Alyson Getchell

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The Multi-Generational Workplace

In my world, we talk about the multiple generations in the workplace on a regular basis. Generations are defined by age, date of birth, and critical societal events. Each generation has its own strengths, limitations, and values. Understanding the differences can create a more cohesive work environment. Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) The baby boomer generation was named for the “boom” of babies born in the United States following the end of World War II. This generation is characterized by a strong work ethic; members are goal oriented, highly resourceful, and team oriented. Baby boomers’ philosophies have been formed through the civil rights movement, the Beatles invasion, Woodstock, the end of

Are Successful People Lucky?

Success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. When it comes to your career, what factors lead to success? Is it education? Hard work? Or could it be luck? There are too many factors to talk about, so here are my top six. 1. Keep your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it. People will remember your integrity no matter how big or small the commitment. Make your deadlines, keep your promises. Under-promise and over-deliver. This is number one for a reason. 2. Dress for success. While dress codes have changed over the years, and are now less predictable than the traditional

Being Human

If there is one nugget of advice that we should take away from 2020, it is to be human. It sounds like such a simple request, but is often lacking in a business setting. We celebrate love (among other things) in the month of February. Love is a strong word, but loving one another is the basis of our humanity, so how can we love one another in the workplace? Angela Ahrendts, Senior VP at Apple, said, “Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first.” Whether or not you want to be, you are in relationship with the people you

Leadership

Do you have leadership skills? No, I’m not just talking about the bossy girl on the playground. Whether you’re a small business owner, or a supervisor or manager, or have any ambition of being in one of those roles someday, what are you doing to develop the skills that will help you be successful? I have regularly heard employees say that they did not get proper training for, or that their organization did not prepare them for, the leadership role they were performing. I have also heard employers say that employees need to take charge of their own development. So, who is right? I say both. I believe that we

How much do you know about employee benefits?

It is the time of year when employees make their benefit selections. Many of them do not know what they are selecting, but next year thousands of dollars will be deducted from their paychecks to pay for benefits they know very little about. Many employees select the lowest premium plan without realizing that it does not cover the spouse’s prescription medications or the child’s therapy. A friend of mine recently came to me for assistance in selecting her family’s benefit plans for next year. She was handed an enrollment form to make her selections and no other information. When I started asking her questions, she could not answer them. There

Employee Engagement in a Pandemic

It seems like an oxymoron. While our teams worry about keeping safe, learn from home, work from home, and alternate schedules, how do we ensure that they remained engaged with their work? Employee engagement has many definitions, but my favorite comes from Wikipedia: An engaged employee has a positive attitude toward an organization and its values. You may want to read that again. More and more employees are placing higher emphasis on organizational values. Employee engagement is infused into every part of the employee life cycle. Whether you’re an employee or an employer, it’s important to ensure that your values are on display, beginning with the hiring process. Keep in