ATD Blog
Federal Human Capital News for July 2017
Fri Aug 04 2017
Here’s a roundup of the latest reports, orders, and memoranda from the key federal oversight and policy organizations.
Report Finds Young Millennial Women Worse Off Than Young Baby Boomer Women
Fortune reports on a study that female Millennials are doing worse on several key economic and health indicators than Baby Boomers are at the same age. For example, rates for poverty, suicide, and maternal mortality are higher. On the bright side, young women today are more likely to earn a college degree, and the earnings gap between men and women has decreased.
Although this news doesn’t relate to government work directly, it’s worth remembering for managers trying to understand their Millennial employees. Being aware of the context your employees of a different generation are facing can help you relate to them and manage the team more effectively.
Federal Employees Debate Whether to Stay in Federal Service
New York Magazine anonymously interviewed six federal employees at different agencies who were considering whether they should stay or leave federal service because of their disagreements with Trump appointees and policy. There are plenty of federal employees who will stay and do their jobs without thinking much about the politics of their agency, but there are also plenty who care deeply about it.
Managers should be looking for signs that someone on their staff, or even a fellow supervisor, is growing disengaged. This will let them know when to address morale issues and help people focus on the mission, regardless of their political beliefs.
Research Continues on “Generation Z” Members Entering Workforce
A recent MarketWatch article summarized some of data and research available on members of Generation Z, people younger than Millennials. They are expected to be around one-fifth of all workers by 2021, though there will be more working in the private sector than in government. Among the findings noted was a strong preference for job security and an emphasis on the values behind their employer—both of which would seem to make them ideal candidates for public service. Managers should be thinking about future generations, and not just Millennials, so they can plan for succession as their older employees retire.