Workforce Development - A Good Investment?

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.

What can happen when you reach the top of the corporate ladder

Top-level executives who lose their jobs usually need to overcome three big hurdles before they can get on with their careers. These obstacles are: inability to understand their real strengths and weaknesses; long service with one company; and trouble accepting that they may not be top-level executives at their next employer, according to a survey by OI Partners, a global talent management firm.

This from an insightful article that appeared in a recent post over at the Development Network relating to an article published in the Sept 2010 issue of Talent Management magazine.

It raises legitimate questions as to whether senior managers and executives are more at risk of being unprepared for unemployment than the rest of us.  Additionally how much of an example do these managers set, as relating to personal ongoing professional development.

Or do they simply not care?

 

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 !

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.

Top 10 Most Difficult Jobs to Fill Include Many in the Hourly Realm

Why are some positions consistently harder to fill than others?

Take the dire need for qualified auto mechanics. Many dealers are in a position to limit their service hours because they cannot find enough mechanics to handle the workload they are seeing in their shops. 

A part of the reason for this national phenomena is the start of the Baby Boomers now reaching retirement age. Too many of our younger workers have been brought up in a "go to college or you’ll die" mentality. Not enough have given thought to a career in what used to be considered either dirty or menial work that didn’t pay well. All of those old perceptions are long gone.

It's an issue that affects many industries, where steady good-paying positions are unable to be filled because these jobs aren't considered as "attractive" or desirable as other career choices.  Although a number of these are not "blue collar" positions, putting yourself in someone considering a position, there are two questions you may want to ponder:

1. Is this a job that I feel is worth pursuing?
2. Is the education and training I would need to do this job worth the effort?

To get insight into the matter, Manpower conducted a survey. 

The employment services company (NYSE: MAN) says 30 percent of employers
worldwide are struggling to find qualified job candidates, especially skilled
tradespeople, sales representatives and technicians. Manpower surveyed nearly
39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories to gauge their ability to
find the talent they need.

The 10 hardest jobs to fill, as reported by U.S. employers in 2009, are:

1. Engineers
2. Nurses
3. Skilled/manual trades
4. Teachers
5. Sales representatives
6. Technicians
7. Drivers
8. Information technology staff
9. Laborers
10. Machinist/machine operators

Think about how scarcity of these situations affects you.  Consider the short and long-term consequences if people continue to shy away from these types of jobs, regardless of the reasons.

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.

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

read more | digg story

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...

read more | digg story

How Can We Succeed If We Don't Know How to Maximize Our Memory?

We all have more on their minds than ever before; work, school and all of the other distractions pulling at us. So how can we be expected to concentrate,focus, memorize?

How many of us have received training on how we can think better?

Here are some tips on how you can maximize your memory,focus and concentration whether you are a student or someone working on adding skills to their work life

read more | digg story

Companies making greater effort to reduce work stress

80% of American workers say they experience stress in the workplace, and the result  is more than $300 billion lost by U.S. companies annually from stress-related absenteeism, accidents, turnover, lower productivity and workers' compensation, as well as direct legal, medical and insurance costs.

read more | digg story

If You Think You Have A Bad Boss, You Could Do Much Worse

A recent global survey shows that employees in the U.S. have the most positive opinions and friendliest relationships with their managers, leading them to be the least likely to disobey their supervisors’ direction compared with international workers.

Writer David R. Butcher, who published a timely article on ThomasNet, reveals to us that while there are plenty of bad bosses, that bosses as a whole in the United States too often get a bad rap — one that they simply do not deserve.

His article, "Think Your Boss is Lousy? It Could be Worse" reveals a new global survey that shows that employees in the U.S. have the most positive opinions and friendliest relationships with their managers, leading them to be the least likely to disobey their supervisors’ direction compared with international workers.

U.S. employees are also most likely to perceive their managers as competent, talented and open to feedback, according to 5,500 workers surveyed in 10 countries by European management and HR consulting firm BPI, which owns a majority interest in Chicago-based SSP-BPI Group.

The international Employees Assess Their Manager survey, conducted in October 2007, sought insights about differences in workplaces and managerial styles by asking employees to rate their relationship with their supervisors.

The key findings, released last month, determined that, overall, about two-thirds of global employees generally had a good opinion of their managers.

It's a great, well written  article, that provides a good perspective on the things that U.S. bosses are doing right!

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 kind of workplace environment are you creating?

If you look at the general mood in the U.S. right now, it seems like "doom and gloom". Just look at the headlines: a lousy economy, foreclosures, high gas prices. Almost 80 percent of Americans in one poll recently said we're worse off today than we were five years ago, which is simply not true in most cases, or so says Gregg Easterbrook. In an op-ed on Friday's Wall Street Journal he argued that life is actually pretty good.

There are two realities in the U.S., he says. When you ask people about their own experiences, their jobs, their schools, they say things are good.

Ask about the state of the national economy or schools or health care, most Americans will say the country is on the wrong track.  A recent interview published on the Brookings Institute entitled "Is the Media Making Us Feel Worse?" talks about the powerful influence that media "slants" have on the attitudes of Americans.

Shaping the attitudes of people happens all the time.  Management and the marketplace have a significant role in shaping the attitudes and behavior of today's workforce.

Robert Wiseman, in a book review of “Rewarding Excellence” by Edward E. Lawler III notes “For many organizations, talented employees are the cornerstone of a competitive advantage.  If the organization competes based on new ideas, outstanding customer service, or quick, accurate decisions, having excellent employees is critical.”

How does one have excellent employees?  It involves many things done right, but among them, setting a positive climate for personal growth and recognition.

Unfortunately not everybody gets this critical point.  Robert L. Mathis & John H. Jackson, describe in "Human Resource Management” 10th edition
“Of course, not every organization must compete on the basis of having the best employees, but even those that do not, employees are a major source of performance, problems, growth, resistance, and lawsuits.”

