| This new century demands that management have | | | | the "back room" to the "boardroom" if you expect to |
| adaptive skills working across the generation diversity | | | | become Employer of Choice. Emphasis and focus |
| that exists in today's workplace. No doubt people are | | | | must be placed on the importance of continuous |
| an organization's most precious asset. Today, unlike | | | | progress and managing change through goal setting. |
| any other time in history, that asset is filled with | | | | Goals must be realistic, reasonable, challenging and |
| generational diversity. This diversity sits side-by-side, | | | | attainable:o Long termo Intermediateo Short term |
| shoulder-to-shoulder, cubicle-to-cubicle and | | | | Developing Your Human Resource Strategy |
| warehouseman to warehouseman. This generational | | | | Once you have established your vision, the next step |
| diversity can create tension, mistrust and conflict and | | | | is to develop your human resource strategy. This |
| negate loyalty to the company in general. | | | | strategy is the process by which you will achieve your |
| How is This Generational Diversity Defined? | | | | vision of becoming an Employer of Choice. You must |
| The most publicized and visible generation grouping of | | | | be committed to becoming Employer of Choice. Your |
| today are the Baby Boomers, born between 1943 and | | | | strategy must evolve around that commitment, |
| 1965, then we have the Generation Xers, born | | | | intelligence, judgment and one more time, it must focus |
| between 1965 and 1980 and finally we have the | | | | on your most precious asset - your employees. |
| Generation Veterans, nearing retirement, born between | | | | Do not let ego get in the way of judgment. Managers |
| 1935 and 1942. Generalities tell us that the Boomers | | | | need to challenge old ways. You must be determined |
| think the Xers are greedy, lazy and have a poor work | | | | to create a culture where worth is determined by a |
| ethics. The Xers think the Boomers are obsessive, | | | | willingness to learn new skills and adapt to change. |
| dictatorial and lack understanding and empathy. They | | | | You must create an environment that makes it fun to |
| "live to work" and the Xers "work to live." The | | | | go to work. Do not measure how well you are doing, |
| generation veterans are considered a pain in the | | | | measure how much you have changed. |
| backside by the action oriented Boomers and the | | | | "In the years ahead, workforce stability will be a |
| technology crazed Xers. | | | | company's competitive sales edge. In these turbulent |
| To add even more challenge to your objectives in | | | | times, exacerbated by a tight labor market, employers |
| Human Resources, consider the workforce born | | | | will be continually challenged to locate, attract, optimize |
| between 1981 and 2000. These are the youngsters | | | | and retain the talent they need to serve their |
| just now entering the work force. Let's call them The | | | | customers. The most successful employers will be |
| Nexters. Many in this group, early on , primarily hangs | | | | those who legitimately inspire highly talented workers |
| out in the service industries like fast food. You may run | | | | to join them and stay with them." |
| into a few out on your warehouse floor. As they age | | | | Roger E. Herman and Joyce L. Gioia |
| and gain more education you find them entrenched in | | | | How to Become An Employer of Choice |
| technology, E-Business and many become web-head | | | | Adam Fein of Pembroke Consulting reports in Facing |
| evangelists. They are eager to learn, willing to work, | | | | the Forces of Change that nearly 20% of the U.S. |
| but lack the loyalty the Boomers expect from their | | | | workforce will be 55 years old or over by 2010, up |
| employees. The Generation Xers consider the | | | | 13%. He states that baby boomers are aging and the |
| Nexters self-absorbed, spoiled brats. | | | | situation will get worse. The 25-44 year old segment |
| You might find it helpful to create a portrait of each | | | | will decrease by another 6% to 26% by 2010. All these |
| generation. Study it, understand it, try to learn what | | | | facts mixed together only heighten the importance of |
| they value most. Listen to them. Try to understand the | | | | your Human Resource strategy. |
| historical events that shaped their lives (Viet Nam, | | | | The Human Resource Planning Processo Clearly |
| Woodstock, Gulf War, civil rights, birth control, Kent | | | | define Human Resources role in the strategic business |
| State University, safe water, safe environments). Try | | | | plan. Set specific objectives, assign accountability and |
| to profit from their perspectives and insight. Take | | | | develop time lines for becoming employer of choice.o |
| advantage of the youthful energetic innocence and the | | | | Follow the planning process map:o Develop |
| wisdom of the experienced. | | | | performance driverso Develop recruitment and |
| Things to Be Aware Of | | | | retention strategieso Create a scorecardo Define |
| Since we are experiencing the most value-diverse | | | | policies and practiceso Career counselingo Coaching |
| workforce this country has every known, traditional | | | | and mentoringo Internship programo Education and |
