Thursday, September 19, 2019

Ethics and Law in Dental Hygiene: Case Studies 16 and 17 Essay

Case 16 This case presents a very delicate situation that presents many legal and ethical questions. Do you tell your brother his partner has HIV? I would tell my brother, but the how and when, may vary based on circumstance. From a professional ethical standpoint, it would be unethical to disclose the patient’s HIV status without consent. It would violate the patient’s right to confidentiality, as it is the patient’s choice whom information may be shared with (Beemsterboer, 2010, p. 50). It could also be argued that it is a violation of the principle of nonmaleficence. By providing the patient’s HIV status to people unbound by HIPAA, you are putting the patient at risk of discrimination. This could cause mental anguish or psychological issues, therefore, in essence, inflicting harm on the patient. The most valued application of nonmaleficence is, â€Å"One ought to not inflict harm† (Beemsterboer, 2010, p. 42). This would outweigh the ethical argument th at you are also preventing harm to your brother, another less important application of nonmaleficence (Beemsterboer, 2010, p. 42). There is one professional ethical principle that I would argue was being applied. This being the principle of paternalism, stating that healthcare providers should do what they deem best for the patient according to their ability and judgment (Beemsterboer, 2010, p. 47). If the patient had a sexual encounter with the brother, and did not inform him of her HIV status, she may be arrested for reckless endangerment according to Pennsylvania law. A case where an HIV-positive person did not disclose their status to their sexual partner was brought before the Pennsylvania Superior Court. According to Pennsylvania law, â€Å"Disclosure of HIV status is a defense ag... ...w in Dental Hygiene (pp. 39-53). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry. (2012, September). Section 4.1 Reason for Refusal, Revocation, or Suspension of License or Certificate. In The Dental Law Act of May 1, 1993, P.L. 216, No. 76 Cl. 63. Harrisburg, PA, USA: Pennsylvania Department of State. Hanson, J. R. (n.d.). Fraud or confusion? RDH Magazine, 19(4). Retrieved 3 15, 2014, from http://www.rdhmag.com/articles/print/volume-19/issue-4/feature/fraud-or-confusion.html Smith, A. (2013). How NOT to commit dental insurance fraud! Retrieved from Amy Smith Consulting LL.: http://www.amysmith.biz/tip-of-the-month/2013/6/25/how-not-to-commit-dental-insurance-fraud.html Violations of Public Policy. (2007). Retrieved from Wrongful Termination: http://www.wrongfultermination.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Essence of Pip Essay -- Literature Charles Dickens Papers

The Essence of Pip The forms that stand in closest competition with those undergoing modification and improvement will naturally suffer most. --Darwin, The Origin of the Species (1859) Christopher Ricks poses the question, in his essay on Dickens' Great Expectations, "How does Pip [the novel's fictional narrator] keep our sympathy?" (Ricks 202). The first of his answers to this central inquiry are: the fact that Pip is "ill-treated by his sister Joe and by all the visitors to the house" and that Pip "catches" his unrequited lover, Estella's, "infectious contempt for his commonness" (Ricks 202). In answering like this, Ricks immediately assumes a dichotomous contrast between the natural human and the taught (acted-upon) human. Ricks is saying that the natural Pip is good and therefore holds the reader's sympathy while the manipulated Pip is bad and behaves in ways with which the reader cannot sympathize, and wants to condemn. The reader sides with the basic Pip and blames not him, but his circumstances and others, for his problematic conduct. The abbreviated childhood narratives that many of the novel's characters provide support this loaded nature / nurture division, in which nature is the base and nurture is the skewed corruption of that base. The reader sympathizes with and is intrigued by the stories the characters tell of their childhoods because the stories easily explain why these people act as they do, and render excuses for them when they act maliciously. Children act according to the way they are raised so as to remedy and balance out the past, and their basic good nature only re-emerges after that task has been completed. Miss Havisham, the novel's schadenfreud terrorist, "was a spoilt child. Her mother ... ...gled with their circumstances as to incorporate their selves into them, the novel becomes simply a series of events. Miss Havisham asks Estella "Are you tired of me?" and Estella replies, "Only a little tired of myself" (Dickens 279). Estella has no self and so all the intrigue of personal dilemma and development disappears. Even Miss Havisham is not a self, but is only the blunt response to rejection. This extreme example is representative of all the characters in Great Expectations. They are not subjects; they are objects in a world of pure, artless evolution. Bibliography Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. London: Penguin, 1994. Ricks, Christopher, "Great Expectations," from Dickens and the Twentieth Century. Ed. John Gross and G. Pearson, 1966. pp. 199-211. Schad, John. The Reader in the Dickensian Mirrors. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Mermaid Swims In Essays -- Personal Narrative Aquariums Papers

