in the Workplace

There's no secret that the workplace has been abuzz about the October meltdown of the economy.  Everyone is affected by it, directly or indirectly.  And most have opinions about what to do.

One of the authors I follow regularly, Nancy Germond recently published a timely and relevant article on the topic, entitled "Economic Meltdown Impacts Workforce Cohesion" that the tone in the workplace has gotten ugly.

A recent poll conducted by the Associated Press backs this up.  More than half of respondents to this poll believed they will have to work longer than anticipated due to the devaluation of their retirement savings by the recent financial crisis. Add the specter of looming layoffs to the mix, and you have a workforce that is seriously demoralized and downright angry.

Since the financial whirlwind continues, she recommends that business and HR leaders monitor our workforce daily to determine its pulse. Ignoring mounting tensions will not make them go away.

Moreover, this can be an opportunity for leaders to lead in a new way, by helping workers cope with a daunting and complex problem.

Todays Skilled Labor Market Continues to Evolve

In it's third annual talent shortage survey, Manpower has revealing that 31 percent of employers across the globe are finding it more difficult to fill jobs. The top three candidates most in-demand are: skilled manual trades, sales representatives and technicians (which are technical workers in the areas of production/operations, engineering and maintenance). Manpower surveyed nearly 43,000 employers across 32 countries and territories as a follow-up to its 2007 and 2006 surveys.

As the above illustration indicates, changing market conditions are changing the top jobs in demand.

Social Networking and How It Affects the Workforce

Statistics released by comScore indicate that participation in social networking sites is growing worldwide. While growth in North America is beginning to taper off, with a growth of 9% in the past year, growth for the world as a whole is about 25%. Showing especially high growth are the Middle East/Africa, at 66%; Europe, up 35%; and Latin America, up 33%. Facebook has shown tremendous growth from June 2007 to June 2008, posting a 153% increase, toppling former champ MySpace. comScore attributes the growth to the sites striving to become more culturally relevant outside of the U.S.

Social Networking - perhaps you've heard of it before, but are not quite sure what it means. 

Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small industry forums, company alumni, "communities" of interest or a neighborhood subdivision, if you will.  Although social networking is possible in person, especially in schools or in the workplace, it is most popular online.  This is because unlike most Networking with Friends schools or workplaces, the internet is filled with millions of individuals who are looking to meet other internet users to develop friendships and business relationships, too. 

When it comes to online social networking, websites are commonly used.  These websites are known as social sites.  Social networking websites function like an online community of internet users.  Depending on the website in question, many of these online community members share a common interest such as hobbies, religion, or politics.  Once you are granted access to a social networking website you can begin to socialize.  This socialization may include reading the profile pages of other members and possibly even contacting them. 

The friends that you can make are just one of the many benefits to social networking online. Another one of those benefits includes diversity because the internet gives individuals from all around the world access to social networking sites.  This means that although you are in the United States, you could develop an online friendship with someone in Denmark.  Not only will you make new friends, but you just might learn a thing or two about new cultures or new languages and learning is always a good thing.

As mentioned, social networking often involves grouping specific individuals or organizations together.  While there are a number of social networking websites that focus on particular interests, there are others that do not.  The websites without a main focus are often referred to as "traditional" social networking websites and usually have open memberships. This means that anyone can become a member, no matter what their hobbies, beliefs, or views are.  However, once you are inside this online community, you can begin to create your own network of friends and eliminate members that do not share common interests or goals.

In a business setting, t’s common practice to attend a conference to meet other like-minded people in the industry, to get a job opportunity from someone you meet at a dinner party, or to find a good plumber by asking your friend who fixed his hot water system. These are all examples of connecting with someone else via your social network.

Once you've convinced yourself that you are sufficiently informed, you can begin to search for networking communities to join. This can easily be done by performing a standard internet search. Your search will likely return a number of results, including LinkedIn, eCademy, MySpace, FriendWise, FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, Facebook, Orkut, and Classmates.

How Social Networking Applies in the Workplace

Several social networking sites like Facebook obviously target the entertainment market, but there are several legitimate applications in the workplace.

For example, you could use it to:

• Learn more about your colleagues than the corporate directory will tell you – What’s their personality? Are they into rock climbing too?
• Find the right person for a project or a secondment – Who can speak Mandarin? Who can train my team in DiSC?
• Inform your colleagues of news and events.
• Let people know what you’re working on right now.

Potential Positives

The potential positives of social networking go beyond knowledge sharing.  Consider the following:

• Staff engagement - especially among the tech-savvy Gen Y’s.
• Job satisfaction - inject some fun into the work day.
• Productivity - the power of a 5-minute break.
• Collaboration – fostering a sense of community.

Potential Negatives

Wherever there are positives, there are negatives. One of the most obvious is the potential for employees to waste their work time on frivolous activities.  Other concerns include:

• Privacy – Who can see your personal information?
• Security – What can they do with that information?
• Appropriate behavior – Do you really want your boss to see a photo of you drunk at your friend's party?
• Copyright – Who own the rights over that video clip you’re uploading?

So in summary, social networking, used appropriately can be an effective business tool.  Like all tools, it should be

• chosen carefully
• used intelligently
• utilized safely

Happy networking!

is Your "BRAND" Helping or Hurting Your Recuitment Efforts?

In today's war for the best talent, if you are an employer, it's essential to remember that you understand the "brand" that your company represents.  This is sometimes difficult to get a handle on, as your "insider" perception may not be same as what people are thinking, feeling, or saying on the street about you.

A while back I had authored an article entitled "Creating a More Democratic Work Environment" in which I discussed a site called "InsideArch" which provides an "insiders" view into Design firms across the country and their "Professional Culture".  Following this article, I was besieged by people wanting to know if there was a comparable site for  other firms. 

I recently came across JobVent, a web site for anyone who has ever said 'I hate my job', or 'I love my job'. JobVent, besides a web site for people who are about to start a new job (and want to see what other people think of working there), also is a useful tool for company management and HR professionals to get external opinions about how the company is viewed.

