This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert January 16, 2008 System Helps Bridge Generation Gap We have long suggested to clients and audiences alike that pairing older and younger employees really works, because of the respect the two generations have for each other. Finally, there is proof that this "buddy system" works to increase productivity and employee retention. Randstad, the Dutch-based staffing company has apparently been "pairing" people, since its inception forty years ago. With a motto of "No one should be alone", the company founder Frits Goldschmeding built his company on the premise that job sharing would optimize productivity. He wanted his sales agents to share one job and trade off responsibilities. That original concept has now been refined to bridge the generation gap and help young people acclimate faster to Randstad's jobs and work environment. Now a week at a time, one team member will make outside calls, while the other interviews potential "talent" and handles administrivia. The next week they trade responsibilities. The key is that one employee is a veteran and the other is a Millennial, mostly defined as those born 1981 and later. We know that new twenty-somethings often require high levels of attention and nurturing. The neat part of this "Unit System", as Randstad calls it, is that older workers learn from younger worker as well. Of course, this system only works with "team players", because the work and rewards are shared. Initially brought to the United States in the late 1990s, this partnership concept was only fully integrated two years ago, when Randstad began recruiting new employees in larger volumes. Of the 600 people hired last year, 420 were twenty-something workers. The bottom line for the company is a significant reduction in employee turnover to the point where their turnover is 20 percent below the industry standard. "We have determined a clear connection between being in a unit and feeling more successful and productive," says Genia Spencer, Randstad's Human Resources executive. Increases in productivity come from mutual accountability. Randstad is on the leading edge of this optimal use of human capital. In 2008 and beyond, expect to see more of this sharing and pairing to help Millennials to acclimate. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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