Generation Y- How they are affecting the work place.

Get ready because they are coming. Most of us have children or grandchildren who belong in the category of Generation Y. These kids are going to change things so be ready, prepared and flexible.

By Amy Chulik, CareerBuilder Writer
"What words come to mind when I say Gen Y?" Aaron Kesher asked the many attendees at 2011's Society for Human Resources Management conference who were packed into the room. "Entitled!" shouted one person. "Job hoppers," chimed in another. Soon, many in the room (many of them non-Gen Yers, with some Gen Y members sprinkled in) were shouting things like "smart," "résumé builders," "technically savvy," "stereotype," "comfortable with change," and "creative."

Obviously, we all have specific words and phrases and ideas that match how we perceive Gen Y to think and behave in the workplace. Gen Y, made up of those born between 1980 and 2000, have their own notions of themselves, too. In Aaron Kesher's, "Why Y? Plugging Into a Generational Powerhouse" session, Kesher encouraged all of us in the room to rethink our notions of what we think Gen Y is all about, to consider the strengths they bring to today's dynamic workplace and to use this knowledge and understanding to more successfully recruit and retain Gen Y workers.

"Do not doubt that this generation will change the face of the American workplace as their parents did," Kesher said. "In the next five to 10 years, the number of Gen Yers in the workforce will increase dramatically."

As the number of Gen Y workers is only getting larger, it's about time we as a collective workplace learn more about Gen Y so that we can understand them, appreciate their unique strengths, and more successfully integrate them with other generations in the workplace.

What is work from a Gen Y perspective?

•Work ethic: Job loyalty, for a long time, was shown by how long you stuck around and paid your dues -- and older generations still think in line with this. Gen Y, on the other hand, says, "I show you love by how hard I work, not how long I stick around."

•Tech savvy: It's not so much that Gen Yers are tech savvy, Kesher pointed out -- they're tech dependent. They're the generation that's come of age with the explosion of technology, so it's natural that they would be comfortable with it.

•Communication and teamwork: Gen Y is not necessarily entitled; they just feel comfortable asking for what they want. When it comes to communication, you can often count on Gen Yers to spread out the message fast and often. We need to realize, Kesher said, that throughout Gen Y's public education, the majority of the work was done in groups, and that their role wasn't usually as the leader of a group -- instead, many were "equal" team members. Therefore, many Gen Y members function fairly well as a group and as "team players," but some struggle in standing out as individual, assertive leaders.

•Money: Employers, listen up: Gen Y is talking to each other about the money they are (or aren't) making at your organization. They are comparing how competitive your salary is with your competitors -- and they're not afraid to share their findings. One audience member mentioned recently hearing Gen Yers discussing openly the job offers and bonuses they were getting -- and she was shocked. After all, discussing how much money you make is one of the last great American taboos -- yet Gen Y seems more comfortable with discussing this sort of information.

•Recognition: Gen Y is a generation of the "there are no losers -- everyone's a winner" mentality. "But they didn't make that up (boomer parents)," Kesher pointed out, to a round of laughter. Gen Yers don't care how it gets done --they just want to get it done. And they want to be told they did a good job once they do it; recognition is very important.

•Diversity: "Why do only white people work here?" might be something a Gen Y worker thinks while viewing a company site or sitting in the lobby while waiting to be interviewed and noticing the lack of diverse employees. Gen Y doesn't embrace diversity -- they expect it -- and if your company says you believe in diversity, but then a Gen Y worker shows up and all workers look the same -- they will think you're not living up to your diversity message. This generation has grown up with a greater awareness of and comfort with diversity of all kinds. From home lives, to school experiences, to messages absorbed from pop culture, they often don't see what all the fuss is. This can manifest as difficulty in understanding why others struggle with issues around differences. A question of whether gay marriage should be legalized, for example, is a non-issue for many Gen Y individuals -- and this shift ties into a larger cultural shift in general.

•Work versus life: "I love my job, but I love my life more" -- that's something you may hear a lot of Gen Yers say. One of the critical issues that will need to be ironed out at work in the future, Kesher said, will revolve around workplace flexibility. We're increasingly seeing workplace flexibility issues evolving in the workplace, and Gen Y workers in particular (though they're not alone) want to know how they can maintain their relationship with work while still having the flexibility to live the life they envision. As mentioned above, Gen Y has no problem with work or with the idea of working hard -- it's just that their job will never be the whole of their identity. They were raised with the imperative to "follow your dreams!", and their job and life may intersect in new ways than we've seen in past generations. "Gen Y," Kesher stressed, "doesn't want a job -- they want a life that hopefully includes a job."

