'Ben Thinking' for the week of 09.30

This is the 13th edition of ‘Ben Thinking’ this year. Which is awesome because 13 is my lucky number. It’s a family jersey number (except my sister – she wore 14 to be difficult). It’s now my kids’ lucky and favorite number. I park in spot 13 when I go to my kids’ schools. One of my fantasy football teams is named 'Lucky 13' (it's not a very good team). I was married on the 13th. I love any day that is Friday the 13th (but not all of the Friday the 13th movies.) My birthday is the 4th, which is 1+3.

You get it.

I kind of have a thing with 13.

So, this edition – which also is falling in Manufacturing Month, days before Manufacturing Day (Friday, October 4), has to be special. I’ve been stashing articles for two weeks to share – so let’s jump in! (You may want to read this one in chunks…there’s a lot here!)

Gen Z is in the news

I came across a few Gen Z reads that I wanted to be sure to share here. (One was forwarded by a friend/Ben Thinking reader – thank you Bob!)

The first is one that really grabbed my attention. It’s in The New York Times and is co-written by Jonathan Haidt (Anxious Generation). The title: Gen Z Has Regrets. I think every generation has regrets. (Well, except Gen X. We’re too cool to make anyone think we care enough about anything that could possibly cause us to have regrets.)

But Gen Z’s regrets. Yikes. I think a lot of us share those regrets. Specifically social media. Can we walk some of that back? Any toothpaste we can shove back into the tube? No? Ok fine.

I see an article like that…and then I read about how difficult it is for Gen Z to keep a job. Specifically, 6 in 10 employers that said they have already let go of a Gen Z employee. Or 1 in 7 that said they wouldn’t hire an entry level employee.

We’re getting to the point where we are seeing proof of the burden Gen Z has carried – whether they know it or not – of an evolution of communication, society and learning.

So why am I sharing here? Well, because most of you reading are in positions where you’ll be hiring, training or working with Gen Z. Or are facing labor shortages. Or both. And need to be prepared for the transfer of that burden—who will be responsible for recruiting, communicating and training them. When was the last time you audited your internal communications program to see if you were prepared for this? Let me know if you want to talk about ways to do this. It’s a critical step that will need to be taken.

But don’t take my word for it – Supply Chain Dive recently published this, citing the Employee Benefit Research Institute: “Younger workers are needed to shore up shrinking labor force.”

Speaking of labor issues and what you can do…

The topic of upskilling is one that has gotten louder and louder as the year’s gone on. (Part of that is because of AI.) This article from Chief Executive (“Sluggish Productivity Has Become Companies’ Worst Enemy”) says its critical to stop and review where you are in your upskilling program. From the article:

Two factors further complicate the productivity conundrum: an aging workforce and the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Some older workers struggle to keep up with the latest technological developments. Meanwhile, younger employees, though more familiar with technology and AI, lack the seasoned skills of their more experienced counterparts that could fuel greater productivity.

The solution, I argue, is for companies to undergo a thorough assessment of their employees’ skills and close any gaps. This involves a keen understanding of the current capabilities of their workforce and identifying areas for improvement and evolution. Only then can businesses design effective upskilling programs that align with their financial goals.

One more thing you can do…actually recruit and train Gen Z!

Want to see an example of this? Well one’s right here in my backyard: 600 Students to Participate in Manufacturing Day at Great Lakes Science Center.

This week’s ‘holy crap’ article: Unlocking the potential of frontline workers.

Did you know that 70-80% of workers don’t sit behind a desk?

A recent survey by Hanover decided to dig into that group, interviewing nearly 7,000 “deskless” workers. The biggest takeaway? Only 62% of them think leadership understands them. Read the article from StrategicCHRO360 to learn more, specifically what you can do to understand this large, untapped group of employees and why you should want to make it a priority.

Speaking of desks…according to Logan Roy, they’re killing you!

Apparently, Brian Cox can do more than McDonalds ads! Here’s one for Asics that brings back Logan Roy (kind of) and tells you to put down the...fruit...and get moving.

IYKYK is a No-No.

Read about one CEO’s encounter with burnout culture and what led to her thinking it was ok. It (literally) took her falling asleep at the wheel to wake her up.

Must read, save and read again: A self-care checklist for leaders.

I found this HBR article to be incredibly helpful in terms of how to prepare for and build a manageable, realistic, self-care checklist. (My favorite was the concept of ‘body budget’.) Please read!

(Another) LinkedIn newsletter worth the read.

I enjoy David Armano’s newsletter – check it out if you’d like a different take on the future of marketing, communication, business and more.

He published this illustration in a recent issue that I just had to share. Check it out – sound/look familiar!?

The Four Forces Reshaping Work / David Armano

Shout out: Edward Bullard

Why? Well, he invented the hard hat! I’d say all of us should thank him for this contribution in some way! Looking at you, Tommy Boy.

Cybersecurity: Be prepared, not scared.

Are you scared of cybersecurity threats to your organization? You shouldn’t be. The real fear is not being prepared for these very real and somewhat inevitable threats.

Join me and Craig Horbus, partner at Dinsmore & Shohi on Thursday, October 10 from 11 a.m. – noon (EST) as we talk about how to be prepared.

You will hear from Craig, specifically, about the ways he and I have partnered on cybersecurity attacks and what he feels you should be doing, right now, to protect your organization from the things he has seen and experienced.

This is in conjunction with the Ohio Manufacturing Association so sign up today!

Well that brings us to the end. Hopefully you found something valuable or helpful in this lucky edition! As always, feel free to share with anyone else you think would enjoy the articles and resources!

Thank you VERY much for reading!

-Ben