|
Server : Apache/2.4.62 System : FreeBSD fbsdweb2.web.rcn.net 14.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 14.1-RELEASE releng/14.1-n267679-10e31f0946d8 GENERIC amd64 User : www ( 80) PHP Version : 8.3.8 Disable Function : NONE Directory : /domains/highlandlabs/cqi-bin/ALFA_DATA/alfasymlink/root/domains/hrahg/hru/otj/ |
Upload File : |
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
<head>
<title>HRA - On The Job</title>
<meta name="robots" content="noarchive, nofollow" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="hronthejob.css" />
</head>
<body>
<div id="header" align="center">
<img src="../../graphics/logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; margin: auto; display: block; text-align: center" />
<b style="color: blue">Human Resource Associates</b>
</div>
<div id="wrapper">
<div id="content">
<p class="section">HR - On The Job</p>
<p class="heading">The Latest Entry in the Generation Gap</p>
<p><b>They'll Decide the Future of Your Company</b></p>
<p>For more than 50 years, employers and the public in general have struggled to understand why different age groups can't seem to understand each other and why they have so much trouble working together. This whole issue was commonly written off as �that older generation just doesn't understand this younger generation�. Well, those younger generation folks of yesterday have now become the older generation folks of today. And they just don't seem to understand this younger generation!</p>
<p>In an earlier issue of Planet's Personnel Notebook, the generations in the American workforce were identified as:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Depression Generation (born 1925 to 1946)</li>
<li>The Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964)</li>
<li>Generation Xers (born 1964 to 1980)</li>
<li>The Nexters (born 1980 to 2000)</li>
</ul>
<p>Those Nexters, now called Millennials, are the newest entry in our continuing generation gap. They are firmly entrenched in the workforce; they will soon outnumber everyone else in the workplace and their hard to understand culture will become the dominant one. Savvy managers will help these Millennials adapt and thrive in their mixed-generation work environment. And in the process those managers will learn some things themselves.</p>
<p class="section">What Do We Know About Milennials?</p>
<p>Suzan M. Heathfield, an HR consultant and columnist, has studied the characteristics of Millennials and says as a group they:</p>
<ul>
<li>Have developed work characteristics and tendencies from doting parents, highly structured lives and continuous contact with diverse people.</li>
<li>Are used to working in teams and want to make friends with people at work.</li>
<li>Have a can-do attitude about tasks at work and look for feedback about their performance regularly-even daily.</li>
<li>Want a variety of tasks and expect that they will accomplish every one of them.</li>
<li>Are positive, confident and ready to take on the world.</li>
<li>Seek leadership and even structure from their older and managerial co-workers, but they expect that you will draw out and respect their ideas.</li>
<li>Seek a challenge and do not want boredom in their work or their lives.</li>
<li>Are used to balancing many activities such as teams, friends and charitable activities.</li>
<li>Want flexibility in scheduling and a life away from work.</li>
<li>Need to see where their career is going and exactly what they need to do to get there.</li>
<li>Are waiting for their next challenge and will find it wherever it's at, even if it's at another company.</li>
<li>Are connected all over the world by e-mail, instant messages, text messages and the internet.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p align="center"><b><i>Have an employment question?</i></b></p>
<p align="center">Send it to <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p align="center">Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company identification will be kept confidential.</p>
<hr />
<p class="heading">Hitchhiking on the Information Highway</p>
<p><b>Dateline:</b> July 2009</p>
<p><i>(Note: Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be released.)</i></p>
<p class="section">Share the Wealth, Sure But...</p>
<p>In a recent poll among college students, 16% said that they thought Socialism was a better form of government than Capitalism. When students who preferred Socialism were interviewed they stated things like �Wealth is the United States goes to the privileged few while the masses of people are relegated to the leftovers. What's wrong with sharing the wealth?� they asked.</p>
<p>Not agreeing with this belief, a group of students at George Mason University decide to test that concept. The approached their classmates (who chose Socialism), with a petition calling for a new program to be initiated in the upcoming semester. This new program will be called �The GPA Redistribution Program�. The program, they said, will address the appalling situation that a small percentage of students were blessed with a grade point average (GPA) of almost 4.0 (out of 4.0), while so many more students were barely earning over a 2.0 GPA. Under the new GPA redistribution program, the university would deduct grade points from those higher graded students and redistribute them to the lower graded students. �It would make it so that all students would have an equal opportunity to go to grad school� they explained. Students with bad grades would therefore be entitled to points earned by straight A students.</p>
<p>Their classmates were flabbergasted. �Is this like a joke or something?� one guy responded. �I don't think that people who worked for their grades should have to suffer because someone else slacked off�. Many talked about how hard they worked for those grades, how many long evenings, weekends, breaks and vacations they invested, while they saw so many others students partying, drinking, drugging and skipping classes. �Why should I share the results of my hard work to give it to others who just don't work as hard as I do?� �Does it encourage them to work any harder? Does it encourage me to work any harder?� �Who does it encourage to do what?�</p>
<p>The question then given to them was �How can you believe in wealth distribution and not grade distribution? Aren't they both the results of your labor?� �Oh, money is different,� was the response. �Earning money isn't the same as earning grades.�</p>
<p>Sharing the wealth seems to be appealing to some; your wealth not theirs.</p>
<p class="quote">�The problem with Socialism<br />
is that you eventually run out of other people's money�<br />
- Margaret Thatcher</p>
<p class="section">No Overtime Allowed</p>
<p>Although many companies like their employees to work a lot of overtime, particularly in their busy season, very few companies want their employees to work overtime without specific permission. But is it better to go home before the job is done? A classic example of this problem occurred recently in New York when the Brooklyn Symphony was engaged to perform a very long (three hour) piece for $72,000. During the performance the symphony conductor informed the composer that the piece would likely run over three hours and the union orchestra would have to be paid overtime. �No way� said the composer, �We have agreed upon a fee�. So the conductor said he would have to �remove certain sections� to make it shorter or he would have to charge him for the overtime. So the composer acquiesced and agreed to have the piece shortened. However, the orchestra did not shorten it, instead they played the entire piece right up to precisely the three-hour point and stopped mid note leaving the remaining 15 minutes unplayed!</p>
<p>The result was a review so bad that the composer moved out of the city and sued the conductor asking for $250,000 in damages. Although the suit has not yet been resolved, the composer says he may drop the lawsuit if the orchestra agree to play the entire piece in its entirety at no further cost.</p>
<p class="quote">�People forget how fast you did a job -<br />
but they remember how well you did it�<br />
- Howard W, Newton</p>
<p class="section">The Dog Ate My Homework</p>
