Are Your Managers Fit for Purpose?
The world of work is changing. Generation Y (and soon Generation Z) employees expect to work differently than previous generations. Research carried out by Ashridge Business School showed that younger employees entering the workplace don’t want to ‘do time’ as their predecessors did. They want to get ahead and they want to get there fast. They grew up in a different environment and come to the workplace with different skills. They’re not motivated by the same things and they approach work relationships differently.Therein lies the problem The world has changed dramatically. Rapid changes in technology, communication and the way business is run provides a very different workplace to that encountered by their parents.One of the biggest concerns for managers interviewed by researchers was retention of young people. Compared to past generations, Managers see Generation Ys as being impatient and apt to leave if they are not having their needs met. This then contributes to worries about succession planning and business continuity because graduates generally do not aspire to the jobs of their more mature colleagues. So, this leaves Managers with the question of how to motivate them.Managers also feel strongly that today’s graduates lack experience – not only work experience but life experience and the interpersonal skills so essential in building relationships, meeting deadlines, managing their emotions and the emotions of others.What can Managers do?In some circumstances a Manager may be managing a team of young, Generation Y employees but answering to a Baby Boomer or Generation X. Each of these will have their own ‘map’ of the working world with values and drivers typical of that generation. Managers would benefit from understanding the difference between the various generations and how they can meet the needs of each.They particularly need to understand Generation Y employees, what motivates them and how to get the best out of them.Generation Ys want to be managed differently. They don’t respond well to a didactic style of management and seek more coaching and mentoring. Managers may need to adapt their management practices to be less authoritarian and more of a coaching approach. To many, this way of managing may feel threatening – like giving away their power and control. Others may struggle to adopt this style of managing without becoming too casual or fear employees may take advantage of them and that they may be perceived as being ‘weak’. This can be hard for a lot of Managers and they need training and coaching themselves to help them take on this new style effectively.Challenging and interesting work’ was found to be the overwhelming motivator for both Managers and Graduates in the report.Providing the right level of challenge for graduates can be very disconcerting for Managers as, perceiving a lack of skills in the graduates to cope with the task, the act of giving responsibility and a challenge to graduates may feel too risky. This is where skilful management, negotiations of ways of working and effective delegation skills are essential.The right amount of intervention, encouragement and supervision will mean graduates rise to the challenge and stretch themselves and achieve peak performance, too much and they will be left feeling resentful, demeaned and micro-managed.Unmet expectations in work cause graduates to leave but many managers find graduates want promotion before they are ready.
Graduates think they lack technical skills; managers think graduates lack people skills!
The wise Manager addresses this by seeking out the right type of training for their graduates to give them the interpersonal skills they need to survive and thrive in the workplace. Helping graduates gain this ‘wisdom’ not only benefits the Manager directly in that they have a more mature team member but the organisation becomes known as a great people developer. This means they’re more likely to retain current talent but also attract future talent and entices back those that who left to return bringing with them further experience and insight and knowledge of the competition.
Skip the Spa and Pamper Yourself With Microdermabrasion at Home
Spas have been all the rage for decades now – the place to be if you’re looking for a bit of rest and relaxation. But these days, spas are much more status symbol than relaxation retreat, and for good reason. Celebrities have made skin treatments like microdermabrasion brand names. Popular culture has turned them into procedures that aren’t just recommended for glowing skin, but virtually necessary. However, in turn, this has made spas and procedures extremely expensive.While all of us dream of the glowing skin we see on our favorite stars, most of us lack the big bucks necessary to make one of these treatments a reality for ourselves. Sure, it’s great to watch them on television, but when it comes to actually getting them, who has the money to fork over for something as frivolous as skincare? Did you know that there are now safe, effective and non-surgical means of getting glowing, ageless skin – right at home?You can do this in the privacy of your very own house – and without forking over thousands of dollars at a high-priced beauty spa. These days, you can easily take years off of your face without ever stepping out of the house. Sure, there are tons of skincare products on the market that boast anti-aging claims – but do any of them really work? How do you really shave years off your skin? How can a forty year old look 25? Well, thanks to microdermabrasion, that’s how. A long word for a relatively simple procedure, microdermabrasion helps wipe the years away by removing the dead skin cells on your face, brushing them off to reveal newer, more youthful skin below.Interested? You’ll want to