Thus we must acknowledge that "we reap what we sow" inasmuch as we set the right climate for our workforce.  In this blog, I have discussed the importance of carefully drafting position descriptions, effective screening of new hires, communicating clear expectations of how work should be performed and training and orientation.  These are the cornerstones that all organizations must first put in place in order to attract excellent workers.

But beyond this,  we are responsible as employers to set the right (eg. positive) tone for our workplace.  In 1948, Dr. Robert Merton first formalized “The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy”  This principle is based on research showing that without our conscious knowledge, our expectations for others can actually have a measurable impact on their behavior.  Also known as “The Pygmalion Effect” (remember the movie My Fair Lady?), describes the way that people’s expectations of other people influence the actions and achievements of those other people.

Further research in recent years has also confirmed that leaders “did” specific things to help bring about the prophecies (success).  For example - Teachers were better teachers to students they provided: (1) supportive climate, (2) more input, (3) more opportunity for output, and (4) more performance feedback.

The The Pygmalion Effect tells us that

• We cannot behave or act in a manner that is inconsistent with our expectations and beliefs (of others or ourselves).
• Our behaviors and actions toward others influence their expectations, behaviors, and performance either positively or negatively.
• Thus, our expectations will become a self-fulfilling prophecy, partly because we will act in a manner that is consistent with that “prophecy” and cause it to “be fulfilled.”

As an example of how just one element of this process plays out in practice, consider the impact of the climate employers create.  By climate, I'm referring to the kind of social and emotional mood we create for others.

We create a negative climate that generate poor workplace behaviors that communicate low expectations in several ways when we:

• Verbally criticize workers competence or potential
• Send negative non-verbal cues through voice, face and body posture or movements
• Appear distracted, in a hurry, or otherwise not giving an employee your full attention

In contrast, we can create a positive climate that encourages good behaviors that communicate high expectations to workers when we

• Are verbally supportive and encouraging
• Provide positive non-verbal cues through tone of voice, eye contact, facial expressions, and body posture or movements
• Help employees set challenging goals

It's up to us.  You need to decide whether you follow the pack and join the "sky is falling" crowd or instead taking the "let's make this happen together" road.  This in my opinion is the ultimate test of leadership which will determine which organizations are able to recruit and retain the best talent.

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.

How important are Technical Competence in Overseas Assignments?

There are many variables affecting the nature and the degree of challenge of an overseas assignment. The fundamental question is: what factors, beyond technical competence, predict success in the global business environment?

In general, the global workplace requires the ability to operate comfortably and effectively within a broad spectrum of difference--human, cultural and environmental, all of which overlap naturally. While research has identified numerous attitudes, traits and skills that make up this broad ability or competence, here is a short and reasonably comprehensive list:

1. Action orientation (conscientiousness).
2. Flexibility.
3. Emotional stability.
4. Openness (open-mindedness).
5. Sociability (extraversion, agreeableness).
6. Cultural empathy (cultural sensitivity, cultural intelligence).

The successful global manager, whether expatriating, simply working in a multicultural environment or supporting a multicultural workforce, exhibits a complex global competence that comprises the following:

1. Knowledge of one’s own and other pertinent cultures
2. Recognition of specific differences between cultures
3. Understanding of how culture influences behavior in the workplace
4. Ability to empathize with, adapt to and/or manage differences, as expressed in business structures, systems and priorities, within multicultural work environments.

Over my years in the business, I have found that the basic "technical skills" are far and away less important than the ability to coexist and operate in an overseas post.

The role that "Career Blockage" plays in International Assignments

Increasingly, firms find that it is necessary and prudent to expose their promising talent to international assignments.  Sometimes it works out fine, other times it doesn't.

One of the reasons cited by expats that leave posts (or firms) is "career blockage", or better known as the feeling that working abroad has gotten their career sidetracked, while people back home are climbing the corporate ladder.

I used to travel abroad extensively, and would frequently run into an expat that after a few drinks would admit “the home office has forgotten about me”

It doesn't seem to matter whether you are doing your job or not, it's just a human nature response to conditions.  It appears to the expat that there is a lack of collegiality and communication when working abroad, especially when surrounded by cultural natives who are in their natural setting, and receiving support and personal communications routinely.

The role of "HQ" managing this common concern is significant. 

HR needs to ensure that expatriates know that an international assignment helps in terms of advancement within the firm.  This also needs to be periodically reinforced by upper management.  Sometimes this is hard to do, especially when there is a lot or organizational "churn" at the upper management levels with people moving to different jobs, or leaving the firm altogether.  Remember that the initial expectations that may have been set, if not committed to a written agreement, may not survive if there is (as if often the case), changes in upper management.

Likewise, planning needs to take into consideration, the very real concerns that expats have about their return to their "home base."  I have declined some overseas posts because the company was unwilling or unable to describe what would happen upon my return to the states.

Will the firm respect (and value) the unique new skills that I have acquired while overseas?  Will my return represent a "loss of status" (either real or perceived)?  Will there be a plan for re-integrating me into the stateside business?  Reverse "Culture Shock" can also be a factor, (and an adjustment period is a wise idea for the expat, as well as their family)  If firms are not prepared to do these things, it can really impact on the willingness of personnel to go overseas on assignment.

It is food for thought, hmmmm?

Engaged Employees = Whistleblowers?

A costly scandal at a bank recently has observers wondering why workers didn't report suspicious activity. Some are saying the scandal highlights one of the most important challenges employers face today: poor employee engagement.  Now, these other employees didn't necessarily do anything wrong, but they also didn't go beyond what was expected of them may point to a larger issue of employee engagement.

This article discusses impact of engagement and how engagement varies widely across different global cultures.  A must read

read more | digg story

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 growth-oriented cities like Houston, Phoenix and Atlanta reflective of the future of global commerce?

What makes a city great, and relatedly, attractive for people to live and work?

