Human Resource Solutions Next Generation Workforce

Human Resource Solutions
Cathy Swenson
Next Generation Workforce
The health care industry has become a very complex
business. Costs are rising and resources suoh as
funding and human capital are diminishing.
Human capital resources are about to reach true crisis proportions. The vital workforce we have counted
on is expected to begin thinning as large numbers of
Boomers retire. Not only does this deplete the workforce from a pure numbers perspective, but it aiso
affects intellectual capital and institutional memory.
Generational trends and characteristics have affected
the workforce environment and will continue to do so
as another generation continues to enter the workforce.
Generation Y, also tagged Nexter, offers core values
that can bring positive changes to the health care
workforce.
Technology continues to change at lightning speed.
Embracing new technology and using it to refine the
way we do business will help deliver success.
Meaningful strategic plans are needed to change the
model of business delivery and employee care in our
future workforce.
W:
»E CAN ALL AGREE THAT
our world has become
very complex. From a
business perspective,
no matter the industry, fiscal success is a challenge, costs for health
care continue to rise, and costs for
natural resources such as fuel are
skyrocketing. Our human capital
resources are changing as well.
As Baby Boomers retire, the
Cathy Swenson
health care workforce is about to
undergo a unique change. Boomers are the 78 million
people born in the United States between 1946-1964
and make up a large portion ofthe workforce. A Boomer
turns 50 every 7.6 seconds and 76 million of them will
retire by 2030 (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
2006). The health care industry is even more challenged
because we are dealing with human lives. And many of
us are concerned about the future as we age. One of the
concerns impossible to ignore is who will care for us?
CATHY SWENSON. BSN. RN, is Vice President, Health Care
Division. Bernard Hodes Group, New York, NY.
NOTE: This column is made possible through an educational
grant from The Bernard Hodes Group, which provides a hroad
range of integrated solutions Io advance the way health care
organizations identify, attract, and keep quality talent. For more
information, visit www.hodes.com
Workforce projections continue to show imbalances between supply and demand. The growth in the
demand for health occupations is twice that of nonhealth occupations, resulting in the need for more than
4.3 million health professions workers to fill the job
openings created by departures and new positions between 2004-2014 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2005).
The Robert Wood Johnson (2006) study indicates
that over 6 in 10 health care leaders believed that
expected retirements over the next 5 years would cause
a talent gap or "brain drain" in their organizations. Only
29.8% of the leaders have done anything to counterbalance these trends. Those who had, said they had instituted the following: focus on leadership succession
planning (21.6%), mentoring programs of younger
employees by older workers (18.6%), informal knowledge networks (17.5%), Web-based knowledge and
transmission tools (15.5%), training programs conducted by older workers (9.3%), and knowledge transmission goals in the performance reviews of older employees (only 7.2%).
Yet the price of employee turnover costs the U,S.
economy $5 trillion per year (Frank, Finnegan, & Taylor,
2004). The bottom line: we have put OUT heads in the
sand in preparing for future health care delivery.
Generational Impact
Multiple generations have contributed to some of
the challenges within our workforce. Each generation
has innate core values created by the era in which they
were bom and the experiences within their life span.
These core values affect work ethic, perceptions of others' work ethic, and communication styles.
Most recently our workforce transitioned from a
two generation workforce (Matures and Boomers) to
three generations (Matures, Boomers and Generation X),
The Mature generation's characteristics developed from
experiences in the Great Depression. Responsibility and
quality are key expectations of the Matures, as well as
structure and respect. The Boomer generation, a larger
part of the workforce who experienced an era of growth
and prosperity, requires praise and recognition, putting
company needs before personal needs, while juggling
multiple responsibilities with competence.
These two generations have worked together with
minor communication issues. Generation X was the
first generation with more expectations for themselves,
and more expectations for consistent ongoing communication and productivity for themselves and others
(Kogan, 2001). When Generation X entered the workforce, most organizations looked at this group as a problem and were not prepared to deal with the resulting
dynamics on workforce teams.
