Today’s workplace has four distinct generations working together:

• Traditionalists or Veterans (born approximately 1922–45)
• Baby Boomers (1946–60)
• Generation X (1961–80)
• Millennials or Generation Y (1981–?)

Use the following suggestions to help you get along with co-workers of different generations:

Be self aware.

Think about how people of different generations may view your behaviour and pay attention to your own beliefs and values. For example, Boomers have had to work many long, hard hours in order to stand out among the huge numbers of their generation in the workforce. Gen Xers and Millennials may think that Boomers don’t care about life outside of work because they are focusing on the Boomers’ behaviour rather than the forces that shaped it.

On the other hand, Gen Xers entered the workforce during a time when organizations were downsizing and restructuring. They’ve learned to rely on themselves and to place a high value on their life outside of work. Veterans and Boomers who kept their jobs during the restructuring handled the situation by working harder. To them, Gen Xers may appear too focused on the “life” side of the work-life balance.

Keep an open mind.

Challenge your assumptions. For example, the Veteran who wears a business suit and seems uncomfortable with technology may be highly creative. The Gen Xer who leaves early and files reports from home may not be out partying all night but may be sharing child care with a spouse.

Focus on the goal.

If everyone on the team does their share, it may not matter whether Veterans work at their desks during office hours, whether Boomers work after hours, whether Gen Xers work at home on the weekend or whether Millennials work on laptops in cafés between jobs.

Value diversity.

Accept each generation’s different experiences and perspectives. Veterans and Boomers have the kind of experience that comes from years in the workforce—when it comes to the ups and downs of working life, they really have seen it all. Gen Xers and Millennials can benefit from their experience.

Gen Xers have developed the skills to be independent and self-directed. Millennials learned their teamwork skills in day care. Both have grown up working and playing with technology: cell phones with cameras, text messaging, wireless connections from hand-held computers to company networks. Millennials and Gen Xers use all available technology effortlessly to work at any time, from anywhere. What may sometimes look like youthful arrogance is more likely competence and confidence—Veterans and Boomers can benefit by recognizing the difference.

Support and learn from each other.

Co-workers from each generation have much to offer each other. For example, Gen Xers and Millennials can share their technology skills with Boomers and Veterans. The older generations can mentor the younger. Each generation has something to learn from:

Veterans’ perspectives on loyalty
Boomers’ dedication to the goal
Gen Xers’ skills at achieving work-life balance
Millennials’ comfort with diversity

Discover common interests.

Sports, hobbies, films, favourite TV shows, volunteering—people from different generations may share more interests than they realize. What starts out as small talk in the coffee room may develop into an appreciation for a different point of view or a chance to explore a new skill.

Veterans, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials all bring a wide range of skills, outlooks and experiences to the workplace. When generations recognize and respect their differences, they stay open to the opportunity to learn from each other.

Two in five working Canadians have experienced vacation envy; nearly 1 million Canadians booked a vacation as a result

TORONTO, ON – May 14, 2008 – The sixth annual Expedia.ca™ Vacation Deprivation™ survey by Ipsos-Reid reveals that more than one quarter (29 per cent) of Canadians are not taking all of their vacation time (up from 21 per cent last year) and 33 per cent of Canadians identify themselves as being vacation deprived (up from 31 per cent last year). Canadians give back an average of 2.43 days (up from 2.06 last year) of unused vacation time to their employers. This translates into nearly 41 million untaken days in Canada overall and a staggering $6.3 billion (CDN) in wages handed back to employers.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult for Canadians to break away and enjoy a real vacation, given the popularity of electronic devices like Blackberries and feelings of vacation guilt brought on by some employers or colleagues,” says Beverly Beuermann-King, a stress and wellness expert. “As the Vacation DeprivationTM condition creeps up, it’s not surprising to see vacation envy emerging as an issue in the workplace.”

Vacation envy on the rise
Vacation Deprivation™ symptoms can lead to vacation envy – feelings of jealousy when a co-worker or friend returns from vacation. This year’s survey revealed that 42 per cent of Canadians admit they have felt vacation envy at some point in their life. Some Canadians are more susceptible to envy – women (48 per cent) are more likely than men (35 per cent) to have felt vacation envy and younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 (59 per cent) are twice as likely to have suffered from vacation envy, compared to those over the age of 54 (26 per cent).

Are electronic devices helping or hindering vacation planning?
When asked if technological advances such as Blackberries, PDAs, Pocket PCs, webmail or cell phones make it easier to take vacations, 48 per cent of Canadian workers feel that technological advances have made it more difficult to get away from work, up from 41 per cent last year. Only 19 per cent of Canadian workers feel that technological devices make it easier for them to get away from the office. Men (22 per cent) are also more likely than women (15 per cent) to feel that it is easier to get away from the office with electronic devices.

