Lisa’s Generation Relations Blog

Hi All,

Well, I’m back from my vacation and must say I would have been happy with another week or 2. Sometimes I’m ready to get home after just a few days but this was NOT one of those times.

I was interviewed by Black Enterprise Magazine for an article about how to attract and recruit Millennial talent. The article was published just a few days ago so I thought you’d be interested in checking it out. Some of it covers things I have already discussed on my blog but you may find some new tips that spark ideas.

The title of the article is: The Race is On: Internet can be a vital tool for firms vying for new talent.

This will also be a busy week as I am heading to Detroit (for the first time) to conduct 2 seminars: One for the HR executives of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan about attracting and recruiting Millennial talent; and the second is a seminar for the National Management Association, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan Chapter. That one is targeted at managing and retaining Millennial talent. Busy week!

I hope all is going well in your world. I have a stock pile of great info that I gathered while on vacation that I’ll be sharing so check back soon!

Lisa

Hi All,

Heading out tomorrow for a long awaited (and much needed!) vacation. I’m sure I’ll have lots of cocktails with people my Dad’s age, which I find to be a blast.

Then off to New Orleans for a festive time with friends and family…

If I can handle the flight from CA to FL with my 2 year-old son, it’ll be a good trip. I’m pretty sure I have a stash of Xanax somewhere. Note to self: “Find the Xanax”.

Lots of cool stuff coming up when I return from vacation which I will report here. But while I’m gone, there will be no blogging and very little computer contact at all.

Time for sun, sand, diving, swimming and…cocktails!

Cheers,

Lisa

Hi All!

Yesterday I was a featured session speaker at the 19th Annual PBWC (Professional Businesswomen of California) Conference, and Cokie Roberts and Madeleine Albright were the keynotes. The theme for this year’s event was “Across the Generations”, so having me there was a good fit.

It was a full-day event at The Moscone Center in San Francisco with over 6,000 professional woman attendees! They ranged from Millennials just entering the workforce, to business owners, to Senior VP’s of corporations like Chevron, Deliotte, Wells Fargo, HP, Cisco, State Farm, and on & on.

I got a pic with Cokie (above) in the Speaker Lounge. She’s very cool (and really funny). And I also got one with Cokie and Secretary Albright but that was on someone else’s camera which I’ll get a copy of soon.

I co-presented a seminar session with Dr. Nanette Gartrell, author of “My Answer is No…If That’s Okay With You”. She has been on Fox News, Good Morning America and many other shows recently doing her press tour for the book. Our topic was on “effectively communicating across the generations” and I spoke about how to effectively manage, motivate and retain the Millennials.

Our session was a big success and we had over 800 people attend! It was lots of fun and we both signed books afterwards (that’s me signing and chatting above) and fielded lots of questions.

Then today I was back in SF presenting a session at the NCHRA Conference (Northern California HR Association). They created a full-day event on “Meet the Millennials”. Lots of interest in Millennials these days (as you know)! I spoke about unique ways to attract and recruit them to an audience of about 125 HR executives.

So, I haven’t had much time to write in my blog the past couple of days. 

Overall they were both great events and I met a lot of amazing people. Next week I’ll actually be on vacation…this has been a long time coming and is MUCH needed!

I’ll write more on things I learned, taught, and saw when my vision isn’t so blurry. Time to sleep!

Lisa

Hi All,

There is yet another new book out about the Millennials, and this one focuses on how they are going to affect American politics. The book is called “Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube and the Future of American Politics” by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais.

The NY Times wrote an article about it yesterday. Here is a brief excerpt:

According to the authors of “Millennial Makeover:MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics,” change is indeed on its way, and the magnitude of that change will be monumental — a tectonic realignment of the sort that occurs about every four decades, leading to a fundamental shift in policy priorities and voter coalitions.

Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais also write in this fascinating but not always persuasive volume that the party capturing the White House in 2008 has “a historic opportunity to become the majority party for at least four more decades,” and that the rising generation of Millennials (born between 1982 and 2003) will imprint the coming national discourse with its own temperament and predilections, washing away “the current politics of polarization and ideological deadlock” and putting in its place “a new landscape of collective purpose and national consensus that involves individuals and communities in solving the nation’s problems.”

What Mr. Winograd and Mr. Hais have essentially done is explore, in detail, the political implications of Mr. Strauss and Mr. Howe’s sociological observations. As they tell it there have been five major political realignments in American history, and while each of these huge shifts seems to have been triggered by a crucial event (like the Civil War or the Great Depression), all were actually rooted in “underlying changes in generational size and attitudes and contemporaneous advances in communication technologies” like the development of radio, television and, more recently, the Internet.

For those of you interested in politics and where they’re headed with Gen Y now reaching voting age in masses, you may find this an interesting read. I can’t comment on the book as I have not read it yet, but I do plan to pick it up.

Bye for now!

Lisa

Hi All, 

When I conduct seminars about recruiting, managing and retaining Millennials (Generation Y) I am always surprised how many HR people and front line managers comment, “Why do we need to do all these things to accommodate them?”

Well, aside from the fact that we are facing a labor shortage in the U.S. (which I have talked about in previous blogs), many of the things Millennials want from company are things that most all generations will also benefit from. And I’m quick to say that many companies are now stressing out about how to keep their Boomer employees from retiring so soon, and many of the advice I offer about retaining Millennials can also keep your seasoned Boomers around for a few more years (versus choosing to retire the minute they turn 60-65).

Things like an improved rewards and recognition program (a must for Millennials!), flex-time (also a must for Millennials!), creating a “fun” work environment (another must for Millennials!), and a culture that supports team communication (yet another must for Millennials!), are all things that can keep your Boomers from bolting the minute they hit retirement age.

So before you scoff at the advice that people like me, and other experts, are preaching, think about how our info can also improve your Boomer retention. If you combine the Boomer Brain Drain with our lower U.S. population growth, we’re facing a labor shortage of “skilled & educated” employees over the next 15-30 years, so figuring out how to keep your seasoned Boomers for a few extra years past 60-65 will be as critical as attracting and retaining Millennial talent.

Bye for now!

Lisa

Hello!

Over the years employers have been so concerned with women (and men) needing time off to take care of their sick children, and parents needing flex-time to attend their kids’ soccer games, that many have not focused on a major cost drain that will only GET BIGGER as Boomers start to hit 65+ and the Veteran generation continues to hit their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…the cost of adult children (like me!) faced with caring for their aging parents.

This is a HUGE issue that has been an issue, but not yet addressed by many companies. Here are some startling facts that people in HR need to be aware of:

- According to Barbara McVicker, author of the new book “Stuck in the Middle…shared stories and tips for caregiving your elderly parents”, 50-70 million Americans provide caregiver support to their elderly loved ones

And other stats from the Council on Aging in Silicon Valley include:

- 70% of those who are working TAKE TIME OFF to provide this care

- 15% of them QUIT THEIR JOBS when full-time care is needed for their elderly loved ones

- California businesses (and in all states) lose BILLIONS of dollars and lost productivity EACH YEAR due to their employees handling elder care of their loved ones

As an HR professional, you need to find ways to save your company the high cost of workplace interruptions and absenteeism. It is time for employers to WAKE UP! The cost to businesses due to absenteeism, stress and reduced productivity will add-up to massive amounts of financial loss for companies that are not prepared to manage this reality.

I recently met with Lorraine Larson at the Council on Aging in Silicon Valley and was floored by these facts but impressed by the services they offer to help companies manage this growing issue. If you don’t live in the Bay Area (or California) then I strongly recommend finding an organization like this in your area to help you prepare your company.

