Training and Experience on the Job

Adam Van Dell asked a question on his blog that made me think about the influx of knowledge workers in our labor force. These are employees who bring value to an organization simply by virture of what they know. They are skilled workers such as physical scientists, computer analysts, or product designers, even video game developers. They usually have some kind of expert knowledge in a subject matter and come to the job with a lot of skill and training and education. Obviously we need a lot of these kinds of workers today, but they raise a challenge because their knowledge becomes outdated very quickly. Some say the technical education of such workers has a shelf life of about 3 years. That's not much time before they need "retooling" or re-training. So how should management tailor the workplace for such workers? Do they need special consideration? Failure to update their skills may cause the orgnaizaton to lose competitive advantage, or the worker may go to another firm that does provide the retraining.

The GM Bankruptcy -- A Sticky Wicket for the U.S. Government.

What role should the U.S. Federal Government play in the new (improved?) GM? The Feds will be both owner and regulator of the business. This raises interesting questions that test the metal of our executive branch. Will the administration's business decisions contradict other agenda items of the O'Bama administration such as sustainability goals? A recent article in the Wall Street Journal raises some of these issues.

The Obama Plan for GM - Radical or Reckless?

1. In contrast to the mainstram headlines, John Nichols in this article claims the Obama plan for GM is just more of the same -- a plan that will continue to deindustrialize America rather than one that will support American industry, workers, and families. And all this at taxpayer expense. http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/02-0

Massive Layoffs -- Are they Moral?

Most of us know at least one person who has lost his or her job due to the recession, and we hear about massive layoffs nearly every day in the news. GM, for example, is laying off thousands more of its workforce. Are such layoffs ethical -- especially in light of the fact that we (the government) now own 70% of the company? Although it does not specifically address the case of GM, this article provides an interesting perspective on the general issue:

http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/when-layoffs-are-immoral/?src=tp

Response to Steve's question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I think this is one of the best questions that many of us can and should ask ourselves. In fact, it has inspired my next class lesson -- developing a personal mission statement. Businesses develop mission statements and why not individuals? I'm going to ask students to think about their values and how compatible those will be with their future careers, as they envision them today. I'm going to ask students to think about what people in the workplace can expect of them (as managers or supervisors), and what they will expect of others. This is part of what Ken Blanchard calls developing a "leadership point of view." Have you developed your leadership point of view? krjohnson

In response to Jean's comment about pay secrecy...

The current public debates we are now having about CEO pay is an example of the problem (at least in part) that stems from pay secrecy. Most people (inside or outside the organization) don’t know what CEO’s “earn.” Secrecy (real or perceived) frustrates employees and because it is secret, they cannot address it. That’s not good for workers or the organization. Secrecy leads to suspicion. Sometimes the suspicion is warranted – because a worker may not be entitled to his/her salary. Or, it may involve discriminatory practices by the organization. This certainly has been the case in the past regarding salaries between men and women. But once the secrets are out, the system has a chance to adjust itself. People can openly discuss and negotiate salaries – and things can become fairer as a result. I think that’s better for everyone. I think that minimally pay should be open to those within the organization – at all levels.

In response to Eythoxia's post...

Eythoxia,
You (and the Equinox) raise an important issue regarding student life at KSC. It can lead to a student retention problem for the campus. As you noted, there are many reasons for students not graduating “on time.” One that wasn’t mentioned in the article (although I believe you did) is the pressure students feel when they also are working. Role conflict is something that all workers face at some time or another: a worker becomes a new parent, a worker must care for an aging parent or spouse, a worker needs to take on an extra job to make ends meet, a worker takes classes at night in order to get promoted or change careers. In recessionary times like ours, labor has less power at the negotiating table and employers can demand schedules that don’t conform to our “other” lives and needs. This can have real and serious consequences for both individuals and organizations. In class we’ve been discussing alternatives at the workplace to accommodate the needs of workers (e.g., variable work schedules, flexible work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, etc.). We’ve also mentioned that sometimes this turns out to be a win-win situation for both employer and employee. Can you think of alternative arrangements that might help with your situation? Has it worked out for you?
krj