YourForce: Youth Is Not Wasted on Our Game Changers

Youth is wasted on the young. Originally intended as a witty, offhand remark, it’s nevertheless a sentiment that some in the workplace take seriously.

“Settle down, whippersnapper,” they say. “We tried that idea years ago. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. You’ll understand one day. If I knew what I know now when I was your age, things would be a lot different around here.”

There’s an element of truth to our stereotypes of the young, as those on the gray end of the age spectrum are quick to recognize. Experience and perspective are valuable teachers of wisdom. But they’re also a liability, locking in beliefs and ideas that should be questioned.

If that’s the problem, this year’s crop of Workforce Game Changers are the perfect solution. As you’ll see, youth is not being wasted on the 25 up-and-coming HR leaders we’ve recognized.

Dunk You Very Much?

A Halogen Software Inc. employee prepares to be dunked at the company’s sixth annual SaaS Stampede Breakfast,
which raises money for the Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) Humane Society.

Reader Reaction

Sacman offered this comment on the May cover story, “Missed Steps”: 

I question whether we’ll start to see legal challenges by employees involved in wellness programs based on the fact that the tools they’re being given to achieve certain outcomes (outcomes that may drive discounts on their health premiums or help them achieve incentives) aren’t accurate.

Workforce.com/missedsteps

Reader Bill Fotsch had this to say regarding the June feature story “Dissed Loyalty”:

I appreciate your statistics that suggest companies are not serious about employee loyalty. However, I note that some of the most successful companies — Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Google — are quite focused on employee loyalty and use it as a competitive advantage. The trust and focus on the common good captured the employees’ hearts while the information captures their minds. Commonly referred to as Open-Book Management, this creates an empowered learning organization. And the good news is that it is not very difficult to do. I have seen this work in 400-plus companies I have worked with in the past 20-plus years, from small/medium-size companies to larger publicly traded service responsible companies like Southwest Airlines.

Workforce.com/dissed

Reader Rich Goidel commented on Sarah Sipek’s story in the June edition of Workforce, “What to Elect When You’re Expecting":

Interesting article and couldn’t agree more. Worth considering as well: the addition of a midwife and doula to the mix can increase safety and decrease costs. In short, birth (unless complications arise) is not a medical procedure.

Workforce.com/expecting

We welcome your comments on these stories and others on our website.