Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Next Generation Workforce and Workplace

We help individuals, organizations, and communities think innovatively about the next generation workforce and workplace. Read these forward-thinking stories and best practices from our work and lives.

  • Could it Simply Be Your Generation?

    Could it Simply Be Your Generation?

    There is a lot of hype out there today, and there has been for quite of a few years, regarding generations in the workplace. It has become one of the key topics to focus on when it comes to interoffice dynamics and diversity issues in the workplace. And its fun to talk about it and classify people as such.

    While it is obvious that different events and cultural norms shape us all and these things can help define a generation of people (for example, who is dumb enough to think that 9/11 and the computer haven’t shaped the thought processes, ways of working and ways of interacting and communicating with others as clutch things of the millennial generation) it is also obvious that many of the things we chalk up to generational differences are quite plainly, age differences, not generational differences.

    Take for example this quote from Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s much anticipated second book that was released this past summer:

    “Alexandra was not amused. She was extremely annoyed. She could not comprehend the attitudes of young people these days. Not that they needed understanding- young people were the same in every generation- but this cockiness, this refusal to take seriously the gravest question of their lives, nettled and irritated her.”

    This quote addresses Aunt Alexandra’s (Scout’s aunt, Atticus’ sister) feelings regarding Scout’s take on her marital prospects and priorities. The book is set in the 1950s, and Scout at the time was 26. She would be labeled a “Traditional” by generational standards, born before 1945, yet she is taking on the generational characteristics much like those we would see people complaining about today as millennial. Her aunt is serving the role of the traditional, traditionalist.

    Is it generation or is it just simply a product of age?

    A more personal story might help illustrate this dynamic. I used to run quite frequently with my dad. Full disclosure, he was born in the 1950s and therefore part of the Baby Boomer generation; I was born in the 1980s so I’m a part of the millennial generation.  On one morning run, I asked him about a friend of the family who had just started work fresh out of college at a government contractor.  I asked if she liked her new her job.  To which my dad replied, “Well her dad said that she doesn’t really like it all that much, but if I were her, I’d tell her to stick with it. Government jobs have great retirement and in 25-30 years she is going to need that.”

    To which I replied, “Yeah, always wise to stay in a job you hate for 25-30 years just to have the retirement package that may or may not be there 25-30 years from now.”

    You could chalk this dialogue of ours up to classic generational differences and it would make a lot of sense. That’s why people love all the generational stuff. However, if you stop and think about it, when I run with my now four year old and/or one year old 30 years from now (which I hope I will be doing), could the same conversation play over again and I have the response of my dad and they have the response I have? If so, that’s not a product of generation, that’s straight up a product of age and what is important to people given the certain “season” they are in in their life not the time period in which they were born.

    So before you go blaming your next workplace squabble on generational issues (or any one, single factor), stop and think about what combined factors shaped the person that you are disagreeing with. You may see generations at play, but you may also see a host of other factors at work (no pun intended).That’s why it is best to focus on training that captures the heart of all the sources of our differences and challenges as a framework to focus on the important takeaway: capitalizing on those differences by turning them into competitive advantages that create more productive and passionate workplaces.

    What do you blame on generational issues? What could you be doing to capitalize on these differences?

  • How Millennial Are You?

    How Millennial Are You?

    We at Horizon Point love all things that could be considered as a personality quiz or assessment, especially if they can be tied to workplace dynamics. Although we recommend using only validated assessments for things like selection, training, coaching and teambuilding, we love a fun quiz that attempts to classify individuals along popular group lines every now and then.

    We came across Pew Research’s “How Millennial are You?” quiz, and just had to share it. Here’s the link to take it: http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/how-millennial-are-you/

    Below is a graphic of my results. I am a millennial, so it seems fitting that I scored as such. Interestingly enough, the article I read that mentions this quiz said that many people not a part of the millennial generation were testing more millennial than they thought.

    Chart

    Take the quiz for yourself and let us know what you scored. Are you more millennial than you think?  Do you think the questions accurately reflect issues effecting how millennial you might be or are there other factors you think that impact how someone would answer each question (for example, we think some of these questions may be more of a reflection of what part of the country you were born in than your generation). Let us know your thoughts!

  • 4 ways that the changing world of work is changing education

    4 ways that the changing world of work is changing education

    We’ve been talking a lot on The Point blog the last month or so about the changing world of work. Unfortunately, until recently, the changing world of work wasn’t doing much to change education. The structure of education has remained very much a product of the industrial revolution. The fact that education’s purpose is primarily to train people to be successful, working adults emphasizes the importance of our educational system adapting to the world of work.

    Here are 4 Ways The World of Work is Changing Education:

    1. Delivery is changing: Schools are now offering classes outside of traditional school hours and schedules to meet the needs of the learner and foster an environment where each individual can learn best. In addition, virtual offerings are taking place, even down to the elementary school level, where a student doesn’t have to step foot in a traditional classroom to learn. In fact, PennsSounds familiar? The workplace has by and largely done the same thing. For a model of this check out, Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School.