Mermaid Swims In I am new to the hobby of keeping and maintaining an aquarium. My boyfriend, Andrew, gave me an aquarium for my birthday two months ago. I was very excited. When I was little, my family had two goldfish in a small, round bowl. Watching my mother clean out the tank was the extent to which I knew how to care for fish. The aquarium that Andrew gave me is an Eclipse 6; a six-gallon aquarium equipped with a bio-wheel filtration system. The bio-wheel system is a three-step filtration system: the water is sucked out of the aquarium into a tube, passed along a carbon filter, and then into a chamber that houses a bio-wheel-a small rotating filter that absorbs impurities from the water. Finally, the water is dropped back into the aquarium via waterfall. Eclipse aquariums have wonderful reputations; I am confident in saying that it is one of the best if not the best aquarium on the market. As you can imagine, maintaining this aquarium is a lot different from caring for the small fishbowl that I grew up with. At first, I knew not how involved the process was and decided to start stocking my aquarium. I purchased four plants (all plastic) because I was told that beginners should not start with live plants, which can alter the chemical levels in the water. My final purchase was the gravel and I quickly assumed I was ready to get started. Was I ever wrong. Keeping a healthy aquarium turned out to be much more work than I had ever imagined. However, I did not find this out until I failed several times. After killing five fish I was afraid to try again. I was overwhelmed with how much there was to learn. I wondered if I would ever be able to learn all I needed to be able to keep a healthy aquarium. Thus... ... is that they seem to "suck you in". I found myself happily chatting to people for what seemed like minutes and later realize I had been sitting in front of the computer for countless hours. It is somewhat worse than watching television because it completely draws you in. There are no commercial breaks where you can dart to the bathroom before the show starts. This is the downside of the Internet for me. I feel guilty when I am stuck in my house on the computer and it is a beautiful day outside. The time I spend on the Internet also seems to cut into the time I am supposed to be doing schoolwork or cleaning my house. Oh well! It is fun! WORKS CITED Aquaria Central. http://www.aquariacentral.com/. (01 May 99) Fish Link Central. http://www.fishlinkcentral.com/. (01 May 99) The Aquaria. http://www.actwin.com/fish/index.cgi. (01 May 99) Mermaid Swims In Essays -- Personal Narrative Aquariums Papers Mermaid Swims In I am new to the hobby of keeping and maintaining an aquarium. My boyfriend, Andrew, gave me an aquarium for my birthday two months ago. I was very excited. When I was little, my family had two goldfish in a small, round bowl. Watching my mother clean out the tank was the extent to which I knew how to care for fish. The aquarium that Andrew gave me is an Eclipse 6; a six-gallon aquarium equipped with a bio-wheel filtration system. The bio-wheel system is a three-step filtration system: the water is sucked out of the aquarium into a tube, passed along a carbon filter, and then into a chamber that houses a bio-wheel-a small rotating filter that absorbs impurities from the water. Finally, the water is dropped back into the aquarium via waterfall. Eclipse aquariums have wonderful reputations; I am confident in saying that it is one of the best if not the best aquarium on the market. As you can imagine, maintaining this aquarium is a lot different from caring for the small fishbowl that I grew up with. At first, I knew not how involved the process was and decided to start stocking my aquarium. I purchased four plants (all plastic) because I was told that beginners should not start with live plants, which can alter the chemical levels in the water. My final purchase was the gravel and I quickly assumed I was ready to get started. Was I ever wrong. Keeping a healthy aquarium turned out to be much more work than I had ever imagined. However, I did not find this out until I failed several times. After killing five fish I was afraid to try again. I was overwhelmed with how much there was to learn. I wondered if I would ever be able to learn all I needed to be able to keep a healthy aquarium. Thus... ... is that they seem to "suck you in". I found myself happily chatting to people for what seemed like minutes and later realize I had been sitting in front of the computer for countless hours. It is somewhat worse than watching television because it completely draws you in. There are no commercial breaks where you can dart to the bathroom before the show starts. This is the downside of the Internet for me. I feel guilty when I am stuck in my house on the computer and it is a beautiful day outside. The time I spend on the Internet also seems to cut into the time I am supposed to be doing schoolwork or cleaning my house. Oh well! It is fun! WORKS CITED Aquaria Central. http://www.aquariacentral.com/. (01 May 99) Fish Link Central. http://www.fishlinkcentral.com/. (01 May 99) The Aquaria. http://www.actwin.com/fish/index.cgi. (01 May 99)

Monday, September 16, 2019

Manners Makes Man

A man is known to be good or bad according to the way he behaves towards others and under some circumstances. When his habits and manners are good, he is known to be a gentleman. A man with proper manners attracts the attention and admiration of everyone, whereas the man with ill-manners draws himself the ridicule and contempt of others. Cultivation of good manners should be started from the childhood and it is done so, it would become an asset in life. An accident was witnessed many years ago could be cited in support of such training being given early in life.A man is known to be good or bad according to the way he behaves towards others and under some circumstances. When his habits and manners are good, he is known to be a gentleman. A man with proper manners attracts the attention and admiration of everyone, whereas the man with ill-manners draws himself the ridicule and contempt of others. Cultivation of good manners should be started from the childhood and it is done so, it wou ld become an asset in life. An accident was witnessed many years ago could be cited in support of such training being given early in life.A well dressed and educated couple who appeared to belong to the higher levels of society were traveling in a first class compartment of an express train and with them was their girl child of about 3 years old. There were only three or four other passengers in the compartment. A few minutes after the train steamed out of the station, the child asked for a biscuit and it was given by her mother. When the girl was about to eat that, the mother snatched it away from her hands. A few minutes later this â€Å"drama† was enacted three times, the biscuit being snatched away when it was about to put to the lips.This attracted the attention of other passengers. The fourth time girl asked for the biscuit and when it was given, she said â€Å"Thank you Mummy†, and she was