Category: economic development

Cindy Solomon, President and CEO of Courageous Leadership Institute, is one whose blog I follow. I share and post her entries on social media when I am taking time off, as she often presents ideas that I agree with or that I think my followers will find thought provoking. This blog entry of hers from a couple of days ago fits the bill.

https://courageousleadershipinstitute.com/dont-be-a-victim-of-the-great-resignation/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=blog-email&utm_campaign=9-7-21-the-great-resignation

As I worked through the alphabet A-Z and then picked a few random topics based on my experiences, I noticed that the topic gleaning the most attention was “WORK FROM HOME.” Not sure if that means readers are looking for tips, curious about others’ experiences, or wanting to see how to set up a home office. Maybe all of the above or something else entirely. For whatever reason, in the spirit of giving people what they want, I am revisiting the topic a little later to share my updated experience and observations as things continue to tip over that 50/50 point for me.

I may have shared earlier that pre-pandemic, my job responsibilities encompassed quite a bit of out-of-the-office meetings, events and activities. All of those shut down in March 2020 and many began to be virtual experiences via conference or video calls shortly thereafter. That led to a blog entry at the end of the alphabet entitled ZOOM. The more time I spent out of the office, the more I realized it didn’t matter where my computer equipment and files were located. In fact, from 2012 to early 2020, I had three different office locations—one in downtown Indy, one at Launch Fishers and one in Anderson. Each move resulted in a lower rent and shorter commute if I needed to be in the office, but no change in my job responsibilities. Then along came the shutdown.

As happened with so many office and knowledge workers, I was sent home to work. By the time my boss and I realized that it wasn’t a short term thing, sometime later in the spring of last year, we closed down my rented work space in Anderson and I moved everything to my home. I set up shop here and will remain in a work-from-home environment even as my outside responsibilities open back up. The only rent cost being borne by my work budget is the rent of a mailbox at Launch Fishers, since that remains my official work address and I still receive a piece of snail mail there now and then.

Beyond my own experiences with remote work, I have observed via reading and research that others may not be returning to established offices now, in the near future, or at all. Some jobs (I describe them as office or knowledge workers, but there surely are other types) transitioned fairly easily and perhaps will remain in remote mode. But jobs and their requirements mustn’t be the only considerations. The people involved, how they work and how their work will be evaluated need to come into the picture.

Let me tell you what I mean. For example, some work is easily parsed out and measured individually and collectively, such as customer call center work. If you can route incoming customer support calls to an employee’s home phone and that employee has the home technology to handle that customer’s needs, then each individual call is handled and moved along the pipeline. Once the call is done, the next one comes in. Once the employee is done for the shift, the underlying technology has the data to provide the management team (in another location) what the team needs to evaluate performance. Same with rolling up team data and results over a period of time.  This same approach works for any number of computer-based or phone-based jobs, as we have seen over the past 15 months.

So what happens now that some workplaces where these types of workers were previously located, whether offices, call centers, schools, or whatever, begin to open back up? Here are a few things I have picked up from observations, reading and research.

• Some people may be resistant to returning to their previous traditional work environment, having become accustomed to and realizing the benefits of remote work
• Some people have personalities that are conducive to remote working, others do not; in which case, leaders should be cognizant of their employees’ needs and act accordingly
• Some studies show that 20-25% of existing employees are looking for other jobs, and the ability to work remotely is an important factor in their next career steps
• More experienced employees are looking at retiring earlier than originally planned due to a reluctance to give up remote work if their employer requires it; if their investments are doing well, this might be a good time to do so, and the outflow of experience could be a problem for employers when combined with an already high vacancy rate
• Unemployment rates are low, jobs are available, but there is still a mismatch between available jobs and talent
• Real estate is a challenge, with residential mostly a buyers’ market yet retail and commercial still with high rates of vacancies in many major cities; how can municipalities reinvent and repurpose these large, partially empty spaces?

In future posts, we will look more in depth at how these issues begin to work themselves out and what some potential resolutions might be across the nation and around the globe. Whatever happens, many of us will still work from home or other remote work locations, while still contributing to the recovery and growth of the economy!

IN CLOSING

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments and connections, both virtual and in person as my world continues to open up.  Until next time . . . . stay safe and healthy!

