Unlike previous generations, when workers were often segregated by age and promoted on the basis of seniority, today’s new hire could find herself working with a peer that could be a grandparent’s age. This shift has had a dramatic impact on corporate culture and company performance, since priorities, attitudes and workstyles can vary with each generation. 

For example, “My way or the highway” managers tend to drive Baby Boomers crazy, while “flashy” or “schmoozy” bosses turn off Gen X’ers.  Both the oldest and youngest employees — World War II generation and Millennials — are motivated by awards and certificates. But they differ considerably on preferred methods of communication.

How to attract, retain and motivate employees of all ages and maximize their contributions will be the focus of the next “Inclusion=Innovation” program presented by the Charleston Area Alliance and Ernst & Young from noon-1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 25 at the Alliance offices.

Click here to register.

Pat Kelly of Steptoe & Johnson will moderate a discussion by “Effective Immediately” co-authors Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg, and Linda Bunn, associate state director for AARP, on how to maximize the contributions of people of different ages in the workplace to achieve success. 

Business managers, demographers and others have observed generational differences in approaches to employee loyalty, work/life balance and communication styles, among other issues. Panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by a multi-generational workforce and identify practices that will help individuals and managers work effectively with people of all ages.

The West Virginia Committee for Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) recently presented its “Above and Beyond” Award to the Charleston Area Alliance.

The award recognizes employers at the state and local levels who have exceeded the legal requirements for granting leaves and providing support for military duty by their employees.

Additionally, two Charleston Area Alliance staff members received individual awards. Matt Ballard, president and CEO, and Lesley Hager, project assistant, were presented with the prestigious “Seven Seals” Award.

The “Seven Seals” Award is the highest award ESGR gives to an individual and is symbolic of the seven services that comprise the Reserve components. It acknowledges individuals whose initiative and support, over time, promote the ESGR mission.

The Alliance has long been a supporter of the National Guard and ESGR in West Virginia. The community, business and economic development organization worked with Yeager Airport, the Kanawha County Commission, Gov. Joe Manchin, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Gen. Allen Tackett during the BRAC process several years ago to help save the 130^th Airlift Wing. In addition, the Alliance has partnered with ESGR to help educate regional businesses about the benefits of employing the men and women of the Guard and the tremendous benefit to the private sector generated from National Guard training.

“The men and women serving our country have enough to worry about while deployed,” Hager said. “It’s critical we don’t add to their concerns by helping ensure they have their jobs waiting on them when they return home. It just made sense to bring this issue to our membership, which collectively represents more than 40,000 employees in the Charleston area, and assist in educating them about the opportunities related to employing someone in the Guard or Reserve.”

The Charleston Area Alliance joins community leaders throughout West Virginia in affirming our partnership and respecting the equal rights of others. In this spirit, we condemn hate in any form. Moving beyond mere tolerance, we dedicate ourselves to cooperative community-building by strengthening these civic values:

Teamwork
Respect
Courage
Honor
Integrity
Responsibility
Compassion
Unselfish service

We pledge ourselves to be supportive of each other and of all who labor in the cause of creating a community that welcomes everyone into its heart.

We encourage any and all citizens who seek to stand up and speak out against hate to participate in dynamic, powerful and positive community-organized actions, which include displaying signs and joining the April 8 Stop the Hate rally. In consultation with those entrusted to keep the peace, and with organizations targeted by hate, we offer opportunities to move the spotlight away from hate groups and toward positive expressions of love and inclusiveness.

STOP THE HATE RALLY
An Invitation
 
State Capitol of West Virginia (river side)
Thursday, April 8, 5:30 PM
 
Calling people of good will to act as non-violent agents of healing in our community.

Join our chorus of reassurance and care for victims of hatred and intimidation. Coming from all walks of life, we will stand together to say, in a collective voice, that there is no place for hate and violence in our community. While our voices will be strong, our message will be peace.
 
This initiative was inspired by the early leadership of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce in creating and distributing signs expressing words and symbols of unity and cooperation. These signs contain icons with particular emotive power: a rainbow, a menorah, a dove with an olive branch.

Click the image above to download your own copy.

Signs are available at the West Virginia Chamber office, and a limited number will be available at the Alliance office, 1116 Smith St.

Thriving communities welcome the contributions of all citizens and understand that division prevents them from achieving their full potential. 