permitted to eat the biscuit. This was a training in good manners, traini ng in courtesy, not given with scolding and rebukes and reminders from the mother, but one of a lesson in self-realisation. This child was made to think and act; It was made to think and understand about the apparently meaningless and seemingly cruel act of the mother. If such training is given to every child the world would be a better place to live in.A man may be wealthy; he may be handsome; or he may, in addition have the advantage of enjoying power and position. But if he does not possess good manners, it would be useless to have such advantages. All these assets would be poor compensation for the lack of good manners. There are many who would put up with even in insults from others, but would not tolerate bad manners. Good manners are invaluable to people everywhere, in every walk of life. The executive in an industrial concern would be honoured and respected more if his manners are such as to be courteous and polite to the subordinates.If a businessman forgets manners and is impolite, if not positively rude to his customers and employees, he will lose his customers and consequently have a loss in business financially too. The same principle applies to the principal or professor in a college or university, to a lawyer or doctor. Good manners as exemplified in courtesy in speech and action are indispensable to traveling medical representatives or salesman, for their success depends upon the possession of this quality.They can be sure of good clientele only if they eschew rudeness or incivility or ill temper Good manners are, therefore, manifestation of good breeding and are indispensable to everyone. The personality of a man is well brought out by his behaviour and speech and these are reflections of good manners. Even a man of ordinary looks or appearance, or a man who is not handsome may make a deep impression on others and give pleasures to others in his company if he possesses good manners.Similarly, an unscrupulous man may also succeed in his ways an d hide his real nature if he develops his manners and passes for a gentleman. His courteous and polite actions or speech may succeed in deceiving others as to his real intention and nature. Such is the effect of manners. A man is known by the dress he wears it is said. He will be better known to others if he possesses fine manners. Notoriety may also result from outward manners. Whether a man is good or bad, popular or unpopular, famous or notorious will depend upon his manners.His company would be welcomed or hated according to the manner in which he behaves with others. Hence, if one trains one?s children is in the development of courteous speech and action and polite behaviour one can be proud of giving to the nation worthy citizens. If you have good behaviour, You can conquer herats. If not, know how to attract others http://expertscolumn. com/content/how-attract-others-and-how-increase-your-personality-want-become-star Know how to become smart from today http://expertscolumn. c om/content/be-smart-today

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Espresso Essay

Coffee had been a part of the life of many people. From pure coffee to coffee blends, it has reached its way to the hearts of coffee lovers. According to the article of the International Coffee Organization entitled â€Å"The Coffee Story†, coffee begins with a goatherd named Kaldi. However, according to recent studies coffee was born on the plateaus of Central Ethiopia and brought for development to Yemen. In Cairo and Mecca, the beginning of coffee houses was first established. Since then, coffee became fervor rather than just refreshment. Many coffee brewing methods are developed to enjoy the real magic taste of coffee. These methods are: the use of percolator, auto-drip, French press, Moka Italian stove top and espresso. Among these methods, the espresso is the most popular and widely used method by many of the coffee brewers and coffee houses in the world. Espresso or cafe espresso is a variation of product of coffee. The term â€Å"espresso† came from the word â€Å"for express† which means that it is immediately served or made for customers. It is a concentrated coffee beverage that is brewed under very hot water using a coffee that is between tremendously fine and powder. In the early 20th century, it is developed in Milan, Italy which uses steam pressure up until the 1940’s. Spring piston lever machine is one of the inventions that made espresso a better one. According to â€Å"Espresso Coffee† of the Coffee Research Organization, espresso can attain its true and perfect taste through the perfect combination of four factors: the correct grinding of a coffee blend (Macinazione), the coffee blend or Miscela, the espresso machine (Macchina), and the skilled hand of the barista (Mano). With the proper combination of these factors, the best espresso may attain which is described as extraordinarily sweet with the real aroma of fresh ground coffee. A good coffee blend is one of the main priorities of various espresso makers to attain its perfect taste. The difference of espresso to other brewing process is the formation of the crema. Crema is the layer of bubbles that trap the aromatic compounds produced over brewing. To enjoy the aromatic taste of coffee it is essential to have an outstanding preparation of espresso blend. Many countries all over the world contribute to the perfect combination of espresso. Among those countries are Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and Panama. Coffees from these countries are used as base of coffees that gives the espresso its undeniably taste of sweetness. Certain countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopian Harrar, and Zimbabwe also contributes to the variation of taste to add acidity, flavor, complexity and brightness. To add richness and body when blending, coffees from places of Asia like Java, Sumatra and New Guinea are considered. Roasting of coffee is definitely an important part of creating a well-tasted espresso. In this chemical process, the aroma, acids and other flavor components is being changed to enhance the acidity, flavor and aftertaste of the coffee. Minimizing the bitter taste and acidity of the coffee is the focus of many