We live in the 24 hour, 7 days a week, constant news cycle. So, it’s hard to stay on top of the latest trends, research and advice on workplace trends and business culture. Or is it? In case you missed it (ICYMI), here’s three of my favorite articles this week that are all about how to fine-tune collaboration and learning skills, get out of a dead-end career, and prepare for the mass exodus of boomers.
Enjoy!
Happy Together and Learning Together
Were you one of those kids in school that hated working on group projects? You felt that you could do better do a better job by yourself. Well it seems like your teacher actually had a good reason making you work in groups. Research shows that people that who create high quality connections and learn together actually learn more. They can amplify their opportunities for growth by giving each other feedback, exchanging experiences and motivating each other.
This theory holds true in the workplace. Employees have more control over our learning at work if they make building high-quality connections a priority. Harvard Business Review pulled together a list of eight different ways we can grow and improve through high-quality connecting. The great thing about investing in building and maintaining these connections is that everyone wins. Examples include, setting learning goals, tackling specific organizational challenges as a group task force, and lunch and learns. Read the full article for some great advice on how to foster learning and collaboration in your company.
It’s Not You, It’s Your Career
Ideally, everyone would know their true calling early in life and find happiness in their work, but it often doesn’t work that way. You don’t have to look very far to find people who are stuck in the wrong job. Engineers that should be florists, florists that should be architects, architects that should be accountants.
So, how do you get out of a career path that you’ve been on for a while? Inc. magazine put together some suggestions in an article titled, “4 Steps to Breaking Up with a Bad Career.” Moving on from a bad career starts with a clear plan for a better one. And, changing careers is not easy but it can be done. Just like with a breakup, you don’t need a “legitimate” reason to leave. Only time will tell if you made the right decision. Check out the full article to learn how to break up with your job.
Boomers are moving out, Millennials are stepping in
Ten thousand boomers retire each day, and they’re taking their knowledge, experience and gut-instincts with them as they walk out the door. This mass exodus is leaving organizations scrambling to transfer knowledge and get millennials up to speed. An article published on Bloomberg this week titled, “As Boomers Retire, Companies Prepare Millennials for Leadership Roles,” explains how BAE, Deloitte and GE are preparing for the organizational and leadership shift. One of the biggest challenges to address according to Vikram Ravinder, Deloitte senior consultant, is “Millennials bring data and analytics, but boomers have experience they can rely on when data isn’t sufficient.” Knowledge transfer, learning and development programs and coaching are essential to bridging the gaps between boomers and millennials. Check out the full article for real-life examples of how leading companies are addressing these challenges!