Category Archives: Retention

Leveraging the Benefits of an Age Diverse Workplace

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Age diversity and inclusion are essential for success in today’s complex workplace. Most employers today recognize the need for diversity, making sure that people of different ethnicities, nationalities, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability status and age are critical to the future of an organization.

The argument for age diversity and inclusion is unrefuted and new research supports that premise. Currently 5 different generations are part of the workforce.

Age diversity improves performance and productivity in the workplace. Companies need to be aware that age is a number not a credential and outdated stereotypes still influence perceptions of age. Comments such as. “He’s too old to master a software program”. Or “she’s too young to…” only serve to dismiss their value. An employee’s knowledge and experience increases with age and a young person with strong skill sets should not be held back.

Research clearly demonstrates how age diversity improves an organization’s performance. Studies find that the productivity of both older and younger workers is higher in companies with mixed age work teams. More specifically, age diversity in teams is positively related to performance when groups tackle complex decision making tasks. Lastly, age diversity leads to greater engagement, teamwork and innovation.

The following are some practices to boost age diversity and inter-generational understanding:

  • Open apprenticeships for workers of all age.
  • Programs to help workers re-enter workforce after a long absence.
  • Facilitation of cross generational mentoring programs.
  • Raising awareness of inter generation differences through training and education.
  • Organizing employee resource groups for support.
  • Actively recruit talent across all ages.

Companies that adhere to these practices will certainly reap the benefits of age diversity and inclusion.

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Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.

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Onboarding Investment

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The quality of your onboarding experience affects retention and results. We heard this message from several participants at last week’s Bank Trainers Conference (for which Learning Dynamics was a Platinum Sponsor) in New Orleans. Credit unions and banks sent their top training leaders for three days of idea and best practice sharing from learning and development experts, including our own VP Wilbur Pike.

Now, possibly more than any time in the last six years, is a great time to review your onboarding program. Why? With recent improvements in the job market, even entry-level employees have more career options to consider. If they don’t get what they need to feel included, if they feel their jobs are unimportant, they will not stay. Opportunities for more fulfilling work are more plentiful with each passing day.

Here are some things to look at as you examine your initial learning and development program:

Is your onboarding experience interesting and fun? As in many other settings, you will only get one chance to make a great first impression with your newest employees. If they don’t engage quickly, they will get fade. Onboarding becomes boring, and that’s never good.

Do your latest hires understand why their work is important? This is a basic concept in the langauge of employee engagement. Everyone needs to understand how they fit into the organization. They want to know the big picture. Job shadowing and messages directly from top executives (yes, the CEO can visit an onboarding class) can help make this point.

Do your new people have the opportunity to enjoy early success? Success breeds success, so build early opportunities to shine into your onboarding experience. Provide plenty of feedback to create momentum and energy.

A professionally developed learning and development program might seem like a large investment. Compared to costs and time to recruit, hire and train replacements, though, it is a wise one. If your company isn’t ready for more demand-side competition in the labor market, others will win. Let Learning Dynamics know if we can help.

Resolve to Train in 2014: Three Reasons

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Put employee training and development at the top of your 2014 to-do list.

Put employee training and development at the top of your 2014 to-do list.

We might be a week or so early with our New Year’s resolution thoughts, but it’s not too soon to think about how to compete better in 2014. It seems that the economic horizon is brightening. Congress passed a budget, so the federal lights will stay on and the national parks open. Unemployment is declining and companies are more optimistic. Different challenges are likely for every organization in this environment.

Your Best Employees Will be Looking

Surveys say that 75% of the US workforce will be looking for a new position in 2014. Are some of your best and brightest among them? No matter what you think, the answer is likely, “Yes!” A robust and progressive training culture can fight that trend.

There Will be Turnover

If your organization has been fortunate to experience low employee turnover in the last few years, your onboarding training may be stale. Is it ready to go if you need to hire to replace exiting employees and to fuel growth?

Corporate Cash is Building Strength

A November/December survey in Training magazine indicates that 80% or organizations will be doing at least as much or more training in 2014 (it’s about evenly split at 40% same/more). Increased investments enabled by better corporate results will make your competitors stronger, not weaker.

Training and development have become necessities, not luxuries only for the companies that can afford the investment. Employees know that their time with your organization will not be measured in decades, but in years (single digits) or even months. They are looking to see what they get and what they will learn. If training and development are not on the menu, they will look somewhere else for their next opportunity.

The challenges are good ones. Managing growth and competing in a revitalized economy are exciting. Be ready with a team that is prepared. Resolve to invest in your people.

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Learning Dynamics is a leader in customized training solutions for organizations of all sizes and missions. Talk to us to discuss how training and development can spur growth and success at your company in the New Year.