Sure, I have heard some HR people tell me that it's only the "over the top - happy" or "really PO'd" people on these sites.  We know from experience (and past research) that unhappy people tell LOTS of people about their unhappy experience, while happy people will only tell a handful.  What is important to remember, is that these are "word of mouth" traditions.  In the "internet age" where social networks rule, anything GOOD or BAD about your company takes on a new life and comments become memorialized. 

This is imperative that firms take active control of their destiny by putting plans in place to calibrate with accuracy, what your "brand" (reputation) is in the marketplace.  Because does anyone really believe that these matters can be left to chance?

Does culture attract talent? Some think it does...

Not every company has an identified culture, or at least not one that is a selling point when attracting top candidates. What sets you apart? How are you going to have a top notch player say "yes I want to work there"? It could be your web site, your interview process, daily office life or perks.  Read on to learn more

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Telling the Truth about Careers of the Future

Will our political leadership ever start to focus on solving our economic problems here at home with greater emphasis on career and technical education and workforce development? Reading this week"s New York Times column by Thomas Friedman, "[w]ho will tell the people?" got me fired up again on this issue. Read on to find the disturbing truth...

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Why The United States Needs a National Skills Agenda

The Council on Competitiveness in April published the Thrive report, the first in a series of targeted benchmarking reports intended to illuminate key areas of competitive advantage for Americans to succeed in the 21st century and provide an important framework for charting a path to prosperity for American citizens.

The Council on Competitiveness refers to itself as the only group of corporate CEOs, university presidents and labor leaders committed to the future prosperity of all Americans and enhanced U.S. competitiveness in the global economy through the creation of high-value economic activity in the United States.

The insightful report (available for free download) discusses in depth specific issues and strategies relating to increasing our global competitiveness through focused and aggressive workforce development practices.  The synopsis of the call to action follows:

During a time of turbulence and transition—driven by globalization, accelerating technological change, and volatility in global energy, currency and financial markets—America needs a national skills agenda to compete globally and to ensure a rising standard of living for its citizens.

National and Global Demographic Trends Are Raising Red Flags. Slowing growth of the U.S. workforce has the potential to slow economic output if productivity does not increase. Lack of adequate reading and math skills among new U.S. workers compounds this challenge. At the same time, hundreds of millions of educated foreign workers are entering the global workforce and competing for jobs that are increasingly vulnerable to Offshoring.

Four Critical Skills Strategies for the United States

1) Meet the Demand for Middle Skills

Middle-skilled jobs represent the largest number of total openings in the United States until 2016, and the United States is failing to adequately train Americans to take advantage of this opportunity. These jobs do not always require a college degree, but most require training, technical sophistication and initiative. They pay well and do not offshore easily.

2) Build Service Economy Skills

More than three-quarters of all jobs in the United States are in the service economy, yet many policymakers view them as low-skill, low-wage options. In fact, the service sector is driving demand for more complex and creative skill sets—including problem solving, communications, entrepreneurship, computational analysis, collaboration and teamwork.

3) Compete for Innovation Advantage

Simply saying America needs more scientists and engineers is no guarantee that the United States can compete successfully in a global economy in which many nations have copied our model. Policymakers must recognize that the margin of advantage will flow from the fusion of cutting-edge capabilities with entrepreneurial, creative and interdisciplinary talent. Four potential areas to start with to create competitive advantage:

• More integrative scientists and engineers

• More entrepreneurial scientists and engineers

• More business-savvy service scientists and engineers

• More computational scientists and engineers to leverage America’s IT advantage

4) Create Skills for Sustainability

Sustainability will become a more important determinant of global hiring and investment patterns. Where new and growing companies locate and where jobs are created will depend in large measure on which countries successfully anticipate these opportunities and take steps to educate and train workers in these fields. America must get out front and move fast to develop the talent and skills workforce to capture these opportunities.

We are ALL impacted by our willingness and ability to move this initiative ahead.  If we ALL take ownership at a personal level of just ONE of these areas and work with our companies, schools and colleagues, we CAN make a measurable difference in our country. 

If of course, you feel that leaving it to others will "git er done", then prepare yourself for the inevitable consequences.

Despite the slowdown in Construction, the skill shortage problem persists - Here's why...

Do you ever wonder what's ever become of all of those skilled workers being cut in the Construction industry as a sector (such as residential), or a geographic area slows down due to the cooling economy?

I was reading an interesting article "Tale of two construction sectors — one still booms, the other doesn't" in the Seattle Times that was discussing the shifts that have, and still are occurring in Construction - and why, despite the seeming abundance of construction talent - that the shortage is still bad, and worsening in many areas.

It's an insightful article and will help clarify the true level of work skills transferability in the Construction industry. 

Watch this space, as I'll be publishing a article (still under development) about specific things that Construction Employers can do to close the skills gap.

What are the pros and cons about telecommuting?

I have a blog I read with some frequency entitled HR Clean-up (Because HR is a Dirty Business), that recently published a great article entitled "Telecommuting"

It is written from the perspective of the current astronomical fuel prices we're seeing. The gist of the article follows:

There was an article, not a big one, in Sunday's Boston Globe that stated "4-day weeks, telecommuting look better to employers now".  Since I actually teach Virtual HR and I've been a proponent for flexible work arrangements for a long time, I read with interest. Traffic It turns out that soaring commuting costs are finally forcing employers to help employees out.  And, given that so many of us have moved away from work to find cheaper housing, employees are buckling under the increased expenses.  On top of employee costs, employer costs are also skyrocketing.  Companies are starting to figure out that office space isn't cheap--so if an employee is ok with heating and cooling themselves, why not? The other really big change is on the legal front.  Finally, there seems to be some movement to get a bit more flexible. As organizations start to embrace telecommuting, it will be critical for HR to be at the decision making table--along with IT, Building Services, and everyone else who makes the organization tick.  HR has an amazing opportunity to push the traditional boundaries of "butt in seat" and get companies to start measuring what counts--work output. It is going to be a long hot Summer and fuel costs are going to continue to escalate.

However, there are many faces beyond this article, that factor into the telecommuting discussion:

An article "Telecommuting not so great for those left in office" that was published in January 2008 by Kristina Cooke over at Reuters looks at how those that telecommute have less stress and a higher morale compared to those that are left to come into an office everyday. She mentions that “their co-workers tend to find the workplace less enjoyable, have fewer emotional ties to co-workers and generally feel less obligated to the organization.