They offer educational services for employers and employees about: Elder Care Planning, In-Home Services, Caregiver Support, Retirement Planning, Long-term Care Insurance Counseling, On-site Work-Life Seminars, AND training for HR and/or workplace supervisors to manage elder care issues they will face with their employees.

This particular organization even has a MOBILE UNIT, their Generational Resource Center (a huge motor home converted into a state-of-the-art “office on wheels”), that will come to your company and help you on-site. How cool is THAT?

Get with it, folks! I’m 44 and my Dad is turning 80 this July. We are working on moving him closer to us and I know once he is here I’ll be taking more time away from work (without regret because I adore him, but for many people this is a financial burden), so I can relate to the issues employers and employees face. Luckily we have organizations like the Council on Aging to help companies and individuals deal with this important fact of life.

Bye for now,

Lisa

Hello!

The Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco did an in-depth study to find out where Millennial (aka Gen Y) employees were the happiest at work. I came across this article on Human Resource Executive Online and thought you’d learn a lot from it. It was written by Scott Flander for HRE.

The article also goes into detail about WHAT the employers are doing to make their 20-25 year old employees so happy, so you should check it out for insights. Here’s the list of the Top 18 Companies but to read the whole article, click here:

1. CarMax
Richmond, Va.

2. Chesapeake Energy Corp.
Oklahoma City

3. Container Store
Coppell, Texas

4. eBay
San Jose, Calif.

5. FactSet Research Systems
Norwalk, Conn.

6. Google
Mountain View, Calif.

7. Kimley-Horn and Associates
Cary, N.C.

8. Marriott International Inc.
Bethesda, Md.

9. National Instruments
Austin, Texas

10. Nugget Market
Woodland, Calif.

11. Plante & Moran
Southfield, Mich.

12. Quicken Loans
Livonia, Mich.

13. QuikTrip
Tulsa, Okla.

14. Rackspace Managed Hosting
San Antonio, TX

15. Scottrade
St. Louis

16. Starbucks
Seattle

17. Umpqua Bank
Portland, Ore.

18. Wegmans Food Markets
Rochester, N.Y.

Learn from what these companies are doing and you just may learn how to better recruit and retain the Millennial Generation!

Lisa

Hello,

I have written about this amazing man on my blog before. But seeing Professor Randy Pausch on a special epsiode of Primetime with Diane Sawyer last night inspired me to write about him again. The more people that know about him, and share his message with people of all ages, the better.

It was amazing to “meet” his wife, his children and get more insight into this amazing man on last night’s show. And for those of you not familiar with Randy, you need to be! A link to his (now famous) “The Last Lecture” should be sent to every employee in your company, of ANY generation.

Here is an overview about why he is inspiring so many people and being featured on shows like Primetime and Oprah, and why is “Last Lecture” has been downloaded over a million times on YouTube:

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch is dying from pancreatic cancer (and is married with 3 small children). He gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

This man is dying. He knows his time here is short yet his willingness to motivate and encourage people during this “surreal”, personal, time is amazing.

I encourage you to share this link to his “Last Lecture” with anyone and everyone:

http://video.stumbleupon.com/

Lisa

Hello,

There is a new type of employee theft that is causing “lawsuits and losses” for employers: excessive use of the internet at work for things other than work. And, with more Millennials entering the workforce, employers believe that it will become an even bigger issue than it has been. Yes, Boomer and Gen Xers are using the internet at work for things other than “business”, but the issue will get bigger if companies don’t get strict about their internet use policies.

1. Have you outlined a policy for employee participation on blogs?

Guess what? This issue is so widespread there’s now a term for it! If you are fired because of a blog it’s called being “dooced”. Heather Armstrong founded Dooce.com, and lost her job a year after starting a blog for writing entries that involved colleagues. She now tells her site visitors: “Never write about work on the Internet unless your boss knows and sanctions the fact that you are writing about work on the Internet.”

