We work in a contemporary world. A world where things are changing — whether it's when and where employees are working, how employers are handling their human resources or the constantly changing trends — the world of work is moving and shifting. And as wacky as that world can be sometimes, it's also fascinating if you have the right guide.

This blog is designed to be just that — a companion on your journey through the changing world of work. Here you'll find tips, tools and information on topics as diverse as the workforce itself: the aging workforce, working women, professional etiquette, generational diversity, the talent crunch, and more. So whether you're an employer or an employee, and whether you're beginning or close to finishing your career, I hope you find the information here useful for navigating the contemporary world of work.

Thanks for reading and have fun!

Melanie

In ‘about me’ I told you three things of which I am particularly proud.  I didn’t happen to mention any of my vices and I don’t plan to go into too many of them here, but one vice I have is watching way too much TV.  I watch it all:  reality shows, Animal Planet (of course!), night-time soaps, sitcoms, dramas, home improvement, cooking….

Every once in a while something I see on TV gets me thinking about the world of work.  In a recent episode of 30ROCK — the sitcom that rivals The Office for its workplace what-not-to-do instruction — a private investigator tells the television network executive played by Alec Baldwin that people with weird hobbies never make it to the corner office (in this case, Jack collects cookie jars).  Unless the hobby is really out there, I disagree.  Outside activities keep us fresh and creative — and make us more interesting to others.

Have you come across any hobbies you find particularly weird?  Or interesting?  Or career-ending?

Today is the second day of the new year, and the first day back at work for many who were lucky enough to take time off for the end-of-year holidays. 

The talk around the copy machines is all about New Year’s resolutions.  A long time ago I gave up resolving to lose a few pounds or get healthy through good food and more exercise.  I was setting myself up for failure.  But there are some work-related resolutions that I think I can keep — resolutions that I recommended to you, too:

• Have lunch with someone at work you don’t know (yet).
• And don’t eat at your desk — it’s not good for you and it doesn’t give you the opportunity to meet new people.
• Say ‘hello’ and make eye contact with everyone you pass in the hall.
• Volunteer for a new project.
• Don’t participate in office gossip.
• Give back through some sort of community service.
• Join a committee.
• Don’t take your work home.  Instead, spend quality time with your family, your pets, yourself…).
• Set at least one goal for self-improvement (and achieve it!).
• Enjoy your job!!

I’d love to hear from you.  What work/life resolutions have you set for yourself?

Yes.  Even though I’m a baby boomer, I do know what LOL means — laugh out loud.  And that’s what my Wilson makes me do every single day.

• He has goofy eyes that look at me from different angles.  I call them his ‘goo-goo-googly’ eyes.
• His legs can’t get traction on my hardwood floors so he’ll start out sitting very smartly and end up flat on the floor with his back legs splayed out behind him. 
• When his big sister Hannah has a rawhide, he doesn’t bark or growl — he sits in front of her and talks.  I can almost understand him whining, “It’s not fair that you get the rawhide.  I know you’re older, wiser and much bigger, but I want something to chew on, too.”
• When I walk toward the treat jar, he follows me doing 360 degree twirls until he gets his treat.
• And when he settles down in my lap after a long day of play, he sighs with utter contentment.
• I could go on and on…

…but my point is I’m lucky to have the opportunity for a healthy belly laugh every day.  Never underestimate the power of laughter and humor — whether you’re at home or at work.

And if you don’t have a dog (or cat) to laugh at, try laughing at yourself every once in a while.

BTW:  Wilson laughs at me sometimes, too!

What makes you laugh?

Yes, we’re aging.  Yes, baby boomers will be eligible for retirement soon.  Yes, there weren’t as many of the baby ‘bust’ generation born to replace those boomers.  But is that the extent of the labor problem?  Will we just be running out of people?  Or is there a bigger issue?

Technology has changed the way many things get done.  ATMs, shipping containers, Google, factory robots… we can even check out of the grocery store without the help of a human being.  Technology has raised productivity — maybe even enough to make up for the predicted demographic shortages.  But the news isn’t all good.  Technology has also dramatically upgraded the skill sets required in the contemporary workplace.

So even if we don’t run out of labor, will we run out of labor with the skills we need?  What do you think?