As part of its mission to build a more vibrant community and prosperous economy, the Charleston Area Alliance is joining the hundreds of thousands of businesses, organizations, churches and individuals from the Kanawha Valley and around the country that are taking a “Stand Against Racism” on April 30, 2010.   

This project supports the Alliance’s “inclusion=innovation” initiative, sponsored by Ernst & Young, to help businesses and our region benefit from the contributions of all segments of the community.

Stand Against Racism is an annual event of YWCAs nationwide, and will be the first event of its kind in the greater Kanawha Valley.  The purpose of the project is to bring people together from all walks of life to raise awareness that racism still exists.   Governor Manchin has declared April 30 “Stand Against Racism” day, and events will be held throughout the state and our region.

The Alliance is participating through an online petition taking a stand FOR an inclusive community and a stand AGAINST racism.  We invite you to add your name to the list of people who believe  that the welcome mat should be out for all who want to make our region a better place to live, work and play.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/inclusivecharlestonwv

Click here to learn more about how your business, organization, church or family can participate in Stand Against Racism.

Filmmaker Patrice O’Neill, producer of the award winning PBS documentary “Not In Our Town,” will be in Charleston Nov. 4 to talk about creative, community-based approaches to intolerance.

Click here to download the event flyer.

O’Neill will present short films and features from www.NIOT.org, a new social networking site and tool set for people working to stop hate crimes and build inclusive communities.

Not In Our Town is focused on the stories of ordinary people who take action in the face of hate crimes, and the civic leaders, activists and school leaders who are examining the underlying tensions that can lead to the violent manifestations of hate. The ultimate goal of the project is to share knowledge and encourage community activity that will help create communities that are inclusive and safe for everyone.

You have two chances to catch the forum – from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Charleston Area Alliance and from 7 to 9 p.m. at the YWCA of Charleston.

The column below from Alliance President Matt Ballard and Chairman Jack Rossi appeared in today’s Charleston Gazette.

In his recent commentary, “Teachable moments from the dark side of diversity,” the Rev. Ron English cites a recent Create West Virginia study that found growing recognition in our state of the importance of initiatives in education, technology and diversity to growing a new economy.

At the Charleston Area Alliance, a multi-faceted economic, business and community development organization, as well as the largest regional chamber of commerce in West Virginia, we couldn’t agree more.

As former Secretary of State Betty Ireland said at our recent “Business Case for Diversity” forum, diversity is “a competitive edge” for businesses.

That’s why the Alliance will continue making a case for diversity. We’ve launched an “Inclusion=Innovation” initiative to help to create a more prosperous economy by educating businesses how to incorporate practices that maximize the contributions of all segments of the work force and our community.

Studies show that diverse work teams are more innovative and return higher profits for their employers. Through a series of high-level roundtables featuring nationally recognized speakers and prominent local leaders, “Inclusion=Innovation” will showcase best practices for accelerating and building profits through programs that build understanding about and effective approaches to generational, ethnic, racial, gender, cultural, religious and socio-economic differences in the business world.

Diversity isn’t just another way to say “affirmative action.” You can have a room full of people who look alike and still have diversity. We are talking about naturally enabling every employee to work to his or her potential.

Inclusion isn’t just counting heads. It’s making what’s inside the heads count.

West Virginia’s population might not appear to be very diverse, but narrow thinking has rarely allowed the state to progress. Fair or not, West Virginia is often seen as prejudiced and ill-informed from the outside. TV sound bites often don’t help improve the impressions. Whether the picture is accurate or not, we must make efforts to invite inclusion and nurture diversity.

The region and state make forward strides only when diverse and varied points of view come together. It’s the same for businesses. Your customers are eclectic. Wouldn’t an inclusive, varied work force produce better, more well-rounded products and services?

Diversity, though, isn’t simple. Dr. Roosevelt Thomas of the American Institute for Managing Diversity in Atlanta said inclusion is “a very involved process.”

“It’s not something you do overnight,” he said. “Managing diversity has become much more complex in uncertain times.”

According to Thomas, diversity management is the craft of making quality decisions in the midst of tension and complexity, which is particularly relevant in today’s ever-changing business landscape.

In challenging times, though, it pays to be opportunistic and creative. Inclusion is a worthwhile endeavor, and it’s an idea that can lead to success. Finding that competitive edge often goes along with doing the right thing.