Workforce Development - A Good Investment?

Are we overdue for basic financial literacy re-education?

2009-11-07T07:18:00-05:00

Have you noticed that we're up to our necks in "targeted" continuing education for every business and professional topic imaginable? (and that is a good thing!)

We're showing signs of using more of our "mind muscle" and keeping it working. Unfortunately, I fear it is in many cases providing education on a shaky foundation.

One doesn't have to look very far these days to uncover individuals and families under incredible financial stress. Just hang around the water cooler at work, or the sidelines at soccer practice and you'll hear all of the familiar woes.

As I travel around the country, across the state, and at neighborhood gatherings, I hear it too, and am increasingly concerned that WAY too many adults are lacking in what I'll call "basic financial literacy" understandings, and I'm sure if you think about it, you have seen it too.

For example, when was the last time you were part of a conversation that showed a intelligent, well balanced working understanding of:

taxation and other revenue sources at the federal state and local level.
the services provided by federal, state and local government agencies and how funding is provided.
the basic factors of production such as land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurial skills and their impact on economic activities.
how scarcity influences producers and consumers to make choices.
tradeoffs and opportunity costs of economic choices.
the impact on economic activities of specialization, division of labor, consumption and production increases.
the impact of investment on human, capital, productive, and natural resources.
how the free enterprise system encourages private ownership of property and promote individual initiative.
the investment decisions made by individuals, businesses, and the government.
the role of money in trading, borrowing, and investing.
the impact of the movement of human and capital resources on the United States economy.
how current events impact decisions made by consumers, producers, and government policy makers.
the short- and long-term effects of fiscal and monetary policy on the United States economy. (or for that matter, whether an individual can articulate what fiscal and monetary policy is)
the influence of environmental factors, economic conditions, and policy decisions on individual economic activities.
Evaluate the importance of supporting, nurturing, and educating oneself in the United States society.

I'm not talking about people speaking about basic economic matters in a general sense, but the ability to of individuals to hold an intelligent discussion, with valid perspectives, relevant statistics and examples. And above all, develop rational conclusions about how to move ahead in these troubling and uncertain times.

I'll bet it's only a small number of people.

When people become complacent in these understandings, and settle for "pre-digested" conclusions of others (pick the program or media outlet of your choice), we step; away from the kind of vigorous discourse that our country was founded upon. I have challenged several people on this, and often hear "it's just more than I

Here's my point. If we don't have the kind of "basic financial awareness" education that one used to receive in Social Studies class, we risk the societal consequences of the short-sighted strategies that have left so many people in loan defaults, or embroiled in situations where poor financial choices have left people jobless, homeless, or overextended.Perhaps what we should be doing, is helping create more financially literate communities.

After all, lacking these basic understandings, how can we make better, more correct decisions, at work, at the polling place, or in our homes?

Are we overlooking talent and beauty?

2009-11-05T07:12:57-05:00

It was Washington, at a DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin
played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made... How many other things are we missing?

This story was provided to me by Patti Cash a lady that is a member of the "in-Between Jobs" support group that I facilitate. Patti reminds us that we overlook true and significant talent every day, whether in our workplaces, or in the growing pool of unemployed professionals.

I also see increasing arrogance on the part of employers, and hiring managers who state openly "these people are lucky to have a job", or "I know they are desperate for a job, so they'll take what I offer them"

Note to hiring managers : Be very careful about the attitudes that your organization sends out:

The tight networks of jobseekers (including the 54% that is actively looking for their next job), are talking about every employer and the attitudes that your organization is sending out. As the economy improves, whether you realize it or not, your organization may have made the top 10 list "Worst Places to Work" by virtue of the attitudes you broadcast today.

Which segments of the economy will come back first?

2009-11-01T22:04:05-05:00

If you dig into published statistics you discover that here 15 million people are out of work and joblessness is at the highest level in a generation.

According to the White House web site, recovery.gov, stimulus contracts awarded by federal agencies accounted for only 30,383 new jobs over the last eight months.

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed last February amid claims by the White House that it would “create or save” 3.5 million jobs over two years. Since its passage, 3.4 million jobs have been wiped out and apologists for the administration have been reduced to arguing that the situation would have been even worse without the stimulus package.

Now the big question is, which segments of the economy will come back first?

With the unprecedented "domino effect" that has occurred, federal and state agencies are looking at strategies that will begin to jump start the economy. But it seems that with interest rates near zero, that banks are still hoarding capital, and until investment funds become available, new growth may be hard to predict.

Further, questions remain as to "what happens when the stimulus funding is gone" and agencies that have not balanced their budgets by then may be forced to cut even more positions.

How can we invest in training the workforce of the future, if we don't yet have a handle on what this workforce will look like?

Are we Accounting for the "Right Stuff" When We Measure Training Accountability?

2009-10-28T06:36:39-04:00

I was reading an article this week on Shaun Hopkins Seminars site that caught my attention.

The article, "How to Create Accountability for Training" presented a streamlined 6-step approach to improve accountability in this important area.

The author argues that the “closed-loop” process he presents is used by world-class organizations to ensure that employees are prepared to learn and then use what they were taught.

What Interested me is how this “closed-loop” process still seems to be measuring the "post-training event" activities rather than the impact of training on the organization.

If this seems like a "new" take on the traditional training evaluation spin, consider this: At the Mid New Jersey Chapter of the ASTD, Training Directors were reminded:

“Training directors might be well advised to take the initiative and evaluate their
programs before the day of reckoning arrives”

Has the day of reckoning arrived, you might ask? Is it imminent?

Depends on your definition of imminent... This statement originally surfaced in "Techniques for Evaluating Training Programs", by Don Kirkpatrick that appeared in the ASTD Journal in (November, 1959)

So what should we be measuring? The activities related to training, or the results related to those activities? It seems so intuitive, yet one must ask why it has taken 50 years, and we still don't appear to have gotten people's attention...

Overcoming the 10 Common Mistakes that People Make on LinkedIn

2009-10-13T09:43:00-04:00

LinkedIn is a wonderful tool, that if used intelligently can be effective in selling yourself to prospects and potential customers, clients and employers. Unfortunately, a lot of people make a lot of mistakes and don't fully utilize LinkedIn to its full potential.

Few training directors currently provide training or guidance on how these social networking tools can be used, and several companies still struggle with IF these tools should be part of their communications strategy.

I recently received some information from Christine Pilch who runs GrowMyCo.com with some great tips to help people do a better job of reflecting themselves on LinkedIn.

Here are the top 10 mistakes that she sees people make:

Unprofessional photo. LinkedIn is not Facebook. This is not a place where you should have on a baseball cap or be dressed inappropriately for your position. You should be represented exactly as people see you in your day-to-day work environment. If you're a police officer, you should be in uniform, and a banker better be in a suit and tie.
Not using a custom URL. You can change your URL where it says Public Profile/edit. Use your name, because this is a public link that you can use in marketing materials. Do this now before somebody else takes it.
Incomplete employment history. Your employment history is a powerful tool for people to find you. It is common for people to search employees of companies they worked for in the past to reconnect with old friends and associates. If you're not there, you can't be found as easily.
Not listing your specific URLs. Don't be satisfied with the default, "My Company," or "My Blog." By simply dropping down to "Other," you can customize these links to read your company's name. IE, "Grow My Company."
Using your company email address as your contact email. Unless you own the company, you should use a personal email address. If you ever leave the company, and no longer have access to that email address, you will lose everything that you've built on LinkedIn.
Not adding your LinkedIn profile address to your email signature. You've done all this work, flaunt it. Let everybody you email have easy access to the most complete info they could possibly find about you.
No recommendations. This makes people wonder why nobody has recommended you. Let friends, co-workers, clients, and employers sing your praises. These recommendations are extremely valuable insight for anyone considering hiring you for any reason.
Incomplete educational information. Like former employment, this is a strategy to be found. People search for people they went to school with. It's an instant bond and common ground.
Neglecting your connections. A critical key to your network is a robust and diverse list of connections. LinkedIn is built around establishing connections, so you are of little value to the LinkedIn community as a whole if you don't actively and consistently mine connections. This is not something that just happens. They won't come just because you built it. Work it, work it!
Not monitoring the answers component. Answering and asking intelligent questions provides an opportunity of you to raise awareness of yourself.

There are many things that can set you apart on LinkedIn. These are just a few of the more glaring mistakes that she has noticed on a regular basis.

Ask youself: "Am I (and others in my organization) doing what we could to increase the personal and organizations' "brand" by the improved used of social networking tools like LinkedIn?

Why most job seekers' skills don't match the available openings' needs

2009-10-06T07:48:54-04:00

The Associated Press published a recent article that tells a sobering tale:

"Even with 15 million people hunting for work, even with the unemployment rate nearing 10 percent, some employers can't find enough qualified people for good-paying career jobs."

The article "Most job seekers' skills don't match the available openings' needs" appeared in the St. Petersburg Times.

