Bridges Edition of 3/5/2008

2008-3
Bridges - March 2008
Welcome to Bridges, a monthly newsletter published by Robin Fogel, Executive and Career Coach & Consultant. My goal is that these newsletters include practical information that you can use in your work and in your life. If you found the newsletter helpful, please forward it to your colleagues, friends and family.
If you would like to take advantage of a business consultant or executive coach, please email me at robin@coachrobinfogel.com for a complimentary coaching session or visit my website - www.coachrobinfogel.com
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MULTIPLE GENERATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE - Part 2
Thanks for all the feedback on last month's column about bridging differences between generations in the workforce. The article seems to have hit a nerve so I want to follow up with a couple of other points.
For many of the more mature workers and baby boomers, work was everything. They were expected to and they did put in long hours - it showed commitment, it was rewarded financially, it was their life. The Gen X and Y'ers see it differently. They believe that work is just one part of life and expect a workday that allows them time for other things such as family, friends, and exercise. One outcome, if you believe what is being said at the water cooler, is that this is causing conflict. The more mature workers complain that the X and Y'ers have "no work ethic". Younger workers think the boomers "have no life" - many have vivid memories of how hard their parents worked only to be laid off. They are unwilling to follow that path.

The truth may be somewhere in the middle. One client has talked to me about one of the young staff at her company. She said the person is really talented and a very conscientious employee. She handles projects quickly and with great results, and my client says that she gets more done in the work day than many of her more senior employees, but come 5 pm, she turns off the light and is out the door. She wonders if this says something about her employee's level of commitment or if it is just typical of many younger workers.

If you have any feedback to this note or stories you'd like to share, please email me.
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CAREER MOVES
I'm often asked about job hunting in times of economic slow down and whether it is better to wait. There is really no one right answer. It depends on a number of factors including your field of work. Some companies and some employers manage to succeed even in times of economic slowdown. For example if you are an accountant, there is such a strong need because of recent legislation, that you may be able to write your ticket. Many accounting firms that were notorious for their lack of flexibility have been forced to be more creative in their hiring policies.

On the other hand if you are a teacher I would say it depends. The predictions are that with the baby boomers retiring there will be a strong need for teachers. An article in a February issue of Time Magazine quoted one expert who said there will be a need for 2.8 million teachers over the next 8 years. There is already a need in urban districts and for teachers of math and science. While many school districts are seriously concerned about how they will fill vacancies in the next few years, the impending exodus may not have happened in some areas and it still may be difficult to find a teaching job.

Finally, while it might be tough to find a job in the financial services field right now, hiring is still strong in fields such as energy and health care so I guess the answer about whether this is a good time to look for a new job is that it depends. Evaluate your options but be aware of what is going on in your field and the market place.
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For those who ask me what it is that I do, I offer coaching and business consulting in the following areas:

-Business Consulting & Executive Coaching - working as an independent sounding board providing advice on staffing issues, developing emerging talent and helping managers sharpen their communication and management skills;
-Career Coaching for career advancement, change or transition;
-Not for Profit Consulting - providing Executive Directors with independent sounding board, consulting on staff issues, board relations and staff development
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FINAL THOUGHT
We live in a moment of history where change is so speeded up that we begin to see the present only when it is already disappearing. - R.D. Laing

COPYRIGHT: 2008, Robin Fogel & Assoc., LLC. All Rights Reserved. May be distributed and reprinted in its entirety with copyright, subscription instructions, and contact information intact. However, you may not copy it to a website.