The beginning of the article states "Telecommuting may boost morale, and cut stress, but it can have the opposite effect on those left behind in the office, according to a new study"

The author cites how telecommuting has been a growing trend in the United States since about 2000. About 37 percent of U.S.-based and international companies now offer flexible work arrangements, with the number of those programs growing at a rate of 11 percent per year, according to the Society of Human Resource Management. but then goes on to explain how

The author cites research of Timothy Golden, a management professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute that claims that when a number of their co-workers toil away from the office by using computers, cell-phones or other electronic equipment, those who do not telecommute are more likely to be dissatisfied with their job and leave the company.

I'm a bit skeptical about this inference.

In the late 1990's I worked with IBA, an early pioneer in telecommuting, and participated in the establishment of the first "telework" centers around Washington DC.  Others have since sprung up, adding credence to the ideas of telecommuting in various "flavors".  In 2006, The Telework Coalition, conducted a Telework Benchmarking study of 13 large organizations with mature telework programs.

This study asked about the attitudes of those employees who did not telework. Both our study and two previously conducted studies by other organizations in which there were multiple participants showed that the non teleworking coworkers were both enthusiastically supportive and felt teleworking was good for the organization, or at the least, the situation was a non issue.

I believe that this area is ripe for investigation and action by management and HR practitioners.  Since each organizations' DNA is different, it may not be the right solution for every situation, but there are viable telecommuting approaches that will and do help organizations attract and retain talent in todays increasingly complex market.

Helping the parties understanding the risk reality in international assignments

According to a report done by Harvey & Weise in 1998, there is plenty of work left to be done before American companies can say that they're "global players."  (These folks know much about the subject, as well as their breakthrough research about ethical behavior by business executives.)

For one, their research points out that with globalization comes increases in international assignments. Yet the issues of mentoring in a global context have not received much management attention.  With all of the concern being given to the shrinking skilled workforce, perhaps it's time to better understand what's going on.

Researchers estimate that between 16 and 40 percent of American international workers fail to complete their assignments – a number that will escalate in the near future due to the increase in females and dual-career couples in international work.

Of those Americans who do complete their international assignments, 30 to 50 percent are considered ineffective or marginally effective by their companies.

Unsuccessful international workers and the resulting reduced effectiveness of the overseas assignments have considerable direct costs to companies (training, relocation, and housing expenses) as well as indirect costs (declining service levels and
lost foreign customers). 

The cost associated with a failed international assignment is estimated between US$100,000 and US$300,000, with a total cost per year for U.S.-based organizations of approximately US$2 billion.

Is that a big enough number to get your attention?

Games that Can Change the World

I read "Mission to Learn" on a regular basis, and recently read a piece that is not only insightful, but also illustrates why advancement of learning approaches is not only good for us as individuals, but also essential for the future of our planet.

The piece I'm referring to is "26 Learning Games to Change the World" written by Jeff Cobb, a really bright and talented guy.

If you have the urge to see what sorts of educational games might be out there that are geared towards making a difference in the world, this is a "MUST READ" article.

What you'll find

1. browser-based free games,
2. desktop-based free games,
3. and desktop-based "fee" games

The world is changing, and if you want to see what's happening in the area of immersive simulations, you'll find this article of real value.

How Interns figure into the picture

For many firms, interns may represent serious untapped potential.

An internship, provides training for those who are interested in a career in process technology or a related field, as well as providing skill/knowledge enhancement for those who seek to further their training in the process industry.  It also provides an opportunity for a real-world work experience.

Have you employed interns previously?  You may want to consider this resource, which is highly relevant today.

We all know that a significant labor shortage has been predicted, and knowledgeable entry-level technicians and craftspersons with some experience in the work environment are preferred by employers.

Internships benefit the Company in a number of ways.  Internships allow the company to invest in the community, and  Interns can be evaluated prior to hire - those you choose to hire tend to contribute to lower recruiting and turnover costs.  These Intern employees are partially trained when you bring them on-board and can be productive to the organization sooner.

They also bring the latest theories, ideas, and classroom training to their job to share with incumbent employees.  Accordingly, they also re-energize the work force with their enthusiasm, positive attitudes and work ethic.

Don't have an Internship program currently?  Watch this space for a future discussion on how you can begin one - and make it work for you.

About the Forgotten Middle

Skills2Compete has created Forgotten Middle state-by-state fact sheets that examine middle-skill jobs and the middle-skills gap in almost every state in the country

Middle-skill jobs, which require more than high-school, but less than a four-year degree, make up the largest part of America’s labor market.

All too often, key industries are unable to find enough sufficiently trained workers to fill these jobs. As a result, job creation and economic growth are stifled.  Few people realize that these middle skill jobs constitute approx 50% of the jobs in the US.

Why Women in Leadership Means Good Business

Thanks to Kellye Whitney managing editor for Talent Management magazine, wrote an excellent piece "Women in Leadership Means Good Business" in early April.

She cites "One of the most compelling reasons for an organization to pay attention to the demographic makeup of its workforce is that a diverse employee base can have significant bottom-line impact.  Yet, when the issue is workplace gender balance and actualizing women's economic and leadership potential, the United States trails behind less developed countries.

This well written article also identifies what companies that want to succeed in the 21st century will have to do to realize the full potential of women and make the necessary investments to nurture their talent.

Additionally, this piece also poses the question "Why are we spending a bunch trying to understand overseas markets while ignoring the basic dynamics of the  men and women in our own workforces?" 

The argument made in Kellye's portrayal, backed up by sound research, is both troubling and compelling when you realize that companies which claim to be recruiting, attracting, retaining and promoting the best possible talent, in reality are recruiting and promoting 80 percent men. 

Fuzzy Math, perhaps? It doesn't seem to add up to me.

Are Construction Jobs Going Down Under?

One of my favorite sources on trends about the skilled labor shortage, is "Perfect Labor Storm 2.0" authored by Ira Wolfe, who constantly helps fill in the gaps about HOW people are coping with the worsening skills shortage.