Everybody has a different experience transitioning back to work, school, travel, shopping, entertaining, or whatever you have been avoiding since March 2020. Maybe all of the above! Here in Indiana one of the ongoing controversies at the Statehouse has been over whether the additional $300 unemployment assistance funded by the federal government should be ended before the federal deadline in September.

The governor says with a very low unemployment rate, the state needs people to fill jobs and this extra funding is keeping them at home instead of working. Other schools of thought say it’s not that simple. Some stay home to care for children, some because they still fear COVID infection, and perhaps other reasons—some as simple as people and their skills don’t match up with jobs and where they are located. I learned many years ago from one of the senior VPs in my corporate life that cash is fungible. Look it up if you don’t know what that means. It’s a fancy word for a simple concept. People and their skills in the job market, on the other hand, are not fungible.

Earlier this morning I heard another interesting twist on why some people may be staying home and continuing to take advantage of the increased unemployment pay. This from one of the talking heads on Bloomberg News. He said that some people were taking advantage of the time and funds to upskill and get ready for better paying jobs as things continue to open back up. We know that unemployment has been higher at the lower end of the pay scale, even before the pandemic. It stands to reason that improving one’s earning potential is a great way to spend time off and money coming in. This appeared to be anecdotal, however, and I didn’t hear any hard evidence of this view. Perhaps I tuned out too soon!

Contrary to this view that $300 and skilling up can make a difference, here in Indiana, our largest community college system put together a program to offer a $300 per student incentive payment for high school graduates to participate in a summer program to jump-start their higher ed careers. Dubbed “Bridging the Gap” and also funded by federal COVID relief money, it provided for up to 3500 students to participate. Only about 300 students took advantage, according to school officials, and no news yet on how many of them will complete the program and enroll in the fall—the true measure of success.

As for me, my new fiscal year budget started a few days ago. I was advised by my business office before the end of the prior fiscal year that the pandemic reduction from last year was to be recovered, but nothing in writing yet. Tomorrow I have a (virtual) meeting with my boss, so hope to get some confirmation on that recovery. I have some commitments to make that require a bit of financial outlay to get back to doing my job the way I did it pre-pandemic. Can’t wait!

I would love to hear about your experiences as you continue your transition. What is happening with your work, school, children, home life? Comment or be in touch in whatever way works for you. This has been such an experience and we are all learning from each other.

IN CLOSING

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments and connections, both virtual and in person as my world continues to open up.  Until next time . . . . stay safe and healthy!

I told somebody on a Zoom call a few days ago that I had reached the 50/50 tipping point where half of my meetings and events are still virtual and the other half are now in person. I look around at the people attending in-person activities and hope they remain safe and healthy. I don’t worry about myself too much, as I am so happy to be back out in the world. Here are a few of my observations from a professional perspective, wondering what your experience has been and will be going forward.

The home office remains intact. That’s where the laptop, monitor, printer, files, desk and chair stay for the near future. When I need a place for meetings, I still have my Launch Fishers co-working membership. In fact, I have already used that for a couple of meetings over the past month or so. That is where I continue to get my snail mail, as it is my official Purdue business address. Everybody needs one, you know, whether there is much in the little metal box or not.

One set of events that I have missed in person over the past several months has been the IBJ breakfasts. Those that are a strategic fit with Purdue’s industry clusters (Technology, Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing and the like) are ones I attend annually. Typically, we have a sponsorship and attend with colleagues both internal to the University and external. The only thing I haven’t missed is the commute through rush hour Indy traffic to get to the downtown venue at the start time of 7:30 AM, grab a place to park, a cup of coffee, and start networking like I’m awake! That’s my real job, not watching the virtual program at my laptop with coffee from my home coffee bar (yes, that was added after a few WFH months). As the IBJ transitions back to in-person events, I will miss now-retired publisher Greg Morris. He and I had a running joke. As a frequent attendee, he knew that once he saw me, he could open the program! It won’t be the same without him!

The other events transitioning back to in-person are TechPoint (XTerns begin returning to their assignments this summer) and TechPoint Foundation for Youth. These crucial talent pipeline programs did amazing pandemic pivots during 2020 and now during the second half of 2021 are getting back to regular operations.