<p>That well known excuse for school kids has its counterpart in the grown up world. It's no longer about homework but the excuses we use for coming in to work late. John Reh, well known HR consultant and columnist advises that companies should set their tolerance for such excuses to fit the culture of their company. A company made up of predominantly creative or hi-tech employees will usually have less need for strict punctuality than a company that is in manufacturing or retail where they must assure that everyone is on board and on time. Reh says one of his employees came in two hours late recently with an excuse that he just bought a new car last night and the navigational system gave him the wrong directions to get to work. Reh's advice to the employee was that if he wanted to continue paying for that new car he'd better figure out that new system or shut it off and use the old directions.</p>
<p>A recent survey by careerbuilder.com on this subject showed that the number one excuse given is traffic (33%) followed by lack of sleep (24%), while 105 blamed the kids. Here's a list of some of the excuses used:</p>
<ul>
<li>My dog/snake/alligator was sick and I had to make sure he'd be ok.</li>
<li>My car's generator/alternator/brakes/funny spinny thing broke and I had to get it fixed.</li>
<li>I ate my wife's breakfast and I had to stay and make one for her.</li>
<li>I drove to my old job by mistake.</li>
<li>I just found out I was pregnant and I had to wait for my mom to wake up to tell her.</li>
<li>I didn't think you'd notice when I came in.</li>
</ul>
<p class="quote">�It isn't the size of the dog in the fight,<br />
but the size of the fight in the dog that counts�<br />
- Woody Hayes</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: center"><sub>� William J. Cook</sub></p>
</div>
<div id="sidebar">
<span class="section">Labor Stats</span>
<hr />
<b>Federal Minimum Wage</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<b>$6.55</b>/hour<br />
Increases to <b>$7.25</b>/hour on <b>July 24, 2009</b>
</p>
<hr />
<b>Average Income</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<u>Hourly</u><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>June 2008</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$18.04</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>June 2009</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$18.53</b></span><br />
</p>
<p align="center">
<u>Weekly</u><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>June 2008</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$606.14</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>June 2009</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$611.49</b></span><br />
</p>
<hr />
<b>Federal Povery Level</b>
<hr />
<p>
<span style="float: left"><i>one person</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$10,830</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>family of four</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>$22,050</b></span><br />
</p>
<hr />
<b>IRS Mileage Allowance</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
As of <b>January 1, 2009</b><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>business</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>55</b> cents/mile</span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>medical or moving</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>24</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>charitable</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>14</b></span><br />
</p>
<hr />
<b>Postage</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<span style="float: left"><i>1 oz</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>44</b> cents</span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>postcard</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>28</b></span><br />
</p>
<hr />
<b>Population</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<span style="float: left"><i>world</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>6.8 billion</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>U.S.</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>306.9 million</b></span><br />
<i>one birth every </i><b>7</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one death every </i><b>13</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
<i>one new immigrant every </i><b>35</b><i> seconds;</i><br />
net gain: <i>one person every </i><b>11</b><i> seconds.</i>
</p>
<hr />
<b>U.S. Civilian Workforce</b>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<u>June 2008</u><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Total</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>154,214,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Employed</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>141,748,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Unemployed</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>12,467,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Want A Job</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>5,645,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Unemployment Rate</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>8.1%</b></span><br />
</p>
<p align="center">
<u>June 2009</u><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Total</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>154,926,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Employed</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>140,196,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Unemployed</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>14,729,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Want A Job</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>5,884,000</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Unemployment Rate</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>9.5%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>Absentee Rate</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>3.1%</b> (2.2% sick, 0.9% other), 4.1% women, 2.3% men</b></span><br />
</p>
<br /><hr />
<b>U.S. Workforce Productivity</b><br />
<sub><i>(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours it took to produce it)</i></sub>
<hr />
<p align="center">
<span style="float: left"><i>1992</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>3.7%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1993</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>0.5%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1994</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>1.3%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1995</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>0.9%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1996</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.5%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1997</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.0%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1998</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.6%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>1999</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.4%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2000</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.9%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2001</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>1.1%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2002</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>4.7%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2003</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>4.5%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2004</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>4.0%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2005</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.6%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2006</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>3.0%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2007</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>1.9%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2008</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>2.8%</b></span><br />
<span style="float: left"><i>2009 1st quarter</i></span>
<span style="float: right"><b>+1.6%</b> (revised)</span><br />
</p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>