What prompts Canadians to take time off?
The survey found that a majority (51 per cent) of Canadians indicate that a family event, such as a wedding or family reunion, would prompt them to use their allotted vacation time. “Finding a great deal” on a vacation would prompt 43 per cent of Canadians to book a trip and 33 per cent say that their interest in an amazing vacation destination inspires them to book time off work. Travel options such as convenient flight times or direct flights also encourage 31 per cent of Canadians to use their vacation days.

Increasing vacation stimulation at work
Two in 10 Canadians (18 per cent) believe that their employer does not offer a fair vacation policy. What can employers do to help decrease Vacation DeprivationTM symptoms among their staff? The survey found that 21 per cent of employees feel that a mandatory policy to take a minimum number of vacation days per year would do the trick. Canadians believe that employers can motivate them to take vacation time by lightening their work load (17 per cent), encouraging them to take time off (17 per cent) and offering a fair vacation policy (14 per cent).

VD from sea to shining sea
The survey revealed that British Columbians (42 per cent) are the most likely to identify themselves as vacation deprived, followed by those living in Alberta (41 per cent), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (37 per cent), Ontario (36 per cent), Atlantic Canada (30 per cent) and Quebec (19 per cent). Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42 per cent) are most likely to have not taken all of their vacation days, followed by those living in Alberta (36 per cent), Atlantic Canada (36 per cent), British Columbia (32 per cent), Ontario (29 per cent) and Quebec (18 per cent).

Why aren’t we taking time off?
One in five (20 per cent) Canadians revealed they have cancelled or postponed their vacation plans in the past because of work. According to the survey, some reasons for not taking all vacation days are:

• “not scheduling far enough in advance” (12 per cent)
• “too busy with work to get away” (8 per cent)
• “having kids in school” (5 per cent)
• “fear of being perceived negatively by colleagues” (3 per cent)
• “fear of missing an important meeting or decision” (2 per cent)

Additionally, Canadian workers may also find it stressful to take vacations – 31 per cent feel guilty about taking time off and 25 per cent say that their employer does not encourage them to take all of their vacation time.

1. Thou shalt honour thyself
Your brain can process 100 trillion instructions per second while using the equivalent of just 12 watts of power. Your heart beats 100,000 times per day, carrying your blood some 12,000 miles (19,000 km). You’re built to imagine, create, communicate, and love. If you do nothing else today, sit back in awe of yourself.

2. Thou shalt be true to thyself
Only one person has your portfolio of experience, know-how, skills, and style attributes. You’re in charge of putting it to work without compromise. If you need inspiration, consider Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Edison. These greats — and many more — enriched the world by making the most of their differences.

3. Thou shalt speak up
When you have a good idea, share it. When you have a question, ask it. When your help is needed, offer it. When you see a scene of disrespect, step forward and set things right. When you envision a better future, put it in spoken word. Your voice needs to be heard.

4. Thou shalt strive to simplify
Whenever people congregate, they tend to over-complicate. That explains those countless workplace rules, objectives, projects, deadlines, and meetings. It’s up to you to challenge the mind-numbing routine. Take a fresh look at your schedule, and eliminate every activity that seems important but isn’t. An action is either mission-driven or mere motion. Keep the former, ditch the latter.

5. Thou shalt assume the best
Few people wake up and declare: “I’m going to make this a horrible day. I’m going to foul things up and make life miserable for my co-workers.” No, most people want good days in which they use their know-how, exercise their creativity, and make a positive contribution. Assume and expect the best…and that’s what you’ll get.

6. Thou shalt fix processes, not people
It’s tempting to blame that missed deadline or fouled-up project on Debbie, Dan, or some other nearby human punching bag. But the fact is, problems almost always occur because of process issues, not people. So cut Debbie and Dan some slack — and enlist their help in analyzing and improving the flow of activities that make up the process.

7. Thou shalt serve a greater purpose
Henry David Thoreau lived 150 years ago, but his words seem especially relevant in today’s Blackberried world: “It is not enough to be busy — so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” Nor is it enough to have a mission statement that lies forgotten. What’s needed is a heartfelt mission that gives meaning to all the work-related busyness. What’s yours?

8. Thou shalt be interested
Want to be interesting? Then be interested — in people, processes, clients, customers, competitors, and more. Open your eyes a bit wider. Be more curious. Seek new challenges. Start more conversations. Make a point of asking questions rather than making statements. Turn your work world, and the larger world, into your own lifelong school.

9. Thou shalt honour time away from work
You’re more than an employee. You’re more than the sum of your tasks. You’re a human being, not a human doing. Treat yourself accordingly by rounding out how you spend your time. Balance your time at work with time at home, outdoors, in the community, and elsewhere. You’ll recharge your battery while gaining new insights and perspectives that inform your work.