NURSING ECONOMICS/January-February 2008A/ol. 26/No. 1
Nexters
The newest generation to enter our workforce, and
the largest since the Boomers, is Generation Y, bom
between 1980 and 2000 — also known as the
Millennials, Generation Next, MyPod generation.
GenY. Digital Natives. Echoboomers, and the Boomerang Generation (Kogan, 2001).
This generation is globally aware, well educated,
wired, and technologically sophisticated. Nexters have
positive expectations and a desire for collective action
(Zemke. Raines. & Filipczak, 2000). Life experience of
the Nexters has created a generation that possesses
traits such as a lack of trust in corporations, a focus on
personal success, and a short-term career perspective.
Nexters have a desire to improve everyday life hy volunteering and giving back.
This generation has a great ability to multitask and
maintain several dialogues, which makes them versatile communicators. While this generation communicates through technology, they remain quite savvy in
verbal communication skills (Melik, 2007).
Nexters have been exposed to technology from
birth, using technology since their years as a toddler.
Nexters access information 24/7; therefore, they expect
to work anytime and anyplace. Using the Web for information and social networking is part of the Nexter's
core competencies. Web-based social networking and
accessing information on such sites as Linkedin,
Facehook, and MySpace are normal practices.
YouTube already has a few videos created by
young members of the nursing profession. Each video
exhibits out-of-the-box thinking, with the intent to
recruit people into the nursing profession. One video
done by students at Decker School of Nursing is titled
"Bring Nursing Back" (2006). This video has had
140.000 views through November 2007. The other, created by emergency center nurses from the University of
Alabama, recruits candidates through a hip approach
("UAB Emergency Room Rap," 2007). This video has
been posted not only to YouTube, but has also
appeared on Yahoo video.
Parents of this generation have been highly invested and involved with their growth. Some critics call
this generation coddled. They may require more mentoring up front, hut have shown an ability to make dramatic and constructive changes to the workforce in the
short time they have been a part of it. According to
Claudia Tattanelli. CEO, Universum Communications,
this generation gets a bad rap but has an "incredible
will to make changes" ("The bottom line on next gen
workers," 2007).
As a whole, younger workers can take great work
risks; therefore, they are more mobile and able to pursue better jobs anywhere. The workplace will need to
adapt to the attitudes and needs of this generation
[Rasmus, 2007).
Each generation comes to the workforce table
with different life experiences. Each communicates
and perceives verhal and nonverbal messaging differently. While this does create complex work environments, it also presents a wonderful opportunity to put
these diverse approaches to initiate new innovative
practices.
Next Qeneration Work Environment
"Futurizing your organization — that is, creating
an organization that thinks in the future tense and
acts in the present — is prerequisite for success in a
rapidly changing and uncertain world" (Morrison,
2007).'
Organizations that thrive will he those that are
open to imagination, adapt quickly to change, accept
new technological methodologies, and entice employees with learning opportunities. Tomorrow's successful organization will retain employees because they
continue to challenge and empower them to use their
knowledge and skills to benefit the team and the
organization. Resumes will boast the ability to learn,
incorporate, and synthesize new knowledge, transforming new value for the organization. Work will
consist of creative environments that inspire, challenge, and motivate. A multitude of flexible work
schedules, locations, and job arrangements — such as
job sharing, and telecommuting — will be available.
Diverse experience and backgrounds of workforce
members will be accepted and utilized to create innovative work environments. Opportunities will he created for people to contribute in a variety of roles.
Nexters will be accepted and truly integrated into a
variety of projects and career opportunities. Matures
and Boomers will be targeted for their industry
expertise, business understanding, teamwork experience, and will be retained and utilized for their intellectual capital and wisdom.
Work environments will support team-based projects and group dynamics. Employees will be supported in their pursuit of personal and social activities,
such as volunteer work.
Training and mentoring programs will be creative, efficient, and effective, such as e-learning via
the Web. Employees will be recognized for contributions to new models of work delivery. Reciprocal
mentoring, a practice where the teacher and student
each learn from the other, will be a frequent practice.
Never before has there been such an opportunity
for constructive changes to the health care industry.
