Learning to play nicely

Treat them all the same, or treat them differently -- is this a recipe for raising children or the latest management philosophy?

If you said "both" you'd be correct. More and more, companies (as do parents) seem to be getting past traditional practices of treating everybody alike. A recent Wall Street Journal article suggested that failing to recognizing generational differences is a problem that just won't go away.

We've talked about this before, but the controversy still remains bothersome. The Journal article noted that something as simple yet critical as passing along information became an issue. "The boomers preferred Power Point presentations, while younger workers favored more interactive learning methods," the article stated.

The whole theory of Social Capital comes into play here -- are you worth more as part of a team, interacting with others, than as an individual in the workplace? If you're a follower of the team concept, how do you learn to play nicely with others who are either older or younger?

If you can figure that out, here's your chance to test yourself. Tell us what you think is the answer, and we'll collectively tell you if you're right or wrong.

The Intern Experience: Uncut

What's the workplace really like -- especially if you're an intern? We've set a couple of interns loose with that assignment and a camera.

Now, after completing the first week of their internship, we're learning what interns are actually doing, and why they're always muttering beneath their breath! Find out what our roving reporters Kate and Brendan have been up to in their blog, The Intern Experience - Uncut.

Kate and Brendan will be churning out new blog posts and videos are all summer long, as they explore different industries, career paths of different employees, and continue to provide a look into what it's really like to be an intern.

When HR does too little, or too much

In a previous life, I worked at a company with a limited amount of parking available for a lot of people who drove into work. One colleague, with less rank, privilege or seniority than others, did have a space assigned to him.

Unfair? Favoritism? Well, you decide. His car had been vandalized multiple times in the unguarded public area. The theory was that he was being victimized for being gay.

No one ever knew for sure if that was the reason for the vandalism, and even if it were true, nobody could imagine that fellow employees would do such a thing.

I guess I could imagine such a thing, but that's really not important (since I won't name any names here). But what is important is the way our HR department handled it.

First, they thought about his privacy and didn't put out any warnings or wanted posters. Second, they came up with a solution that resolved the immediate problem quickly without subjecting the employee to a protracted investigative process.

What they did not do was to take the opportunity to develop and present a program on respect and safety -- issues that would be meaningful to everybody. What they did not do was raise awareness that some people within the company might have respect or safety issues, which eventually affects a company's persona.

What else could they have done? What should they have done?

photo by meckleychina

Opening Day: A Reason to Skip Work?

Our Experience street team headed to Fenway Park for Opening Day to find out how Red Sox fans got the day off to celebrate their favorite team.

Career Comedy: What Not to Do at Work

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