We're all preparing for the Baby Boomer exodus from the workplace into the promised land of an active and well-financed retirement (well, that's the rosiest view, not necessarily an accurate one). And, really, the only natural reaction to being told 1/3 of your labour force is about it retire is to be absolutely jealous that you can't join them. There might, however, be a number of reactions combined with that envy. Hence our August poll:

You might remember this post on a study about the 4-day work week based on the experience of Utah City. What was remarkable about the post is that it actually sparked a little discussion and proof that at least three people read this blog ;)

One of the threads in the discussion was about whether or not the study results could be duplicated.

Reports are coming in about the benefits of the four-day work week from other parts of the world.

Here's a piece from Seattle and another from Florida (just to prove that we aren't involved in that whole East Coast, West Coast rivalry thingy.) In Canada, the 4-day work week is being discussed from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan. 

Environmental pressures, gas prices, and quality of life issues are among the reasons cited for embracing the practise of a four-day work week. Some commentors on our earlier post have suggested that this is part of a shift in values our culture is experiencing. What do you think of that perspective?

 Yes, it is getting hawt in here.

We've got the scoop on the new survey of 642 recruitment professionals conducted by Talent2, an Australian human resource firm.

They've identified the 10 hottest jobs of 2008 and the salary range that goes with them.

The results of last months poll are in. And from these results, we have learned once again that flexibility is not just for gymnasts. And divers.

Everyone wants some flexibility and if employers want the best candidates, recruiters have to sell flexibility to employers...That probable means having some ourselves.

Does this mean I'll be seeing a lot more of you in yoga class?

Photo credit: Steve Russell, Toronto Star.

Here's a newsflash item I lifted from the Radio Canada International site on August 15th. You've probably heard it all before:

• MONTREAL: LABOUR CRISIS LOOMS IN QUEBEC
  Quebec has been warned that a labour crisis is impending in coming decades. A study by the Desjardins Group investment and banking firm says that even a high birth rate and more immigration won't compensate for the droves of workers who will soon be retiring. The researchers predict that one-quarter of the population will be aged 65 or older by 2021. The study notes that Quebec trails Ontario and other provinces in the ability to attract and to retain newcomers. Desjardins recommends several remedies, such as making the work force more accessible to "atypical" workers, such as women with young children whom the government could accommodate by providing daycare centres open in the evening or during weekends. The study says the government could ease labour laws to create more flexibility for employers, as well as to enact measures to delay retirements. Employers across the country continue to complain about labour shortages. The Bank of Canada says that 40 per cent of Canadian companies think that the shortages are affecting their ability to meet demand for their products. 

What is interesting to me is that the example of the "atypical worker" is someone who is actually a typical worker. Most Canadian women with children over the age of 1 year are actually in tha labour force full time. Even though this story was filed under "immigration" it doesn't mention creating programs to help qualified immigrants find employment in their respective fields or to re-train them for the Canadian industry.

Canadians have been screaming and shouting for these kinds of programs for years. We've really had enough of waiting months for a doctor's appointment while hundreds of foreign-trained physicians are working as cab drivers and manicurists. And that's just one example. Engineers, dentists, and computer programmers are seeing their talents wasted while companies desperately need them.

Maybe it's time for Canadian recruiters to get serious about political activism on this issue. New immigrant professionals need spaces in localisation programs, introductions to legislative and governing bodies that regulate various positions and support while they complete them. It's time for us to tell the goverment exactly what that kind of support looks like.

I love reading work culture sites from other countries that give us insights into how other people operate and what we might steal borrow learn from what they do.

One of the most entertaining and informative sites I've come across lately is Job Mob, a site for professionals searching for positions in Israel either as new immigrants or long time residents of the country.

The blog is currently running a "guest post" contest so the number of different voices and experiences it features gives you a great overview of workplace culture in Israel from a variety of view points.   

Are you a baby boomer looking for a new job? If so, don't open this bottle of hair dye just yet.

If you're worried about competing with younger workers, forget about the facelift, the hair color and even the botox treatment you've scheduled. According to a new study, your time will be better spent dusting off your dimploma, not trying to look younger. 

New research from the Urban Institute says the fastest-growing occupations that already draw most of their employees from workers over the age of 55 rely on brains, not brawn.

Jobs are less physically demanding now than they were just three decades ago and less likely to entail difficult working conditions. Between 1971 and 2007 the percentage of jobs with great physical demands declined from 8.0 to 6.6 percent. The percentage of jobs requiring skills that show a high cognitive ability grew from 26.5 to 36 percent.

Since people working in these "high cognitative" professions have to inspire trust in the community and among customers, wrinkles and grey hair might even be a benefit.

Consider the list of these fast-growing professions for older workers: personal financial advisors, veterinarians, social and community service managers, surveyors, environmental scientists and geoscientists, registered nurses, and instructional coordinators. The list also includes postsecondary teachers, archivists and curators, social workers, management analysts, pharmacists, counselors, and business operation specialists.

Of all professions, the fastest-growing area that is friendliest to older workers are personal and home care aides. Other categories that require less education include ushers, animal trainers, locksmiths, and brokerage clerks.

According to the institute, each of these fields is expected to see its workforce grow by least 20 percent by 2016. The portion of older workers filling these jobs will surpass the 17 per cent of all workers.

The study,“Will Employers Want Aging Boomers?” by Gordon B.T. Mermin, Richard W. Johnson, and Eric J. Toder, uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Training Administration, and Census Bureau.

In her blog, Tara Hunt defines whuffie as:

• The sum of the reputation, influence, bridging capital and bonding capital, access to ideas and talent, access to resources, potential access to further resources, saved up favors, accomplishments (resumes, awards, articles, etc.) and the Whuffie of those who you have relationships with.

According to Hunt the term Whuffie was created by Cory Doctorow in his book, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. Hunt's summary of Doctorow's definition:

Whuffie has replaced money, providing a motivation for people to do useful and creative things. A person’s Whuffie is a general measurement of his or her overall reputation, and Whuffie is lost and gained according to a person’s favorable or unfavorable actions. The question is, who determines which actions are favorable or unfavorable? In Down and Out, the answer is public opinion. Rudely pushing past someone on the sidewalk will definitely lose you points from them (and possibly bystanders who saw you), while composing a much-loved symphony will earn you Whuffie from everyone who enjoyed it.

What does Whuffie mean in terms of how we behave in the here and now?

According to Hunt, it's more important to be nice, notable and networked than ever. Google enables every candidate, potential client, and placement to monitor your status and professional behavior. Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites help all your accumulated communities monitor where you've been, what you're doing and who you are becoming. And, the same is true for everyone that you work with and encounter.

Good impressions are not enough. Reputation management and commmunity currency are everything.

How's your Whuffie ranking?