Economists cited in the article say the main problem is a mismatch between available work and people qualified to do it. Millions of jobs with attractive pay and benefits that once drew legions of workers to the auto industry, construction, Wall Street and other sectors are gone, probably for good. And those who lost those jobs generally lack the right experience for new positions popping up in health care, energy and engineering.

Problem is, that in these dire economic times, recruiters have less time than ever and several I have spke3n with claim to see several hundred to several thousands of resumes for each new job posting.

So what is the answer?

Clearly, resume scanning software is not the answer, as these do not ensure that a candidate can actually do the job. And increasingly jobseekers have figured out that matching their resume point for point to the job requirements can get their resume noticed. And hoping that the "tell me how you did such and such" question doesn't come up in the hoped for interview.

Perhaps it's time to revisit competency assessments. These powerful tools can be another way to determine if candidates being interviewed have the depth employers are seeking.

Separating the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

Question is, how many organizations, looking to cut costs, are far-sighted enough to see this approach as a viable alternative?

Could "work-sharing" become an integral part of Tomorrow's Workforce model?

2009-09-27T06:46:52-04:00

As companies struggle to make it from recession to recovery, many are turning to a novel but unheralded program that cuts their costs while sparing their workers’ jobs.

Under the program, known as work-sharing, employers reduce their workers’ weekly hours and pay, often by 20 or 40 percent, and then states make up some of the lost wages, usually half, from their unemployment funds.

Work sharing, sometimes also known as short-time compensation, has long been used in Europe. California established a work sharing program in 1978. A temporary national program began in 1982, followed by permanent changes to federal laws in 1992 that allow work sharing, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy, a nonprofit organization.

American workers, on average, have less job security than European workers. When faced with a need to reduce their workforce, U.S. companies typically resort to layoffs much more than do their European counterparts. European companies rely more on alternatives to layoff, including work sharing and attrition.

Many Americans believe that layoffs, and weak job security, are the price that must be paid for a healthy economy. Many also believe that strong job security in Europe reduces labor market flexibility, thereby obstructing change and inhibiting growth.

But in Europe many countries have avoided having to resort to stimulus efforts, because they have effective "work sharing" programs in place.

Even though 17 states have adopted the program, and many executives and economists hail it as a way to keep workers employed and companies staffed with skilled labor, only a fraction of the businesses and workers that are actually eligible are benefiting. That is largely because of inertia and ignorance, government officials say. Many companies are unaware of the program’s existence, and few states advertise it — even though the program is credited with saving hundreds of thousands of jobs in Germany, whose work-sharing program has inspired other nations.

With unemployment in the United States above 9 percent and climbing, pressure is growing on the states that have work-sharing to increase the number of companies and workers that participate, and on the 33 states that don’t have work-sharing to embrace the program.

The question is - will the U.S. be able to muster it's collective will (and wise use of investment in the labor pool) and create this "safety net" for it's skilled workers so that we can protect the remainins skilled workers that today are fearful of losing their jobs completely?

When Minorities are Silent, You May Need to Be Concerned

2009-09-21T10:21:02-04:00

Power is the ability or official capacity to act or perform effectively or the ability to get others to do what one wants them to do. (according to Webster). There are two Types of Power; Formal Power- A function of position, rank or status, and Informal or Personal Power- Chiefly this a function of ability, personality or association.

Power can be abused, as we know.

Take ethnic insensitivity. Its been around for centuries. Sometimes we refer to what we see as Prejudice (a negative attitude or feeling toward certain groups based on faulty, inflexible generalizations. Any preconceived opinion or feeling, favorable or unfavorable toward certain groups could be considered prejudicial.

Discrimination however goes beyond prejudice when people use power to convert prejudice into action. You can easily think of actions/practices by members of various dominant groups which have had a harmful impact on members of subordinate groups.

Often it begins with our creating ethnic stereotypes.

Ethnic stereotypes aren’t just emotionally hurtful. If they’re deeply ingrained, as many are, they can actually prevent the recipients from advancing in the workplace.

Consider Asians — and here we speak generally of the roughly 20 countries that make up Asia — who are often thought too quiet and meek for leadership positions. Deserving candidates may be consistently overlooked for their more vocally daring counterparts, while that perceived silence is actually a demonstration of respect for hierarchy and leadership.

This is discussed at length in a recent article I read in Diversity Executive, entitled "All Asians are Not Quiet" that discusses this matter in depth. In that article, Anna Mok, a partner at Deloitte; founding president of the Northern California chapter of Ascend; and current chairman and national vice president for the national board of Ascend, a membership organization focused on advancement of Asians in the workplace, said these stereotypes — being less vocal, less assertive, more technically skilled or very smart — can prove challenging and even make some Asians more critical of themselves as they attempt to adapt unique communication or management styles to a given situation.

Cultural Diversity is with us to stay - and that's a very good thing. We in the workforce however need to recalibrate how we approach diverse workers so that we can fully integrate their gifts, talents and perspectives into our daily workflow.

New Clarus Poll: 88 Percent of American Workers Are Happy With Their Jobs

2009-09-12T11:07:45-04:00

How a few years can change employee satisfaction ratings.

A new nationwide poll finds that 88 percent of American workers are happy with their jobs. The survey, conducted by Clarus Research Group, found that only 6 percent of workers are unhappy with their current employment. Another 6 percent said they are neither happy nor unhappy.

"In these tough times of high unemployment and uncertainty, many workers are happy that they have jobs," said Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group. "However, despite the nationwide results, there were important differences among population groups, especially based on age, race, education and region."

The study summary is available by clicking here

New insight on how Gen-Y works

2009-09-06T08:38:26-04:00

I'd like you to reflect on Gen-Y who seem to think and work quite differently than the generations that precedes them. And the concensus opinion seems to be that Gen Ys are wired differently from the rest of us.

Generation Y is the fastest growing segment of the workforce, growing from 14 percent to 21 percent over the past few years. Gen Y is young, independent, wired differently than any other generation and supervising folks old enough to be their parents or grandparents.

Generation Y is changing the face of the business world as we know it.

Employers are beginning to recognize the value of Gen Yers and are examining new ways to recruit younger workers. Joe Hammill, director of talent acquisition for Xerox says, "Gen Y is very important. Xerox and other Fortune-type companies view this emerging workforce as the future of our organization."

What sets Gen Y apart?

Generation Y is more diverse than any generation before it. One in three is not Caucasian, one in four lives in a single-parent household and three in four have working mothers (OnPoint Marketing and Promotions). And Gen Yers are exposed to more foreign media by the age of 10 than most baby boomers see in their lifetimes.

Above all else, Gen Y also grew up with a massive amount of technology right at their fingertips. Youngsters these days are performing Google searches before they are potty trained. To Generation Y, the internet isn't new, home computers always were, and the Jetsons lifestyle doesn't seem too far in the future. But the major player in Gen Y's technological boost to career stardom may surprise you: video games.

Boston.com conducted a nationwide survey of about 2,500 business professionals with a goal of distinguishing between those who grew up playing video games and those who did not. According to Boston.com, professionals who grew up playing video games make better business people. They are more serious about achievement; more attached to the company they work for and the people they work with; more flexible, persistent problem-solvers; and are more willing to take only the risks that make sense.

Different? Yes! The challenge to organizations is to quickly figure out how to capture their talent and keep them challenged. Those that do, will likely find themselves with a cadre of "game changers" that will have a significant positive effect on their future. Keeping them challenged is the key. success at finding the right people and keeping them challenged and motivated has always been important, but with this diverse, motivated and capable generation, that has never been "in the box", providing them with "outside the box" challenges may be the key to retention and loyalty.

Research suggests that Multitaskers are less competent

2009-08-31T08:00:00-04:00

Last week, researchers at Stanford University published a study showing that the most persistent multitaskers perform badly in a variety of tasks. They don’t focus as well as non-multitaskers. They’re more distractible. They’re weaker at shifting from one task to another and at organizing information. They are, as a matter of fact, worse at multitasking than people who don’t ordinarily multitask.

A team of researchers, whose findings are published in the Aug. 24 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, were trying to find out what unusual cognitive gifts multitaskers possessed that made them so successful at multitasking. They’re still looking.

“Multitaskers were just lousy at everything,” said Clifford I. Nass, a professor of communication at Stanford and one of the study’s investigators. “It was a complete and total shock to me.”

Eyal Ophir, the study’s lead investigator and a researcher at Stanford’s Communication Between Humans and Interactive Media Lab, said: “We kept looking for multitaskers’ advantages in this study. But we kept finding only disadvantages. We thought multitaskers were very much in control of information. It turns out, they were just getting it all confused.”

Is it time to rethink employee intimacy?

2009-08-24T07:29:00-04:00

From time to time, I like to pop over to WISEFAQ where they have a very keen sense about corporate culture in today's zany workforce.

One of the "classics" from these folks was an article entitled "Out of Office message: Employee 23279 has left the building" that highlights how increasingly, people feel that they are being reduced to employee numbers. Numbers, as we know, are easily changed, or deleted altogether, especially when the numbers are considered unfavorable.