The impending changes in the makeup of the workforce remove barriers that have hindered progress in
the past — doing it the same old way. Our next generation health care workforce is about multi-generational groups with diverse backgrounds, expertise,
and experience creating new streamlined models of
care and communication through human interaction
and technology.S
NURSING ECONOMICS/January-February 2008/Vol. 26/No. 1
continued on page 60
human side of their life — their children, their weekend, and other more personal conversations so you
truly know people as people and not just in the role
they play at work.
This kind of leadership is very different than the
leadership that is based in monitoring, maintaining
compliance, and keeping a distance from the staff.
Leaders who engage in a personable relationship with
their staff open the doors to create followers who
hecome infected with the vision and stated outcomes
of the leader. Magnet® hospitals are simply a reflection of the kind of leadership that can create the
"magnet" that draws and retains people. Leaders who
create this sense of magnetism often can tell the compelling stories that connect with people in the organization. Katzenhach (2000) notes that the most critical
factor in achieving this level of performance is the
ability of the leader to relentlessly balance the performance of the organization with the fulfillment of
the worker. If the relationship is not there, peak performance cannot be achieved and sustained. Magnetic leaders who achieve this level of performance
are the ones who can engage people in a compelling
story that will captiu^e the imagination of people
[Katzenbach, 2000). They also create and honor legends that create a sense of pride in the accomplishment of individual people and the organization.
These leaders cannot only create relationships with
themselves and the people in the organization, but
they can also create a relationship with the dreams
and the vision the leader has for the organization.
examining best practices and modeling her/his leadership practice after these models. We know from a
plethora of evidence that the relationship-based
leader who is also grounded in good operational abilities and can paint the picture of a compelling future
is much more effective than the leader who is only
selling facts and chooses to manage from her/his
office. The leader who is driving toward success can
use the saltshaker test; How often are you spreading
"yes" to create that sense of connectedness and openness? Is the leader creating a sense of magnetism that
comes from communicating the compelling story of
optimism and hope for the future of the company that
will draw people into an exciting future for the organization?
We have great opportunities to watch the candidates for political office position themselves for election. Polls are telling the candidates what is working
and what is not. Similar evidence about leaders and
their characteristics tell us that relationships with
people are what successful leadership is all about.S
Making Connections/Building Helationships
Human Resource Solutions
In reality, leadership is all about connections and
relationships. Just as the political candidates are
judged not only on their programs for change but just
as strongly on their ability to connect personally with
the voters, leaders are also judged on the same criteria. The nurse manager who can develop a personal
relationship with the staff in which they sincerely
believe the manager is interested in them as people
first will be successful. The chief nursing officer who
can successfully tell the story of the strategic change
for the organization will be successful as long as the
people believe in the sincerity of the story because
they have a personal and not just a business relationship with her/him. Chief executive officers who create that sense of relationship and connectiveness even
though they have no way of personally knowing
everyone in the organization will be successful. The
political candidates must do that across the entire
United States. By contrast, the task should he very
doable in health care organizations that have smaller
depth and breadth.
continued from page 65
Summary
The successful leader must first make the commitment to practice evidence-based leadership by
REFERENCES
Gottman. J. (2007). Making relationships work. Harvard Business
Review. S5(12). 45-50.
Katzenbach. J. (2000). Peak performance. New York: McKinsey.
Swindell, C, (2007), Engaged leadership. New York: John Wiley &
Sons.
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Bring Nursing Back, (2006), Video. Retrieved Novemher 14. 2007,
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Frank, F.D,, Finnegan, R.P., & Taylor. C.R. (2004). The race for talent: Retaining and engaging workers in the 21"' century. New
York: The Human Resource Planning Society.
Kogan, M. (2001). Bridging the gap. Retrieved Novemher 15, 2007.
from http://cmsreports.com/generation_next
Melik, R. (2007). The rise of the project workforce: managing people and projects in a flat world. Hohoken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons.
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www.slideshare.net/dirkshaw/ideas-to-consider-whendesigning-a-next-generation-workplace/
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The Bottom Line on Next Generation Workers, (2007, September
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UAB Emergency Room Rap. (2007), Video. Retrieved November
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NURSING ECONOMICS/January-February 20O8A/0I, 26/No. 1