The purpose of the paper is to examine how organizations can retain the business knowledge and skills of older workers as they retire or move on.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to examine how organizations can retain the business knowledge and skills of older workers as they retire or move on.
Design/methodology/approach
Describes the nature of the ‘demographic time‐bomb’, the effects it could have on organizations, and the knowledge‐management and other systems that organizations can use to minimize these effects.
Findings
Highlights the need for a knowledge‐retention programme, under which an organization can start to identify knowledge at risk and establish central knowledge repositories. Creative retirement policies, retiree workforce pools and a lessons‐learned capture process from retirees ensures the effective transfer of vital information from these people. Building a database of retirees for temporary, contract employment and special‐project work is useful. An organization should develop a retiree/worker mentoring programme to encourage mentoring and cross training, while instilling in pre‐retirees the commitment to knowledge sharing and collaboration. Creating inducements to learn is also important.
Practical implications
Emphasizes process management in transferring knowledge and skills from older workers to their younger colleagues.
Originality/value
Stresses that, while building the necessary knowledge‐management architecture is the easy bit, managing the people aspects is more challenging. Suggests some ways to overcome these challenges.
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A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?”. At this point we often cast around for outside help, if only there…
Abstract
A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?”. At this point we often cast around for outside help, if only there was someone to “bounce ideas off” and talk through the problem. There seems to be too much to think of, all at the same time. Yet in reaching for the phone to call a friend, advisor, operational researcher, systems analyst or whoever, have we overlooked someone?
The purpose of this paper is to raise the profile of deep succession planning to identify key talent. Older workers are now forming a significant proportion of the workforce. This…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to raise the profile of deep succession planning to identify key talent. Older workers are now forming a significant proportion of the workforce. This cohort could be lost to retirement leaving industry and commerce short of talent.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of research and other relevant literature is reviewed. Real life experiences with clients developing their older workers are reported and practical suggestions made for implementation.
Findings
There is little literature on organisation‐deep succession planning. The process needs to be linked to organizational objectives with ownership at all levels.
Practical implications
The main implications of this paper are that organization‐deep succession planning is a complex process requiring commitment and long term planning at all levels. Without a thorough analysis of age and skill profile no workable plan can be made.
Originality/value
This report brings together a range of data around succession planning that should take place across the organization, not just at board level. It will be of value to HR, L&D and equality professionals.
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Older workers are an increasingly important part of the workforce yet their job motivation can be low. This paper sets out to look at the possible reasons for this and to suggest…
Abstract
Purpose
Older workers are an increasingly important part of the workforce yet their job motivation can be low. This paper sets out to look at the possible reasons for this and to suggest how their disengagement can be addressed through development and training.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of research and other relevant literature is reviewed. Real life experiences with older workers' development are reported and practical suggestions made for implementation.
Findings
Motivation and engagement are affected by organisational policies and culture as well as self stereotyping and perceptions of others. Engagement can be significantly improved through a range of measures including targeted development.
Practical implications
The main implications are that addressing psychological disengagement is not a quick fix. L&D staff will need a wide influence across the organisation and time to see the measures take effect.
Originality/value
This is the first report bringing together a disparate range of data around older workers' engagement and relating these directly to training and development. It will be of value to HR, L&D and Equality professionals.
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The purpose of this paper is to focus on the key roles played by both human resources and internal communications in developing, implementing and measuring employee engagement…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the key roles played by both human resources and internal communications in developing, implementing and measuring employee engagement strategies and activities. Although the management practice has been widespread since the early 2000s, many are still confused or skeptical of engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper aims to define engagement and its importance with regard to attracting and keeping top talent, highlighting Aon Hewitt’s behavioral model and Gallup’s research.
Findings
Recognizing that employee engagement is a key performance indicator, this paper highlights how Lawson Products is creating growth and sustainability with its number-one asset, employees.
Originality/value
By considering the opportunities Lawson Products is providing for its employees to do meaningful work, to learn, to be involved without being micromanaged and to make an impact, readers will take away proven ideas to draw and engage today’s top talent.
