Tag Archive for ‘Human resources’ at DrivenLeaders.com

Generation Y is of the age to enter the workplace and the workplace is in need of them. But are you ready for them?

Thanks to Richard Bottner of Intern Bridge, Inc, another development opportunity is in the works that attempts to close this learning gap. Set for October 26th - 30th 2009, Intern Bridge is sponsoring the Millennial Thought Leaders Online Conference, geared at preparing organizations with the tools and practices necessary to engage today’s rising talent. We know that as Gen-Y’s presence in the workplace increases, the need for growth in this area becomes ever more important. Yet sadly, for many companies, it continues to be an area that is frequently overlooked. Per the conference website,

“The Millennial Thought Leaders Online Conference provides an opportunity for college recruiting professionals, human resources specialists, line managers and supervisors, and career services practitioners to engage in a nationwide program of best practices and proven methods for engaging today’s entry level talent. From social networking to dealing with parents to learning what higher education is doing to help this unique generation, the online conference compliments professional development goals without impacting travel budgets.

Registration for the conference will be made on a per-location basis, meaning every employee of a registered organization or career office will have access to the entire content of the conference. All you need is an internet connection and a conference room where professionals can gather for presentations.”

Each daily session last about 1-1 ½ hours, with presentations from established authorities on Gen-Y. The schedule includes:

Monday, October 26, 2009 - SESSION 1 - 12:30pm to 2:00pm EST
The New Work Ethic: Why Even the Most Talented Young Employees Are Overcomplaining and Underperforming, and What to Do About It! - Presented By: Eric Chester: Author, Employing Generation Why: Understanding, Managing, and Motivating Your New Workforce -President and Founder, Generation Why, Inc.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - SESSION 2 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm EST
The Trophy Kids Go to Work: How The Millennial Generation’s Attitudes And Expectations Are Shaking Up The Corporate Workplace - Presented By: Ron Alsop: Author, The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace - Retired Staff Writer/Editor, Wall Street Journal

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - SESSION 3 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm EST
Using Social Media to Recruit and Retain Millennials - Presented By: Dan Schawbel: Author, ME 2.0: Build A Powerful Brand To Achieve Career Success - Publisher, Personal Branding Magazine

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - SESSION 4 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm EST
The Millennial Generation: How Does Higher Education Fit in The Picture? - Presented By: Rachel Reiser: Author, Millennials On Board: The Impact of The Rising Generation on the Workplace -Associate Dean, Babson College

Thursday, October 29, 2009 - SESSION 5 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm EST
Millennials Seeking Meaningful Work: How to Lend a Helping Hand. - Presented By: Alexandra Levit: Author, Success For Hire and Millennial Tweet Columnist, Wall Street Journal

If you have yet to establish a program for engaging tomorrow’s future leaders, this may be an excellent place to start. Download the official conference brochure for more details and registration information.

360 feedback Rypple: 360 Degree Feedback Reinvented For years now, 360 degree feedback or “multi-rater feedback” has become all the rage when it comes to training, development, and in some cases, performance evaluations.

In a nutshell, 360 degree feedback is a method and a tool that provides an employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from every aspect surrounding their role. Traditionally the feedback is given from a range of internal sources (including supervisors, peers, subordinates) and in some cases external sources as well (customers, business partners, etc.) 360 degree feedback allows an individual to understand how his or her effectiveness as an employee, coworker, or staff member is viewed by others.

“The purpose of the 360 degree feedback is to assist each individual to understand his or her strengths and weaknesses, and to contribute insights into aspects of his or her work needing professional development.” – Susan Heathfield, HR Expert - About.com

There is great debate as to whether 360 degree feedback should be used strictly for developmental purposes, or also used for end of year appraisals. Some argue that multiple sources lead to more well rounded fedback, while others feel that the method’s anonymity provides no recourse should one want further clarification on the feedback. Regardless of position, it’s hard to argue the power of receiving a full circle view of one’s effectiveness when it comes to personal development.

Recently while discussing the topic, a co-worker introduced me to Rypple.com, a quick and easy way to solicit feedback from managers, peers or really anyones opinion whom you respect. The flexibility of the system allows you to solict feedback from anyone, about anything from performance, to opinions on a meeting, or input from a team members on a project. Everything is presented in very simplistic manner allowing you to simply enter your question, choose whom you want to ask it to, and then track your performance.

What separates Rypple from other 360 feedback systems is that there are minimal constraints when it comes to what you can and cannot do. There are no pre-defined questions or limitations on who should give you feedback. The responses are completely anonymous, creating an open environment for honest and meaningful feedback. With this flexible functionality, some users have even employed the technology to survey customers and solicit feedback from clients.

Rypple is a web-based and free for the basic service, (a premium version costs a nominal fee per month, with corporate options rising from there) allowing users to sign-up today and receive feedback almost instantly. Certainly an interesting twist on receiving feedback that caters directly to Gen-Y. To learn more, take the Rypple Tour and check it out yourself. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts or experiences if you’ve used it.