That is the question posed by Joel Kotkin who has studied how many city planners today focus largely on aesthetics, the arts, and the perception of being “cool.” Academics and many economic-development experts link urban success to cities’ appeal to the “creative class” of college-educated young people.

In this calculus, the traditional practice of gauging a city’s success by studying patterns of population or employment growth, or noting the opportunities available for working-class or middle-class families to flourish, rarely registers as important.

One prominent academic, Rutgers University’s Paul Gottlieb, has even offered an elegant formula for what he calls “growth without growth”—focusing on increasing per-capita incomes without expanding either population or employment. Indeed, Gottlieb suggests that successful post-industrial cities might well do best if they actually “minimize” the influx of new people and jobs.

Kotkin, an accomplished American urbanologist, writes about the organic growth of cities as they really are, rather than as he might remake them with enough tax money and firepower, is passionate about challenging traditional beliefs about our urban culture. 

Whether you are en employee or an employer, this is information that you need to be thinking about, because it will affect the size and location of today's and tomorrows workforce.

Good Grief Charley Brown ! Now We Have a Maintenance Crisis

My thanks to Joel Leonard over at PlantServices.com for taking the bull by the horns.

With American Idol returning to the television air waves, Joel was reminded of why he started his crusade for awareness for the Maintenance Crisis in the first place.

The fuss and attention being paid to crowning still another singing American Idol has gotten on his nerves again. In case you didn’t know, almost five years ago he was a guest speaker at the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) Conference in Nashville. That conference changed his life and started him on a crusade against the maintenance crisis.

At the time, Joel was serving as VP of the Association for Facilities Engineering and the board had been discussing the pending retirement of the boomer generation. To his surprise, that was a key concern at SMRP. Bob Baldwin, then editor of Maintenance Technology, led an open discussion about the pending crisis. He polled the audience of more than 600 engineers and maintenance pros from the biggest companies in the United States and said, “Raise your hand if you plan to retire in the next 10 years.”

More than 90% of the audience  reached for the sky. Then he asked the attendees to keep their hands raised if they felt comfortable with the next generation. Everyone dropped their hands.

Baldwin then asked why. One said,  “The kids aren’t hungry and aren’t pursuing the education needed to advance in this competitive profession.” Others chimed in, saying, “The insecurity of manufacturing is scaring the younger generation away,” and, They don’t want to get their hands dirty.” Some said that most of them don’t even know about the maintenance, reliability and facilities engineering professions. Or maintenance simply just isn’t cool.

When the group adjourned for a break, Joel and others stretched their legs outside in the 30° weather. To their surprise, around the corner they saw about 5,000 of the very people we had been looking for —16-to-28-year-olds — standing in a line outside the Nashville Coliseum. They were waiting to audition for American Idol. While we were discussing the exodus of retiring maintenance talent, whose salaries averaged more than $80,000, and wondering where the next generation was, we realized there they here at the Coliseum, hoping to sing their way to the top.

That evening, they decided that talking at maintenance conferences or writing books and articles for other engineers wouldn't fix the problem because outsiders need to be aware of the problem and the opportunities the crisis presents. After a couple of barley-infused beverages, Joel posed, “Why not write a song about the maintenance crisis?” His friends agreed that it was a good idea, but they said he couldn’t do it.

They were partly right: he couldn’t do it alone. With the help of some friends, real musicians took Joel's original lyrics and now as a result there we is not only a song, but in nine genres, with one version especially for women, and jazz, Spanish and French renditions in the works.

The songs have been played at industrial and engineering conferences worldwide. Rolls Royce Aerospace and others have made it their department’s anthem. The songs have been downloaded from Joel's Web site more than 50,000 times. Radio stations, including National Public Radio, have played it. Even a class of sixth graders knows the country version, “Find me a Maintenance Woman,” and at least three of them memorized the lyrics.

Free downloads of “Find Me a Maintenance Woman” and “The Maintenance Crisis Song” can be found at www.mpactlearning.com.

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?

The Future Workforce - Predictions about how Workforce Development is Changing

I have been discussing in this blog, as well as my numerous speaking stints around the country, about how the workforce development process is changing. 

A like-minded fellow, author, researcher and teacher Floyd Kemske a really smart guy and a voracious writer, provides some additional insights into the way we will recruit, develop and retain our workforce.

1. Lifelong learning will be a requirement.
2. The focus of training/learning activities will be on performance improvement and not just on skill building.
3. Employees with varied skills and competencies will be valued more highly than those with a depth of expertise in a single area.
4. Problem solving and decision making will become a required curriculum with practical work problems as the training medium.
5. Training will be delivered "just in time," wherever people need it, using a variety of technologies.
6. Companies will demand constant personal growth, and employees will respond positively to higher expectations.
7. It will not be possible to survive in the workplace without basic computer skills.
8. People who can learn new skills/competencies quickly will be highly valued in a faster changing world.
9. Team projects and special assignments will be a major factor in personal development.
10. As the computer-savvy generation is more assimilated into the workforce, employees will become much more productive in complex tasks and less dependent on other people and departments.

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.

Is there really a shortage of skilled labor in the workforce?

A while back, through my colleague and friend Dave Boggs, of Syberworks, I was asked to participate in a couple of podcast sessions on issues in today's workforce

I agreed and the podcast, which was published on Syberworks' website as "Episode 17: Is There Really a Workforce Shortage?" is provided here for your listening pleasure.

As always, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

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.

read more | digg story

When Location Matters

Hint - it ALWAYS matters!

When businesses go looking for an "ideal" location, you'll often hear that it's all about the quality of the workforce.  While that is always true, it's an oversimplification.