Here's a challenge to employers...

Do you believe that people are basically good? If they are good, what are we doing to acknowledge them as humans?
Do you recognize and respect everyone as a unique individual? People constantly tell me stories about how they don't see much respect at all from upper management. From customers to lowly employees, where is the evidence of respect?
Do you believe that everyone on your payroll has something to contribute - Sure you say you do, but all those contributions often seem to mean nothing at all to management. Can your employees contribute advice that is actually acted upon? It unfortunately often gets trashed.

When people perceive they are little more than a "unit of production" they don't feel valued, nor do they feel secure in their position. So when the numbers leave the building, is is any surprise that these numbers take with them the relationships, experience and ability? Hoping perhaps that some other future employer might place more value on these assets. Likely, those people will seek smaller firms that will recognize this, and relate to them as names and people, rather than numbers.

Considering that the backbone of our econimy is the small business sector, this represents a talent windfall.

It helps to have "fire insurance", but if you don't...

2009-08-17T15:44:59-04:00

Clearly, no one wants to consider the loss of their job. And I preach the merits of being in a mode of life-long learning and transformation, which is one of the best insurance policies you can have against getting fired. But as we all know, having an insurance policy doesn't mean that a fire will not occur.

In today's turbulent and uncertain economy, fires happen without warning. And so in the spirit of assisting those still working, here are some things to be cognizant of, should you be one of the ones that comes in to work, only to find a "pink slip"

Jobseekers are usually quite unprepared for this event, and at a loss as to how to even begin to begin to develop a new job search strategy.

I reached out to a colleague, Larry Labelle, owner of Training Tamer, who is an expert at helping jobseekers get back on their feet. He suggests that jobseekers need to quickly become aware of their "new landscape" which is quite a bit different than the environment which they last inhabited.

By "new landscape", new jobseekers need to assess:

How many jobs are

currently open in your field (use www.indeed.com to check) in this area?
How many people are you competing against you for those jobs (perhaps use Bureau of Labor Statistics)?
What are you doing that sets you apart from the crowd?

Jobseekers, unfamiliar with the new jobsearch tools and strategies that are needed to find work in this strange new world may also find that methods that seemed to work in years past, produce few if any results today. They need to determine:

Are you trying new approaches/methods to Win, especially ones you fear or have a tendency to avoid?
If what you've been doing isn't working, what are the potential consequences? For example, could your job search go unfilled for much longer than you wanted/anticipated causing you to run out of unemployment/savings, chew up your retirement funds, lose your home, etc.

How do these fears/consequences compare to those you have of doing more high payoff job search activities? This includes thinks like networking, targeting your top 20 companies, and creating powerful tools (e.g. graphical cover letter or strategic business value slide show).

For the new jobseeker, they will need in many cases, to learn a very new and different set of skills than that which they used previously while employed – and they need to master these skills quickly. If you do not have personal finance, marketing, writing, time management, interpersonal or computer skills, you need to obtain these skills. You are now in the business of selling “ME Inc.” and you’ll need to start and operate this venture as aggressively and productively as possible.

Don’t consider yourself an entrepreneur? Lose your job, and you’ll become one, and your personal initiative, drive, attention to detail and creativity will be new essential “core competencies”.

Could these activities help you Win a Job Faster and Prevent your Worst Fears from Ever Happening?

Clearly, the Choice Is Yours!

How to get beyond "Let's do Lunch"....

2009-08-06T05:35:00-04:00

Getting ahead in an organization can be tough. The disconnect between what people say and what they do is often quite a bit apart from each other. How often do you get, "Great idea, I'll give you a call and we can discuss it further", or the classic "Let's do lunch" suggestion.

Follow through is critical to success, since so many people don’t do it. We live in a world of “Let’s do lunch” people. They say (or text) the words, but never mean to take any action.

In todays text, instant message and email based world, changing plans and cancelling committments is quick, easy and painless. In a culture that values efficiency, it's easy to treat the extra effort of face-to-face human interactions like a time-waster. Personal commitments in our society are often the first thing to fall off the "to-do" list.

Let me give you an example of this. I just pinged an EVP at a local firm (whose company is in the midst of being acquired), to introduce a fellow I know from the job search support group I facilitate, who I feel is a very good fit for a position in his department. I'm not looking for a fee, just trying to help out a guy who is in-between jobs.

Two things were not surprising: the quick speed of the response, and his suggestion - something which he can’t seem to be able to get around to calendaring - to “let’s do lunch.”) Now comes the hard part - follow through.

Ask any good golfer. Follow through is very important. Many golfers fail to give importance to golf swing follow through because their reasoning is that there is little one can do to influence the ball once it leaves the head of the club. They fail to realize that it is the preparation to get a good golf swing follow through that really matters. Follow through is in fact a very important aspect of golf swing and if you prepare for it well, you can be sure that you will hit the ball in just the right way for it to go where you want to.

Here's where the "Let's do lunch" proposal often falls apart. Many times it becomes a "soft" commitment, that frequently gets rescheduled or cancelled. Here's where the "rubber meets the road" and where many people fall into the abysmal swamp of non-commitment.

Here's how to get beyond "Let's do Lunch" and cause more of these appointments to actually happen:

Push for firm dates and times - don't let "indefinite" commitments happen
Conform that this is important for the other party, and understand WHY
Use a post-agrement "trial close" to make sure (one last time) that this will actually happen ("can I contact you in a week to confirm that nothing has come up that might cause us NOT to meet?)

These small but important steps go a long way in differentiating you from the ranks of the "amateurs" that treat personal and business commitments casually.

So actually doing what you say you’re going to do differentiates you from the 80% of the folks who never do follow-up.

Why the "Green Collar" jobs are likely here to stay

2009-08-04T05:16:00-04:00

The American Solar Energy Society reports that by 2030 one in four workers will be wearing green collars at work. The report estimates the creation of up to 40 million green collar jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. Sounds promising, but is it real?

There is still some confusion though about what constitutes a "green collar" job and whether these jobs will survive the current eco-focused political climate.

Van Jones, author of the book "Green Collar Economy" says that most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education than high school, but less than a four year degree. These jobs are within reach for lower-skilled and low-income workers, as long as they have access to effective training programs. These jobs are the first step on a pathway to economic self-sufficiency.

He positions "Green collar" installer jobs as the 2.0 version of old-fashioned blue-collar jobs, upgraded to respect the Earth and meet the environmental challenges of today. Green collar jobs are not high-tech and futuristic. The emerging green economy is not about George Jetson with a jet pack, but rather Joe Sixpack, with a hardhat and a lunch bucket, ready to install solar panels in every home in his neighborhood. The most important piece of technology in the green economy, according to Jones will be a caulk gun.

Remembering that of the Green Jobs, which cut across many domains, that the Green Collar jobs that he speaks of are specifically referencing the people who install and service these new energy efficient upgrades for homes and businesses. There are lots of other "Green" jobs that are included in the American Solar Energy count that do require different skills.

But remember, that the Green Jobs Act is intending to increase the number of the "Green Collar" installation and service jobs that of necessity, require manual labor, and can't be outsourced, from a practical sense.

Will these jobs be around for a while? Consider this: This type of work is difficult if not impossible to outsource. You can’t pick up a house, ship it to China to have solar panels installed, and then have it shipped back.

Unfortunately, there is not, as one might expect, a generally accepted definition of what a "green job" is. Jones comments: "Well, we still don’t have a unified definition, and that’s not unusual in a democracy. It takes a while for all the states and the federal government to come to some agreement. But the Department of Labor is working on it very diligently. Fundamentally, it’s getting there, but we haven’t crossed the finish line yet."

Now I'd like you to consider that Van Jones also is a noted pioneer in this area, having worked successfully with Congress to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. You'd think that he might be somewhat of an authority in this area, maybe someone that policymakers might want to have deeply involved in this important effort? Maybe he is a voice we should be listening to, and possibly get this movement going a bit quicker?

I guess only time will tell....

How to grasp the value of intelligence today

2009-08-02T02:31:00-04:00

As a professional educator/trainer/mentor, I have long held the position that

"If you think education and training are expensive, consider the cost of ignorance"

Unfortunately, not enough people hold this principle to be true. And today, you'll see plenty of HR/Training people in the unemployment centers, collecting benefits.

Perhaps if we understood the foundations of our society, this would make more sense. So here goes:

Back in the beginning (a period I'll call BC or "before computers") up to about 1850, people lived in what was an agrarian society, one that was based on agriculture as its prime means for support and sustenance. This form of society acknowledges other means of livelihood and work habits but stresses on agriculture and farming, and was at the time the main form of socio-economic organization for most of recorded human history.

the view of people was on the past
the strategic resource at the time was Land, and
the "transforming resource" to create value was physical labor

But the Industrial Revolution heralded a new era, beginning in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transportation had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in Britain, then spreading throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world. The onset of the Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in human society; almost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced in some way.

the view of people was on the present
the strategic resource at the time was Capital, and
the "transforming resource" to create value was processed energy

Beginning in the 1960's accompanying advances in computer and communications technology we saw the dawn of a new era, the Information Age. This era is characterized by the ability of individuals to.. transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously.

the view of people is on the future
the strategic resource at the time was Information, and
the "transforming resource" to create value was intelligence

As with previous new era's come the difficulty transforming old skills into contemporary ones. Today, as we seek new ways to effectively manage information and create intelligence, there is need for a struc ture to help us do so.