10. Thou shalt be thine own best manager
Guess who’s in charge of you. Hint: It’s not your boss, your boss’s boss, or anyone else. The sooner you take responsibility for your own happiness and fulfilment, the sooner you’ll achieve it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Terez is a speaker, workshop leader, and author of the book 22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful Workplace. Visit him online at TomTerez.com, BetterWorkplaceNow.com, and InnerBest.com.

Copyright 2007 Tom Terez. All rights reserved.

It doesn’t matter what type of organization you’re involved with: the community association, your job, the local amateur orchestra, or minor-sports league, there are going to be politics. The trick is to stop seeing office politics as a negative thing and learn how to make positive use of them.

K. Stone has posted a number of guidelines at Dumb Little Man, for turning office politics into a win-win situation for all parties. A couple of my favourites:

Always Be Positive About Others. When asked for feedback on coworkers, find only genuinely positive things to say. If your feedback is thin and soupy, people will be able to read between the lines. Leave that up to them. Stay positive.

If You Want People to Help You, Understand Their Needs First. If you want someone to scratch your back, you need to scratch theirs first. It’s pretty simple. First you need to know what is important to them. If you’re not sure, find out! Put your request in terms of how it will align with their goals. So, for instance, if you want the marketing department to highlight your team’s product, then you need to show the marketing department how doing that will help them with their number one goal. And, also, you should seek out the person who cares about this goal the most within that department.

This is not about compromising your integrity or stand on issues. It is about choosing those issues where you can achieve your goals by helping others achieve their goals.

It’s Not the Size of Your Office Politics Tool… – Dumb Little Man

How do you make positive use of office politics?

What about the other side of the equation? Your friend has been promoted and is now your boss. What kinds of things can you do to make the relationship work?

Here are six tips for supporting a friend when they become your boss:

1. Keep your expectations reasonable. The relationship has changed. Things will be different. Your friend will be dealing with a new set of pressures, problems and priorities. Your Wednesday lunches may be preempted by budget meetings. You may not be able to pop into your friend’s office for a chat any time you feel like it. Don’t add more pressure to your friend by expecting things to remain as they were.
2. Be respectful – Treat your friend with an appropriate level of workplace courtesy in formal settings. The departmental meeting is not the place to trot out the boss’s college nickname (unless everyone uses it).
3. Maintain confidentiality – Assume everything your new boss tells you is confidential. This is particularly important with past conversations. You shared past confidences as friends; keep the information to yourself. Maintain your integrity in the relationship.
4. Don’t inflate self-importance – It is easy to make it seem like you have special access to the boss. Resist the temptation to tell others how you think the boss will respond, based on your past history.
5. Avoid being used – Co-workers may see your connection to the boss as a way to work office politics. They might see you as an information conduit to the new boss. Politely resist any advance from other employees. Look for ways to help build a team.
6. Be “there” for the boss – People are going to be watching the new boss, looking for weaknesses. This is not the time to leave your friend hanging. Look for ways to counter the negativity. Make productive contributions to work meetings and discussions. Maybe you can be a neutral sounding board when the boss needs to cool down.

The process that made your friend the boss was out of your control. How you respond to the new relations is completely within your control. Get your ego and assumptions out of the way. It’s time to show what kind of friend you really are.

• a step-by-step guide to planning workplace physical activity
• practical suggestions for making physical activity possible in your workplace
• success stories from Alberta companies
• tools, resources and research findings (for example, a personal Activity Tracker and videos entitled Yoga @ Your Desk and Stretching @ Your Desk)

The Alberta Centre for Active Living is a provincial, non-profit research and education centre affiliated with the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta. The centre is supported by the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Sports, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation.

A recent on-line survey by Monster.ca found that less than two-thirds of Canadians intend to take as much vacation time as they are entitled to this summer and a significant number will check in with their employers while on holiday.

* About 64 per cent of 1841 participants said that they intend to enjoy a well-earned vacation, saying they “deserve every minute and more”.
* About 19 per cent said they will not be taking holiday because they do not want to come back to a “nightmare workload”.
* A further 16 per cent said they will only be taking part of the time they are entitled to, saying they would feel guilty leaving work behind.

A Third Don’t Take Their Vacation Time.

When discussions come around to what it is that makes an excellent workplace, the answer could fill a library. But most of us don’t have time to read hundreds of books. Sure, book summaries are available, and there’s a lot of valuable nuggets in those books. But I also believe that some central truths exist that apply to just about any business.

Ten universal principles of the workplace

As an employee you would:

1. Have a clear understanding of your role and responsibilities and perceive that your skills match the job
2. Have a say in your job and how you do it and feel that the work demands placed upon you are reasonable and fair
3. Feel respected and valued for your contribution and being rewarded, with praise and recognition, for work well done
4. Feel that the people you work with, including managers, are trustworthy
5. Feel reasonably secure in your job
6. Believe that your employer takes every reasonable precaution to protect the health and safety of employees and that he or she has a genuine concern for the well-being of employees
7. Feel that you are part of a common purpose

A healthy workplace is good for your health!.