•Being green: This is the generation that's leading the green movement -- so give them the power to build, make changes, and become leaders in your organization's (existing or non-existing) green movement.

Why worry about Gen Y?

Ensuring that the different generations working together under one roof actually work well together is a big concern for many employers. After all, if knowledge isn't able to be sufficiently shared from generation to generation, older generations will eventually retire -- taking with them decades of experience. In addition, workers who work well together are likely to be happier, more productive and better brand ambassadors for companies.

(To read the article on it's original page, visit: http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2838-Leadership-Management-Gen-Ys-impact-in-the-workplace/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42838&sc_extcmp=JS_2838_home1

Coffee and it's surprising health benefits

Whether you like yours hot, iced, black or with sugar, one thing's for sure: Coffee serves up plenty of health benefits. Not only can a cup of Joe help ward off depression, but it has even been linked with a decreased rate of skin cancer and increased fertility. Read on to learn about the unexpected heath benefits of coffee, plus other brew-related facts.

1. It may help ward off depression.

Anyone who perks up after the first sip of morning coffee will tell you that it has mood-boosting effects. Now there's proof: A study from the Harvard School of Public Health, published last month in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that women who regularly drink fully caffeinated coffee have a 20% lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers. The study, which followed a group of women for 10 years, found that as more coffee was consumed (up to six cups per day), the likelihood of depression decreased.

2. It may help promote a healthy weight.
Drinking an espresso or cappuccino after a meal is more than a relaxing habit. "When you drink coffee after a meal, it causes your body to more slowly process the meal you just ate," says Chris Kilham, medical researcher, founder of Medicine Hunter, Inc. and author of Psyche Delicacies. According to David Levitsky, PhD, professor of nutritional science at Cornell University, "Caffeine decreases the rate at which the stomach dumps its contents into the duodenum-a part of the small intestine where digestion takes place-and also increases metabolic rate." Keep in mind, though, that java isn't a miracle brew: Downing it after dinner won't make the pounds melt away; rather, sipping a cup post-meal could, in small part, help promote a healthy weight.

3. It may boost fertility in men.

"Studies have shown that caffeine has a positive effect on sperm motility-the ability of sperm to move toward an egg-and could increase your chances of [getting pregnant]," says John Wilcox, MD, FACOG, managing partner and reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility in California. In fact, a study conducted at the University of Sao Paulo found that sperm motility was markedly higher in coffee drinkers versus non coffee-drinkers. And it turns out that it doesn't matter whether you drink one or ten cups a day: The only detectable difference was found between coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers.

To view the rest of the article, please click on the link: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/7-surprising-health-facts-coffee-162900281.html

Looking for a job in today's economy? Buzzkill words on your resume.

Creative. Effective. Motivated. While you may think that you're using words on your resume that will appeal to hiring managers, some words can actually turn them off. On Tuesday, LinkedIn released the top 10 words that job seekers overuse in resumes and job applications. Here's the list:


-- Creative
-- Organizational
-- Effective
-- Extensive experience
-- Track record
-- Motivated
-- Innovative
-- Problem solving
-- Communication skills
-- Dynamic

If you're wondering how LinkedIn came up with this list, its data scientists examined millions of profiles to find out which words professionals used the most in 2011. Surprisingly, some of the words are different from what LinkedIn found to be the bad buzzwords in 2010, thanks to the skyrocketing growth of the professional networking site. A year ago, there were 85 million users. Now, there are 135 million users from around the world, so naturally that list of buzzwords has changed.


What's interesting is that the buzzwords vary, depending on the country. The word "creative" was overused in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. "Effective" was used by too many job hunters in India. And Italians, it seems, are fantastic at "problem solving."

If I'm Not Creative ... What Am I?


I hope seeing this list doesn't kill your holiday buzz. If you're using these words as a selling point to potential employers, spend some time this month finding better, more descriptive words that pinpoint your talents.
"Competition for opportunities can be fierce, so craft your LinkedIn profile and resume to stand out from the professional pack," says Nicole Williams, LinkedIn's connection director and best-selling author of the book, "Girl on Top." "Even though this year's list of overused terms differs from last year's, your objectives remain the same: Banish buzzwords from your profile. Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results you've achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you."