Enter "The Skills Framework for the Information Age" (SFIA, pronounced like the name Sophia), a evolving model for describing and managing competencies for information professionals for the 21st century.

Its purpose is to help match the skills of the workforce to the needs of organizations. It maps out the range of skills as a two-dimensional table, tagging each skill with a category and responsibility level.

For example, categories are divided into six main areas: Strategy and planning; Business change; Development; Service provision; Procurement and management support; and Ancillary skills. Each of these is then further divided into sub-categories, mapping out 78 separately identifiable skills. Each of these skills has a general description.

Thus, the path to intelligence, by optimizing information "systems" will necessitate identifying new skills, and developing people to master these skills, for us to continue to grow and develop as an information economy.

But, there is another element that we must bear in mind. The people who will enable the future of this promising era. It is whose who have grown up in it and can fully appreciate how information can be used to its greatest strategic value.

Here's where there is a bit of generational "friction". The traditionalists, who were born (1900-1945) and for the most part are now retired, had the attitide “I learned it the hard way; you can too!” which valued hard work at the individual level over working smarter. Training was something that you learned "on thge job".

The Baby Boomers management looked at training differently, “Train ‘em too much and they’ll leave”. Guess what? If you don't train em, they'll leave...

Generation Xers leaders generally "get it" with their “The more they learn, the more they stay” point of view, but the generation that really understands the value of learning are the Milennials who see

“Continuous learning as a way of life”

I personally feel that the Millenials are the generation that truly appreciate the value of information and will be tomorrows leaders that will lead us, through advancing use of technology in education, empowering us us to realize the "intelligence" we are capable of

Why workplace healthcare coverage is so important

2009-07-31T02:14:00-04:00

In a story that appeared in the April 2009 Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, entitled "Most Employers Underestimate Full Costs of Employee Health on Productivity" the authors point out that:

Just 60% of businesses offered health insurance in 2007, compared to 69% in 2000
Health insurance premiums increased at a rate nearly double that of workers’ earnings in 2007 (which compares a 6.1% increase in healthcare premiums to a 3.7% increase in earnings during that period)

Understandably, many cost-conscious employers, trying to remain profitable, believe that this is a way of targeting a large expense and minimizing it as a way to help the organizations' financial viability. Unfortunately, as the report cites, research shows that there was $48 Billion of economic revenue lost due to sick days, resulting from diminshed health care.

When you look at cause and effect, it's not much of an economic benefit to employers to scrimp on this important benefit, is it?

How attitudes about Changing Jobs vary, and why people feel changing jobs is needed

2009-07-29T11:54:00-04:00

Among my otheractivities, I am involved in facilitating support groups for jobseekers. Other than the steadily increasing numbers that these groups attract, It ha been an educational experience for me, as well as a unique opportunity to observe the feelings and observations of people who have recently left the workplace.

These jobseekers have shared a very divergent view and attitides about changing jobs:

Traditionalists . . . . . . . . . “Job changing carries a stigma.”.
Baby Boomers . . . . . . . . “Job changing puts you behind.”
Gen-X’ers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Job changing is necessary.”
Millennials. . . . “Job changing is part of my daily routine.”

But like it or not, job changing is more and more a part of everyday life. What needs to be considered is our attitudes about how we perceive it - as something to be avoided at all costs, or a new opportunity gor growth and adventure.

Putting the stereotypical generational perspectives aside, it is useful to examine wy people feel so strongly about changing jobs. Workers attitudes are often formed by their collective experience of how they have been treated on the job. This represents a huge opportunities for employers who want to reduce attrition and retain the best and brightest. Leading companies, who are consistently able to attract and retain the best talent understand (and walk the talk) that it pays to treat workers right.

Consider that the S&P 500:have an average 25% growth, compared to the average Fortune’s "Great Places to Work" firms report 133% growth! I see where "smarter" employers understanding that having a positive workplace culture is an important part of retaining good workers as well as creating their "Employment Brand" to attract new high-quality talent.

This is the opposite end of the spectrum fro the employers that have a “Disposable Employee” mentality. These organizations treat their workers as a "commodity" and will continue to see high rates of turnover. Typically, I find in my research and consulting work that these are also the organizations that fail to monitor worker disengagement.

Why Do Employees Really Leave...

The "traditional" mindset says "“Turnover is acceptable and is a normal cost of doing business.” Compare this to the "Employer-of-Choice" mindset that looks at attrition differently: “Every avoidable turnover is a failure to be analyzed.”

When you fail to take steps to recognize the signs (or effects) of worker disengagement, you are setting up the foundation for the ultimate "I quit" event.. Most frequently, disengaged workers complain :

The job or workplace is not as expected
The Job doesn’t fit their talents & interests
Therte is little or no feedback and coaching
They feel no hope for career growth
They feel devalued and unrecognized
They feel overworked and stressed out
There is no trust or confidence in senior leaders

Or put more simply, they don't see the organization demonstrating or investing in creating a climate of trust, hope, worth or competence

No organization intentionally wants to be a place people want to escape from, or who people want to avoid going to work at. But by ignoring the "basics", that's what often happens.

The dIfference between Succession Plans and Replacement Plans

2009-07-27T11:27:00-04:00

When I talk to business managers, one of the things I ask is how they're managing the attrition in the workforce. Amazingly, the responses I get seem to blur the line between planning for succession, and planning for replacing lost talent.

So in the spirit of trying to clarify how these are different, I'd like to summarize each of these two, distinct kinds of plans:

Succession Plans
• Long-term: 12-36 months
• Focus on future leadership
• Develops leaders capable of filling multiple assignments

Replacement Plans
• Short term: 0-12 months
• Focus on immediate needs
• Develops back-up staff for key positions

Additionally, I need to clarify that when we speak of succession, we're not talking about ownership transition planning, which we'll cover in a seperate discussion, which is a whole different amimal.

Can it be true? Training has little effect on promotions and no effect on wage growth?

2009-07-25T08:38:17-04:00

The report entitled "Employer Effects on Intraorganizational Career Mobility: Is There a Role for Work Practices?" published by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, looking at the organizational impact of various work practices, developed some findings that you may find unexpected:

Work practices, in the context of this study, prsented at the 2007 LERA conference in Chicago by Rocio Bonet, of the University of Pennsylvania, are said to have various roles in wage growth and promotion according to employers studied:

Self-Managed: Positive on promotions and wage growth
Job Rotation: Positive on wage growth and no effect on promotions
Training: Mixed on promotions and no effect on wage growth
Job rotation implemented together with self-managed teams positive in wage growth and promotions.

The study looked at innovative work practices that have been adopted by

American Companies (e.g.: Teamwork, Problem-Solving Teams, Information Sharing, Job Rotation, New Training…).

The adoption of such practices are considered important elements in the transformation on American Workplace, ansd enable the greater degree of flexibility in work organization, broadening and enrichment of jobs as well as more authority and decision making power to lower level employees

What I found particularly fascinating was the element "Mixed on promotions and no effect on wage growth"

Makes one wonder if this is in fact accurate (and I'm not suggesting that this study tells the whole story), if career mobility within an organization positively impacted, why would employers want to invest in training?

Secrets of getting out of a mental "rut"

2009-07-23T07:03:00-04:00

An associate, Jared Matthew publishes an interesting series of articles on "UNCONVENTIONAL AND CREATIVE INSIGHTS MADE SIMPLE" that I read regularly. One of his recent pieces jumped off the page for me.

It was called "Increasing Your Odds" and reminded me of Albert Einstein's comment: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”

Yet, don't we frequently see ourselves and others "stuck in a rut" and unable (or simply unwilling) to change our approach to things, despite a yearning desire to acheive a different outcome?

Jared shares when he was being represented by an agency for acting/modelling, and had about a 1 in 30 chance to "book" something. His agency had a 30 in 1 chance someone was going to book it.

He asks us to consider: "Which would you prefer, and how can you improve your business and personal life so that the odds are in your favor?" And goes on to suggest...