In reality, the workforce is only one of many factors that influence where to locate,, or where to expand. The major factors usually taken into consideration include:

1. Workforce
2. Taxes
3. Economic Incentives
4. Quality of Life
5. Operating Costs and
6. Real Estate

These factors provide business owners with a two level scale of "goodness of fit"

• Quantitative (Demographic, Workforce, Quality of Life) and
• Qualitative (Wages, Taxes, Utility Rates)

The elements also have differing weights, based upon the level of needs.  For example, a a foundry would be looking for a much different skillset, incentive and real estate package than a biotech firm, or a highway construction company.

Workers also look at similar elements when seeking out their future employer.  And they do so on multiple levels (Level 1 - what is important to me for the job I am considering, and Level 2 - once I am ready to change employment again, and wish to stay in the area, what other aspects of the location would compel me to stay in the area?)

Thus, each factor related to attracting and keeping a qualified workforce needs to have a similar perspective (an owners perspective) as well.  Bearing in mind that today we live in a global market for most commodities and skills, it's no longer sufficient to just try to match job titles.  Today's workers understand that they have more options available, so the employers job of "selling" the overall package must reflect these changing times.

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.

Ever Wonder Why Women Enter the Field of Engineering?

Julie Martin Trenor, Director of Undergraduate Student Recruitment and Retention at the Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston is one of the most significant voices advocating the Engineering profession for women. I pay close attention to anything from her that crosses my desk.

She recently cited some excellent research into WHY women are drawn to engineering, that I wanted to share with you.  She cites studies by Goodman & Cunningham in 2002, Seymour & Hewitt, in 1997, Grose in 2006 and the American Society for Engineering Education in 2006 that document the "drivers" of interest in Engineering for women.  These studies provide a good "roadmap" for profiling women who might take to the Engineering field:

• Confidence in math/science abilities
• Engineer role models (90% know an engineer)
• Parental encouragement
• Value potential societal contributions of the field
  • Fields with more obvious altruistic nature boast much higher female enrollment percentages: 
    
    • e.g. biomedical engineering =  42%,
    • environmental engineering = 43%.
  • However, top 6 disciplines with highest % of women comprise only 17% of all B.S. degrees awarded
• The future of our engineering workforce therefore rests on the ability of the field to market itself as a socially-conscious, application-driven, and team-based profession!

The talent shortage will not relent, even in a recessionary cycle, and it is imperative that women continue to ascribe to the engineering profession.  Unfortunately, just as there are incentives, Dr. Trenor also points out that there are still many barriers for women.  Among them she cites:

• Poor math preparation: decisions on which discipline to consider, often start in 7th or 8th grade
• Lack of K-12 engineering courses
  
• Negative messages, gender-biased attitudes exist everywhere
  
• Lack of female role models
• Engineering’s public image problem
  • Few role models available in the public eye.
  • Unlike doctors & lawyers, engineers are rarely portrayed in prime time television
    • Engineers/scientists are often portrayed as white males
    • Women fre3quently relegated to subordinate roles (e.g. lab assistants)
    • Contrast “Dilbert”, “Star Trek” vs. “Law & Order”, “Grey’s Anatomy”
• Peer pressure to go into "popular" programs
• Isolation

There need to be more engineers period, and there are many opportunities for women to excel in this profession.  Watch this blog for more updates on Dr Trenor's important work in this area.

Unaffordable Housing Makes It Hard To Fill Jobs

It's happening all over the country where affordable housing is dwindling, and the workers needed to sustain the local economy are unable to find inexpensive lodging.

For these communities, you might as well tell workers, keep clear - we're unaffordable places to work in...

Add high fuel costs, and ever increasing costs of living, many communities are finding that the "weak link" in their economies is the shortage of workers, not shortage of consumers.  Unless a fix is found, these communities are in for a rough road ahead.

read more | digg story

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.

A Basic Question - WHY Do You Learn?

I really enjoy being in the area of helping people develop their potential.

But I sometimes wonder what motivates students beyond simple knowledge acquisition toward continuous strengthening of specific skills and abilities known to be vital in the workplace and life. 

Much of what I observe is individuals completing education because it is in their annual "professional development plan" or because it is required for them to have a certain number of "continuing education credits" to maintain a license or certification.

Is that all there is?  I'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter....

To what extent do you (or your organization), utilize continuing education to:

• Bring interests and talents into sharper focus
• Direct you toward your goals, keying into the demands of business and industry
• Help build the confidence, competence and business acumen that lead to a rewarding career

How to Spot the Jerks and Bullies in the Workplace

It’s a bigger problem than you might think—jerks and bullies in the workplace. Research shows that they not only hinder recruiting and retention but also raise levels of client churn, damage reputations, and diminish the confidence of investors.

Companies that harbor jerks may also suffer from reduced levels of creativity and innovation, as well as impaired or dysfunctional cooperation, within and outside the organization. That is no small matter in an increasingly networked world.

The author of the article "Building the Civilized Workplace", available at the McKinsey Quarterly (registration required) argues that companies can take specific and interrelated steps to root out jerks and bullies and build a more civilized workplace.

Many thanks to my colleague, Bronwyn Mauldin over at Workforce Developments who also found a link to another site that offers this article (with no registration required)

Bullies are a problem, beginning in the K-12 school system, and continues into the workforce.  Knowing what the problem is, its symptoms, types of bullies and how they operate, will make the workforce more productive, and less risky for employees and employers alike.

Myths about Gen X in the Workforce - They don't want to grow up

The Reality:

They really don't know how.

The youngest generations in today's workforce are facing a delayed adulthood. They are getting married later, having children later and just generally facing the "real world" later. This isn't the result of a mutated maturity gene, it just is. And if we are being completely honest, Boomers had a lot to do with why it's happening.

First, as parents, Boomers had a tendency to coddle their children and use their own good fortune to make sure their children didn't experience adversity. Second, as career models, Boomers demonstrated the toll of working long hours and "paying one's dues" in a way that made their children less likely to follow in their footsteps. Millenials today look at the corporate ladder and think, "there must be another way."