coffee-based manufacturing factories today. They replaced the sweetness lost in the process of roasting by alternatives like add up of milk or other flavors that will make an espresso based drink more delectable. This is the reason why espresso based drink is more popular that straight or solely espresso. Also in this process, it is important to observe the sweetness by minimizing the carmelization of sucrose but not overlooking the roasting which degrade the bitter taste of the coffee. A good espresso grinding can be attained through the use of an espresso burr grinder and to grind it per order. Conical burr grinder is the most advantageous burr coffee grinder that is widely-used due to its product. It produces an increase in the surface area of each particle and augments the richness of the flavor. In coffee grinding it is important to tamp or fill the espresso as fast as possible. Allotted time of activation of 15-20 seconds of the coffee grinder is required to maintain the freshly ground coffee to be used. An extraction time of 23-28 seconds is most possible to produce a ground size of a standard espresso coffee. In addition, humidity also takes part on the extraction time. The presence of moisture from the air can lengthen the extraction time. In espresso preparation, espresso tamping is frequently ignored. It is a process where a pellet of coffee is formed through the use espresso tamper and penetration of hot water uniformly. Proper espresso tamping is an important key to attain a great espresso. But aside from this, the use of a correct espresso tamper is an evident one. The correct espresso tamper should be made of aluminum or any equivalent light metal that have a diameter that will tightly fit the basket. Among the stores that have the proper product of espresso tampers is Vivace’s. They also put on the market different sizes of pistons. Recently, Vivace’s suggested the use a round bottom coffee tamper rather than the conventional traditional coffee tamping machines. The stability of temperature of the water inside the espresso machine is a relevant factor in attaining a good espresso coffee. Today, almost all of the commercial espresso machines have a proper temperature stability set-up. Use of an espresso with a large boiler tanks for brewing and steaming is an answer to the temperature stability area. However, many espresso makers believe temperature stabilizing can be practiced. Temperature stabilizing means that water inside the espresso machine is maintained at a constant temperature. Overheated water or too much water inside the boiler is the point of adjustment an espresso tamping machine should gauge. Regular running water is the key to maintain the proper temperature stability. With this temperature stability, excellent product of brew of an espresso could be achieved. Crema’s intensification in an espresso is brought about by the water pressure which is between 9 and 10 atm. Boiler pressure gauge on the other hand is the one responsible for checking the amount of water that should be integrated to the steam. Without the presence of this espresso pressure gauge, it will be impossible to attain the aromatic and well sweetness of crema. Aside from this pressure gauge, other parts of the espresso machine play a vital role in forming a well taste coffee espresso. These parts are the portafilter, steam wand, keypad, tray, and sight glass. The portafilter which is made up of metal is the overall assembly of the spouts, handle and basket. The responsible for the ejection of milk froth lies on the capacity of the steam wand. The water content that is forced through the steam is observed in the boiler sight glass. Maintaining the cleanliness of the coffee machine is a great task any espresso maker is emphasizing but is forgetting in the process of making. It is equivalently important as the other factors in espresso making like blending and grinding. Assuring that the machine is well cleaned will probably increase the quantity of espresso based drinks customers. This will also make the machine more efficient in terms of product proficiency. Moreover, the burr blades of the espresso grinder should be regularly cleaned. Yearly replacement of the burrs must be observed to assured the quality of the coffee granules that will be produced. Another factor to be considered in serving an espresso is its espresso cup. It must be pre-heated using other source aside from the espresso machine itself. If the cup is not pre-heated then the temperature of the water will be lowered thus uneven extraction of espresso might takes place. A magic hand of the barista and the passionate love in making espresso are the ones that make a good espresso coffee. The barista is the one that operates with the espresso coffee machine. It is considered as the most fundamental factor in espresso coffee making. A good barista should possess both passion and logical scientific character. If the barista loves doing the work or the job then he will probably make sure that he makes one of the best espresso coffees. In Italy and other parts of Europe, barista is considered as a profession. It is often associated with the skills and knowledge that were passed through ages. In contrast with what is the tradition in European countries, American based barista is just an employment for young people and not really a career position. The proper stiffness of the grind, exact roasting to attain the extraordinary sweetness, correct water temperature and pressure, appropriate tamping and favorable environmental factors like humidity are perfect combination of a good espresso coffee. If the barista recognized and possess all of these then a well-done espresso will be attain. With all the proper blending, roasting, grinding, quantifying and tamping the coffee, it will be more effectively extracted to attain a great espresso. Nonetheless, espresso making thus not end there. The barista is still the core of making a good and well-done espresso coffee. It is up to the barista to have a good combination of the ingredients and proper methods. However, there is still no perfect espresso. A well-done espresso making is a passion and not just a work to be able to earn money. It is for the love of coffee that man will experience to taste the perfect espresso.

