Finding Talent for the 21st Century
By Hedley Lawson, Jr.

There is a new worker emerging in America today. This “new breed” has redefined the traditional concepts of loyalty, job satisfaction and career advancement. As well, the Emerging Workforce, estimated to comprise over 20 percent of today’s workers, is clearly driven by a distinguishably different set of values and a different work ethic, presenting new business challenges for today’s business owners and managers.

What separates today’s Traditional Employees from Emerging Employees? Here’s a look at the values of each type of employee and how they are distinguished:

Interestingly, Emerging Worker attitudes are being adopted by people of all ages, professions and geographic locations, resulting in an evolutionary change in our workforce, not a revolution in the workplace.

The present size of the Traditional workforce will migrate over the coming years. It is estimated that the Emerging Worker will account for more than 40 percent of the workforce in the Year 2010 and be the majority by the Year 2020. Clearly, companies who fail to understand the Emerging Worker will face a significant competitive hurdle.

How you understand the dynamic of this evolutionary change and your respective employees may define the degree of success you will achieve in the coming years. Several points that you may wish to consider as your workforce migrates to an Emerging Workforce include:

• Create a “leader among peers” management attitude as opposed to the traditional “subordinate to employee” or “command and control” management style;
• Create a “coaching environment” to grow empowerment and confidence, allowing an environment of greater independence as opposed to dependence on you or others by lab or practice management staff;
• Capitalize on individual and team strengths, investing in and maximizing overall personal development and growth;
• Continuously assess your lab or practice for ‘Star Talent’ or the talent areas of people for effective deployment within your business;
• “Hire for attitude, train for skills.” Hire people who clearly bring a “whatever it takes” attitude and a sense of humor, not just someone who is waiting to be told what to do; and
• Create a business environment of frequent, open, two-way communication to allow your employees to fully understand their growth opportunities…and for you to express your appreciation for their achievements.

The Emerging Workforce offers fascinating opportunities and challenges for the optical industry. The workplace and employees are both changing at an unparalleled pace. You have the unique opportunity to understand both and to shape the future of your practice or lab. Capitalize on your human assets to help effect change, and to grow your business and your employees in the process. If you do, you will find that they will enjoy more success and have much more fun…and so will you.

Hedley Lawson is the managing partner of Aligned Growth Partners, LLC, a strategic, operational and organizational consulting, and executive search firm (www.alignedgrowth.com).
 
 

Regulatory and Compliance

New Regulations Aim to Clarify the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA)

The U.S. Department of Labor published final regulations on December 19, 2005 interpreting the law that protects employment and reemployment rights and benefits of service members upon their return to civilian life. This is the first time since 1994 that the Department of Labor has developed regulations to explain and clarify the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA).

The final USERRA regulations provide detailed guidance on important (and sometimes confusing) employer obligations under USERRA such as:

• Treatment of pension plan benefits
• Tax treatment of differential pay, and other compensation and benefits
• Burden of legal proof in USERRA case
• Treatment of independent contractors and tests to determine contractor status
• Amount of time off employees may take before military service
• Reemployment limitations
• Treatment of bonuses during leave
• Benefits waivers
• Use of vacation or other leave
• Healthcare issues
• Reemployment rules
• Promotions
• Disabled service members
• Rate of pay on return
• Protection against discharge

For additional information, please see Resource Corner for the DOL website and further information clarifying your obligations as an employer.

More Employees Finding Romance in the Office

More employees are saying they've been involved in office romances, and some of them have dated their bosses, according to a survey by Vault Inc., a media company that focuses on career advancement.

In the survey, 58 percent of employees admitted to having an office romance, up from 46 percent in an identical Vault survey two years ago.

This year's survey, which included 610 responses from employees, also found that 14 percent of respondents have dated a boss or superior and that 19 percent have dated a subordinate.

Regarding trysts within office walls, 23 percent of the respondents said they've indulged in them, with the office cited as the most common location, followed by the restroom and the conference room.

Twenty-two percent of respondents reported having met their spouse or significant other on the job.

In addition, 44 percent of respondents were unsure whether their company had a policy regarding fraternization, while 39 percent said their company had no policy.

What can you do to make clear your policy on office romance?

First, develop a clear and unambiguous policy on office relationships and sexual harassment. Such policies set the tone for what is or is not acceptable in the workplace. And second, communicate your policy to employees once developed and periodically thereafter.

A SAMPLE POLICY – Provided by Aligned Growth Partners, LLC ( www.alignedgrowth.com)

Personal Relationships in the Work Place

[Company name] is committed to attracting, retaining and developing talented colleagues. In doing so, we realize that we may encounter situations regarding the employment of relatives, or colleagues who may be involved in a dating relationship or may be related. Therefore, to ensure that there is no appearance of a conflict of interest, relatives or colleagues in dating relationships or direct or indirect supervisory relationship may not occupy positions that will require them to work directly for or supervise the other colleague.

[Company name] reserves the right to reassign a colleague should an actual or potential conflict of interest arises involving relatives or colleagues involved in a dating relationship or a potential supervisory relationship. For purposes of this policy, a relative is any person who is related by blood or marriage, including domestic partners, whose relationship with the colleague is similar to that of persons who are related by blood or marriage.

Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment

Every [company name] colleague is entitled to a work environment free from harassment. [Company name] is committed to providing a work place that is free from all forms of discrimination. Any conduct that can be considered harassing, coercive, or disruptive, including sexual harassment or harassment based on a colleague’s gender, race, age, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law, is strictly prohibited. Harassment in any form, including actions, words, jokes, or comments based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, citizenship, ancestry, military veteran status, gender, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, and sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated. [Company name] provides information and ongoing sexual harassment training annually to all colleagues to ensure that you work in an environment that is free of sexual and other unlawful harassment.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted sexual advances, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This definition includes many forms of offensive behavior and includes gender-based harassment of a person of the same sex as the harasser. The following is a partial list of sexual harassment examples:

• Unwelcome or unwanted sexual advances;
• Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors;
• Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances;
• Visual conduct that includes leering, making sexual gestures, or displaying of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons or posters;
• Verbal conduct that includes making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes;
• Verbal sexual advances or propositions;
• Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual's body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, or suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations;
• Physical conduct that includes touching, assaulting, or impeding or blocking movements; and
• Unwelcome sexual advances (either verbal or physical), requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
  1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment, or
  2. Submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for making employment decisions, or
  3. Conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment

Retaliation against any colleague for refusing a sexual advance, for refusing a request, demand or subtle pressure for sexual favors or activity, or for reporting an incident of possible harassment to the Company, is strictly prohibited.

Harassment Complaint Procedure

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any type of discrimination in the work place, you are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of [company official].

All allegations of sexual harassment will be taken seriously, and will receive prompt attention, thorough investigation and appropriate resolution. Should you believe you have been the subject of harassment of any form, you are encouraged to file a complaint immediately. To do so, you should provide a written complaint to [company official] of [company name].Your complaint should include the details of the incident or incidents, the names of the individuals involved and the names of any witnesses. Every effort will be made to keep complaints and investigations confidential and to disclose information only as needed to investigate and resolve a complaint.

Anyone engaging in sexual or other unlawful harassment will be subject to performance counseling, up to and including termination of employment regardless of position. We ensure you that you can raise concerns and make reports or complaints without fear of reprisal, and that [company name] will take appropriate action.