My advice to you—don't waste time wishing they were different. Don't spend your energy comparing today's youth to the desires and drive you had at age 18. These employees are not a reflection of you, nor are they an earlier version of you. And again, that is okay. Your task is to take this new understanding and use it to reposition how you interact with, motivate and reward your staff.

Take attire for instance. Your 18-year-old self would have gladly donned whatever uniform was necessary to fit the company mold. Be it pressed khakis and a tie or a specific corporate uniform, fitting in was part of the package. Today's youth wants to stand out. They want their individuality to shine through even when required to provide a consistent standard of service and performance. Balancing corporate needs with individual desires takes some creative thinking.

Home Depot is one company that has addressed this dilemma at a very basic level—company uniforms. They simply require that all employees wear a standard Home Depot apron. Be yourself underneath (within reason) and show the customer that you are on the Home Depot team with this bright orange apron. Is there a standard that you can adopt to accommodate individual preferences? Something to think about.

Thanks to Cam Marsten for research cited in this article

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?

read more | digg story

Boomers Defy Traditional Retirement Through 'Re-careering'

Although the demand for talent continues to escalate as millions of Baby Boomers reach retirement age, a growing number of these professionals are "re-careering," or changing professions mid to late in their careers, according to more than 270 international recruiters surveyed by Korn Ferry

read more | digg story

The "Perfect Labor Storm" and Why It Isn't Going Away

Among the top experts in the discussion of the "Perfect Labor Storm" is Ira Wolfe, who authored the book by the same title.

The book discusses why the aging workers, retiring baby boomers, rising health care costs, shortages of skilled workers, generational gaps, work ethics (just a few of the workforce demographic and socio-economic events that I discuss on this blog) are colliding to produce the biggest shortage of skilled workers in the United States and many other developed countries.

It's a good read, and worth the time, especially if you're an employer or policy maker.

Here's a synopsis of what you'll find...

Many managers and business owners and even economists and strategists are hoping for a break in the socio-economic "climate" and praying this storm too will pass. Human resource professionals, executives, and managers alike wrongly believe they are the isolated targets of some insidious plot to abscond with their workers or else are just magnets for under-skilled workers with poor work ethics. And not unlike the Andrea Gail which was sucked under by the colossal waves even two days before the full force of the storm hit, their businesses too will sink with this short-sighted, wait-and-see attitude.

All workforce trends indicate future employee shortages will not blow over for decades. Many solutions such as retaining older workers longer are flawed. Since health care and retirement costs explode for workers over age 55, how will businesses afford to insure these workers....and without health care and retirement benefits, why will they work? Even worse the full force of the storm won't hit until the end of this decade.

The Perfect Labor Storm has no industry or geographic boundaries. From plumbers to dental hygienists to teachers to border patrol to radiologists, virtually every industry at nearly every skill and position level is affected by shortages of workers with the right skills and attitudes to do all the jobs.

Is this starting to get you attention?  It should!  Besides Dr Wolfe's book, check out the other parts of this blog to get a better understanding of why this is an issue, and most importantly, what you can do about it.

AEC Industry in Crisis--We Need an ACE in the Hole

Pat Galloway publishes one of the top blogs in the AEC space and being a PE, and CEO of a esteemed professional services firm, she understands very well, the issues associated with shortages in the current and upcoming workforce.  So when she recently published "Industry in Crisis--We Need an ACE in the Hole" discussing the myriad issues in the AEC market, I feel she really has hit the nail on the head.
(not to mention that she sees the market the same as I do....)

You'll want to read the full article, but she leads with a sobering and unfortunately all-too-true situation assessment:

"The construction industry is the second largest sector of our economy. However, many projects are on hold or have simply been canceled because there are not enough resources to build them. America’s infrastructure is not only crumbling, it is not keeping pace with our growth and the consequences are serious.

At the current rate of training, we may be able to produce an additional 20,000 trades people by 2009. However, we are experiencing a 260,000-person shortfall each year. If America’s economic growth is to continue, we will need over 1 million more architects, engineers and trades people by 2012."

There you have it.  Read the article to get the details and learn what our options are.

Putting "old Charley" out to Pasture

Recently, I witnessed the retirement of a fellow, who I'll call "old Chariey" who after many decades as a player in a large construction firm, stepped down, in order to "pursue other interests"

A veteran of the business, he had built up a stunning legacy of successfully completed projects, had served on dozens of committees and industry boards, was well known in the construction market, and when he walked out the door, took much of this knowledge with him.

We live in interesting times, indeed.

There is a general recognition that many industries, including construction, can benefit from the extensive skills of existing older workers.  And trend data indicates more older workers want to remain on the job longer.  Unfortunately, they often are forced to decide between their social security benefits and a paycheck.

Older workers possessing a broad array of building, supervision and management skills are often discouraged from working past retirement because they can lose some of their social security income if they earn more than the limits.

In calendar year 2005, for example, until recipients turn 65 (currently the normal retirement age) they can earn up to $31,800 without penalty; seniors earning more than that amount lose $1 of benefits for every $3 of earnings above the limit. There is no limit once past 65 years old.

Beneficiaries under the age of 65 are penalized by a reduction in benefits of $1 for every $2 of earnings above $12,000 in 2005.

Smart firms are starting to realize that they need to make better use of older workers talent, relationships and experiences.  These are people proud of their accomplishments, who want to contribute and share in a meaningful way, and it puts organizational leadership into the position of "thinking outside the box" to figure out how to leverage these assets in a meaningful "win-win" way.

Removing the social security earnings test would encourage more skilled workers to remain in the building trades - where their knowledge, connections and experience are still needed, and valued.

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.

Factors Shaping Our Future Workforce - Part 3 - Many Generations of Co-Workers

At the risk of repeating much of what I've covered in previous posts regarding the multi-generational workforce, we are looking at a shortfall of approximately 10 million workers by 2012-2015 considering the pending retirement of the baby-boomer workforce. 

