Do lawn care companies and law firms face the same talent challenges?On the surface, it might not seem like it. But I’ve learned that one challenge appears to affect virtually all industries today: attracting and retaining millennials. And while some industries, such as banking, law and consulting, get a lot of the buzz around rethinking old-school practices with millennials in mind, many other types of organizations are gr...
Ask any manager what their No. 1 talent issue is, and I can almost guarantee they will offer some variable of “attract and retain millennials.” That’s why I was so happy to meet Whitney Proffitt, manager of campus recruiting at investment consulting company Cambridge Associates, and hear about a millennial council the firm has developed.One of my simple tips to find out what millennials want: Ask a millennial. That’s why de...
Work-life balance (a.k.a. work-life integration, work-life fit, work-life blend) has been a hot workplace topic for, oh, the past three decades or so. But in today’s constantly connected, mobile-enabled, global, 24/7/365 world, the concept seems more complicated and debated than ever. Here’s why.
“Work” Doesn’t End at 5 … and “Life” Doesn’t Begin at 5
Expecting to...
When even the bankers and accountants are dressing down, you know that casual dress is here to stay as a workplace norm. JP Morgan and PricewaterhouseCoopers are the latest to hang up their suits. While business casual is hardly news in most circles, having such traditional, buttoned-up industries jump on the casual train represents a true sea change. It also adds complication for workers who are unsure what is appropriate...
Do you have a bucket list? I just crossed a big one off mine – delivering a TEDx talk!My client, Estée Lauder, presented the opportunity to me. It was gratifying to be invited, amazing to watch other live talks and inspirational to see the positive response to my key message: Millennials are our future; let’s stop bashing them.Griping About Millennials? So Old SchoolIt’s certainly no secret that Millennials have a bad rap....
You’ve heard me talk a lot about how experience is everything to millennials, and in today’s environment unique experiences are the ultimate currency. In fact, three-quarters of today’s millennials would choose to spend their money on an experience rather than buying something, according to a study by Eventbrite and Harris.That’s why I encourage employers to offer their employees as many experiences as they can, whether it’...
Show up on time. Ask smart questions. Have a can-do attitude. All good internship advice that you’ve likely heard before. There’s no question that summer internships can be the gateway to future employment: a new survey from Looksharp confirms that internships increase your chances of early career success. And, since demand for internships is greater than supply, you have to prove you’re among the best and the brightest.But...
At this point, most of us have heard of Marie Kondo and her best-selling manifesto, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She suggests decluttering by asking yourself about every single thing you own: Does this spark joy?I love this question, but the truth is my decluttering bar is set a little lower: I don’t always need what I have to bring me joy. I just need it to not bring me angst. That’s been my key takeaway so far f...
With summer intern season about to begin, I wanted to share helpful advice I’ve been reading about making internships truly beneficial for both interns and organizations. What you do to help interns succeed will impact them far beyond this summer. And their contributions can make a real difference to your operations.Start Off On the Right Foot“On the first day of the job, an intern is most likely going to feel a little nerv...
This year, we’ve seen news about companies in traditional industries like banking and consulting changing long-standing work practices to address millennials’ expectations about work-life balance and flexibility. (Of course, as one CEO told me, these changes are celebrated by all other generations as well.)One industry, however, remains as traditional as ever: law. In an industry that still lives and dies by the billable ho...