Individual Reflection : Handling Difficult Conversation

This paper is my individual reflection on how to handle difficult conversations. We are faced with difficulty to transfer the message we want the other to understand and comply or support. Because of this complexity of communication barrier we end up in a conflict or a confrontation. When this happens we let go of the problem – forget it , avoid it, avoid being involved or ignore it. Learning two way conversation and certain strategies to handle a difficult conversation, is a step to better yourself in the way you voice out without any personal intent.In our everyday lives whether professional or personal we always encounter a difficult conversation – conflict on one and confrontation on the other. Most in some cases goes for the best of intentions for the benefit or interest of the person or the company. But what makes it a difficult conversation is how you relay the message on board, how one decides to handle it, how you understand it, how your message is being unders tood by the other and whether to comply or give support.My individual reflection for this is an incident that has occurred between two directors of the company whom are also the proprietors of the company – my mother and I. As much as my mother and I are the sole owners of the company, my late father left behind, I would like to use it in relation to this topic of difficult conversations in a professional setting. My mother and I have different ways of doing things and have different ideals when it comes to running a business. She is my superior as the Managing director of the company.She is old fashioned in her approach to things and also does not read or write and I am kind of what I’ll like to describe as transforming. There was a situation that occurred when some of our clients were complaining about the quality of the TV sets in their rooms and how they didn’t like the idea of them having to pay that much money for a night in the hotel and have to watch a b oxed TV instead of the new flat screen TV that were in vogue. I decided to have a meeting with my mother on this matter to explain the importance of upping our standards in terms of quality.My mum found this statement from me demeaning and queried me that it’s not in my place to talk to her about such matters. I on hearing those exact words flamed up and attacked saying I had as much rights and power as her when it meant running of the company and as such my opinions as well as decisions matters whenever I decide to put them forth. Next thing I noticed was that our conversation became so heated and filled with argument that we weren't even talking about the success of the business anymore but moved from away from its professional discussion to that of a personal confrontation.I decided to stop talking about this because I noticed my mother wasn't being receptive to anything I was saying at that moment, so I let the topic drop for that moment but went on to contact my aunt and explained to her my views on the issue and how difficult it was for my mother to see my view on the issue. This turned out to be a good idea as my aunt was able to relay my opinion concerning the company and its improvements and she helped to straightening out a lot of things also.Using my aunt as an intermediary between my mother and I was effective as it was able to quell the discord we were having as well as relay my opinions on the pressing issue at hand at that moment in time. But as time goes by I sat and thought over things that I cannot be using my aunt as an intermediary all the time my mother and I are having an argument. I had to think of a more approachable way to rely my messages across to my mother without creating any misunderstanding. I realized that I needed to deliver the message towards thinking of it as a two-way learning conversation.  (Christensen, 2011).When I thought over our argument I realized I involved too much emotions and forgot about the companyâ₠¬â„¢s interest. In that I noticed how money, as well as emotions are factors that lead to difficult conversations as Christensen. K (2011). Moreover I also didn’t take into consideration the age difference, refinement of etiquette, difference of seeing things and also literateness.I sat with my mother on a normal day and asked her â€Å"Mom, how did you understand when I told you we had to upgrade the quality of services we offer in the hotel?†, she said â€Å"Mariah, I am not stupid you know, I do not know how to read and write and that is not my fault because my parents couldn’t send me to school but I give you the opportunity and you benefitted to where you are today, and when you want to say something, talk to me in a manner you don’t have to be sarcastic. † It took me a while to understand what she meant by me being sarcastic. I wondered whether my being straightforward telling her the truth was unacceptable or was it the way I said it.As acco rding to Amy & Diana I realized I had a personal motive conflict between my mother and I when there are better ways to voice it out calmly without involving any personal interest or have any personal intention whatsoever Moreover I remembered what my father told me once that in business don’t argue to win or to imply who is right or wrong. A problem or an unpleasant event has happened instead of sitting there and complaining and arguing what should and should not be done, take the professional actions to solve the problem if it benefits the company and everybody at the end. No loss occurred and incurred.Well, if I had listened to my father I do not think I would end up having an argument with my mother and wasting time to solve the problem. Nevertheless, from this course I have learned from Amy & Diana to practice self – management â€Å"the ability to examine and transform the thoughts and feelings that hijack one’s ability to reason cally when conflicts heat up†, reflecting on spontaneous reactions – â€Å"once a conflict triggers an emotional reaction, reflecting can cool one’s own emotion down by turning the automatic â€Å"go† response into a more deliberate â€Å"know† response†, reframing and manage conversations.Moreoevr according to Engels, he stated that when you deliver difficult messages you should avoid ordering/directing, warning/threatening, preaching/moralizing, advising/giving solutions, evaluating/blaming and interpreting/diagnosing. In which I realized I was having a rather ordering tone with my mother. Being that I am able to admit where I am having a problem with delivering my messages, from what I have learned I would be well prepared to most especially listen before I react and plan for a better conversation and find a more comfortable way in relaying my messages across.