55+ Unite?

The recent French protests against raising retirement ages seems especially foreign to me.  As a baby boomer, I personally know dozens of people over 55 who are desperate to work for the next ten years or more.  I've been declaring the economic crisis for the 55+ crowd as a Depression vs. a Recession:  High achievers with advanced degrees and impressive resumes receive electronic job rejections faster than a speeding bullet.

In a 10/30/10 NYT "Off the Charts" article, the U.S. is reported as having close to 80% of men 55-59 either working or seeking employment.  For women, its about 65%.  From my frame of reference, many are either underemployed or looking for work.  Most are not financially stable enough to contemplate early retirement, but may have to.  Its been projected that they will not have enough working years left to recover from unemployment, houses under water and empty 401Ks.

Maybe 55+ Americans need to organize themselves in working collectives; their combined expertise in marketing, finance, operations and communications, infused with entreprenuerial energy, could put retirement decisions on the back burner.

FOD Alert!

Way back in 1997, two women wrote Survivors: How to Keep your Best People on Board After Downsizing.  Gayle Caplan and Mary Teese identified three groups of employees who are spared the hatchet: The  "Foot Out the Doors" (proactive and high performing) the "Wait and Sees" (reactive and angry) and the "Ride It Outs" (most likely to stay, least likely to meet new performance standards).  They interviewed and quoted "Foot Out the Doors" or FODs, as not wanting to do three people's jobs, no matter what the pay; believing that cancelled attendance at professional conferences caused them to stop growing; wanting to get out of a negative environment, and resenting an emphasis on quantity over quality.

In the Jobs section of the New York Times on Sunday, October 17, 2010, Jon Picoult penned an article "Here Comes A Turnover Storm."  Jon reminds us that at some point the economic cycle will turn, and frustrated workers will turn, as well.  He decries the term "human capital", as all capital assets depreciate over time.  Rather, he predicts that employers who focus on the humanity we share will not only retain their workers, but attract talent from competitors.  He states that while "The cost of turnover is often invisible ... its impact on an organization's people and its bottom line is undeniable."  Jon Picoult predicts the turnover storm is brewing, and encourages companies to proactively respond to the significant threat of lost talent.

Based on my 30+ years in business, I concur.

Colds a Sign of Strength?

I remember a medical speaker saying that hospital staffs are most compassionate towards kids and old folks.  Patients in between tend to get blamed for bad habits -- smoking, drinking, obesity and other controllable factors that  land them in the hospital.  Arm-chair psychologists tell us blaming others for their misfortune keeps them at a safe distance, and I can also appreciate the daily drain of being a caregiver.

But recent research has revoked our right to blame co-workers who bring colds into the office.  Rather than suffering from poor immune systems (due to smoking, drinking or obesity, etc.), " people with more active immune systems may be especially prone to cold symptoms."  (NYT OP-ED 10/05/10)  The article by Jennifer Ackerman, the author of "Ah-Choo!  The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold", explains its our own " ... chemical agents that cause our nose to run and our throat to swell."

So while that Mom of 3 brings in one of the 12 colds that an average kid gets every year, you might stop and admire that she is managing to maintain her strength as well as her household!

This discovery definitely takes the perverse fun out of protecting ourselves with clorox wipes and hand gels.  If we ward off the cold, it may be a sign we are the weaker one.    I think this is a reminder that our assumptions can be our undoing.

Coping with Confinement

A NYT article by Nick Kanas (08/30/10) offers NASA tips for those 33 trapped Chilean miners, but I think they can be applied to any workplace.  Research about helping people cope with being 'cooped up' include keeping them in touch with family and friends, anticipating displaced tension towards "outsiders" and supporting  leaders.  Also, tending to the needs of family members help the astronauts stay focused on their tasks and deal with confinement.

Listen to how successful leaders in extreme situations are described, based on decades-long research in the Antarctic:  They ..."perform twin (sometimes conflicting roles):  they assign tasks and monitor the emotional states of individuals."  Similarly, my favored management theories endorse cultures that focus on achievement and support, vs. power and roles.

Honestly, we don't need a crisis or exotic work situation to know that people thrive when they have a good boss and some assurance their families are not suffering because of work demands.  In this jobless economy, those may seem optional, but I don't think we are going to get out of this mess by ignoring basic human factors.

Regarding the miners, I hope they and their families get all possible support.

Welcome Distraction

When the impossible happens, or life flips upside down, we want 'normal' back.  Nothing seems funny, smiles are forced -- except when you are being licked by a puppy. 

How wise for management at Hartford Distributors to host eight German Shepherd puppies from Fidelco, the Bloomfield-based guide dog school.  Getting back to work after the deadly shooting rampage must be a huge daily challenge for each and every person.  As one employee was quoted by Channel 22 news, "We are so excited.  You don't understand.  It just brought a little bit of joy into the company and I think that's what we needed." (wwlp.com)

A local journalist and author, Gerri Hirsey, collaborated with the Fidelco Foundation on a new book, "Trust The Dog" which traces the organization's 50-year history. I plan to read this book to learn more about Connecticut's own contribution to pet therapy.  (Hartford Courant, 5/30/10)

A high point in my Mom's stint in rehab this past April was a visit from Ginger, an enthusiastic golden retriever.  I missed her call, but  her owner, Sandy Lok, told me "we thoroughly enjoy and are grateful for the opportunity to bring a few moments of happiness to each person we visit."  Ginger and Sandy belong to  "Trails of Joy" which, among other services,  offers scholarships for pet therapy training.

Our household includes two Portugese Pointers that are a unique, ancient breed.  While our schedules do not always line up with their high energy levels, they make me smile every day.