    2. Curriculum focus is changing: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic will probably never go away, but curriculum is shifting more and more to focus on the application of concepts learned and how they relate to actual jobs and tasks present in the workplace. The rise of career academies and soft skills lessons and training (what employers seem to complain about the most in terms of what is lacking in employees) lend themselves to foster a learning environment to purposely prepare students to tie relevance to what they are learning and at the same time prepare students to be prepared to meet workplace needs. In addition, many of these models incorporate on-the-job learning requirements through job shadowing, internships and co-ops. For more information on this check out: Career Academy Policy Paper, Model Soft Skills Curriculum

    3. The traditional college degree could become obsolete: In a discussion with a friend about saving for our young children’s college education, he said, “You know, when our kids are 18 the model for gaining access to success which, we by and large see now is through a college degree, could be completely turned up on its head.” Interesting, I thought, but I’m not sure I believed it. Although the pace may not be as rapid as he thinks, ie- I haven’t cancelled my my four and one year old’s 529 savings plans- evidence is showing that the traditional college degree model is turning out graduates who are not prepared to meet a need in the marketplace, thus making their degree, well, worthless (even though they paid a pretty penny for it). More and more programs are being offered that seek to prepare individuals for success in the “real world” and they aren’t through traditional post-secondary pathways. For more information on this check out: This is the Future of College and Uncollege.

    july7

    Image: William Symonds, Director of Global Pathways Institute

     

    How do you see the world of work changing the world of education?

    For more on this topic, you might like: 5 Big Ways Education will Change by 2020 from FastCompany

  • 4 Outdated Career Myths You Should Probably Forget

    4 Outdated Career Myths You Should Probably Forget

    Guest blog post written by: Stephanie Seibel

    Have you ever noticed that your career looks nothing like Mom’s did? We’ve got a post-recession economy,technological advances resembling something from Gattaca, and a radically different generation of workers entering the labor force. It only takes one Google-second to realize that the entire world of work is changing.

    If the evolving work-world gives you a headache, here are 4 outdated career myths you can safely forget.

    1) Get a Job

    “Jobs” are out but “gigs” are in. With the high costs of training and the short stay of workers, many employers now prefer independent contractors, consultants, and freelancers over full-time employees. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that solopreneurs will make up about 40% of the workforce by 2020. While the figures vary, reports will tell you that half to two-thirds of millennials are interested in entrepreneurship and a third already have their own side-businesses. It’s no wonder career blogger, Danny Rubin, recently suggested that the best networking conversation-starter today is, “worked on any cool projects lately?”

    2) One Career at Once

    Some money experts say that diversifying your income streams is wise in this economy, perhaps explaining the rise of what Marci Alboher coined as the “Slash-Career.” While most Boomers and Gen Xers will vouch that one career used to be more than enough to juggle, some workers today enjoy the variety that a multi-faceted career brings, with what business author Dan Pink is now calling the ever-shifting “Lego Career.” Many millennials in particular are drawn to a multi-income lifestyle rather than the single-track careers their parents knew so well. Just don’t be surprised when the next contact you meet has three job titles listed on her business card.

    3) Stay For Life

    It’s no secret that job security’s a myth. While there are many different estimates, most sources say we work somewhere between 7 to 15 jobs in a lifetime today. For millennials — soon to be a large portion of the workforce — 91% expect to stay at a job less than three years, according to surveys conducted by the Future Workplace. The old story of climbing a static ladder until retirement do you part simply isn’t true anymore. Your career will likely be an evolving journey.

    4) Work at Work

    Advances in video conferencing technology and an increasingly global workforce have spurred a new trend towards remote work. Fortune reported a 26% increase in remote job postings just in 2013 alone and 45% of the workforce now has jobs suitable for part- or full-time telecommuting. Droves of millennials are setting up shop in creative work environments — home offices, cafes, and the increasingly popular “co-work space” (which I write you from at the moment, perched at my laptop amongst a community of coffee-drinking solopreneurs). If business casual is sucking the life out of your closet, working in your pajamas is officially more possible than ever.

    These changes may seem confusing, but 21st century workers are riding the currents and finding ways to thrive within the storm. By working together and sharing our talents in innovative ways, we’re redefining work as we know it.

    So hold onto your hats! We’ve got some exciting careers ahead.

     

    Stephanie Seibel, CPC, is a certified career coach for 20- and 30-somethings and founder of RedThreadCoaching.com, “Work With Every Fiber of Your Being.” She specializes in educating young adults about the alternative career options available today and helping them pursue work that is both meaningful and successful.

  • The Changing World of Work: Is the Policy Going to Die?

    The Changing World of Work: Is the Policy Going to Die?

    You all know I hate policies for the sake of policies. Rules follower I am not, so when I see that one of the potential trends in the way work is changing is a swing away from policies, I get excited. Now throwing policies out the window isn’t being adopted by all, case in point this experience I had recently but with the need for innovation and adaptability in order to attract and retain talent and therefore meet customer needs, trends are arising to simplify or scratch policies all together.

    For example, companies like Netflix have scratched vacation and sick policies all together. Revolutionary? Maybe not. Let people take what they need, knowing if you’ve got motivated and engaged people they won’t take enough of what they need, and it builds two things:

    1. Trust in your work place.
    2. Money to do other things that contribute to your bottom line besides paying someone or some system to police your workforce.

    In fact, some companies are doing away with traditional performance review all together, here are some great reads on the movement: The Crowd Sourced Performance Review and “Is It Time to Put the Performance Review on a PIP?”.

    If you are considering getting rid of some of your policies then:

    1. Review all policies in place now against business needs. Do this in writing.
    2. Dialogue with colleagues and industry peers about what does and doesn’t work for them. Set the scope for industry standards in writing.
    3. Make decisions with your leadership team based on business needs and industry standards. While I hate a policy for policy sake, I’m not advocating for the wild, wild West. Most of the time, we need to consider everything from the scope of moderation. It’s like food, don’t eat enough and it will kill you, eat too much and it will kill you. What is your health dose of policy given your business needs and your industry standards? In answering this, consider where you can be an industry leader in innovative policy structures that can push you to be the talent leader.

    What policy would be the first to go at your organization?