read on. Looking to get glowing, ageless skin at home? Here’s what you’ll need to stock up on. Better clean out that medicine cabinet to make way for your new products.First, you’ll need a microderm scrub. This amazing treatment is aluminum oxide free and boasts resurfacing and revitalizing treatments that utilize a naturally occurring mineral found in the Dead Sea. It also boasts papaya and pineapple extracts, which are natural elements that boast exfoliating properties. Together, these ingredients make up a treatment that gives you the benefits of an expensive microdermabrasion treatment at your own convenience, in the privacy of your own home.You’ll use this product once or twice a week for softer, smoother skin that looks years younger. This easy to apply treatment works much like your favorite facial cleanser. Simply apply a quarter-sized amount of the product to your fingertips and move the product around your face in circular motions to wet, freshly-cleansed skin. You’ll be amazed at how soon you start seeing younger skin.If you’re looking for something a bit more high-tech, you can actually purchase an at-home microdermabrasion skin care system for yourself. Considered to be a smaller version of what they use in the fancy spas, this at home system allows you get in spa results without ever leaving your house. This system works to address fine lines and wrinkles, as well as uneven skin and sun-damaged skin.It works by exfoliating your dead skin cells on the service, which aids in the skin’s natural rejuvenation process. Once the dead skin cells are gone, the newer cells can rise to the surface, revealing younger, firmer looking skin. This system offers a microdermabrasion unit, as well as cleanser, collagen regenerator, moisturizing day cream, an interchangeable diamond tip that you’ll use to apply the cleanser and treatment to your skin, as well as a DVD to teach you how to use the system.This system is a bit more complicated than your average cleansing routine, as it involves the use of actual equipment, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll appreciate having made the investment, as it’ll enable you to get the glowing skin of your favorite stars – from the comfort of your own home!If this feels like too much of a commitment, and the above treatment seems like it’ll do nothing to change your current skin situation, consider a three piece skincare treatment. The in-between option, this set of cleanser, collagen regenerator and moisturizer works to restore the skin you had when you were younger, without harsh chemicals or any sort of equipment or machines. You’ll simply wash your face with the cleanser, apply the collagen regenerator and then the moisturizing cream and watch as the years melt away. A simple system that’s easy to use and much less expensive than a set of microdermabrasion equipment, this skincare treatment set is a great option for beginners who want great skin without harsh machines.Leave the spa for the celebrities, and start investing in your own products. You can get the skin you want with microdermabrasion, without paying thousands of dollars!
Part IV: Mind-Body-Faith Phenomenon: The Power of Prayer
Medical research has shown that by implementing a holistic approach to health and wellness by encouraging faith practices, particularly prayer in health matters, it often paves the way for maximal mind-body-spirit wellness. No longer controversial as in the distant past, this approach is highly effective, and can also be quite motivating for patients. Motivated patients are more apt to embrace the treatment plan given them by their healthcare providers, hence benefiting them in a myriad of ways.Hope-filled, motivated patients are more apt to be compliant and follow doctor’s orders as prescribed for treatments and medication. As hopefulness and optimism prevail, they are less likely to become depressed after surgery when they are well-connected to their practitioners and to their own practical faith practices, such as prayer. These patients generally have better, more open communication with their healthcare professionals, and embrace their independence earlier than those who feel distant from their practitioners. They are more capable of getting out of bed to reestablish mobility after surgery, and overall have less short-term complications. Because of all these factors, they are also less likely to have long-term complications, as they diligently strive to do what they have been instructed by their nurses and physicians.When working with patients, with practical faith and prayer front and center in health care practices, it allows for maximal health and wellness-body, mind, and spirit-and plays a vital role in encouraging self-help, independence and swift healing of the mind-body connection. Patients that heal quicker have less discomfort and pain and require less pain medication. Also, those who heal without medical complications are more likely to decrease days/nights spent in the hospital, therefore decreasing healthcare costs for both the patient and their respective insurance companies.When patients practice practical faith through prayer, they are able to experience great relief and get the rest they need to heal. They are able to have more confidence in themselves and the healthcare system as they grow in faith and believe and trust that ‘All is well.’ In essence, they are more able to do what they can to get well, and as the saying goes, ‘Leave the rest to God.’In a way, prayer is an important component in healthcare for the prevention of physical complications, depression and anxiety, as it provides patients with an overall sense of well-being. For when patients lay their concerns in the hands of the medical staff, doctors and nurses, and God, as well, the results are significant and lasting.