One of Ira's latest excellent contributions is "Will U.S. construction workers flee to Australia?" where he discusses how the Australian Housing Industry Association (HIA) has called for a special visa scheme to recruit 15,000 overseas construction workers to combat the local (Australian) skills crisis. Thousands of skilled building workers could be lured from the faltering US housing industry to help ease the crisis "down under"

I'd like all of my readers in the construction space to ponder this, and carefully so.  Ask yourself what you think the economic will be to the US, when many workers choose to "relocate" their future to the other side of the globe. 

Just check out one of many sites offering Construction Jobs in Australia and you'll notice two things:

1. many companies are actively seeking qualified and skilled people to join them, and
2. these are the same types of jobs that are being cut by the implosion of the residential housing construction market in the U.S.

American construction workers may be surprised at how well they'll be received by the Australian workforce marketplace, and the incentives they'll have to come down to work.  Kind of makes you wonder when the last time their former American employers told them how valued they were?

Put yourself in the place of the laid-off or soon-to-be-laid-off construction worker.
There are a number of questions you might want to ask yourself...

• Did you feel valued at your last job? 
  
  • Was it because you were unappreciated, or was it because your work contribution was just "ordinary"?
• Do you have the skills to compete in the highly competitive Australian workforce
  • you didn't think they were looking for unskilled general labor did you?
  • (by skills, I mean the skills to survive in the marketplace, not just the technical skills to get the job)

Looking for another job, especially in another country, can be a daunting, as well as an enlightening process for US construction workers.  By entering into a job search in the other parts of the world, they will become informed of other opportunities and perhaps for the first time for most U.S. construction workers, lets them know how competitive they are in the "global" job market.  (HINT: If your skills have become outdated or job specific, you might want to consider a few training programs in order to update your skills, or develop new ones.)

American construction workers who consider the new global opportunities that are appearing, may also find that they need skills to adapt in a different culture that they never before had to consider.

Time of great risk or great opportunity?  I guess it depends on how you want to look at it.

What Should We Expect as Basic Administrative Skills?

When I interact with small business owners, I am appalled to hear the difficulty that they are having finding workers with the most basic administrative skills.  I recently spoke to a client who advertised a entry level sales position, got over 2,000 responses, and after sorting out the candidates, was left with only one (1) that demonstrated the attitude,, work ethic and technical skills that he required.

When I asked what he was looking for, he gave me his list. 
It looked like this:

• Familiarity with desktop operating systems (Apple OS, Windows)
• Ability to access files - understand the concept of connectivity - storage
• Perform basic word processing
• Operate E-mail, calendar, address book
• Able to perform data entry and chart preparation
• Create a brief informational presentation
• Ability to safeguard confidential information
• High-school graduate (not GED)
• Able to pass a drug test
• Valid active in-state drivers license

Note that sales experience was NOT one of his requirements.  He was prepared to train the new hire in his products / services and how to sell.

Is this indicative of what the "available" workforce looks like?

They Say It's Only Going to Get Worse. Really?

A recent article published at HR World, entitled "Job Filling Is Only Going to Get Harder" provides a glimpse into the future for employers.

“These numbers indicate a critical need for talent that’s forcing organizations to rethink their hiring and retention practices-or suffer the consequences,” said Steve Watson, international chairman of Stanton Chase, which has 57 offices in 35 countries and is a top 10-ranked global retained search firm.

Two-thirds of the firms are concerned . . . and another two-third are at least partially prepared for it.

However, according to the survey, 36 percent of employers are taking the bury head in sand route. That’s always productive.

Think it’s hard to fill jobs now? It’s going to get even harder. According to a recent survey by Stanton Chase International and Birkman International, there will be 11.5 million more jobs then workers by the year 2010. Why?

According to the research data from many sources, it’s because baby boomers are retiring and the new generation of workers have different work ethics, talent and expectations then their older counterparts.

I disagree and think this is view is a bit simplistic.  The worker shortage involves the boomer retirements, but you also have to factor in the shifting global demand for workers, a lower birthrate, people waiting until a later age to start families, shifting attitudes about work, and on and on.

Why our future depends on education...

Lee Iwan, a perennial favorite of mine, has published "Our future depends on education"

OK, Before you reply with a big DUH, consider what's really at  stake. Read the article, and I promise you, you will have a different point of view.

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It would appear that they AREN'T ready to work

Mark Schoeff Jr. over at Workforce Management published a brief entitled Skills Of Recent U.S. High School Graduates Leave Employers Cold that references previous posts in this blog about the report, “Are They Really Ready to Work?”

What's interesting about Mark's update is what has happened since this report was published. Workforce advocates came to  in late March to get the attention of Congress on what they call an urgent problem with the labor market: High school graduates are deficient and those with a college education only adequate in key skills employers are demanding to cope with global economic competition.

In a March 28 Capitol Hill briefing, the groups presented findings from their poll of about 400 companies showing that new entrants to the U.S. workforce generally disappoint those who would like to give them their first job. High school-educated workers lack the level of ability employers seek in everything from writing and work ethic to oral communication. Twenty-three percent to 27 percent of respondents said college graduates were weak in writing and leadership.

These are critical deficiencies that need to be addressed, and need to receive the funding priority to make the needed changes in our education and training infrastructure.  Left in it's current state, we'll be in a heck of a mess, increasingly unable to meet the most basic needs of our society.

U.S. Department of Labor Proposes Rules To Align Apprenticeship With The 21st Century Economy

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed rules to align the national apprenticeship system with the tools and flexibility needed for the 21st century global economy.

"Apprenticeship is a proven model of training that has been expanded beyond its traditional origins in industries such as construction to high growth industries and sectors," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. "We have proposed new regulations to reflect the 21st century global economy and the changes that have occurred in apprenticeship programs over the past 30 years."

The proposed rules would set up a more flexible and user-friendly approach for apprentices and employers, and make updates and changes affecting state apprenticeship agencies and the U.S. Department of Labor. The revisions would expand the ways that individuals can advance through apprenticeships. The types of training would expand from one to the following three approaches:

• Competency-based approach, which requires the apprentice to demonstrate competency in the defined subject areas and does not require any specific hours of On-the-Job Training (OJT) or Related Technical Instruction (RTI).
• Traditional, time-based approach, which requires the apprentice to complete a specific number of OJT and RTI hours.
• Hybrid approach, which requires the apprentice to complete a minimum number of OJT and RTI hours and demonstrate competency in the defined subject areas.