The XTern program places their collegiate participants in tech roles throughout IN. Purdue’s students are typically in high demand. We try to have a meaningful activity each summer (excluding pandemic summers) for participants. We have hosted XTerns at the Indianapolis Zoo, a Fever game, Sarah Fisher’s racing team headquarters, an info session on IP and employment law, and many other events and opportunities.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth offers K-12 STEM programming through the state of Indiana. As things shut down during early 2020, the organization quickly transitioned to online STEM activities in support of students, teachers and parents. Now as things are reopening, one of the main activities of the organization has been announced. Grants for robotics teams at all three levels—elementary, middle, and high school—are available for the coming round of competition across Indiana. The best of the best will be eligible to compete at the world level. Purdue offers sponsorships for these STEM activities and hopes to continue to do so in the coming years.

Other events opening up for in-person are Chamber of Commerce (OneZone in Hamilton County, Greenfield, and MCC in Anderson), although some are still virtual. I have been to breakfasts, luncheons, and a retirement reception. It’s so much fun to approach a room and hear the buzz of live voices as I walk in.

I would love to hear about your experiences as you make this transition. It’s true what they say–you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. What is happening with your work, school, children, home life? Comment or be in touch in whatever way works for you. This has been such an experience and we are all learning from each other.

IN CLOSING

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments and connections, both virtual and in person as my world is beginning to open up.  Until next time . . . . stay safe and healthy and remember, this too shall pass. It is beginning to, I think!

Now that we have made it through all 26 letters of the alphabet and quite a variety of topics, let’s review the highlights and see if there are any posts that you might want to go back and read again (or read for the first time if you missed them). This post will be a bit longer than most.

The first was ACCOUNTABILITY, and actually relied on several people I spoke with at an event the night before my first post. By telling them of my intent and asking them to hold me accountable, the next day my blog went live. No more talking, I shifted into action mode. Lesson there, for me at least, was to have someone (in this case, several “someones”) holding me accountable and encouraging me.

The entire theme of the blog, BOOMER in a MILLENIAL WORLD, served to cover the letter B. As a self-taught digital, social media maven and somewhat early adopter, at least for my generation, I do my best to keep pace from the middle of my pack.

Making CONNECTIONS is at the core of my job duties. This particular entry provided some tips and lessons learned that may prove useful. Not everyone is an extrovert, not everyone is a natural at networking, and after a year away from it, we are all out of practice. Check this one out for some practical tips as we all begin to venture out again.

DEDICATION—what it is, how you develop it and use it to the benefit of others. See this post for some examples both large and small, meant to inspire.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT is another cornerstone of my job responsibilities. This post describes how my understanding of this topic developed and expanded over time. By reviewing it, perhaps yours will as well.

The FLAGSHIP Enterprise Center and its subordinate entity, Flagship Enterprise Capital, serve to pull several previous topics together—making connections, economic development, and the dedication of many of the individuals involved. For the past few years, I have been honored to work alongside many of these individuals. Take a look at this post to see how these organizations have contributed to the economy of the State of Indiana.

GUESTS AND A GATEWAY was a double post, landing on my blog and as a guest blog for The Startup Ladies during the time I served on their board of directors. This entry describes how I serve as a gateway to all the capabilities at Purdue University and how to come through that gateway through my office.

HOMECOMING (X3) describes the big events at my high school (celebrating its 50^th anniversary), my college alma mater, and that of my employer. All very different in some ways and alike in others.

(Back Home Again in) INDIANA is a celebration of how happy I am to have returned to the state I have always considered my home and how it has changed (for the better) in the decade I was living and working elsewhere.

(My Friends Named) JOHN is another celebration of friends and colleagues that I met since that return home and what I have learned from them.

KINDERGARTEN started with a look back at Robert Fulgham’s book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Good skills, for sure, but employers expect much more from their prospects these days. Check out this entry to learn more.

“LIKE” is a discussion of that button we click (or the reaction we covet from others) on social media posts. Further, it’s a discussion of how to be a bit more discerning in our social media reactions to others’ posts and what those reactions tell others about us.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS harkens back to my corporate life and the many lessons I learned from life in the trenches. Hope there is something here for you.

