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Implications of WF Diversity and Changing Skills© Agha Sadarrudin
Dec 22, 2001
In addition to the diversity brought about by gender and nationality, HRM must be aware of the age differences that exist in the workforce. Today there are three distinct groupings. First, there are the mature workers, those born prior to 1946. this group of workers are security-oriented and have a committed work ethic. Although mature workers have been viewed as the foundation of the workforce, they are regarded by the other generational groups as having obsolete skills and being inflexible in their ways. The baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, the largest group in the workforce, are regarded as the career climbers - at the right place at the right time. Their career advanced rapidly as organizational growth during their initial years of employment was unsurpassed. Yet the view of them is that they are unrealistic in their views, workaholics. Finally, there are the generation Xers, those born between 1965 and 1975. These baby busters are bringing a new perspective to the work force - less commitment, less rule-bound, more into themselves and their own gratification, and intolerant of the baby boomers and their attitudes. As a result, they are viewed as being selfish and not willing to play the "corporate game."
Consequently blending the three will require much assistance from HRM. That is, human resource management train these groups to effectively manage and to deal with one another, and to respect the diversity of views that each offers. Many companies go at great lengths to train their younger managers how to deal with older employees. Inasmuch as work attitude conflict is natural, these companies have been successful in keeping problems to a minimum.
Changing Skills Environment
In any discussion of the changing world of work, the issues of skill requirement must be addressed. Segments of our workforce are deficient in skills necessary to perform the jobs required in the twenty first century. The United States as whole lags behind Singapore, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Japan in terms of a skilled workforce. Some new entrants to the workforce are simply not adequately prepared. High school graduate sometimes lack the necessary reading, writing and mathematics skills needed to perform today's high-tech job. Others in the workforce are computer illiterate. Just think of what these imply, imagine tomorrow's aerospace engineers who cannot read a blueprint or explain how wing icing affects lift on an airplane. Just how bad has it gotten? It is estimated that about 36 percent of all job applicants who were tested for basic reading and math skills failed to pass the tests. In some cases it is even worse.
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