Another person who lost his job due to blogging was as a producer at CNN’s “American Morning”. He was a blogger and he was fired when the company discovered his name attached to blog posts written without CNN’s approval. He never identified himself as a CNN employee on the blogs, but CNN company policy is that employees must first get permission to write for a non-CNN outlet.

Sound hardcore? Maybe, maybe not. But you need to determine how YOUR company feels about this and get policies in place. Did you know that a new blog is created every second? Millennials love blogging, as do other generations, but Millennials will more likely be participating in blogging on a regular basis (more that older generations) and your company policies must be UP-DATED to accomodate the changing times.

2. Outline a policy for viewing “those types” of pics AND playing online games.

Millions of people look at porn on their computers at work. I cannot even believe how dumb that it, but whatever. Nonetheless, it’s a HUGE problem. A recent study by the AMA showed that 1/3 of bosses have fired employees for viewing dirty pics/videos at work. That’s a HUGE number!

And make sure your workforce is clear about your policies on playing online games. Is it okay on their lunch break? Or NOT AT ALL at work? Online game play at work is rampant, so make sure you have your policies in order.

3. What about talking dirty?

A very large percentage of employees are talking dirty from their computers, pdas, cell phones and laptops at work. In the same AMA study I mentioned before, more than 25% of bosses have fired employees for sending offensive emails. And because many companies now store/archive employee email correspondence electronically, “talking dirty” can become a liability to employers. Again, get your policy in place because people are sending “sexy” emails and text messages using YOUR property, and/or on your time, and that’s a problem.

Times they are-a-changing! It’s time for your company to dust off its old employee policies and up-date them based on REAL 21st Century issues.

Okay…time to stop blogging and get back to work. Luckily no one can fire me!

Lisa

Hi there,

So, open your mind and check this out…well-known companies and business schools all over the U.S. are starting to bring meditation experts into their companies and schools to teach their employees (and MBA’s) how to meditate…and they are seeing significant improvements in employee productivity, communication, and less “friction” between team members.

And if you think that just middle managers or the younger Millennial generation are jumping on this “new age” bandwagon, you are mistaken! Meditation has become a popular practice among Gen X and Boomer executives, too. Successful professionals like ad agency mogul Renatta McCann, Marc Benoiff, the CEO of Saleforce.com, and even championship-winning NBA Coach, Phil Jackson, are devoted to meditation.

Fortune magazine wrote an article about this last year, and here’s a funny blurb from it:

The crowd of Harvard Business School alums who gathered at their reunion to hear networking expert Keith Ferrazzi speak earlier this summer might have expected to pick up strategies on how to work a room, remember people’s names, or identify mentors. But tactical skills, it turns out, aren’t what turned Ferrazzi into a bestselling author or sought-after speaker.

Instead Ferrazzi let his fellow alums in on a little secret. The key to connecting, he told the group, is “not being an a**hole.” And the most effective path he’s found? Meditation. Exercise and prayer work too, he said, but meditation has been so effective that he now spends ten days every year at a silent meditation retreat. In other words, the man whose latest book is “Never Eat Alone” credits much of his success to alone time.

I love the “don’t be an asshole” advice. It’s true and if meditation can help you be less of one, then do it.

A friend of mine, Greg DeVries, successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur-turned-meditation guru, actually left the high-tech grind to start a meditation “consulting” business where he still gets hired by tech companies (and other types of companies) but now they are hiring him to conduct meditation classes. Companies like Yahoo!, KLA-Tencor, and Cisco are among his growing corporate client list.

And he and his partner also conduct “public” meditation classes that anyone can attend. And who do you think makes up a majority of their students? Stressed out executives seeking a way to de-stress, improve their lives, and improve their job performance (to be a better manager, leader, salesperson, etc.)!!

You should check out their website for more info: www.meditation-workshop.com

Meditation is becoming a very popular “management and leadership” tool, so before you scoff at the idea, learn more about it because it may be something you should consider bringing into your company’s culture…and who knows? It may also improve your generation relations!

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…

Lisa