Your Next Promotion Could Depend on Where You Put That Verb...

Ever get an e-mail from a co-worker and not know what you just read? Perhaps you purchased a new video recorder and discarded the instruction booklet after you realized it had 24 pages of small type and bad illustrations.

These are common challenges to communication in today's fast-paced culture. Young people don't write complete sentences anymore. Instead, they use abbreviations, symbols and code words. Capitalization is a "thing of the past," as is the comma, semicolon, and period.

Businesses and other professional organizations still need to communicate effectively. And, for that reason, are always in need of employees who can write clearly and memorably.

To answer that need, Joliet Junior College (JJC) offers a business writing seminar specifically designed for people in the workforce. "Whether the employee is a credit analyst, clerical operator, or manager, the ability to communicate effectively is always important," said Amy Murphy, director of corporate and continuing education for JJC's Community and Economic Development department.

"A worker who can use language accurately is going to do a better job of expressing needs and concerns involved in their job or department," said Murphy. "Those are also the workers who are remembered for promotions and recognition."

The business writing seminar at JJC touches on a variety of communication activities including sales letters, memos, reports, press releases, and those all important e-mails.

"Many people take e-mail writing for granted," said Murphy. "But, in truth, the e-mail is as important as any memo or letter because it is used more than any other form of written communication today. In fact, e-mails are considered legal documents that can be used in a court of law."

Participants in the writing seminar will do more than listen to a lecture. They will write a variety of different kinds of communication. They will also evaluate their writing and learn how to improve it through effective editing and proofreading. The course even touches on grammar – a lost art for many writers.

To learn more about the business writing seminar, call Amy Murphy at (815) 280-1418, or e-mail amurphy@jjc.edu.

Value the Mature Worker

Not long ago, many employers felt that older workers lacked the drive and imagination that young employees would bring to the organization. Today businesses are starting to view the mature worker as an essential commodity. Changing demographics have resulted in an older workforce that is going to be very difficult to replace.

As the baby boomer generation retires, there are fewer younger people available to fill the employment breach. To make matters worse, this is occurring in a time when a generally healthy economy has just about tapped out the talent market. Overall our unemployment rate has been very low. In the past, women provided a supplemental work force from which employers could pull, but they are now at full employment as well.

Like any commodity, older workers are getting more valuable as they get scarcer. According to workplace psychologists, employer should take the following steps to keep their older workers:

1. Eliminate stereotypes. The organization should change their perception of older workers. Researchers have determined no connection between age and job performance. Older workers have shown a stronger commitment to quality, experience lower turnover, take fewer days off, are not as tardy, and have excellent judgment based on years of experience.
2. Motivate older workers. High salaries are not the primary concerns for your mature workers. In a recent survey, workers over 45 years of age valued the following: a friendly work environment, respect of coworkers, opportunities to use their skills and talents, to learn something new, and to help others. Assess your organization to see if these needs are being addressed for your older workers.
3. Introduce flexible policies. Flexible work schedules and phased retirement are popular options. Older employees who want more time off for family or outside interests may welcome a part-time schedule. Short term projects and special assignments allow individuals to wish to retire to continue contributing to your business.

Employers who fail to create work environments friendly to older workers are taking the chance of losing them. Progressive organizations realize the value of the mature worker and will be in position to meet their employment needs.

Joliet Junior College offers several seminars in generational management. For more information, call (815) 280-1423 or email msillar@jjc.edu.

In-Plant Hands-On PLC Training

The best way to learn important electrical concepts, equipment, and troubleshooting skills is through hands-on learning experiences. Joliet Junior College now offers hands-on PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) training that can be conducted at JJC, at your company location, or at home. The total turn-key training program includes an Allen Bradley PLC, all required input switches and output loads, textbook, application manual with hands-on labs, PLC software, interactive animation clips to aid in learning programming, and more.

The benefits of hands-on learning is proven and well-documented, so why not call today for more information. It could make a difference to your productivity.