Don't control things you can't control.
Control the things you CAN control.
If you can't turn the odds in your favor, come up with ways that INCREASE your odds by;

Trying multiple things, until you get the results you want. But let me caution you, if you are NOT getting the result you want, don't keep trying the same thing or blame "the economy." Remember, "the economy" doesn't pay your bills, YOU DO! So keep changing UNTIL you get the results you want.
Find the people that love what you do or who you are, and get them to tell others how great you are. Hint: if you are spreading the word more than other people, you aren't doing something right. Besides, which increases your odds, meeting someone who "heard" great things about you, or you yourself telling someone how great you are?
If people like something you have, create and have extensions around it. Meaning, if you have a book; create and sell and audio book version, dvd version, behind the scenes version, newer version, special edition version, eatable version, cartoon version. Hint: This is the reason why there are so many movie sequels and products around it. Why? The odds are, that if the first movie created an insane amount of money, so would the second, third, fourth and fifth ones. Furthermore, if you already proved your success with one thing, you don't have to spend a tremendous amount of money trying to convince people to buy what you have on the things that follow it. Why? You already proved it's success, by it already being successful.

A school that builds a new generation of welders every three weeks

2009-07-21T05:53:00-04:00

It's always fun to discuss a success story, especially in light of all of the negative news we have become accustomed to hearing.

Today, most welders who lift up their helmet will reveal a seasoned face with wrinkles and graying hair. According to the American Welding Society, Miami, the average welder is in his or her mid-50s, and as this generation retires, the industry could be facing a welder shortage as great as 200,000 by 2010.

Welders are needed in manufacturing for industries such as transportation equipment; industrial machinery; and fabricated metal products; as welding machine operators for fabricated metal products, machinery, and motor vehicles; and in repair shops and personnel supply agencies.

"Somewhere along the way in our country, people decided that working hard and getting dirty is bad," says Dawn Bravo, co-owner of the Tulsa Welding School, an institution focused on filling our nation's welder shortage with a new generation of passionate, talented welders.

It's the school's mission to prove that hands-on professions such as welding can be as fulfilling and economically stable as any white-collar job, and it does this through recruiting, a comprehensive curriculum, maximized hands-on training, and a heavy focus on job preparation and placement for graduates. The school realizes that today's job market is radically different than the market of 5 years ago and preparing graduates needs to prepare them for the market we see today, and equip them with the job search skills that work NOW.

The school, founded in 1949 considered today the largest accredited welding school in the nation, provides strudents more than 750 hours of welding experience over the course of the seven-month curriculum, graduating a new generation of welders every three weeks.

In 2008, the Union scale for a union pipe welder in the southeast metro area was around $28 an hour. Yet many American youth are simply not interested in these positions. Is it because the Welding trade suffers from a negative image and at some point in time in our culture, it became more appealing to sit in a Dilbert cube under buzzing fluorescent lights, than to work with your hands actually making something? Or is it a matter of education to tell people that skilled journeymen welders with a bit over overtime can expect stable emplyment, income approaching (or exceeding) 6 figures, and a skill that cannot easily be shipped off to Mumbai?

Or is it a better choice to spend week after week at the local job service office wondering when the local banks and insurance companies are going to start hiring network engineers again?

Is this the perfect time to reverse the nations dropout crisis?

2009-07-19T10:45:00-04:00

The federal government has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stimulate significant progress in solving the nation’s graduation crisis, according to a new report “Graduating America::Meeting the Challenge of Low Graduation-Rate High Schools”, produced by Jobs for the Future and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University.

“We cannot afford to let the dropout crisis continue – not for our students, our economy, or our future,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “It is abundantly clear that ending the dropout crisis in this country is key to creating a lasting economic recovery, improving our competitiveness, and most importantly, changing the future for thousands of students who drop out of school every single day.”

While high schools with low graduation rates exist in every state and many communities across the country, they are concentrated in a subset of 17 states that produce approximately 70 percent of the nation’s dropouts. Data from these states are used to develop new analytic tools for examining the characteristics of schools, districts, and states that make certain approaches more likely to succeed in certain places.

The 17 states identified in this report are: Alabama, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The full report can be accessed bly clicking here

Do "Lunch and Learn" programs really give you better trained employees?

2009-07-17T04:14:00-04:00

"Lunch and Learns" have been around for a long time, and still appear to be a popular tool used to help employees grow. The whole idea behing "Lunch and Learn" is that there never seems to be enough time during the day to get everything done. And since you usually can't spare people to go to scheduled training because there is so much work to be done, but recognize that you also can't neglect their training and development, so "Lunch and Learn" becomes another strategy to get more training done by making the lunch hour a "multi-tasking" event.

This event, in its most common form is a training event scheduled during the lunch hour. where employees who attend either bring their lunches and eat them during the training session, or may have lunch brought in. The training session and format is usually less formal and less structured than regular classroom training.

Advocates claim the biggest benefit of a "lunch and learn" program is that you are able to get more training delivered to your employees at minimal additional cost. These programs don't make more hours in the day, but it supposedly makes better use of the time you have. Employees usually appreciate the voluntary nature of the training, and hopefully increases their awareness, and makes them feel better about the organization.

But from a "bottom line" point of view, do "lunch and learn" program reallly give you better trained employees who are more motivated?

Before you answer this question, ask yourself - Did any real development occur? How would you know?

To assess the amount of learning that has taken place, trainers often use pre-test and post-tests to determine the amount of actual learning that has occurred. These are useful in order to assess the extent students have advanced in skills, knowledge, or attitude.

Many of the lunch and learns I see conducted, there is little more than a sign in sheet. And seldom a test of any kind at the end. So I ask - how do you know?

So getting back to the real training effect of "lunch and learn"... Are you really training people, or simply exposing them to new information, with the expectation that some of it may sink in?

Why "Upwardly Global" is a good idea

2009-07-15T10:46:00-04:00

“Often immigrants and refugees are exiled from the mainstream workforce. Upwardly Global helps them begin their job search, develop their talent and improve their lives and the lives of others.”

Isabel Allende, Author

Despite the rates of unemployment in the U.S. employers still find themselves looking for highly qualified professionals that they are unable to find in the current labor pool. At the same time, highly qualified immigrant professionals want to rebuild their careers here in the U.S., but they're not familiar with the American way to job search.

Employers want to increase their competitive advantage by hiring a more diverse workforce, but they're not sure how to navigate the professional immigrant talent pool.

Enter Upwardly Global, a nonprofit organization that helps highly-skilled immigrants, refugees and asylees reclaim their careers here in the United States and helps American employers discover and understand this hidden talent pool.

Why is it that the investment in Training and Development doesn't seem to be paying off?

2009-07-13T03:13:00-04:00

Organizations in the USA spend between $75-$100 billion on training each year (and have done so annually for almost the past 20 years). Still, only about 10% of that training and development investment results in transfer to improvements in the workplace.

Most business leaders would demand a better return on their investment.

Here's my question to you, dear readers.

In your personal experience, why doesn't training and development get the job done?

Do you agree with the differences between education and training?

2009-07-11T08:47:00-04:00

I frequently hear statements akin to:
Academic world = education; corporate world = training.

Ever hear statements like,
“the purpose of an education is to become a critical thinker and well rounded.”
“The purpose of training is change what participants will be able to do after the training is over.”

Maybe it’s the difference between knowledge acquisition and skill development.

But is it that simple and straightforward?

And, where does the measurement of what people have learned come into the picture?

Why in a downturn, employers are still having hiring challenges

2009-07-09T01:36:00-04:00

During the current economic downturn, companies are laying off more employees than they have in years. But NCPA Distinguished Fellow Terry Neese says there are a number of companies looking to hire new employees, but they can't find qualified workers.

A report by Dow Jones backs this up, saying nearly three-quarters of those firms that wanted to add workers reported few or no qualified applicants for the job openings they were trying to fill, and 8 percent said finding the right hires was a top business problem.

Neese, who owns a temporary and executive search firm, says despite new layoff announcements everyday there are still companies in the highly skilled sector that are looking for the right employees to hire. "Many workers lack the education and skills to qualify for the positions employers are hiring for," Neese said, "and it's becoming a major concern for small business." Neese adds that administrative and call center positions also are increasingly difficult to fill as well.

Legal, health care, education, and government are among those industries struggling to find qualified applicants, according to Neese. "I'm finding that many companies are considering paying for further education for the applicants who, with additional skills, would be a great asset to the company," Neese said.

14 Myths About Women in the Construction Trades

2009-07-07T06:51:00-04:00

The Work4Women project provides tools, strategies and a virtual community to help increase women and girls' integration and retention in high-wage jobs that are considered nontraditional for women. While I was looking over their site, I came across a list of 14 myths (and why these are myths) about whether women can or should work in jobs that are considered nontraditional for them. Dispel some of these common myths about women working in male-dominated Non-Traditional Occupations (NTO)s with the facts!

Women are in the labor force to earn some extra spending money.
Women and men are represented equally in most occupations.
Jobs in which women are traditionally employed pay salaries comparable to jobs in which men are traditionally employed.
Certain jobs are "men's work" and other jobs are "women's work."
Blue-collar work or heavy, physical labor is nontraditional for women.
Women are not strong enough to do heavy labor.
Nontraditional jobs are too dirty, noisy and dangerous for women.
A woman's place is in the home, not on a construction site.
Women won't like trade work.
Women will leave a job to get married and have children; therefore, the job should go to a man who will stay.
Married women who have husbands to support them should stay home and leave the good paying jobs for men.
Women on a job site make it difficult for men to concentrate; they are too distracting.
Women will lose their femininity if they work in a trade.
Women do not have the mechanical or mathematical aptitude for skilled trade work.