Electronic media would be added to the definition of Related Technical Instruction and, as a result, establish technology-based and distance learning as part of an apprentice's instruction.

The proposed changes provide for interim credential certificates, so that active apprentices can demonstrate their proficiency in particular required skills and competencies to employers. Provisions also feature reciprocity, which would allow programs to cross state lines, so long as the host state's applicable laws are followed. Program performance and accountability standards would be enhanced, while guidance and technical assistance would continue to give apprenticeship programs the best prospects for success.

What are Hard to Fill Jobs? Not What You Might Expect...

The country is not suffering for astrophysicists and neurosurgeons.

Rather, a majority of the "hardest-to-fill jobs" are done by blue collar workers, according to a survey by Manpower Inc.

The jobs most likely to go wanting are:

1. Sales representative
2. Teacher
3. Mechanic
4. Technician
5. Management/executive
6. Truck driver
7. Driver/delivery
8. Accountant
9. Laborer
10. Machine operator

To compile the results, Manpower surveyed more than 2,400 employers nationwide.

"With the variety of positions employers are struggling to fill, it seems like job seekers should have little trouble finding work," said Jonas Prising, president of Manpower North America, an employment services company. "Yet on a daily basis, we hear from clients who can't find the right people for open positions and candidates who are struggling to get hired. ... The talent crunch is more complex than a shortage of people."

In 2007, 41 percent of employers said that they had difficulty filling jobs, down from 44 percent in 2006. Sales representatives were also the hardest jobs to fill in 2006, though engineers and nurses were then second and third.

Is Generation X Ready to Take Over from Baby Boomers?

Whereas Baby Boomers were the last generation to go out behind the barn and cut a switch because we mouthed off to our mothers,  Gen-X kids  would quickly remind us that charges will be filed or they'll suffer mental anguish if they are so much as verbally reprimanded. Is the difference in upbringing a factor in their ability to work and lead ?

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Income inequality and how it affects the workforce

Paul Krugman, in an article entitled The Great Wealth Transfer articulates the simple reason why he thinks most Americans think the economy is fair to poor amidst the apparent "healthy" economy we enjoy.

For most Americans, it really is fair to poor. Wages have failed to keep up with rising prices. Even in 2005, a year in which the economy grew quite fast, the income of most non-elderly families lagged behind inflation.

The number of Americans in poverty has risen even in the face of an official economic recovery, as has the number of Americans without health insurance. Most Americans are little, if any, better off than they were last year and definitely worse off than they were in 2000.

But how is this possible? The economic pie is getting bigger -- how can it be true that most Americans are getting smaller slices? The answer, of course, is that a few people are getting much, much bigger slices. Although wages have stagnated since the 2000 elections, corporate profits have doubled.

The gap between the nation's CEOs and average workers is now ten times greater than it was a generation ago. And while the current administration's tax cuts shaved only a few hundred dollars off the tax bills of most Americans, they saved the richest one percent more than $44,000 on average. In fact, once all of these tax cuts take effect, it is estimated that those with incomes of more than $200,000 a year -- the richest five percent of the population -- will pocket almost half of the money. Those who make less than $75,000 a year -- eighty percent of America -- will receive barely a quarter of the cuts. In the post 2000 era, economic inequality is on the rise.

Rising inequality isn't new. The gap between rich and poor started growing before Ronald Reagan took office, and it continued to widen through the Clinton years. But what is happening under the current administration is something entirely unprecedented: For the first time in our history, so much growth is being siphoned off to a small, wealthy minority that most Americans are failing to gain ground even during a time of economic growth -- and they know it.

In the past few years, distrust of our government and its actions only worsens as economic inequality rises. Indeed, the gap between rich and poor doesn't just mean that few Americans share in the benefits of economic growth -- it also undermines the sense of shared experience that binds us together as a nation.

"Trust is based upon the belief that we are all in this together, part of a 'moral community,' " writes Eric Uslaner, a political scientist at the University of Maryland who has studied the effects of inequality on trust. "It is tough to convince people in a highly stratified society that the rich and the poor share common values, much less a common fate."

Does this affect the attitudes of the workforce?  Readers, what do you think?

Do We Understand How to Get to the Truth?

So many significant decisions are made in the workplace based on majority opinion or by the highest ranking person in the room.  Does this mean that the decisions are correct, or that the arguments presented are based on fact, or truth?

For that matter, where does one turn for education or guidance on how ethical decisions can be arrived at?

I recently reviewed, "The Fallibility Principle" author by T. Edward Damer, (the author of an earlier work entitled "Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-free Arguments").

It is a relatively new  publication that seems to provide this type of guidance.   This book is written in such a way to give the reader the knowledge and insight to put forth good arguments as well as point out how to identify flaws in others.

Of particular interest is the author's focus on the quest for the truth, or as he puts it the most defensible position. While the techniques laid out in this book can be used to 'win' arguments, the focus in primarily on helping stakeholders find the truth.

Some leading education firms, like RedVector, specializing in the education needs of the Design and Construction industry, obviously think this is important.  They have several courses in their online catalog that stresses the importance of finding the truth and arriving at ethical business decisions:

• Ethics for Professional Architects Part I and II
• Ethical Decision Making for Engineers (3 part program)
• Ethics for Surveyors and Mappers
• 15 Hour Petroleum Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Mechanical Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Highway Engineering Package with Ethics
• 30 hour Business and Professional Development Package
• 8 hour Bridge Design Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Civil Engineering Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Structural Engineering Package with Ethics

I feel that in today's world, the truth of the matter is too often overshadowed by necessity or convenience.  Readers, what do you think?  Is additional education in ethical decision making a priority for you?

Professors take the long course in poverty

The American Association of University Professors, states 68% percent of all jobs in higher education are part-time, temporary, or both, and are often paid no more than $1,600 to $2,400 a course, without benefits of any sort, much less contracts extending beyond the current term. 

At a time when serious questions exist about the quality of education in the U.S. you'll find this article a painful insight how the university "system" is putting finances ahead of quality education. 

