Industry News
Tips for Helping Middlescents
According to Harvard University, middlescents are workers between the ages of 35
and 54. They are burned out, bottlenecked, and bored. Thirty percent work 50 or
more hours per week, while only 33 percent feel energized by their jobs. Many believe
their workplace offers few opportunities to try new things.
Since this is a large group with many productive years ahead of them, it is a good
idea to find a way to revitalize them. The coming retirement of baby boomers will
put more pressure on the remaining workforce to find new ways to be more productive.
Harvard offers these suggestions:
- Fresh Assignments
Offer new assignments in different locations or on different
projects.
- Career Changes
Provide opportunities for this group to change jobs and careers
within your organization.
- Mentoring
Encourage middlescents to mentor less-seasoned employees. Make an effort
to match employee skills with needs.
- Training
Learning keeps people energized and effective – regardless of the learner's
age.
- Paid Sabbaticals
Give these workers opportunities to do community service for
a few months. The employer benefits from the excellent publicity while the employee
returns to work energized and recommitted.
- Leadership Development
Just because a midcareer worker is older doesn't mean
he or she lacks vision or the desire to lead. Develop them in these directions
and your company will grow more productive.
Visit the
BusinessWeek article to learn more.
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