(A Salute to) NURSES was a timely bit of thanks to a group of overworked professionals who are bringing us through a very challenging time.

OPPORTUNITIES are the events that occur in our lives, often providing a fork in the road. Rule of thumb used to be know how to say no so you don’t become overburdened. Then along comes Sheryl Sandberg, telling us to lean in (or, in other words, know when to say yes). Long before Sheryl, I knew that saying yes strategically has put me on a path to career and life success. It can do the same for you.

The letter P offered a plethora of opportunities—first the acronym PPP, which started out as “Public Private Partnership” in the economic development world but soon came to stand for “Paycheck Protection Program” as Congress passed economic assistance aid packages for small businesses. Next up, PARTNERSHIPS, PURDUE and PANTHERS (as in the Hanover College mascot). Yes, truly a plethora!

QUESTIONS is the topic I chose to void the obvious “quarantine.” During 2020 our experiences raised so many questions, and this post shared how I have learned to find good sources of information to answer many of my questions. Some we will need to wait for answers, but some we will be able to sift through and learn what answers are reliable and which are less so.

RANDOM THOUGHTS are the ones you have when you can’t come up with an entry for the letter R. Looking back, they really were random—everything from a WFH precursor to what I was ordering from Amazon. Fortunately, I have laid off that habit (sort of). Still using Instacart for groceries, though.

What will you do SOMEDAY? We had a lot of somedays over the past 15 months that we spent at home. Are you wondering why those things never got done? I still have disorganized closets, Goodwill runs to do (after the closets are cleaned), and don’t get me started on the garage! Now here’s the good news—the stopgap repairs to my boat dock got done last fall and held until right now as the permanent rebuild is being done. It is beautiful!

TECHNOLOGY, something we all deal with daily, was a fun topic. It is something we all need to embrace to get ahead. As a self-taught user, I know there is more I could do and likely will as time goes on. I am not the earliest adopter, but of my generation (Boomer), I might be in one of the first waves.

THE UNKNOWN was the next topic. Going into 2020, we dealt with that perhaps more than we ever had. How we deal with it, sometimes to our credit and sometimes to our detriment, determines the outcomes of our lives. It’s what we learn from these experiences that determines how we do the next time. We can fear the unknown or we can prepare and move ahead together.

Anyone who has watched media (social or traditional) over the past year) has seen coverage of vaccine development followed by emergency use authorization and the campaigns around the state, nation and world to get people vaccinated. The letter V was represented by VACCINES vs. VACCINATIONS, a discussion of those processes and timeline.

A pertinent topic for the past year for many of us was WFH or “work-from-home.”  It certainly has applied to me, as I have had a home office both during the pandemic beginning in March 2020 and also during my corporate career while working in northern Virginia. The former was only a few days a week; the latter has been full-time, at least until recently as things are beginning to open up.

Next up, to bring a bit more science into the mix, the element XENON. I had to research quite a bit more for this entry, but thanks to Google it wasn’t necessary to try to find my old 1970’s vintage science textbooks from high school or college. The good news is I was a good science student back then and I understood most of the basics that I located during my research this time around.

The letter Y for YOUTH let me share a few of the events, sponsorships and not-for-profit organizations that I have worked with over the past few years. Focused primarily on K-12 STEM education enrichment and encouragement, they were all a good fit for Purdue University. TechPoint Foundation for Youth, Women & Hi Tech’s partnerships with Conner Prairie and Indy Women in Tech to name a few have reached out and served thousands of young people and their parents and teachers across Indiana.

ZOOM was the topic that closed out our blog through the alphabet. An online meeting platform that became a way of doing business, educating, socializing, and just plain surviving during the pandemic will continue to be utilized to some extent even as we return to our post-pandemic endeavors.

And now I plan to take my usual Memorial Day week off to rest and recharge. I hope you spend a bit of time doing the same. If you make it out to the track for The Race (those natives like me know that’s the Indy 500), be safe and have fun! Here’s to a fast, exciting and safe race for all 33 drivers.

IN CLOSING

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments and connections, both virtual and in person as my world is beginning to open up.  Until next time . . . . stay safe and healthy and remember, this too shall pass. Just like the real world, who knows what comes next?