Do we really expect to turn out top talent from our schools, when we are shortchanging the teaching staff?

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Mining "silver" becoming increasingly popular

Looking for work in Japan? Shigeo Hirano  says you may have an edge if you are older than 60.  Hirano, president of staffing agency Mystar 60 Corp., says so-called "silver" workers are in growing demand as Japan's population ages.

"Japan's best engineers and technicians are leaving factories and offices for retirement," said Hirano, who heads the employment company which specializes in finding jobs for those aged 60 and over.  "Companies are realizing that hiring the elderly is the only way to retain high levels of skills and expertise," added Hirano, himself a sprightly 63.

A decline in young workers globally is exacerbating the concern as  the population ages at an unprecedented pace. The proportion of people over the age of 65 to total population is already the world's highest at 20 percent of Japan's population of 127 million people. The figure is forecast to hit 40 percent by 2055.

This and other information characterizing the worsening labor crunch were chronicled in a Reuters article published in the Boston Globe entitled "Greying workers wanted for hire in aging Japan"

Recruitment of "silver workers" is projected to play an increasing role in the quest for competent, experienced staff.  It is just one of many strategies to ensure the workforce needed for the 21st century.

Are We Creating Hardworking Idiots?

Thanks to Adrian Savage, a writer, Englishman, and a retired business executive, in that order. He authored the following piece "Creating Hardworking Idiots"

You can read his posts most days at Slow Leadership, a popular site for everyone who 
wants to build a civilized place to work and bring back the taste, zest and satisfaction to leadership.

The German World War II general Erich von Manstein is said to have categorized his officers into four types. The first type, he said, is lazy and stupid. His advice was to leave them alone because they don’t do any harm. The second type is hard-working and clever. He said that they make great officers because they ensure everything runs smoothly. The third group is composed of hardworking idiots. Von Manstein claims that you must immediately get rid of these, as they force everyone around them to perform pointless tasks. The fourth category are officers who are lazy and clever. These, he says, should be your generals. Discovering this information set me to wondering how General von Manstein’s categories might apply to business organizations today.

Lazy and Stupid

Most organizations have some managers within them who are lazy and stupid—at least, that has been my experience. Would you agree with the general that you can leave them alone, because they do no harm? I doubt it. Most organizations claim they try to get rid of any employee who is found to be lazy, let alone stupid as well. Maybe they try, but they don’t seem to be so successful, judging by the number who are left, some even in fairly exalted positions. Maybe one reason for this is that lazy and stupid people rarely do much active harm. The harm they do is more often based on missing opportunities and stifling the creativity of those who report to them. Bad enough, but not always easy to turn into clear grounds for dismissal—especially if the person in question is protected by someone powerful. Still, my guess is that even lazy and stupid people today realize that the best route to self-preservation is at least to appear busy and active.

Hardworking and Clever

Von Manstein’s next group is made up of hardworking, clever people. Organizations mostly want as many of these as they can get, for obvious reasons. But you’ll notice that the general seems to confine them to the military equivalent of middle management: jobs that are aimed at making everything run smoothly. I suspect one reason is that such people do make excellent administrators. They can take orders from above and turn them into practical ways of achieving the desired results. Some are so useful in these roles that they are never allowed to rise higher. Others maybe want to progress, but lack something that—at least in von Manstein’s view—is essential to become a good general. That something, it seems, is laziness. He wants the choice of generals to be made from people who are clever, naturally, but also lazy. Why should that make them better top executives?

Lazy and Clever

One reason might be that laziness is the principal spur to creativity. Lazy people are always looking for easier, simpler, and less arduous ways to do things. If they are also clever, the chances are that they will find them, and make them available to everyone else. Lazy people are also natural delegators, and find it very attractive to let their subordinates get on with their work without interference from above. Lazy, but bright, generals would be likely to make sure they focused on the essentials and ignored anything that might make for unnecessary work, whether for themselves or other people. In fact, it’s hard to see why you would not want your top managers to be as lazy as they are clever. It would indeed make them great strategists and leaders of people.

Hardworking Idiots

Now to the last group: the ones von Manstein said that you should get rid of immediately.
That group is made up of people who are hardworking idiots, in his words. He says such people force those around them into pointless activities. I don’t know about you, but I suffered from several bosses I would unhesitatingly put into precisely that category. They were extremely hardworking—and demanded the same from their subordinates—but what they set others to work on (and what they spent their own time in doing) was mostly worthless. Maybe they were actually lazy and stupid people trying hard to seem busy, but too stupid to choose the right things to be busy about. It certainly felt like busyness for its own sake, and it was hateful. Or were they naturally hardworking idiots? Some probably were, but it’s my opinion that most such people are clever enough. It is the organization that makes them function like morons.

Today’s fast-paced, macho style of organizational culture creates, and then fosters, the hardworking idiot. Indeed, I think it takes a great many sound, useful, hardworking, and clever people and turns them into idiots by denying them the time or the opportunity to think or use their brains. If you don’t look busy all the time, you’re virtually asking for a pink slip, never mind what it is that you are doing—or whether it is actually of any use to the organization or its customers. It’s all so rushed and frenetic. If all that matters is “meeting the numbers” and getting things done (whatever those things are), managers will be forced into working hard at projects that they know make no sense.

The dumbing down of organizations isn’t caused by poor educational standards or faulty recruitment. It’s due mostly to the crazy pace that is set, and the obsessive focus on the most obvious, rigidly short-term objectives. The result is a sharp increase in hardworking idiots: people who are coerced into long hours and constant busyness, while being systematically forced to act like idiots by the culture around them. Don’t ask questions. Don’t cause problems by thinking, or waste time on coming up with new ideas. Don’t think about the future, or try to anticipate problems before they arise. Just keep at it, do exactly what is expected of you, and always get the most done in the least amount of time and at the lowest cost. If von Manstein is correct, the result will be that more and more employees will be used to perform essentially pointless tasks. Isn’t that exactly what we see?