Much of this "body of knowledge" as we already know will be supplanted by the the Gen-X and Gen-y (millennial) generations of workers.  The current management challenge is getting these generations to interact productively with the existing baby boomer and traditionalists in the workforce.

But, remember that this is a moving target.  The baby boomers and traditionalists will continue to retire and by 2050 in the USA we will have four different or even five generations that will be working together in the work force.

Thus, having a PROCESS for facilitating productive workforce interaction, is a necessity!  If you think that a short-term "patch" will get you over the problem, you aren't being realistic.

Finding and keeping the best and the brightest from all the generations will continue to be THE challenge of the future.  Communication, management, training, remuneration and time scheduling will all be affected by the multi-generational workforce. 

As the human resource gets increasingly scarce, you can expect that like any precious commodity, it will become the domain of "asset managers" who know how to acquire, cultivate and preserve these assets at their maximum value.

Will you be one of these "asset managers?"

The Dirty Little Secret in the Offshore Oil Patch

The poaching of personnel is becoming a significant source of aggravation, especially since oil companies have in the past been quick to downsize their geoscientific resources whenever the going gets tough.

And it's likely go get worse before it gets better.

An recent article entitled "The Trouble with People" appearing in Oil Online describes the antics that have been looked upon as a "standard practice" in the past, but which take on new significance in light of what the industry is characterizing as the ‘Great Crew Change’ the gap between the generation that is retiring and the generation that is to replace it.

Unfortunately, the Oil Industry, like many other industries have failed to attract the quantity of graduates and technically based talent that is now needed to capitalize on the growth potential that is prevalent.

In many cases there is a significant shortfall of candidates in the 15-25 year experience range which in essence can be described as a generation gap.

Many are concerned that while people are being promoted and given responsibility that is within their potential, it is being given too soon and beyond the true experience levels that would be needed in industries where there is no substitute for experience.

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) in a recent industry report cites the popular finding that 55% of E&P (Oil Exploration And Production);staff are in the 40-50 age bracket (probably on the higher side if the truth be known) and that half the current workforce is likely to retire in the next 10 years (the exercise of early retirement/lifestyle change options may make this prediction conservative).

The BAH report indicates that barely 15% of the E&P workforce are recruits in their early 20s to mid 30s. At the same time graduate recruitment into the industry from established western universities and business schools has been in steep decline.

The issue at hand is that, lacking qualified people at all levels, a fall-off in the E&P;industry’s enviable record for research and innovation could result in an impact on the ability of the industry to respond to the country;s growing energy requirements.

Despite growing employer demand and increased overall numbers in the university population, falling enrollments for geophysics have meant courses being discontinued by universities constantly under performance and economic pressures. The number of MSc courses in geophysics has been reduced from five to one, attributable to the fall in geophysics Masters graduates wanting to embark on exploration and environmental careers.

To reverse this kind of trend presents a huge challenge. as the study points out that the root of the problem stems from what goes on in schools. Geophysics is unlikely to appear on the student’s radar at all and this is part of a more deep-seated resistance to engage in maths and physics, which are regarded as difficult subjects. The result is that geophysics has effectively been structured out of the curriculum, and MSc courses no longer offer a safety net for those students who come across geophysics at university and change direction.

Like other industries suffering with a workforce crisis, it is imperative that the industries that have been considered "unattractive" in the past, must change their image to students.  The trend of students avoiding these fields of study, because they do not have an appreciation of its potential,  at the same time industry needs an increasingly technical workforce, is a recipe for disaster.

The E&P industry is working hard to change their image, but other industries like the design and construction industries have also worked toward this end for years, and still are not close to turning around the problem.   

In my opinion, the problem needs to be addressed at a much earlier stage, educating the youth in K-12, and introducing the teaching faculty and guidance counselors to the many dimensions of the industry, such that these youth will have a re-framed view of these essential industries.

Construction Industry Needs 185,000 People Per Year Over Next Decade

The construction industry will need an average of 185,000 new workers annually for the next 10 years to meet the nearly equal growth and replacement needs, according to a labor supply outlook released in January 2007 by the Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC), a private research group in Washington, DC, that is underwritten by contractor associations. 

The CLRC found that industry growth will require an average annual increase in construction employment of about 90,000, or 1.6 percent, over the next 10 years, which is about half the actual employment growth rate in construction for 1992-2002.

The average annual increase in the overall workforce for the next 10 years will be 1.1 percent, according to CLRC, the slowest rate of growth since the 1960s.

An additional 95,000 workers annually will be needed to replace current industry workers who are expected to retire during the next 10 years.

Factors accelerating this trend in construction are

• the higher average age of workers in the industry and
• a decline in the portion of the labor force in their prime working years of age 25 to 44.

“This country is in a period in which the labor markets are most impacted by the growing number of workers in their final working years, rather than the stable number of potential new entrants.

The outflow from the age pipeline is the dominant characteristic, not the inflow. The potential will continue for tight competition for new labor force entrants, primarily due to demographic factors,” the research group said. CLRC stressed the importance of “communicating construction's opportunities to all potential qualified entrants” in the new environment created by this “societal shift.”

Because the working life of construction field labor is shorter than most occupations, CLRC said that demographic trends “are impacting whether this trend of relatively early retirements in construction will continue is less certain that in the past, the research group found.

Factors that may reverse it include

• the physical ability to work later in life,
• the financial need to work longer, and
• the increase in age for the receipt of full Social Security benefits.

The group also noted a shift in construction from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans.

The greatest demand in the next 10 years by craft will be for

• electricians, with an average of 22,400 annual new entrants needed,
• carpenters (22,000 needed), and
• laborers (20,100 needed).

“An actual shortage of bodies is highly unlikely,” CLRC said of the future workforce. As has been typical in construction, there often is “a mismatch between skills available and skills required.”

