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  Mayfield Village, OH 44143
  Phone: 440/684-9700 | Fax: 440/684-9760
  www.ercnet.org | www.northcoast99.org | www.erchealth.com

Contact: Marty Mordarski, Director of Research & Membership, mmordarski@ercnet.org

Press Release
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Generational Differences Shifting Focus of Workplace Programs

Cleveland– According to a recent study conducted by ERC, generational differences are shifting human resource programs towards increasing emphasis on training, development, compensation, and work/life programs. Thirty-seven percent of organizations reported a greater need for more training and development programs to make up for skill deficiencies in younger workers and about a quarter of organizations reported a need to increase knowledge management programs retaining older worker knowledge. Also, several organizations reported a need to revamp their compensation programs. Additionally about a third of organizations reported a need to enhance their work/life balance programs and options.

These HR service shifts reflect the generational issues prevalent in today’s workforce including knowledge retention of older workers, increased training for younger workers with skill deficiencies, and modification of compensation programs to meet the needs of several generations of workers combined. Another survey conducted by ERC supports these results, showing that a majority of organizations are focusing more heavily on training and development initiatives and nearly half of organizations reported that offering incentives/bonuses to lower-level positions is necessary in order to be successful in attracting and retaining employees. This suggests that performance pay is being offered to a variety of employee levels versus traditional higher levels of employees such as managers and executives. Finally, younger worker interests as well as older worker needs have also prompted organizations to consider offering more work/life balance programs and options to help attract and retain a talented workforce.

“The workforce is starting to change dramatically and our research suggests that in order to attract and retain necessary talent, organizations will increasingly need to alter their workplace practices relative to HR services and certainly not limited to training, development, compensation, and work/life balance,” says Susan Pyles, Senior Consultant and Trainer with ERC.

ERC is Northeast Ohio’s largest organization dedicated to HR and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting. The organization also hosts NorthCoast 99 and sponsors the ERC Health insurance program. For more information about ERC, check out www.ercnet.org.

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