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Stephen R. Barley, Beth A. Bechky and Bonalyn J. Nelsen
Sociologists have paid little attention to what people mean when they call themselves “professionals” in their everyday talk. Typically, when occupations lack the characteristics…
Abstract
Sociologists have paid little attention to what people mean when they call themselves “professionals” in their everyday talk. Typically, when occupations lack the characteristics of self-control associated with the established professions, such talk is dismissed as desire for greater status. An ethnography of speaking conducted among several technicians’ occupations suggests that dismissing talk of professionalism may have been premature. The results of this study indicate that among technicians, professional talk highlights dynamics of respect, collaboration, and expertise crucial to the horizontal divisions of labor that are common in postindustrial workplaces, but have very little to do with the desire for occupational power.
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Holly J. McCammon, Allison R. McGrath, Ashley Dixon and Megan Robinson
Feminist legal activists in law schools developed what we call critical community tactics beginning in the late 1960s to bring about important cultural change in the legal…
Abstract
Feminist legal activists in law schools developed what we call critical community tactics beginning in the late 1960s to bring about important cultural change in the legal educational arena. These feminist activists challenged the male-dominant culture and succeeded in making law schools and legal scholarship more gender inclusive. Here, we develop the critical community tactics concept and show how these tactics produce cultural products which ultimately, as they are integrated into the broader culture, change the cultural landscape. Our work then is a study of how social movement activists can bring about cultural change. The feminist legal activists’ cultural products and the integration of them into the legal academy provide evidence of feminist legal activist success in shifting the legal institutional culture. We conclude that critical community tactics provide an important means for social movement activists to bring about cultural change, and scholars examining social movement efforts in other institutional settings may benefit from considering the role of critical community tactics.
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Christine Naaman, Karen Naaman and Najib Sahyoun
This paper aims to investigate the determinants and consequences of using disclaimer language in the banks’ audit committee (AC) reports. This study aims to analyze the factors…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the determinants and consequences of using disclaimer language in the banks’ audit committee (AC) reports. This study aims to analyze the factors tempting AC members of banks to disclose disclaimer language in the AC reports and the effect of such language on the cost of equity.
Design/methodology/approach
The data cover the period from 2006 to 2015 and considers the top US bank holding companies. Voluntary disclosure in the AC report is manually coded by using a scoring grid. Multivariate regression analysis is mainly used in the study.
Findings
The findings suggest that the ACs are using the disclaimer language to protect themselves when disclosing a high level of voluntary information that describes their oversight activities or to reduce their liability exposure due to lower financial reporting quality. The findings also reveal that investors are requiring a higher return on their investments whenever ACs use disclaimer language in their reports.
Originality/value
The AC report provides useful information to shareholders who evaluate the AC’s performance and accordingly vote for or against AC members on annual basis. The paper sheds lights on the motives and consequences of disclaimer language in the ACs report. Thus, the study benefits shareholders by providing empirical evidence in regard to the usage of disclaimer language. Also, the findings benefit industry, corporate governance organizations, standard setters and regulators that analyze AC disclosures and issue recommendations or new standards for improving those disclosures.
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Roudi Nazarinia Roy, Yolanda Mitchell, Anthony James, Byron Miller and Jessica Hutchinson
The transition to motherhood has been studied extensively, but primarily among participants in homogenous race/ethnicity relationships. The aim of the current study was to explore…
Abstract
The transition to motherhood has been studied extensively, but primarily among participants in homogenous race/ethnicity relationships. The aim of the current study was to explore the lived experiences of a diverse group of women in biracial and monoracial relationships experiencing the transition to motherhood (e.g., biracial or monoracial motherhood). Informed by the symbolic interaction framework, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the expectations and experiences of first-time motherhood on a sample of 12 U.S. women. Their diverse stories contained multiple themes including an overarching theme of racial/ethnic differences in appropriate infant care, which surfaces during engagement in family and social support interactions. This analysis emphasizes the need for more diverse portrayals of motherhood. We discuss our findings in light of the literature and implications for future research and practice.
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Sheng Hengst and Brian H. Kleiner
Provides a brief overview of the Family and Medical Leave Act and discusses the implications for employees. Considers the problems experienced by employers as they attempt to…
Abstract
Provides a brief overview of the Family and Medical Leave Act and discusses the implications for employees. Considers the problems experienced by employers as they attempt to comply with the act and the reaction of organisations to the extension of this act in relation to unemployment benefit. Gives recommendations for employers to help with some of the administrative problems faced and concludes that the law was well intended but continues to cause confusion for the public and place burdens on the employer.