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce Monash University Jason Cheah Introduction A multigenerational workforce can present many challenges for organizations of today and are fast becoming a prominent issue for Australian HR managers. An ageing workforce and continual technological innovation are the main reasons attributing to the issues associated with a multigenerational workforce. To remain competitive organizations will need to utilize such a workforce to their advantage and this can be achieved through effective human resource development. The differences between generations are known to occur due to major influences in the environment in which early human socialization occurs (Macky, Gardner & Forsyth, 2008). These influences can impact on a range of factors of an individual including personality, values and beliefs, which will generally remain stable throughout adulthood (Westerman & Yamamura, 2007). The changing nature of the socio-cultural environment will also influence generational differences as individuals of different generations will have been exposed to different events and experiences during their developmental years (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005). A multigenerational workforce is an issue that cannot be ignored and the challenge then for organizations is to be able to manage, develop and maintain an effective multigenerational workforce. HR departments will need to recognize the demographics of their workplace and to implement an organizational culture that values and rewards diversity (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). This article will aim to address the issue of a multigenerational workforce and its impacts on Australian organizations and HRD. Using the case study of Mixed Ages Technology Corporation (MATC), the challenges and issues presented by managing and developing older and younger employees will be discussed. Then a brief summary of the case study will be followed by a discussion of strategies best suited for MATC to improve the morale of multigenerational workforces and HR’s role in improving efficiency between the Baby Boomers and the Generation Y workforce Issues and Challenges of Baby Boomers The global trend of an ageing workforce and government policy directions towards reversing early retirement trends raises the issue of the costs to employers with an ageing workforce (Brooke, 2003). Recently Australian government policies are being directed towards retaining older workers and reducing costs of pensions, health costs of retirees and superannuation payments; which are estimated to cost the country $46 billion between 2000 and 2031 (Brooke, 2003). This is having a direct impact on Australian organizations as an increase in age of their workforces creates an increase of the human resource costs associated with older workers, consequently making older workers more expensive to employ (Patrickson & Hartmann, 1995). However another worrying factor of a mature age workforce force is that with the impending retirement of the baby boomers; organizations will lose a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills that will be extremely hard to replace (Jorgensen, 2005). Difficulty in replacing such skill and experience can be attributed to Australia’s low fertility rate, and therefore a reduced supply of younger workers joining the workforce and the increasing skill shortages (Anonymous, 2006). This will lead to an increase of competition for talent and Jorgensen (2005) believes that organizations must look at new ways of retaining older workers and to make better use of their skills and experiences. Organizations will have an increased need to retain older workers by creating career paths to help older workers to break out of career plateaus, and to retrain those whose skills have become outdated (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). Organizations that fail to address the ageing workforce issue risk future staff and skill shortages. The key to managing ageing workers is to actively identify strategies to retain, retrain and integrate older workers into their workplace and to capitalize on their skills, knowledge and experiences (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). Managing and Retaining Baby Boomers Organizations need to be wary of losing a wealth of skills and knowledge that older workers possess through poor management (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005). As employees mature they are more likely to experience disengagement with the workplace and career plateauing, which can lead to an increased intention to leave. HR managers will need to work with both the employee and the organization’s goals to eliminate these barriers. There are various options available to organizations faced with the problem of retaining older workers. Providing phased retirement plans, moving older workers to part time work and creating more flexible working conditions can save organizations the costs involved with hiring new employees while maintaining older workers technical knowledge. Additionally it is important for organizations to recognize older workers personal commitments and their need for work life balance (Hutchings & Beaver, 2005). Contrary to the view of a career plateau, Armstrong-Stassen (2008) argues that majority of older workers want to continue learning and developing their skills and also desire a job that is challenging and meaningful. There will also be an increased attractiveness for organizations to hire mature age workers, even if it is on a part time basis, as older workers are readily available sources in terms of expertise that can impact the future success of the organization (Miller & Siggins, 2003). In turn HR managers will have a responsibility to have policies in place to encourage lifelong learning and knowledge management. However older workers can be a popular target during downsizing, and many experience hidden and open pressures to retire early. Addressing these issues through frequent training and feedback programs will assist older employees to feel valued by their organization. (Cadrain, 2007) believes that the costs associated with recruiting and training staff pays off over time, as the longer you retain staff the greater the return is on your investment. Therefore it is vital for organizations to retain and retrain not only the older workers but younger workers as well as generation Y workers present a different challenge for HR managers altogether. Issues and Challenges of Generation Y In a tight labour market the need for organizations to effectively manage younger workers, such as generation X and generation Y have become crucial. During the current skills shortage organizations will need to put new strategies in place to support proactive recruitment and HR policies. The high mobility of generation Y can be attributed to technological advances whereupon there is instant connectivity and experience sharing with others, leading to more information and inevitably more choice (Macky, et al. , 2008). Younger workers relish employment opportunities that allow them to learn new things, meet new people, to work in new ways and to take calculated risks (Schulman, 2007). Therefore organizations will need to include values such as flexibility, creativity and personal development when dealing with the