I think that even a fairly cursory look around most organizations today would confirm the accuracy of this observation. Consider all the time wasted in unnecessary meetings. The obsessive emphasis on staying in touch, regardless of need. The torrents of e-mails, most of which are simply copies of documents of no direct relevance to the people to whom they are sent. The constant collecting of data for no clear reason. Management by numbers and motivation by numerically-based performance measures. Trust replaced by obsessive control and leadership by forced ranking of subordinates against vague criteria determined by committees with no idea of the specific circumstances.

You do not need ethical insight or human understanding to operate a machine, and machines are how many of today’s leaders see their organization: machines for making quick profits, not civilized communities of people working together to a common end. We can only hope some organizations at least see the error of their ways before the hardworking idiot becomes the commonest creature in the hierarchy. We are well on the way to that point, which is probably why so many people cherish dreams of getting out of the corporate rat race. It’s no fun to be forced to deny your own intelligence on a daily basis. We can still reverse the trend, but only by dropping the current out-dated dogmas, dangerous half truths, and total nonsense that disfigure management thinking. Let’s do it before it is too late.

Does Workplace Loyalty Cut Both Ways?

I suspect that one of the main reasons why so many people put up with long hours, constant demands to increase output, and even Hamburger Management is simply loyalty: loyalty to colleagues and friends, loyalty to a workplace, even corporate loyalty.

Not familiar with Hamburger Management? A relatively new term, coined by the folks over at Slow Leadership, refers to the process of doing everything as quickly and cheaply as possible. When everything has to be done yesterday, there can be no time for debate or questioning. Blind obedience is required because that is the only response that fits the constant demands for going faster and doing more with fewer and fewer resources. Blaming others? Hamburger Management is like every other type of cheap, shoddy goods. It doesn’t work very well. So those who use it must constantly find excuses to avoid the truth being seen: that they are incompetent because of the methods they are using.

I recently was introduced to an excellent piece entitled: Workplace Loyalty Cuts Both Ways, authored by Carmine Coyote. a brand of Adrian Savage a noted marketing guru, Englishman and a retired business executive who lives in Tucson, Arizona. You can read his serious thoughts most days at Slow Leadership, the site for anyone who wants to bring back the taste, zest and satisfaction to leadership; and his crazier ones at The Coyote Within..   It's really a good article.

The trouble is that organizations don’t appear to have the same sense of loyalty in return. That puts a huge strain on employees. Do you pitch in and help out your colleagues, who are struggling with the latest batch of unreasoning demands from on high? Or do you start polishing your resume and get ready to walk out the door as quickly as possible? Do you stay with your belief that the job you’re doing is both worthwhile and valuable—even if it’s poorly paid, as so many jobs in teaching, nursing, and other public services tend to be?

Or do you decide to follow the money into a different career—or even consider leaving to work overseas—and let go of your loyalty to an ideal?

You owe it to yourself to read Workplace Loyalty Cuts Both Ways
check it out for the full coverage.

We All Want To Work for A Company That Supports Us, Don't We?

I wanted to share this with you my readers.  I received this message from a close friend of ours, who also like myself is a vet.

My cousin sent this to me and I thought you all would like to know about it.  Happy holiday shopping!
Shannon

I know I needed this reminder since Sears isn't always my first choice. Amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and they haven't withdrawn from their commitment. Could we each buy at least one thing at Sears this year? How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military duty? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up.

Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

I suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves. Pass it on.

Decided to check this before I sent it forward. So I sent the following e-mail to the Sears Customer Service Department: I received this e-mail and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, th e Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your company. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of another store for a like item, even if it's cheaper at that store.

This is their answer to my e-mail:
Dear Customer: Thank you for contacting Sears.The information is factual. We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.
Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358

Please pass this on to all your friends. Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!

It's Verified ! By Snopes.com at: http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/sears.asp (shows the entire article)
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/sears.htm

Our Schools are Becoming Dropout Factories

Imagine a nation in which all students, from Benton Harbor to Watts, from Akron to Baltimore, from Chicago’s South side to rural South Carolina, routinely graduate from high school ready and prepared to succeed in college or advanced post-secondary training. Imagine the social and economic implications of being able to say to any child, in any locale in the United States, “you will be provided with a high school that will educate you, challenge you, care for you, support you, and graduate you ready to compete and succeed in the world.” Fifty years after Brown vs. the Board of Education, the image of public high schools providing all youth with equal opportunity to receive a high quality education remains inspiring and compelling.

Current reality, however, offers a much more troubled picture. In each of the locations listed above, half or more of high school students do not graduate, let alone leave high school prepared to fully participate in civic life. It is no coincidence that these locales are gripped by high rates of unemployment, crime, ill health, and chronic despair. For many in these and other areas, the only real and lasting pipeline out of poverty in modern America, a solid high school education followed by post secondary schooling or training, is cracked and broken. Consider the central findings of this study:

• Nearly half of our nation’s African American students, nearly 40% of Latino students, and only 11% of white students attend high schools in which graduation is not the norm.
• Between 1993 and 2002, the number of high schools with the lowest levels of success in promoting freshmen to senior status on time (a strong correlate of high dropout and low graduation rates) increased by 75%, compared with only an 8% increase in the total number of high schools.
• There are currently between 900 and 1,000 high schools in the country in which graduating is at best a 50/50 proposition. In 2,000 high schools, a typical freshman class shrinks by 40% or more by the time the students reach their senior year. This represents nearly one in five regular or vocational high schools in the U.S. that enroll 300 or more students.
• A majority minority high school is five times more likely to have weak promoting power (promote 50% or fewer freshmen to senior status on time) than a majority white school.
• Poverty appears to be the key correlate of high schools with weak promoting power. Majority minority high schools with more resources (e.g., selective programs, higher per pupil expenditures, suburban location) successfully promote students to senior status at the same rate as majority white schools.
• The majority of high schools with weak promoting power are located in northern and western cities and throughout the southern states.
• High schools with the worst promoting power are concentrated in a sub-set of states. Nearly 80% of the nation’s high schools that produce the highest number of dropouts can be found in just 15 states (Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas).
• While only 20% of high schools that enroll more than 300 students are located in large and medium-sized cities, 60% of the nation’s high schools with the lowest levels of promoting power are found in these cities.
• Many cities have high concentrations of high schools with weak promoting power. In half of the nation’s largest 100 cities, 50% or more of high school students who attend regular or vocational high schools with more than 300 students attend high schools with weak promoting power. In some cities, students have virtually no other choice but to attend a high school with weak promoting power.
• More than half of African American students in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania attend high schools in which the majority of students do not graduate on time, if at all. African American students in these states are up to 10 times more likely to attend a high school with very weak promoting power, high dropout and low graduation rates than white students.
• Five southern states—Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas— collectively lead the nation in both total number and level of concentration of high schools with weak promoting power.