While much has been written about gender (and pay) inequality in the workplace, much of this material relates to administrative and professional jobs. An area where disparity in hiring that has not received as much attention has been in the "non-traditional jobs" arena. Work4Women is a welcome addition to this conversation.

AND you'll want to check this piece and see why these myths are just that

The National Dropout Crisis Continues and Is Not Improving

2009-07-05T01:49:00-04:00

America is currently in the throes of a persistent high school dropout crisis that has been a long time in the making, with substantial disparities in dropout rates across race, ethnic, and income groups and geographic areas.

The absence of new funding at the federal and state level since the 1980s has led to decades of disinvestment in re-enrollment programs across the country.

In the current global economy, having at least a high school diploma is a critical step for avoiding poverty, and a college degree is a prerequisite for a well-paying job. The costs of dropping out of high school today are substantial and have risen over time, especially for young men, who find it almost impossible to earn an adequate income to take care of themselves and their families.

A new report published by Northeastern University.entitled "LEFT BEHIND IN AMERICA: THE NATION’S DROPOUT CRISIS" takes a in-depth look at this problem and what can be done. This is a strategic issue for our workforce, and this report should be "essential reading"

Why On-boarding makes sound financial sense

2009-07-03T10:42:00-04:00

Mark Stein, a colleague over at Kaiser Associates just sent me this update on on-boarding, and it's information you need to think carefully about...

According the U.S. Department of Labor, over 25 percent of the workforce has been at their current company for under a year
Young people entering the workforce today will change jobs an average of 10 times before they turn 40
Employees are most likely to leave an organization in the first 18 months after they are hired, according to the U.S. Department of Labor

It may take significant time for new employees at your organization to become functioning members of the team:

According to Mellon Financial Corporation, the average times to full productivity are
- Eight weeks for clerical jobs
- 20 weeks for professionals
- 26 weeks for executives

Also, there are significant costs to ineffectively On-boarding your new hires:

The direct cost of recruitment, according to Staffing.org and the Bureau of National Affairs, ranges from 5 percent to about 21 percent of annual compensation, and ineffective On-boarding could mean wasting these investments

The Institute of Industrial Relations at the University of California, Berkeley, has estimated that the total cost of employee turnover is 150 percent of annual compensation, including hiring costs and more intangible elements such as “ramp-up time and lost productivity while the job is vacant”

Top 10 Most Difficult Jobs to Fill Include Many in the Hourly Realm

2009-07-01T06:51:00-04:00

Why are some positions consistently harder to fill than others?

Take the dire need for qualified auto mechanics. Many dealers are in a position to limit their service hours because they cannot find enough mechanics to handle the workload they are seeing in their shops.

A part of the reason for this national phenomena is the start of the Baby Boomers now reaching retirement age. Too many of our younger workers have been brought up in a "go to college or you’ll die" mentality. Not enough have given thought to a career in what used to be considered either dirty or menial work that didn’t pay well. All of those old perceptions are long gone.

It's an issue that affects many industries, where steady good-paying positions are unable to be filled because these jobs aren't considered as "attractive" or desirable as other career choices. Although a number of these are not "blue collar" positions, putting yourself in someone considering a position, there are two questions you may want to ponder:

Is this a job that I feel is worth pursuing?
Is the education and training I would need to do this job worth the effort?

To get insight into the matter, Manpower conducted a survey.

The employment services company (NYSE: MAN) says 30 percent of employers
worldwide are struggling to find qualified job candidates, especially skilled
tradespeople, sales representatives and technicians. Manpower surveyed nearly
39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories to gauge their ability to
find the talent they need.

The 10 hardest jobs to fill, as reported by U.S. employers in 2009, are:

1. Engineers
2. Nurses
3. Skilled/manual trades
4. Teachers
5. Sales representatives
6. Technicians
7. Drivers
8. Information technology staff
9. Laborers
10. Machinist/machine operators

Think about how scarcity of these situations affects you. Consider the short and long-term consequences if people continue to shy away from these types of jobs, regardless of the reasons.

Am I the only one confused by all of these "Green" designations?

2009-06-29T07:55:00-04:00

GRI, FSC, CERES, CCAR, LEED....what do they all mean? In the last two years, demand for "green" certifications has exploded, now everyone wants to be green!

How do you know which 'green credential' Which is right for you? And, how do you know which vendors are offering truly 'green' services and products?

Am I the only one asking this question, or are some of you likewise thinking the same thing? Let me know what you think, and what you've discovered?

Troubled by worker behavior? Perhaps its time to look at the sources...

2009-06-27T10:03:00-04:00

Discouraged by the work habits of many new employees, a handful of states, led by New York, are working to create a nationally recognized "work readiness" credential. Proponents say the credential would certify that a prospective employee understands the importance of "soft skills" such as punctuality, a willingness to accept supervision and an ability to work in a group.

"You'd think people would know to call in sick when they're not coming to work, but that's not always the case," said Michael Kauffman, an executive at Anoplate Corp., a 175-person metal manufacturer in Syracuse. "We're having many more problems than in the past getting people who understand what it means to work in an office or a factory............

I think that's only part of the story. Part of the problem, as I understand it, is that employers can't find suitable employees at the terms and wages they offer. If you pay crud wages, you'll get crud workers. Many employers think the way to keep their business afloat during difficult times is to pay as little as possible, Bad idea. It can blow up in your face.

Offer $20 an hour, and you'll be inundated with applications from intelligent hard-working people. Offer $5 an hour and the only takers will be apathetic and semi-literate.

Henry Ford found this out several decades ago when he raised the daily wage from $2 to $5; the other manufacturers protested at Ford's decision, but the consequence was that Ford got good workers, and absenteeism plummeted.

Maybe it's time to rethink the "cause and effect" of employer behaviors and how it is reflected by the way the workforce behaves (or not)

An Important Piece Of The Puzzle Regarding What New Engineers Should Learn

2009-06-25T09:43:00-04:00

Anne Scarlett, of Scarlett Consulting, (former principal of Zweig-White), who appears in the AISC's publication, "Modern Steel Construction" produced a very good article entitled "10 Things Entry-Level Engineers Should Know"

The article points out many of the essential things that a young engineer should to to become well established in the profession. But she missed an important one.

Professional Development. And ny this I don't just mean getting the necessary continuing education (CE/PDH) credits needed to maintain an engineer's license(s) or certification, but the kind of ongoing life-long-learning habit that takes you beyond what a new engineer needs to stay current with in order to practice.

Here's a perspective that I see too frequently, from the point of view of a firm that is a leader in professional development education/training for engineers:

an engineer will look for the simplest way to amass the nesessary number of PDH in order to complete the requirements for the state boards by the mandated completion deadline.
in cases where a education provider offers multiple levels of course difficulty (basic, intermediate, advanced) the learner will often opt for the easiest material, just to ensure a passing score and getting the needed credits
the closer they get to the reporting deadline, the less discerning the learner will be regaridng the relevancy of the course, to their job area, or professional needs

I have asked several "professionals" why they do this, and often get the response, "I don't have the time to be picky", or "I don't want to risk not passing"

When I've asked managers of engineers if they wonder why an experienced engineer would load up on courses that are very basic, they often tell me that they don't watch what their people take that closely, or even will tell me "it's up to the engineer"

What would happen if you discovered that your newest engineers were regularly stretching themselves and taking intermediate and advanced courses, and doing well on them? Wouldn't you look at these individuals as "high potentials" for the firm's future. Likewise, what about the ones that consistently just do the minimum?

With today's powerful Learning management Systems, and the increasing popularity of eLearning for Engineers, managers can now observe not only what their people are taking, but watch how they are growing professionally. Isn't that a great asset to the firm? Strange, isnt it, how in a profession where we put so much emphasis on improving outcomes based upon use of data and process, that we often overlook one of the most important processes in the Engineering profession - professional development?

30,000 workers in the skilled trades needed for the economic upturn

2009-06-24T05:41:00-04:00

If you want a view on what is likely to happen as a result of the ARRA (stimulus) program here in the US, it may be helpful to look across the border to our neighbors in Alberta, British Columbia, who have recognized that they need to plan for the rebound and where the necessary skilled workforce may come from.

The massive influx of workforce training dollars is already starting to flow, and will be accessible through the Workforce Alliance. One of the areas that is going to provide steady work, good pay, and job security are in the "skilled trades" and "technician" jobs

These areas refers to a broad range of job titles that require workers to possess specialized skills, traditionally learned over a period of time as an apprentice (apprenticeships are paid "earn while you learn" programs.

Examples of skilled trades jobs include: electricians, carpenters, cabinet makers, masons/bricklayers, plumbers and welders.