LinkedIn recommends adding skills to your profile, which can serve to show hiring managers firsthand where your strengths lie. Recommendations, too, can help beef up your online profile.

LinkedIn also suggests filling out your LinkedIn profile fully. They say your profile is 12 times more likely to be viewed if you have more than one position listed in your work history. Adding a nice photo of yourself increases viewability as well.

What About My Resume?


Now that you know the words that employers are sick of seeing in resumes and cover letters, you can avoid them. If you're stuck for ideas, here is a list of action verbs, and an online thesaurus can always give you alternatives to the words you don't want to use.

It's your job as a talented job candidate to stand out with your resume and cover letter. Take time to rewrite it, and have a friend review it to give feedback on how appealing and engaging it is. Always customize both your resume and your cover letter for the job you're applying for.

This article is provided by US NEWS and Lindsay Olson  Click here for the link: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/power-your-future/10-buzzwords-avoid-resume-182951302.html

Did Bumbo ignore child safety?

Like millions of other parents over the past several years, Kevin and Lucy Ferrell used a new baby product called the Bumbo Baby Sitter that they bought at Toys R Us to prop up their son, Colby. The simple molded plastic seat is more upright than a bouncy chair, and less rigid than a high chair, making it a hit with parents looking for new infant gear.


But when 9-month-old Colby fell out of the seat and fractured his skull, his parents learned very quickly that the seat wasn't ideal for a small, moving child. "He arched his back up and he kind of flipped out of it sideways and backwards and rolled right off (the table)," Kevin Ferrell says. "It just happened in a split second."

Bumbo, which is used to help babies sit up before they're able to do so on their own, has been an unquestioned success in sales - with nearly 4 million sold in the U.S. since 2003. But its safety record is uncertain.

The South African company recalled Bumbo in 2007 after a spate of 28 injuries reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission - including numerous skull fractures - and placed warning labels on the seats that said they shouldn't be used on elevated surfaces. Bumbo company records obtained as part of a lawsuit the Ferrells filed in June against the company and Toys R Us, where the product was purchased off their baby registry, show some 300 reported incidents, including some in other countries, mainly Great Britain. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Austin, Texas, where the case is still in a pretrial phase.

Then in late November, the CPSC issued an unusual warning that there had been another 45 incidents since the recall, and that it had learned of another 18 older cases. It also noted that children were hurt both when the product was elevated and when it was on the ground.


Ross Cunningham of the Rose Walker firm in Austin, who represents the Ferrells and says he has settled a dozen lawsuits over Bumbo's safety, alleges in the lawsuit that Bumbo "has taken no effort" to reconfigure the product to prevent children from getting out of it, "despite having actual knowledge of the dangers associated with the Bumbo Baby Sitter...and the potential of the Bumbo Baby Sitter to cause serious injury to children."

Bumbo's U.S. attorney, Tarush R. Anand, says he cannot comment on the litigation, but did provide a statement from Bumbo, in which the company says the product is safe. "The Bumbo baby seat is a safe product for infants when it is used as intended: on the floor and never on an elevated surface," the statement says. "Children should always been closely supervised when they are in the Bumbo seat." The company also says it is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to educate parents on the correct use of the seat.

Toys R Us is accused in the most recent lawsuit of knowingly stocking a baby product that has caused injuries. One of the company's buyers is quoted in the litigation as saying under oath that she had never seen an infant product like that without a safety restraint, and that after learning about the severity of the injuries, she didn't think it was safe.

To read the full article in it's entirety, please see the link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/did-bumbo-ignore-child-safety-in-favor-of-profits-.html
***Parents must remember that this isn't a babysitter and that they must still be responsible for watching their children. They should also know their child and if the child is fidgety or old enough to move around, then perhaps this isn't the best seat to put your child in.***

The 12 days of Christmas-a little history lesson

I'm sure that many of you have heard the Christmas carroll, The Twelve Days of Christmas. If you are anything like me, you may have found this song to be....well....weird, to say the least. After all, what in the world or who came up with the lyrics because they sure didn't make sense or mean a thing to me. I found it to be quite confusing, almost like someone was on an acid trip or something. Do you know the history of the song? Well, I have found the answers to the quest that I was on and did some research about the song.

All in all, this song now takes on a new meaning to me. The lyrics are a secret code and now I will share the mystery of the lyrics with you. I hope you enjoy this brief lesson.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning, plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.


-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.-

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.


-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

I found this quite interesting and very enlightening and now I can understand how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish. Brightest Blessings!