| thoughts in the area of Human Resources must be | | | | trainingo Creative employee support (day care- job |
| challenged. The Xters and Nexters have a completely | | | | sharing etc.) |
| different mind set and value system than most of the | | | | Make It Fun to Come To Work |
| executives in the distribution industry who happen to | | | | The key to employee retention is not necessarily |
| be Boomers. We can no longer think that this | | | | compensation based. It has been proven time and time |
| generation should be grateful for the opportunity to | | | | again that money is not high on the motivational factor |
| work for us. In fact, we may have to consider a hiring | | | | list. However, money can rise to the top of the list of |
| bonus. We must temper our expectations of long term | | | | complaints if an employee does not enjoy coming to |
| loyalty. As one Generation Xer put it, "If you want | | | | work every day. When an employee really likes their |
| loyalty, buy a dog." The Xers and Nexters are much | | | | job, environment and peers and feels they are well |
| more technically savvy. They carry laptops, are much | | | | treated and respected, money becomes a non-issue in |
| more mobile and have a different value system. | | | | most cases. |
| A Human Resource Strategy is Key to Becoming | | | | There is a book called 1001 Ways to Reward |
| Employer of Choice | | | | Employees (Author, Bob Nelson, Workman publishing). I |
| A human resources strategy must be included in your | | | | encourage you to order this book. |
| corporate strategic plan. Make sure you have a | | | | Human Resource is an Investment in Your Employees |
| Human Resources professional on your staff to deal | | | | Unleash yourself from the self imposed trap many of |
| with the sweeping changes in the workplace. This | | | | us have placed ourselves in by considering Human |
| person must be a skilled, knowledgeable business | | | | Resources a cost center. If you develop a definitive |
| partner. They must play a vital role in helping your | | | | Human Resource strategy geared to make your |
| organization become or remain competitive in the labor | | | | company the Employer of Choice in your markets, |
| marketplace. Becoming the Employer of Choice begins | | | | Human Resource will become a profit center. |
| and ends with your Human Resource staff. However, | | | | Recruitment & Retention alone will create a |
| it is not their task alone. Every manager in the | | | | tremendous return on investment to your company |
| company, from the President to the warehouse | | | | Research shows that it costs between 50 - 150% of |
| supervisor, shares in that responsibility. | | | | an employee's annual salary to replace them. This |
| Where are you now? | | | | does not include their actual salary. For example, the |
| Determine where you are today in relationship to | | | | cost to replace an inside sales person that just |
| becoming an Employer of Choice. What strengths do | | | | resigned could exceed $75,000. The cost to replace |
| you have to build on? What are the competencies that | | | | an employee includes costs for both recruiting and |
| you need to develop? | | | | training the new employee plus the loss of productivity |
| As an example, consider your company's current | | | | while the position is empty and even during the |
| performance in the following areas. You may want to | | | | "learning curve". The exact cost depends on the level |
| assign a score of 1-10 to each item and include a list of | | | | of the position and the current market demand for that |
| its strengths and weaknesses:o Human relations | | | | position. However, consider having to replace 15 |
| leadership skillso Commitment to treating employees | | | | employees over the course of a year. Suppose the |
| as your most valuable asseto Trainingo Credibility of | | | | average salary is $40,000. The replacement cost of |
| your management team and company visiono | | | | those employees would be as follows: |
| Communication skillso Decision-making skillso Benefitso | | | | 10 employees@ $40,000 = $400,000 X 150% = |
| Other employee related support systems | | | | $600,000 and that doesn't include their pay. This is a |
| Create a Human Resource Vision | | | | phenomenal hidden expense. |
| Once you've determined the current state of your | | | | Even if you use the more conservative statistic of |
| human resource function you should create a vision of | | | | 100% of salary, the cost savings would be four |
| what your human resource competency should be. | | | | thousand dollars. |
| You must be committed to becoming Employer of | | | | "This does not include the lost opportunity costs in the |
| Choice. Your vision must evolve around that | | | | market place." |
| commitment. It must be developed with intelligence, | | | | Don't underestimate the power of your employees. |
| sound judgment, a willingness to step outside the box | | | | Treat them with respect, gain their trust, invest in |
| and, most importantly, a focus on your most precious | | | | becoming Employer of Choice and you will release |
| asset - your employees. | | | | more discretionary energy, creativity and innovation |
| The Human Resource professional must move from | | | | than you can imagine. |