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

Many say that the reason a labor shortage is on the horizon is because of the aging population.  No one can deny that we’re all aging.  And as baby boomers reach traditional retirement age, many may make the decision to leave the workforce.  But according to AARP, nearly 70% of workers currently 45 to 74 plan to work in some capacity after retirement.

So employers take note:  Invest in this demographic!

What does that mean?

• Flexible work options
• Career opportunities
• Low- or no-stress work environment
• Training and development
• Fair, consistent age-neutral salary criteria

We’ll talk more about these in future posts.

I was downtown the other day and ran into an interesting situation…

Two colleagues, one man and one woman, were approaching a revolving door at an office building.  As they drew near the door, they had a slightly awkward moment trying to figure out who should go first.  Who do you think should go first?

A.  The woman — it’s standard practice that a woman always goes first.

B.  The man — he should get the door started.

C.  Neither — just avoid the situation and head for the regular door.

The correct answer is B; the man should go through the revolving door to get the door started.  This is one of those etiquette rules that could have you unwittingly appear rude because it seems counterintuitive.

So much is changing in the contemporary world of work, including etiquette.  While some things never change (I can still hear my father say, “Melanie, Melanie strong and able, get those elbows off the table.”) other etiquette rules can shift, especially in business.

As with all business etiquette, the best policy is to know the rules and then based on your knowledge of the person you are with, tailor your behavior to his or her comfort level.  As I see it, business etiquette exists as a guide to facilitate good relationships, not to make anybody feel bad.  And if you see me around town, I won’t mind if you go first through the revolving door.

What are some other strange business etiquette rules you think are important?

P.S.  Answer C. Neither — just avoid the situation and head for a regular door is environmentally incorrect.  Revolving doors are there for a reason — to keep cool or warm air in the building where it belongs.

I’ve already told you that I watch way too much TV and among my favorite shows are the reality contests like Next Food Network Star,  Design Star and Project Runway.  The way those shows treat their contestants makes me think about how we should all treat our work.

On TV you’re only as good as your last gourmet dish, your last room or your last runway outfit.  If you lose the challenge you go home.  And when you’re gone, you’re gone – very, very seldom are the talented contestants given a second chance.  We are usually given a bit more slack at work, but perhaps we can learn something from our friends on TV.

Treat every memo, project, presentation or meeting as if your future depends on it (because it might).  Keep focused on your goals, do your very best and consider everything you do — no matter how small or large — to be important.

Another New Year’s Resolution perhaps?

And as Heidi Klume would say, “Auf wiedersehen!”

I was recently interviewed by DiversityInc on the subject of tattoos in the workplace. 

I’m not judgemental about tattoos — and as you’ll see in the article, I often sport temporary tattoos on my ankle.  But if you decide to get a visible tattoo you’re making a choice that might prevent you from working for certain companies or in certain customer-facing fields.

But stay tuned.  As the talent crunch becomes a reality for more organizations, workplace tolerance will become increasingly important.  So, acceptance on the part of employers — for tattoos (or unusual piercings) — will probably increase.

What’s your take on ink in the workplace?

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?