These findings are a chilling reminder of how much further we need to go to truly realize the vision of Brown. They are also a call to action. We must no longer tolerate the squandered potential, limited life chances, and social malaise that result from poorly educating our nation’s youth. Increasing momentum for high school reform is a promising development but must not become a passing fad. With sustained commitment and judicious use of resources, transforming the American high school will be a powerful vehicle to achieving a more just and prosperous society.

Where to Find Women Building Bridges

Responding to the London 2012 Olympics and the push to get women into Construction, members of the WorcNet Women’s network, based in Skipton, hosted a “Women Into Construction” seminar at the Craven College Construction Launch event on Monday 5 June.

The seminar included presentations from two women ambassadors from the Construction Industry Training Board. Vicky Belton works as a Civil Engineer and Helen Dickinson as a Quantity Surveyor, they each presented on their journey and experiences as women in the construction industry. Attique Barlas told the audience of a scheme to introduce minority groups and women into construction, offering a four week placement and a guaranteed interview which could lead to a job and further training. Mary Kelly gave a very inspiring talk on the work of the Walter Segal Trust which supports people who are interested in self build opportunities, and Keith and Jane Barber from SHE Build UK told of their business which employs and trains women construction workers for their property management and development company in Bradford.

Members of the North Northumberland and Cumbrian Women’s Networks who travelled down to the Launch event are taking back information to their own networks and local colleges in a bid to establish a similar project in their own areas.

Following the formal launch event, some of the WorcNet members who are currently undertaking a 10 week starter course in construction, hosted an evening dinner at the Rendezvous Hotel for the speakers and the guests from other networks, where they talked about their experiences on the course and their hopes for the future.

WorcNet Co-ordinator Debi Hawkins said “We are really pleased that 11 of our members have taken part in this first Women In Construction course and we are working with the College to progress women into more specialized courses later on in the year. We hope to be running another Women In Construction course from September. We will be having a Women In Construction taster day in September which will include presentations, workshops and hands on activities.”

For more information on WorcNet, the courses or the taster day please contact Debi, Kath or Karen on 01756 692788 or worcnet@craven-college.ac.uk

Emerging Health Care Trends 2007 Survey Results

Today, employers appear to be making a "choice of roads" decision when it comes to providing healthcare for their employees.  The choice taken can have significant effect for the employer as it impacts their ability to retain existing employees as well as colors the attractiveness of the organization when seen through the eye of certain classes of job-seekers.

There are two distinct types of employers, and their beliefs and behaviors are dramatically different in how they view the value of Healthcare benefits according to Hewitt Associates in a recent survey report.
Download emerging_health_care_trends_2007_survey_results.pdf  

There are the “Stop Light-to-Stop Light” employers who find they are primarily focused on managing trends.  They have substantial resistance to cutting benefits because they view health care benefits as an attraction and retention tool and are in a competitive market for talent. At the same time, however, they do not tend to see health and productivity as a business issue.

Then there are the respondents indicate they will become much more involved in health and health care benefits, referred to as the "Superhighway" companies

Employers from both roads ranked managing cost and competitive positioning as their top two business issues related to health care. However, the next most important business issue for Superhighway employers is a leadership mandate to address health care, whereas Stop Light-to-Stop Light employers are worried about profitability. Similarly, employers from both roads ranked employee satisfaction and protection from catastrophic loss as the top two employee issues related to health benefits. Superhighway employers ranked improving productivity next, while Stop Light-to-Stop Light employers are worried about turnover.

Small employers have been exiting from health care, dropping sponsorship of their plans entirely.  However, for most large employers, this approach would create significant difficulties for many of their employees. If an employee or dependent currently had a serious medical condition, for example, he or she may be denied coverage entirely in the individual marketplace. While costs continue to escalate, very few large employers are currently considering dropping sponsorship of health care
plans.

The Hewitt survey validates this trend—no respondents believe their organization will be less involved in health care benefits over the next three to five years than they are today.  What remains to be see is how each group reconciles the cost of quality healthcare to the demands of an increasingly tighter labor market.

Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee

 

Reminder!  Register by Thursday, Nov. 8th A 21st-Century Vision for Opportunity and Innovation Launch of the Skills2Compete Campaign A National Webinar Monday, November 12, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. EST To register, email carlam@workforcealliance.or Learn About the Research Harry J. Holzer Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University Visiting Fellow, Urban Institute will talk about the campaign report, America's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs by Holzer and Robert Lerman.. Hear from Representatives of Endorsing Organizations National Association of Manufacturers Phyllis Eisen, Vice President, The Manufacturing Institute & Executive Director, Center for Workforce Success International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President Kentucky Community and Technical College System Dr. Keith Bird, Chancellor Training, Inc. National Elsa Bengel, Vice President, Boston YMCA Education & Training The Workforce Alliance Andy Van Kleunen, Executive Director See the Resources Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee. Register now for the national launch of the Skills2Compete campaign by emailing carlam@workforcealliance.org. Those who register will receive dial-in information one prior to the event.  Learn more about the campaign and endorse at our temporary campaign website at www.workforcealliance.org/endorseS2C.           The Skills2Compete Vision: Every U.S. worker should have access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or one's first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have the opportunity to obtain the basic skills needed to pursue such education.

Visit our temporary campaign website at www.WorkforceAlliance.org/S2C

Human Capital and the war for talent

What are the factors that will determine the size and makeup of tomorrow's workforce?

It is clear from experience, as well as the vast amounts of information available to employers that the demographics of the global workforce are changing.

Patterns of migration, issues of diversity and social or educational development are presenting employers the world over with an increasingly difficult and important challenge - where their talent will come from in the future.

Watch this space for upcoming posts where we'll deal with these important issues and provide ideas on how employees AND employers can cash in on these changing patterns...