Real Holiday Cheer: 3 Tips to Remix Your Office Holiday Party
Let’s be honest. Holiday parties are kind of passé. You know the stereotypes. Ugly sweaters, overly competitive white elephant exchanges, and enough alcohol to give your HR rep a heart attack. Each December you ask yourself, “Are we really going to do this again?” But what if you took a different approach? Imagine, for instance, […]
Generational Labels: Building Bridges or Burning Them?
In recent weeks, the meme “OK Boomer” has dominated the headlines of many major news outlets. It seems that the phrase, as young people reject the authority and opinions of their elders, represents a growing animosity between generations. I wrote an op-ed for Newsweek about this phenomenon. You know the stereotypes: “Millennials are entitled.” “Generation […]
What Does Flexibility Mean in the Workplace? The Answer Might Surprise You
“Young People Are Going To Save Us All From Office Life,” cheered the headline of a recent New York Times article that caught my eye. As the article explored, flexibility is often cited as the highest priority for newer professionals as they evaluate jobs. But I would argue that, in our current five-generation environment, workplace […]
3 Effective, Budget-Friendly Tips for Saying Thanks to Your Employees
Happy Thanksgiving! Today, I want to talk about how to say thanks to your employees without breaking the bank. It’s wonderful to add dollars to a holiday bonus, but money is rarely the top contributor to employee happiness. Acknowledgement and gratitude, however, go a long way in increasing employee production and long-term job satisfaction. So […]
Top 4 States and Cities Offering Financial Incentives to Relocate Remote Workers
Are you a remote worker who conducts business from home or a co-working space? This post is for you. Over the past fifty years, the U.S. has seen a massive demographic shift from rural areas to cities. This means many states have populations that are dwindling and rapidly aging. Some geographic regions are not able […]
Are You Offering the Benefits Your Employees Expect?
You might believe your benefits package is top-notch, but would your employees agree? Possibly not: A surprising 36% of respondents to Capital One’s 2019 Work Environment Survey say that their company offers none of the benefits they expect. This, of course, can have a major impact on your workplace morale and productivity. I promise this is […]
Stop the Generational Shaming!
Here is a quotation that I share in my training programs on generational diversity: “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.” In what era do you think this was written? This week’s Economist? A political speech from the 1960s? The Roaring Twenties? […]
The Great Generational Changeover: What It Means That Millennials Are Now America’s Largest Generation
I’m often asked why there is so much attention right now to generational differences. Haven’t people of different generations always worked together? The answer is yes, but the bigger story is that few people realize how dominant one specific generation has been for about the past half-century. Yes, I’m talking about the Baby Boomers. The […]
Mental Health at Work: Workplace Design Matters for All Generations
My speaking engagements frequently take me to college campuses, where I have the opportunity to connect with professors and administrators about the hot topics on their campuses. For the past few years, I’ve been struck by the number of times leaders at a wide variety of colleges and universities have talked to me about the […]
Gen X, The Forgotten Middle Child: Is it any wonder that our theme song is “Don’t You Forget About Me?”
If you want to know how Gen X feels, look no further than a recent news segment. As CBSNLive reported on generations, their chart looked…well, wrong. Hmmm…what could be missing? Just Gen X. Forgotten. Again. I promise this post is not a rant. Rather, it’s an explanation of who we (yes, I am a proud […]