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iQuantum e-News February 2008 Welcome to iQuantum's e-News for February 2008. Each month iQuantum brings you the latest innovations in marketing and technology to help you improve your business. For more information on how iQuantum can help you grow your business visitwww.iquantum.com.au. Copyright 2008 iQuantum Pty Ltd ::: info@iquantum.com.au |
My Generation: Mixing ages in the workplace
There is no denying that contemporary workforces are more diverse than ever before. The arrival of members from Generation Y into professional environments is creating another significant layer to the multi-generational mix that already exists in most organisations. Furthermore, booming economies, improved health and advances in technology are factors that have influenced contemporary workforces. Many people are choosing to work beyond traditional retirement age because they can. This means that organisations aiming to gain the best performance from their human resources may need to adapt in order to accommodate colliding work styles and priorities. Of course, work place diversity extends beyond the shift in values and expectations that accompany each new generation as they come of age. Today, cultural considerations and gender equality are also major factors in attracting, retaining and managing an efficient, vibrant and dynamic team. The challenge lies in formulating new employer/employee relationships that meet the various expectations and priorities relating to each group, and ultimately, these relationships should make individuals feel valued accordingly.
There has been a lot of research conducted on various generations and their defining characteristics in an effort to identify broad shifts in professional attitudes. For example, it is widely noted that Baby Boomers were conditioned to work long hours. A strong work ethic and loyalty were considered necessary to achieve the gradual rise up through traditional corporate hierarchical structures. The desired results included status and financial reward. Generation X entered the work place as multi-taskers. Generally members of this age group prefer greater flexibility and independence in the work place. Generation Y are confident multi-taskers and expect access to the latest technology. They want a high level of interaction and variety and they expect on-the-job training. Emphasis is placed on the quality of the work achieved, not the hours spent working.
By seeking to understand what motivates and inspires individuals to do their jobs well employers can adjust their managerial approach to improve communications and outcomes for the good of the company and the satisfaction of employees. For example, structure a reward system that takes into account the underlying values of various employees or provide work choices in order to retain valuable staff members, like flexible hours or leave arrangements. A simple initiative could involve re-arranging the office space in a way that encourages versatility. An open plan office may have movable fixtures such as white-boards and benches to allow for shifting set-ups that suit a variety of tasks, as well as spontaneous conferencing with colleagues. A simple consideration of space may result in creating a greater affinity between employees.
Generational considerations can reveal some invaluable pointers for managing a contemporary workforce. Each group and individual has different strengths to offer, whether in the form of lengthy experience, or fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Podcasts: Media you want, when you want it
Like most professionals today, you probably don't have timeto read all the books you want to read, catch up on the latest news, or evenkeep up with everything that's going on in your industry. What if there was aneasier way to digest all the information you're interested in rather thanreading endless articles, Web sites and books? What if you could soak up allthat knowledge in the train, in the car or in your lunch break, quickly andeasily? This is where podcasting comes in. Put simply - podcasts arelike radio or television programs that can be downloaded from the internet andplayed back on your PC, iPod or other portable media player. The thing thatmakes a podcast different from other media you might download is that they aresyndicated. This means you can subscribe to your favourite podcasters and newprograms will be automatically updated on your Itunes (or other media player's) library.
All of this makes podcasting an extremely handy way to enjoyyour media, but there is another major advantage. With so many podcasts nowavailable, there is something for everyone. From major international newsservices such as the BBC to business and marketing to scuba diving - whateveryour interest there is sure to be a podcast out there targeting your niche. And if you can't find a podcast on your passion,why not create one yourself? It's easy to do on your home computer and it couldhelp promote your business. There are tutorials on the iTunes site to get youstarted:
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcasts.html There are also handy tips at:
http://www.podcasting-tools.com At iQuantum we've got a few of our own favourites that welike to listen to. Being marketing nerds, we tend to listen to a lot ofmarketing-related podcasts. Here's a list of the 'casts that get us going (click on the name to go to the relevant page):
Author of the Little Red Book of Selling, Gitomer is
Perry Marshall is the authority on Adwords and internetmarketing.
Grammar Girl provides handy and entertaining tips on writing.While these tips are excellent for professional writers, they are alsoimportant for business owners who do a lot of writing in their day to day activities. Recently the Grammar Girl has been joined by a range ofother characters such as Mr Manners, giving advice on etiquette and Get it DoneGuy, who offer tips on working productively and efficiently.
Zig Ziglar has written 25 best selling books that cover suchtopics as personal growth, leadership, sales, success and family. Ziglar hasbeen a motivational speaker since the 70s and is still going strong.
Marketing Tip: The power of compliments When was the last time someone gave you a sincere and meaningful compliment, something you knew was from his or her heart and that made you glow inside? If your answer is like the hundreds of people I've asked that question of, all too many of them have turned to me and said "The last compliment? What year is this?" Have you ever met someone who complained about getting too many compliments, or being fussed over too much? In a world that is waiting to criticize you, a compliment has incredible power. You should always find a way to give every prospect one compliment every time you talk with them. |  |
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