management of younger employees. Due to the high mobility of Generation Y, organizations will need to focus on engagement of their younger employees. Younger employees are eager to showcase their talents when joining an organization, as they have not been tainted by bad working habits and are generally excited to take on new and challenging responsibilities (Fallon, 2009). Although this may be seen as a positive, keeping them happy and motivated requires different strategies than those that have been used with the baby boomers. It is widely accepted that younger workers care about much more than money; Holland & De Ceiri (2006) believe that work life balance is critical to Generation Y employees, while Fallon (2009) states that younger employees aim for a holistic fulfillment through work including feeling good about their job and a healthy balance with their social lives. This view is consistent in that younger generations need to have a perception of meaningfulness associated with their role. A lack of engagement from the employer can produce disillusionment, a lack of creativity and a lack of investment (Shulman, 20007). Organizations will therefore need to have HR strategies in place to retain younger employees and to keep them motivated and productive. Managing and Developing Generation Y There are many strategies that organizations can utilize in order to attract, train and retain the best young talent in the market. As generation Y have incredibly high expectations about the work environment, growth opportunities and rate of advancement (Downs, 2009) it is imperative for HR managers to consider the career plans of younger employees. Generation Y’s are entering the workforce in large volumes, and organizations that are unable to harness this growing resource will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage (Anonymous, 2006). Management of younger workers is crucial in times of financial hardship. Contrary to the view of (Miller & Siggins, 2003), who argues that older workers can assist organizations through financial as they are readily available sources, Anonymous (2009) states that organizations need to consider the long term prospects of generation Y’s. In order to keep generation Y’s challenged, HR managers may consider restructuring certain entry level positions so that the duties of the role vary. Additionally HR managers should discuss various career paths with younger employees and the possible steps in reaching such goals (Downs, 2009). Research shows that communication between managers and younger employees is becoming increasingly crucial (Fallon, 2009). As younger employees are used to direct, ongoing feedback in their developmental years they expect the same type of treatment from their managers. Especially as they have not yet experienced a recession, Generation Y’s will need constant feedback to remain motivated and productive. They will feel more valued and loyal to the company if managers are able to show that they care about the growth and progress of the employee. This will in turn have long term benefits and save the organization costs from a reduced turnover (Fallon, 2009). How organizations manage the generation gap is determined by the demographics of the workplace and strategies available to them. This article will now link effective HR strategies to Mixed Ages Technology Corporations organization culture and goals. Feeling Valued by the Organization There are several generational issues that confront MATC’s newly appointed HR director Tom Fletcher. Employee morale and productivity has dropped due to the rising tension between the baby boomers and the generation Y workers. The baby boomers of the company are unsatisfied with the amount of respect shown to them by the younger workers and are quite resistant to any change in the promotions system, which is based on seniority. On the other hand the generation y workers believe that there is a lack of opportunity for individual growth and oppose the current promotion system; they also believe that the older workers are outdated when it comes to modern technology. To enable both younger and older workers to feel valued by each other and by MATC, the HR team will need to address these two underlying issues. Initially the HR team needs to assess the generation gap by recognizing and openly discussing generational differences with the employees. McGuire, By & Hutchings (2007) believe that effective managers will help employees feel valued by the organization; therefore HR should be proactive in helping managers succeed in this area. As managers nowadays have to deliver in a shorter time frame and with limited resources (Aker, 2009), HR can provide coaching and mentoring programs and develop learning solutions and performance management tools to educate managers on generational differences and the best strategies available to manage a multigenerational workforce. However (Anonymous, 2009) argues that it is up to the employees to adapt to generational differences and that an assessment should be made to identify improvement opportunities within MATC’s organizational culture. The company’s current culture is one of continuous change and adaptation; hence HR needs to remind employees of this culture while adding a culture of embracing and encouraging workforce diversity (Aker, 2009). A diverse workforce is richer because there are many different perspectives, different learning styles and different attitudes towards work. Through effective human resource development, MATC will have the ability to harness this diversity into an organizational strength and investment for the future. Feedback Programs One of the biggest causes of generational tension is insecurity about jobs (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007). Older workers may be involved in a transactional psychological contract and will therefore be reluctant to share information and resources will the younger employees. Additionally younger employees may worry that older employees will resent their attempts to climb the corporate ladder (Downs, 2009). HR needs to encourage an intergenerational learning environment and an environment of continuous learning and a continuous transfer of knowledge by addressing anxiety and tensions through positive reinforcement. HR also needs to reassure all employees that their contributions are valued and may even consider rewarding behaviours displaying knowledge sharing and acceptance of diversity. These types of career management strategies will help employees to feel greater job security and in turn less threatened by other generations. A commonly used strategy to instill confidence in employees and to make them feel valued is to provide frequent and timely positive feedback and offering public praise from management and peers (Cadrain, 2007). However HR needs to understand that feedback programs need to differ according to generational characteristics. It is not uncommon for HR to bring in change and communication consultants to train managers in areas of communication, feedback