Large Influx of Hispanic Workers

A key to meeting heavy demands for new workers in construction during the past 10 years has been a large influx of Hispanic workers, when employment of Hispanics more than doubled to nearly a quarter of all industry workers. With Hispanic employment projected to increase relatively rapidly, their impact in construction is likely to increase.

Immigration is an unknown that could significantly impact the future supply of labor, according to CLRC, finding that a relationship between the influx of Hispanics on construction job sites and immigration is very likely.

Labor demand in construction can be moderated by the use of more highly skilled workers and by increases in productivity. For the period 1992-2002, CLRC said that construction employment increased at a greater rate than output.

Forecast Based on Training Data Inconclusive

Training is a significant determining factor in the future availability of skilled workers in construction, the research group said. An estimated 225,000 persons are enrolled in federally registered, multi- year, apprentice programs but the quality of federal data on completions was found to be “questionable” by CLRC.

This and the lack of reliable national data on the number of persons in vocational programs makes "the adequacy of industry training efforts impossible to determine," the research group said.

Relatively good apprentice data from California “provides an interesting look at the characteristics of today's apprentices,” according to CLRC.

More than half of apprentices in the state are minorities and whites slightly outnumber Hispanics. The largest construction apprentice program in the state is 70 percent minority.

The CLRC based its survey on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau.

To Have A Good Workforce, You Need To Have Good Leadership Skills

You'd be surprised at how much good talent flees from bad bosses each year.  Did you ever wonder if there is a "scale" (other than gut feel) to determine just how good - or bad, a boss is? 

in order, if you are looking at retaining top talent, and seeking to retain the talent you have, in addition to running the business or department responsibly, you need to be a boss that employees are thankful for

John McKee (Founder and President of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is the author of "Career Wisdom: 101 Proven Strategies to Ensure Workplace Success") offers this quick quiz to help you find out if your management style is helping or hurting employee perceptions:

Simply answer yes or no to each item below. (scoring provided at end)

QUESTIONS
1. All employees generally dislike work.
2. The best motivator for your team is money; it's what brings them back every day.
3. Keeping emotions out of the management process has served the operation well.
4. Your staff prefers to work as a team so that individual accountability is lessened.
5. As much as I would like to, I just don’t have the time to spend talking in-person to my subordinates.
6. I encourage feedback from a suggestion box or other anonymous method.
7. I live for the weekends (this job is a paycheck to support my "real" life).
8. I don't believe outsourcing can happen to my company.
9. Regular team meetings are not justifiable as they take too much time, which lessens productivity.
10. My current management position isn't very influential, but when I move up the ladder a bit I can make a "real" contribution to the company.

SCORE CARD:
Give yourself 1 point for every time you said "No:"

10 = Excellent!! You'll be running the show in no time!
9 = Brilliant. You obviously see your employees as an asset.
8 = Solid. You have the right attitude, and the team will see that.
7 = Well done. You know people and their needs.
6 = Good. You recognize the power of your role.
5 = Fair. May be time to rethink your management strategy.
4 = It's definitely time for an attitude adjustment.
3 = Change or die (metaphorically). Things aren't good, but it's not too late to make impactful changes.
2 = Do something significant that will be viewed in a positive light or your employees will leave.
1 = It's time to consider a new job where you do not manage people.
0 = Ever consider a job as a bounty hunter?

Factors Shaping Our Future Workforce - Part 1 - Impact of an Aging Population

Aging of the population is currently the single most important trend affecting the workforce in the USA.

Personal lifestyle changes and medical advances are keeping people viable and active longer.

Additionally, financial pressure and personal desire are keeping them working beyond traditional retirement age.  This is evidenced by the projection that by 2025, workers aged 55 and older will be more than 20% of the work force in the USA

The concept of "old" and "senior" are also changing.  By 2050, individuals aged 75 – 78 will be considered to be "middle age."  Mortality tables are being changed to reflect this: maximum life expectancy is increasing from 99 (tables created in 1980) to 120.5 years (new tables published in 2003)

Finally, we are and will continue to experience a lack of younger replacement workers due to a "baby bust" which started with Generation X

One of the most anticipated workplace trends of the 21st Century is the huge retirement wave that will hit most industrialized countries, including the United States, in the next few years. But surveys consistently report that most companies are unprepared to respond to the seismic shifts that are expected to appear in the workforce.

What implications does this have?

Searching for the Silver Bullet: Leading Edge Solutions for Leveraging an Aging Workforce, the latest study from the MetLife Mature Market Institute, which was developed in collaboration with David DeLong & Associates, explores what proactive organizations are doing to creatively meet the challenges posed by an aging workforce.

The study includes in-depth case studies about four companies that have successfully implemented programs to address the changing workforce demographics: Boston Scientific, First Horizon Corporation, The Aerospace Corporation and Weyerhaeuser.

Drawing on the experiences of employers that have put innovative initiatives in place to address the changing demographics, the study provides insights for HR managers on such topics as: implementing effective flexible work arrangements, helping older workers successfully transfer knowledge and devising creative solutions for rehiring retirees.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that between 2004 and 2014 the growth in the percentage of older workers will far outpace that of younger workers.

In that period, the percentage of individuals in the workforce ages 55-64 is expected to grow 42%, compared to a 5% increase in workers age 45-54 and an 8% decline in workers age 35-44. At the same time, the percentage of workers 65+ is expected to grow 74%.

“As the wave of baby boomers approach retirement, companies are searching for a silver bullet – a one size fits all approach for addressing the needs of an aging workforce,” said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. “However, what we learned from this new study is that there is no panacea for addressing the needs of a mature workforce.

What’s needed, instead, is a portfolio of strategies and solutions that balance the need to retain older workers while also transferring knowledge to younger workers, so that business performance can be sustained.”

“By learning from others and putting practices in place now, employers will be better able to navigate the dramatic changes coming in the workforce,” added Timmermann. “Organizations that haven’t prepared properly will have fewer options to minimize the impact of retiring baby boomers in order to sustain business performance.”

