Monday, March 20, 2006
Just asking? It hasn’t happened before?
Some of the new material and books talk about the span of today’s workforce. It is being said that never before have 4 generations been in the workforce. We have the Veterans, the baby Boomers, the Gen xers and the Millenials. These groups cover those born before WWII, the resulting babies upon the return home, the latchkeys kids born 1965 through 1980 and the newest members of today’s workforce born after 1980.
I wonder is we looked at family businesses if we would see something else-- Wouldn’t we see the children doing something with advice coming from the oldest of the generations. It was commonplace to have households of generations living together. One generation took care of the next. It was what was done. Now, we outsource that care. I am not making a judgment, just asking the question. Have we deprived our children of learning about their most senior family members? Have we hid them away from the good of learning the lessons of those before us as well as the pain of seeing age steal some energy and memory?
We may not have the experience of the four generations at a family business or in our home, but today’s workplace clearly has the situation. As we in HR and as leaders discuss the diversity initiatives have we included the generational aspects? Perhaps it is not necessary in those which organizations which live their value of respect. How are we preparing our leaders of tomorrows, assessing developmental needs and and learning plans as well as encouraging the mentoring by the natural leaders within our workforce?
Do we understand how our business is being affected by the talent available? Do we understand how people will react if they must work to supplement basic needs such as medicine and lodging? Has we felt the impact of the rising costs of housing and the health care we have come to enjoy and expect?
If we have experienced this generational gathering before; what did we learn? The answer will be applied in different ways for each of our businesses. I am just asking the question; I encourage you to take some time to answer it for you and your business. Don’t you both deserve it?
I wonder is we looked at family businesses if we would see something else-- Wouldn’t we see the children doing something with advice coming from the oldest of the generations. It was commonplace to have households of generations living together. One generation took care of the next. It was what was done. Now, we outsource that care. I am not making a judgment, just asking the question. Have we deprived our children of learning about their most senior family members? Have we hid them away from the good of learning the lessons of those before us as well as the pain of seeing age steal some energy and memory?
We may not have the experience of the four generations at a family business or in our home, but today’s workplace clearly has the situation. As we in HR and as leaders discuss the diversity initiatives have we included the generational aspects? Perhaps it is not necessary in those which organizations which live their value of respect. How are we preparing our leaders of tomorrows, assessing developmental needs and and learning plans as well as encouraging the mentoring by the natural leaders within our workforce?
Do we understand how our business is being affected by the talent available? Do we understand how people will react if they must work to supplement basic needs such as medicine and lodging? Has we felt the impact of the rising costs of housing and the health care we have come to enjoy and expect?
If we have experienced this generational gathering before; what did we learn? The answer will be applied in different ways for each of our businesses. I am just asking the question; I encourage you to take some time to answer it for you and your business. Don’t you both deserve it?