and negotiation to help managers understand such differences (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007). As baby boomers are facing a growing pressure from a young demographic of workers, they will need to be reassured about that value they add to the organization. However baby boomers can be overly sensitive to feedback and can usually spot transparent feedback (Cadrain, 2007). In contrast generation Y employees rely of feedback from authority figures to assess whether they are on the right track and consequently they can struggle with the processing of feedback (Fallon, 2009). Therefore it is imperative to reassure younger workers that the feedback is designed to support their career progression, which is a major driving factor for generation Y’s. In the same article (Fallon, 2009) it states that it will be worthwhile for HR managers to organize more frequent gatherings among the staff and to explore programs that encourage greater collaboration. Improving Productivity through Mentoring Programs For a multigenerational workforce to function cohesively, MATC needs to build a culture based on open communication and mutual respect. A popular method for achieving such as goal is to encourage frequent group collaborations and teamwork. (Carnevale, 2005) found that brownbag training sessions, special projects and committee work can assist to reduce friction and in turn build camaraderie among employees. Another effective strategy to lower tensions is to assign the older workers as mentors to younger employees. Despite the stereotype of Generation Y’s to be impatient, Downs (2009) states that they keenly understand the value of experience and that they excel at working in teams. By pairing them with older and more experienced workers, this will assist the older workers to feel valued and respected and in turn facilitate the transfer of knowledge between generations, it will also fulfill younger employee’s desires to rocket up the learning curve and improve their chances of promotion. Further to this Caudron (2002) states the importance of dual mentoring relationship. There is a distinct advantage of this method in that two professionals may possess vastly different skill sets, and pairing them will eliminate shortcomings and maximize strengths. However (McGuire, et al. 2007) argues that organizations need to be wary that generational differences in judgments or a destructive tone of relationship such as jealousy or prejudice may have a negative impact on mentoring program and therefore need to link a culture of embracing generational diversity with such HR strategies. This view is supported by Jorgensen (2005) who argues that older employees who are no longer competing for promotion could move into a mentor or coach role to enable effective knowledge transfer to younger employees, while still contributing their skills and experiences directly to specific projects. By engaging all employees, the organization will inevitably improve long term benefits. Engagement of the Workforce Given current economic challenges MATC need to put a premium on fully engaged employees. Promoting employee engagement is one indicator of the effectiveness of HR approaches to talent management, due to the fact that enhancing employee engagement benefits both employees and employers (Downs, 2009). There are a range of benefits resulting from effective engagement including higher productivity, higher job satisfaction, less sick days taken and a longer tenure with the organization. Managing a multigenerational workforce has forced organizations to consider many alternative strategies for engagement. Past research has found varying factors effect the level of engagement; gender, caring responsibilities, physical health, core self evaluation and most importantly, age (Tsai, 2008). MATC needs to identify options for different approaches to enhancing employee engagement. The HR team may want to get suggestions employees about supports that they can rovide for them that would simultaneously support positive work life balance and also enhance engagement. It terms of baby boomers, child care facilities or carers leave may be beneficial. While for generation Y’s past research has shown that work life balance is a priority (Shulman, 2007), therefore an increase in flexible hours may lead to higher levels of engagement. MATC can also put HR strategies in place that directly affect some of the individual characteristics noted above. For example, the offer of wellness initiatives and programs can improve or maintain the health of older workers which can in turn affect their engagement level. While having social gatherings and events may help younger employees have a greater sense of inclusion in the organization. Conversely Gebauer (2006) believes that it is an interaction of an employee’s characteristics and experiences at work that affect their level of engagement. The workplace culture regulates an individual’s experiences at work. Providing employee specific opportunities for training and development, a culture of flexibility, organizational support and perceptions of inclusion and job security are all important in maintaining productive employees. Conclusion Every individual possesses biases that can often prevent them from recognizing the valuable contributions that others can offer; the generational stereotypes that exist in the workplace are usually derived from generational differences in personality and motivational drivers (Brooke, 2003). Tensions arise if these differences are not addressed and can lead to a low morale of the workforce. HR managers need to eliminate generational barriers between older and younger workers and this can be done by imposing an organizational culture that accepts generational differences while promoting the fact that there are consistent drivers across generations (Macky, et al. , 2008). Organizations nowadays can have up to four generations working for them and it is their ability to address generational gaps and manage these differences that is imperative to remaining competitive and having a motivated and productive workforce. As workforce demographics are shifting dramatically, HR managers should aim to provide an effective mix of compensation, benefits, flexible work arrangements and opportunities for growth and development for every individual. Traditional approaches designed to meet the needs of baby boomers are no longer effective and therefore new strategies need to be tailored to a more diverse workforce. Each generation requires a unique set of factors to motivate them at work and human resources plays an important strategic role in enabling diverse talent to thrive (Tsai, 2008). HR strategies should be free of bias from the recruitment, training and development and promotional processes of the organization. Organizations will need to shift away from a mindset that tolerates diversity to one where diversity is valued, harnessed and leveraged to achieve greater business success. 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