Technicians positions according to the Labor department include primarily in plant production/operations, engineering and maintenance. In other words, these are "local" (to U.S.) jobs that cannot be outsourced (due to their "Hands-on nature", where males and females alike can prosper, and will need to be done "here" by US workers.

What Occupations are Considered "Non-Traditional" for Women?

2009-06-23T05:36:00-04:00

Nontraditional occupations are defined by the U.S. Department of Labor as jobs in which 25 percent or less of the workforce is female. The list includes:

Aerospace Engineer
Agricultural Engineer
Air Traffic Controller
Air-Conditioning Mechanic
Airline Mechanic
Airline Pilot
Ambulance Driver
Announcer
Appliance Repairer
Archeologist
Architect
Astronomer
Audio Engineer (TV and Radio)
Automobile Mechanic
Banking Officer
Bellhop
Biologist
Boiler Maker
Bricklayer
Building Inspector
Bulldozer Operator
Business Machine Repairer
Carpenter
Carpet Layer
Cement Mason
Chemist
Chiropractor
City Manager
Computer Repairer
Congressional Representative
Dentist
Detective
Diesel Mechanic
Diplomat
Drafter
Drywall Finisher
Electric Sign Repairer
Electrician
Electronic Technician
Elevator Constructor
Engineer
Environmental Specialist
Exterminator
Film Director
Film Set Designer
Film Soundperson
Firefighter
Food Scientist
Foreign Service Officer
Forestry Technician
Funeral Director
Furniture Mover
Gardener
Gem Setter
Geographer
Geologist
Glazier
Grip
Ground Radio Operator
Guard
Health Service Administrator
Hospital Administrator
House Painter
Industrial Chemist
Insulation Worker
Ironworker
Judge
Lathe Operator
Lawyer
Locksmith
Marketing Researcher
Mathematician
Meat Cutter
Metal Fabricator
Meteorologist
Milkperson
Millwright
Motion Picture Projectionist
Motorcycle Mechanic
Oceanographer
Operating Room Technician
Organ Tuner/Repairer
Painter
Paperhanger
Physician
Physicist
Pipefitter
Plasterer
Plumber
Podiatrist
Police Officer
Political Scientist
President of the United States
Press Photographer
Printer
Radio Repair Technician
Ranger Manager
Rehabilitation Counselor
Religious Leader
Rigger
Roofer
Service Station Attendant
Sheetmetal Worker
Sportswriter
Stonemason
Supermarket Manager
Supreme Court Justice
Surveyor
Tailor
Taxi Driver
Telephone Installer
Television Director/Television Lighting Director
Television Repairer
Television Set Designer
Theater Manager
Tile Layer
Tow Truck Operator
Train Conductor
Truck Driver (Local Delivery and Long-Haul)
Watch Repairer
Weatherproofer
Welder

As you can see, the list cuts across all types of job categories : Skilled Trades/Apprenticeships, Technical Jobs, Service Jobs, Professions, and Public Service Jobs

Here's my question - why do we need such a list today, in an era where women can and do anything their male counterparts can do?

OK, that was a "bait" question. The reason is that there are incentives and special programs available for women who cannot find work in "traditional" role.

Many of these women, who seek to enterr the workforce are underpriveleged, and frankly, need guidance and help to land a job that pays a living wage. (Sound familiar? It should, because that is one of the goals of the Green Jobs Act.)

For many women who are seeking employment, this list introduces the possibility of taking a non-traditional job. A book published by Women's Enterprise of Boston, (739 Boylston Street, Boston) entitled "Earning a Breadwinner's Wage" helps women who are looking at ways to approach the job market.

Women heads of households, particularly those that are economically disadvantaged, face unique challenges in finding jobs that will adequately support their families. This book outlines the advantages and disadvantages of non-traditional jobs compared to traditional jobs, and helps the reader define her job skills and interests, especially as they relate to non-traditional jobs. and offers strategies for finding and landing a non-traditional job.

With the current federal funding available to stimulate job creation, thereshould be no barriers for any woman who wants to work in any job.

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Why do employees feel compelled to work the way they do?

2009-06-21T05:40:00-04:00

An interesting article that caught my eye in the Birmingham Business Journal cites a study that was done in 2009 by the Society for Human Resource Management, that indicates that about 72 percent of employees nationwide said they work through lunch, while 70 percent report working beyond a 40-hour workweek and working at home on the weekends, according to the survey dubbed “Pressure to Work: The Employees’ Perspective”
Why do employees feel driven to such levels of work? Read the article. You may be surprised at what you discover.
The SHRM poll surveys employee perceptions regarding sick leave, flex time work arrangements, and work beyond the official work day including weekends.

What are our current and next generation of Women Engineers reading?

2009-06-19T00:39:00-04:00

Today, in several branches of the Engineering discipline, I've heard that only 1 out of 5 engineers is a woman. And that is indeed troubling,

But when I travel to speak at various engineering conferences around the country on Generational and Workforce Development issues, I ask the attendees what they are reading, and whether they are actively engaged with the students, teachers and guidance counsellors at the K-12 levels.

What I hear is somewhat disappointing, since there is too little promotion of Engineering as a viable career, at least in light of the promise this field offers, and the demand for quality engineering talent.

What brightened my day was discovering a new publication I recently discovered entitled : "Wonen in Engineering" a fairly new magazine produced by the IEEE. What I saw was excellent quality, and a worthwhile read.

Study unveils how Sr Executives are using the internet

2009-06-18T19:16:54-04:00

A recent study entitled "Google unveils research on executive Internet use" was published in BtoB has some interesting implications for online learning.
The study of both large and small-business owners indicates that they use search and social media more than you might expect, according to new research unveiled by Sam Sebastian, director-local and b to b markets at Google, during his keynote Thursday at BMA’s “Unlearn” conference held in Chicago.
Seventy-three percent of C-suite executives indicated that they are using the Internet daily, Sebastian said, referring to new research Google conducted with Forbes of 500 executives at companies with sales of $1 billion or higher. “They’re not delegating,” he said. “They prefer to do a lot of this stuff on their own.”
Among the findings from the research, which will be formally released in the coming weeks include: 64% of C-level execs conduct six or more searches per day to locate business information.
Interestingly, 1 in 5 said they preferred to watch video rather than read text. Focusing on the impact of video, Sebastian said there are “1.5 million business searches daily on YouTube,” making it the second-most-visited destination for business searches, behind Google. eLearning execs take note - that as more rich media becomes available, that static "page turner" learning materials will become less popular to learners.

How Many Stimulus Jobs Will Be Green? (And Who Will Get Them?)

2009-06-17T02:30:00-04:00

One of the key questions floating around today is how many jobs will be created by Recovery Act spending? And who will benefit the most?

The Economic Policy Institute estimates $200 billion in construction spending over 2 years will create 770,000 jobs in:

Transportation infrastructure

School retrofit

Electric power grid

Home Weatherization Assistance Program

GSA federal building retrofit

Public and affordable housing

Most of these jobs unfortunately will go to men, not women, if the current workforce composition is any guide:

Women in construction overall (non-office) -- 2.6%

Construction laborers – 2.7%

HVAC, Refrigeration – 0.9%

Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters – 1.5%

Electricians – 1.7%

Insulation workers – 1.9%

Sheet metal workers – 3.7%

Women in Manufacturing: Machinists – 5.2%
Despite the promise of new jobs, female employment in the construction trades (as well as Engineering) are only a fraction of the male participation in the labor pool. Because of this, most women may miss out on the windfall resulting from the ARRA stimulus funding in Green construction.


What to do when perspiration overtakes inspiration

2009-06-15T06:26:00-04:00

Most people understand that inspiration is necessary for innovation, and organizational growth and success. Or put another way, an "idea culture" in your organization.
I say most, because as I speak with people around the industry, especially in these trying economic times, that inspirational endeavors, are being put aside and many organizations are instead opting for the "basic blocking and tackling" in an attempt to salvage the "bottom line".
This is not a bad thing, and is necessary in the short term, but leaders need to be sensitive to the downside of too much focus on the financials, at the risk of stifling the "idea" factory in your organization. For without a steady flow of ideas, the organization will wither.
What if my boss only cares about “the bottom line” and ROI?
You may want to remind the boss that an idea culture is necessary for the business and DOES have a measurable impact on the "bottom line" and ROI.

Less turnover on your team (intellectual capital stays and your time isn’t swamped recruiting a new hire)

Higher productivity

Higher quality products that give a competitive advantage (retain your best people so that your deliverables are of higher quality)

Some of your employees might have ideas about how to help the department’s bottom line and ROI. Those ideas, which could really help you in your job, would not surface if it weren’t for your idea culture.

What is the difference in pay between Union construction jobs and non-union

2009-06-13T14:04:00-04:00

According to recent data from the Economic Policy Institute,
A "typical" construction trades union member makes about $993/ week, ($51,636/year)

The Non-union counterpart can expect to make $624/week, ($32,448/year)

Government certified apprenticeships in the trades are the road to higher paying, long-term careers in construction, BUT

Only 11.5 % of construction jobs are union jobs.

