With so many generations in one workplace, the office petri dish is rife with conflict and resentment.
BY PAUL LUKE, THE PROVINCE
An alarm rang in Jennifer Gerves-Keen’s head as she heard another tale of different generations in the workplace messing each other up.
A woman from a Vancouver law firm was telling Gerves-Keen, an organizational coach and consultant, how her company’s succession plan had gone off the rails.
In what seemed to be a sensible approach, younger lawyers were to be groomed to become law firm partners to take over as boomer bosses retired. But there was a problem – the youngsters weren’t putting their hands up.
“They could not find younger lawyers who wanted to go on the partner track,” says Gerves-Keen, a Richmond-based trainer who works with organizations across Canada. “They literally had no candidates.”
The woman sharing this workplace crisis, a human resources manager, was worried. She even wondered if the firm could survive if no one wanted those jobs.
Gerves-Keen suspected that the firm’s young lawyers were ambitious but had rejected the rigours of a partnership model created by older generations. Being a boss beset by time-sucking demands may not have promised the work-life balance the younger generation wants, she thought. Read more
Vertical Bridge announces Canadian market rights for PeopleAssistant HR software. An innovative tool that in addition to providing complete HR management capabilities has the unique advantage of tying corporate strategy to individual performance. Read Article
In this CBC Radio interview Sandra Reder discusses the positives and negatives associated with being “perpetually connected”. Is technology really making our lives better?
The Legalist reminds us that competent HR staff members can add value to companies, protect employers from lawsuits and cut costs in the long run.
My practice frequently involves helping companies with actual or potential claims against or from former employees. Unfortunately for these clients, by the time a claim arises, their options are limited to “damage control,” — essentially just controlling the costs and consequences.
But some employers still making false assumptions based on stereotypes
By Danielle Harder
While there are some differences between what men and women look for in an employer and a job, they are not all that stark.
That means employers making broad generalizations are taking risks, according to several recruitment experts.
While 63 per cent of recruiters feel there are some distinctions between the sexes, they are subtle and based on many factors including a candidate’s life and career stage, according to an informal survey of 110 recruiters across the country in April by Hays Specialist Recruitment Canada.
“It really comes down to the individual,” says Rowan O’Grady, president of Hays’ Canadian operations. “Women, at a certain stage in their lives, may be concerned with things such as how far they are from school or daycare, and flexibility, while men seem to — at times — place more value on the prestige of the job, for example.”
X, Y and Boom! Will inter-generational tensions blow up in the workplace, as baby boomers stay on the job? HR Expert Sandra Reder discusses her views on CBC Radio. Listen to the interview…
Canadian HR Reporter, by Amanda Silliker
Child-care benefits in high demand by gen X, Y – countrywide service guarantees employees a spot. Read Canadian HR Reporter article (PDF)
Traditional, annual feedback from managers doesn’t resonate
The performance review has traditionally been a labour- and time-intensive exercise conducted by managers once a year for all employees. Typically, the review is tied directly to annual salary increases and often it’s perceived to be very one-sided — a manager gives feedback and there is often no opportunity for an employee to respond or be involved. So does the performance review hold any value for organizations?