Valuable lessons learned from the study include:

• The need to think of phased retirement or flexible work options as a program, not a policy;
• How to create effective knowledge sharing relationships between older mentors and younger workers;
• How company-sponsored benefits and retirement planning workshops that focus on the economic consequences of leaving the workforce will encourage some employees to remain in the workforce past age 65;
• The need to make knowledge transfer an explicit part of any job when rehiring a retiree; and
• Why companies must stop searching for the “silver bullet” and recognize that there is no quick fix to these workforce challenges. The solution is a portfolio of integrated programs that will accommodate the changing labor market.

The study also provides specific tips to help employers:

1. Create and leverage a network of former employees;
2. Rehire retirees indirectly on a project basis when pension restrictions prevent direct re-employment;
3. Hire retirees with special expertise to innovate on critical projects; and
4. Tap the expanding pool of older people seeking employment.

“When it comes to solving the problems of an aging workforce, the glass is both half empty and half full,” said Dr. David DeLong, president of David DeLong & Associates, Inc. “Organizations can focus on the barriers or the opportunities. Most executives today recognize that their workforce is going to change dramatically in the next decade. They can maximize the contributions of employees and the assets they bring to the workplace.”

The MetLife Aging Workforce study was conducted during the first half of 2007. While this research focuses on four specific case studies, more than 75 interviews were conducted with managers in 28 organizations identified as leading edge in dealing with the changing workforce. To enhance the findings, more than a dozen experts on aging workforce issues were also interviewed.

Why Management is Fearful of Developing their Workforce

Recently, I was reading one of the great articles published by AmCheck (the Payroll Services, HR Solutions, and Employee Benefits people), that discussed the characteristics of a successful company.

One might think workforce development is an obvious characteristic of all successful companies and their managers. 

But Lominger Limited Inc. - a leadership development think tank and consultancy - reports that managers and employees ranked "developing direct reports" dead last out of all 67 competencies in its bi-annual study of leadership skills. That's right—managers are viewed and view themselves "worst" at developing their direct reports compared to all other skills in their toolbox.

What's your fear level?  Is it paralyzing you to the point where you may become a casualty to "inaction?"

Fears and hollow excuses are usually what prevents managers from developing their people. You may not be actively developing your reports job because you fear:

• Losing power. If you develop your people, you may not be the technical expert of your area anymore. (In reality, you agreed to not be the expert any more when you took a leadership position)
               
• Losing your good people. As people develop, they may want to grow further beyond the function of your department. Be aware, however, that if you are seen as a "people hoarder," your career will be severely diminished.
               
• Being "leap-frogged." Someone you develop may eventually get a job you want. You may even have to report to one of your previous direct reports. (Let's hope you developed them well.) If you use this excuse, you're revealing a basic insecurity about your own abilities.
               
• Creating a rival. Worse than the fear of being leap-frogged may be the fear that a former direct report could become an arch rival in your organization. This excuse is another indication of personal insecurity.

Or you may not be developing other leaders because it takes time or you want to avoid the responsibility. But what else are you doing with your time that is more important? Here are six reasons why you should can the excuses and work on your workforce-development skills:

• To improve productivity and effectiveness. While developing a direct report may cause some temporary reduction in productivity, it will pay dividends in your department, team or division in the long run
               
• To maximize long-term potential. Developing direct reports improves the long-run success of your entire company.
               
• To keep your sanity. Good people developers usually go home on time. Developing your people not only improves their capacity to perform, but it improves your capacity to delegate.
               
• To attract talent. When the word gets out that you are a people developer, the up-and-comers in your company line up to work in your department, team, shop or division.
               
• To "plant" good people. When people leave your area, they know your department's function, your methods and your needs, and can help you be successful from their new position
               
• To get promoted. Being a great people developer differentiates you from the pack. People say good things about you. People realize you are a more complete leader, not the usual, one-commodity manager.

No one becomes a great people developer overnight, and there's no one right way to do it. You should cater to your strengths and to your style. Here are some general tips for improvement:

• Be the motivator, not the "mom." Convince your employees that they are responsible for their own development. Each must have a written development plan, including both short- and long-term development goals. Remind employees that capitalism is "creative destruction" and that their jobs may dissolve without notice. Corporate maternalism breeds unhealthy dependence on the company and minimizes self-reliance.
               
• Incorporate their need to have a personal development plan into your performance-management process.
               
• Recognize that development is more than going to training. While training courses are an important aspect of development, so are rotations, special tasks, complex projects, reading assignments, informal "brown-bag discussions" and even successful staff meetings.
               
• Coach with a passion. Most people can remember a coach, teacher or mentor who dared to confront behavior when it was less than optimal. People developers constructively confront-in a private and professional way-when needed       
               
• Delegate incessantly, and make assignments with development in mind.
               
• Know your people, particularly their career aspirations.               
               
• When interviewing potential hires for your department, discuss an estimated time for them to move on (assuming this fits their career aspirations), usually by the end of three years. Make moving on a goal, and promise that you will help them find their next position within the company when they have developed to your expectations and performed in their current job for a reasonable period of time.
• Creatively reward people who actively develop themselves. Money is not always the right answer. Know your people and reward them with a motivating intangible.

Lose that fear!  You will pay a dear price for not developing your available talent in the next few years.  Remember, this is one of those thinngs you pay for, whether you do it or not.

Shouldn't that Christmas Feeling Last the Entire Year?

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY LOYAL READERS!

PEACE TO YOU AT THIS SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR, and throughout the year

Wouldn't it be nice if the feelings of appreciation that are expressed between friends and colleagues continued throughout the year?

That is the genesis of the question that our friends over at AZCentral.com raises in their recent article entitled "Show worker appreciation every day"

This timely article discusses the benefits of "showing the love" to the people that are important to us - every day.

Because isn't it a good feeling to know you're appreciated?