A Simple Definition of "Green Jobs"

2009-06-11T13:53:00-04:00

Increasingly, as the "Green" movement gets traction (and more attention", I get questions about "what constituites a "green job" so here is a "basic" definition for all of you "inquiring minds"
Green” relates to a job’s purpose

Jobs that conserve energy, expand renewable energy sources, conserve or improve the environment

40% of energy is used to heat and cool buildings

40% of green jobs expected in making buildings energy efficient

Therefore, many green jobs will be in construction – similar to traditional construction laborer and skilled trades.

Building retrofit, HVAC

Infrastructure development, e.g. “smart grid,” mass transit

And there are also "green jobs" to be found in manufacturing – wind turbines, solar panels, auto batteries

Why Bad Management is a "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy"

2009-06-09T01:01:00-04:00

Circuit City and its CEO, Philip Schoonover, won the inaugural Stupidus Maximus Award (hosted by Workforce Management) for the decision to fire 3,400 experienced salespeople, or 9 percent of its workforce, because they were making too much money, replacing them with cheaper, less-experienced personnel.
We now know, with the very public bankruptcy of the firm, that this was a train wreck ready to happen.
For all the talk you hear today about the war for talent and getting the best people, Circuit City decided to take another approach and dump its most experienced and highly paid workers. And, if the higher pay accurately reflected the quality of work, these were also the best salespeople and floor staff in the company.

    Although this move reportedly was expected to save Circuit City $100 million per year, it set the stage for the kind of people the company could attract since it is clear that the retailer was no longer willing to pay for good work. As Post columnist Steve Pearlstein put it, Circuit City "made it clear to consumers that it didn't give a fig about service or being a good member of the community," and that "for $100 million or so in annual cost savings, it was willing to become a symbol of everything that is rotten about American capitalism."
Strange, isn't it, that Circuit City was the company that Jim Collins cited a few years earlier, in his book Good to Great?

Can "Green Jobs" help restore the "American Dream"?

2009-06-07T08:40:00-04:00

With as many as 100 million people living in families that earn less in real terms than their parents did at the same age, the American Dream is in trouble. And "green Jobs" creation may NOT be the solution.
That was the message this week from the president of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department, Mark Ayers.
The model for a sustainable economic recovery, Ayers said, should be premised upon high levels of formal skills training and apprenticeships resulting in job opportunities, living wages and comprehensive health and retirement benefits that last for a lifetime, not just the duration of temporary stimulus funding.
The key to a "green" economy is developing higher levels of job training and apprenticeships to meet new demands for the type of "skilled trades" jobs that construction workers have been doing for years.
For the most part, they are not new jobs. They are essentially the same jobs, requiring the same skills, which America’s building trades unions have been doing for over 100 years.
There is a vast potential for career development in "green" jobs, Ayers said. Most of the jobs would be associated with retrofitting of buildings to make them more environmentally sound and energy-efficient.
But, he cautions, to isolate these "green" jobs—any of them, including weatherization, from the larger construction industry and from the career pathways provided through formal apprenticeship training—is to condemn these workers to a legacy of low-wage, dead-end futures.
So when I hear about "increased funding for underskilled workers' job training programs" I have to be skeptical because it sounds like Income redistribution, but not direct income redistribution, more of an income-redistribution round robin. Here's how it would go: Take the money from one party and pay another party to train a third party so that third party can (hopefully) become more employable, probably at a job "owned" by one of the people from whom the original money was taken.
Why not, as Ayers has argued, use the existing model that has been training skilled trades for decades, which works, and provides people with a "complete" set of skills, that enable them to survive a particular short term "initiative"

Strategies for coping with suffering from job dissatisfaction

2009-06-05T02:57:00-04:00

The good people up at Workopolis in Canada a few months ago published a two-part series on Are you suffering from job dissatisfaction?
As the economy weakens and the job market shrinks, concerns about whether or not one's current job is satisfying would seen tend to take a back seat to security. The article would seem to suggest that these concerns continue, and may in fact become greater during these trying times.

“Am I crazy to be thinking about leaving what is basically a good job at a time like this?” a young reader asks. “I don’t know if this is really what I want to do with my life. And I don’t want to wake up at 40 and find that I wasted my best years.”

Are you crazy? No, but you’d be wise to move with caution. There’s no point in leaving a good job, especially in a weak job market, without first examining the actual source of your discontent.

Job dissatisfaction bubbles up for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps the work doesn’t suit your particular skills and abilities. Or you have a toxic boss or unsympathetic co-workers. Then again, there may be a mismatch between your values and your employer’s.
Check out the articles. Whether you are an employer, or employee, there is a lot in it for you.

Nice Work - If You Can Get It...

2009-06-04T01:09:00-04:00

Andrew Ross just published a new and somewhat disturbing work entitled "Nice Work if You Can Get It: Life and Labor in Precarious Times" (NYU, (245p) ISBN 9780814776292) that examines a global workplace infrastructure that’s as shaky as the economy would indicate.

Taking a hard line against exploitation of workers in a variety of roles worldwide, Ross looks closely at workers on the verge, and those putting them there. In the chapter “China’s Next Cultural Revolution?”, he warns that “Beijing's rulers have nothing to worry about” so long as “the creative sector behaves like other industries... They can be groomed and promoted... to absorb foreign investment and foreign ideas, to exploit low production costs....”
He tackles the Western world with the same nonplussed tone, as when discussing corporate PR tactics to deny ties to labor abuses by promoting social good, naming names like Nike, Reebok and the Gap. He also hits higher education, where much of the workplace is shaped, noting that it's “all too easy to conclude that the global university, as it takes shape, will emulate some of the conduct of multinational corporations.”

Rejecting the widely influential, free marketeer notion of a worldwide “playing field,” Ross leaves no room for easy answers (or an “alternative, and equally snappy, image” to answer Thomas Friedman's or Richard Florida's). Though far from uplifting, this is a bold, pointed look at reality as it is, a far more valuable commodity.

If you want a fresh perspective on the workforce landscape of the future, you will want to read this new book.

If you're making soup, check the ingredients first

2009-06-03T09:27:46-04:00

I love to cook, and although I relish the opportunity to create new stuff by experimentation, there are several things I have come to rely on, and serve, over and over again.
Recipes can be funny things. They give you a list of things that are known to work. Follow the instructions, and you come up with consistent results.
Adults are like that too.

When I hear people talk about so and so being a "hunter" or a "farmer" I smile, since most people, despite using these terms liberally, don't know specifically what "hunter" or a "farmer" behaviors really are. So in order to provide some basic definitions into this common distinction, here goes...
Hunters:

Are constantly monitoring the environment

Able to throw themselves into the chase on a moment’s notice

Flexible; ready to change strategy quickly

Farmers:

Not easily distracted from the task at hand

Organized, purposeful. They have a long term strategy and stick to it.

So which do you need?
Remember that a product or service does not sell itself, no matter what the engineers, inventors or some marketing departments tell you. Some salesperson has to sell it. Someone has to provide service.
The answer is you need both, unless you are a new company with no customer base. The real question is what is the proper mix and here you start with some of the questions posed above. Some of the reasons for both roles are:

Each role has particular skill sets that can be at odds. For example a true hunter is most excited by finding a new opportunity, crafting a solution, negotiating the terms and closing the deal. A farmer many times is more rewarded by knowing the increased business was a result of continued outstanding customer service.

A true hunter could typically be a farmer but start feeling unchallenged doing so in a few months and will move on (change companies). A true farmer generally doesn’t possess that “killer” instinct required to be a hunter.

A client, or a potential client, also has certain expectations. When you are dealing with a new “vendor” don’t you expect to be sold a little differently than when you are already a customer?

You have the opportunity to drive behavior and performance better and more efficiently by separating the roles and responsibilities.

<p>Slide 4</p>

Are Workers Becoming Better Communicators?

2009-06-01T07:48:00-04:00

A new survey on workforce readiness shows employee skills in written and verbal communications have improved nearly 20 percent during the past three years.

The 2008 Workforce Readiness Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) provides a snapshot of how human resource professionals rate job candidates abilities in 23 basic and applied skills.
The survey also shows improvements in such applied skills as relationship building and business knowledge. However some critical applied skills, such as motivation, are declining.

Of the professionals polled,

25 percent said candidates lack verbal communication skills, (a 19-percent improvement from 2005.)

They reported that 41 percent lack written communication skills, (a 17-percent improvement)

The only basic skill that fell was financial literacy, it was seen as lacking by 20 percent of those polled, a 4-percent increase since 2005.

Among applied skills, relationship building was up 13 percent, and

both overall professionalism and business knowledge improved 10 percent.

Decreases were seen in motivation/self-direction, down 4.1 percent, and

critical thinking/problem solving, down 3.4 percent.