Workers of a certain age have been called many things and none insult me.  I’m proud of my age and have no plans to hide it.  But are we:

• Mature workers?
• Aging workers?
• Experienced workers?
• Older workers?
• 50+ workers?
• Senior workers?

Did I miss anything?  What do you think we should be called?

For the first time in history, four generations are working together.  Is that good news?  Or bad news?

It can be bad news if we haven’t learned to get along.  I’ve talked with people who are critical of other generations — but very complimentary about their own age bracket.  So if people think their generation is the only one that ‘knows the score,’ work won’t get done effectively.

But I will argue that generations working together is good — actually great — news!  Here are a few reasons why:

• A diverse team makes decisions that take all points of view into account — and those decisions are generally the best decisions.
• Smart companies make sure their workforce — particularly those who are customer facing — reflect the demographics of those customers.
• We can each learn from the other generations. 

Why else does it make sense to mix generations at work? 

You’re at a fancy banquet — maybe your boss is sitting next to you.  The crowded dinner table holds a dizzying array of china, crystal, cutlery, flatware, coffee cups…  The list can be endless. 

You may be faced with two potential scenarios:

• You’re the first to sit down and you aren’t quite sure which napkin is yours, which butter plate belongs to you and maybe even where your coffee cup is.
• If you’re the last to sit down, you might find that someone got the whole thing started wrong and you are faced with the same dilemma — what belongs to you?

The answer is quite simple — and if you remember this, you’ll eliminate any hesitation:  Eat Left, Drink Right.  Bread and butter to the left; coffee, water and wine to the right.  Often your napkin is under your fork or on your plate, but if your napkin has been placed (decoratively) in your coffee cup, it is to the right — because you drink coffee.

There are other gimmicks to help us remember which is which, but I find a simple Eat Left, Drink Right does the trick every time.

What other banquet etiquette dilemmas have you faced?

… when you grow up?

My answer is, “Just like my Hannah.”  No, I don’t want to be a dog, but she has qualities I admire:

• She is gorgeous!
• She is serene.
• She is fit.
• She is independent, yet
• She is obedient.
• She is very happy ‘in her skin.’
• She loves unconditionally.
• She accepts everyone (even the postal carrier) without judgment.

If I keep working at it… maybe someday!

You’ve probably heard about the book The No A**hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t by Bob Sutton. I find his “Dirty Dozen” list particularly interesting.  It highlights the actions that workplace jerks commonly employ to make others feel bad.

The last one on the list is “Treating people as if they are invisble.”  I’ll admit that I’ve tried to sit still and be invisible when I know someone (or my dogs) want something from me, but that doesn’t make the other person feel bad — it just makes me look silly.  But truly, isn’t this one of the worst things you can experience?  Someone (a jerk) intentionally making you feel like you don’t exist?  Aren’t we all grown-ups here?

And with more and more diversity in the workplace — be it gender, race, age or anything else — there is added potential for jerks to rear their heads and cause conflict.  Those jerks may want to start changing their ways.  Not only is no one invisible, but as books like Sutton’s demonstrate, there is an ever-heightening sense of the issue.  Companies won’t tolerate jerks because they are bad for business.

On Sutton’s blog, he lists his Latest Tips for Surviving Workplace A**holes.  Note the first bit of advice:  escape if you possibly can.  There is a talent crunch facing employers in many industries, so what company in its right mind wants to lose the talented many for the sake of one (even if he or she is talented, too)?  Jerks take note:  you are neither invincible nor indispensable.

Non-jerks, please speak out.  What do you think are some of the worst offenses of workplace bullies?

I’m still surprised that my favorite MBA classes were finance and economics.  Before Kellogg, I neither liked nor understood much of anything to do with numbers.  But a better understanding of finance, as well as the corresponding economic theories and accounting practices helped me understand the drivers that impact businesses and workers.  That experience reminds me that when we take the time to stretch and learn something new, we’re able to make connections that we didn’t see before.

Understanding labor trends is like that.  Supply and demand — skilled workers and meaningful jobs — impact many labor-related areas, from business growth to personal satisfaction and from crime rates to teen pregnancy. 

It’s all about jobs! 

After thinking about the subject for a while, these connections became clear to me.  That’s why I care about the world of work.  The posts on this blog will talk about some of the reasons you might care, too.