The data that shows Boomer is to blame for the labor shortage

[GodisanAtheist]

I'll be adding my old Boomer @SS to the retired rolls in April.

- I want to be you when I grow up, just without the dementia and addled ranting on the internet

Seriously though, its exactly how I got my most recent promotion: Last guy decided to retire at the ripe old age of 53 or 55 or something cause he was sick of zoom and remote work "you can't run a department via zoom!"

Well I have no qualms about running a department via zoom so I applied and I got the job and a nice raise on top of it.

We've known that the problem with the labor market was god damn boomers without a hobby sitting in their jobs sucking up all the air for years now. Glad to see that in classic fasion, they're once again the problem and we all go back to blaming millennials for everything.

 

[pcgeek11]

- I want to be you when I grow up, just without the dementia and addled ranting on the internet

Seriously though, its exactly how I got my most recent promotion: Last guy decided to retire at the ripe old age of 53 or 55 or something cause he was sick of zoom and remote work "you can't run a department via zoom!"

Well I have no qualms about running a department via zoom so I applied and I got the job and a nice raise on top of it.

We've known that the problem with the labor market was god damn boomers without a hobby sitting in their jobs sucking up all the air for years now. Glad to see that in classic fashion, they're once again the problem and we all go back to blaming millennials for everything.

You will never be me!

I fail to see where boomers working is a problem. I'll be 67 when I retire in April. I could and was going to continue working as I do enjoy my job as an electronics and automation technician. I would have continued working except I too am growing weary of the coddling, everybody wants to "work" from home, sensitivity training, hurt feelings, inclusion, ........ the list goes on and on. I've been at work every work day since the pandemic started except for maybe a week and a half off.

Anyway congrats on your new job! Keep working and maybe one day you will be great like me! I gotta go shame and humiliate some millennials now...

 

[Exterous]

everybody wants to "work" from home

What is your issue with working from home? I get there are some jobs that can legitimately only be done in person but aside from that there are numerous benefits for both the company* and the employee. It can be harder on your supervisors though until they adjust

*lower water, electricity, cleaning & consumable costs. Long term potentially lower rent or facility cost if enough people work remotely often enough you can downsize. Better recruiting due to a broader draw area. Even if you're not fully remote people are more willing to do a longer commute at 3 days in the office compared to 5 so your draw area increases

 

[K1052]

What is your issue with working from home? I get there are some jobs that can legitimately only be done in person but aside from that there are numerous benefits for both the company* and the employee. It can be harder on your supervisors though until they adjust

*lower water, electricity, cleaning & consumable costs. Long term potentially lower rent or facility cost if enough people work remotely often enough you can downsize. Better recruiting due to a broader draw area. Even if you're not fully remote people are more willing to do a longer commute at 3 days in the office compared to 5 so your draw area increases

In my experience most older people oppose it because it's simply not what they did and think everybody should do it the same way forever. There really isn't a lot of logic to the position.

 

[highland145]

In my experience most older people oppose it because it's simply not what they did and think everybody should do it the same way forever. There really isn't a lot of logic to the position.

Not an option for me but it would be like if I had a home gym. It would do a fine job holding up the laundry but nada for getting shit done.

 

[K1052]

Not an option for me but it would be like if I had a home gym. It would do a fine job holding up the laundry but nada for getting shit done.

I mean specifically the legions of office dwellers who traipsed into a workplace just to sit in front of a screen all day. There are of course lots of jobs where this has never been possible.

 

[highland145]

I mean specifically the legions of office dwellers who traipsed into a workplace just to sit in front of a screen all day. There are of course lots of jobs where this has never been possible.

I just wouldn't get jack done at home if I had the opportunity but I agree for the masses. Corporations can save millions on buildings/rent/FFE.

 

[Ajay]

Gonna refund all the money I, and other retirees have paid into our retirements? Pensions and even Social Security ain't "free money." We paid into this plans for decades.

Eh, congress borrowed your money (and mine). That 'vault' just has a pile of IOUs in it. Basterds.

 

[Ajay]

Retired USN in 1993, this is my civilian retirement.

Good luck on yours!

So, Navy retirement, SS - any 401Ks? Nice retirement income - enjoy!

I tried to get into the my state's IT department for years as a developer, lower pay but excellent retirement benefits. I even had a hook, not high enough up though.

 

[Exterous]

In my experience most older people oppose it because it's simply not what they did and think everybody should do it the same way forever. There really isn't a lot of logic to the position.

I've seen some arguments for the value of creative or collaborative interactions that are harder or not as efficient to do virtually. Or the spontaneous points of interaction that leads to new ideas, information sharing and troubleshooting. There has even been some research around office design to intentionally direct traffic flow to facilitate this kind of thing. IE running into someone from a different department at the coffee pot where you realize you both have a similar problem or some such.

I think we'll solve that eventually - its just a matter of experience. We've had a lot more time to figure out how to operate well in an office environment but there may be some companies that would benefit from more in person interaction in the near term. (FWIW I think that percentage is incredibly tiny and that most resistance is, as you say, based around the 'its what we've always done and we're successful so it must the the right way and the only way'. I've also seen a fair amount of the 'its not fair that some people have jobs that can't be done remotely so everyone has to come into work' which is similarly absurd)

 

[pcgeek11]

What is your issue with working from home? I get there are some jobs that can legitimately only be done in person but aside from that there are numerous benefits for both the company* and the employee. It can be harder on your supervisors though until they adjust

*lower water, electricity, cleaning & consumable costs. Long term potentially lower rent or facility cost if enough people work remotely often enough you can downsize. Better recruiting due to a broader draw area. Even if you're not fully remote people are more willing to do a longer commute at 3 days in the office compared to 5 so your draw area increases

For the average Joe/Jill working at their job everyday on site and trying to work through Human Resources, Personnel, Payroll, and Medical is a nightmare when all of the administration in these departments are at home "working" in their Pj's. Nothing beats human interaction when working through problems. It may be great for those working at home, but it sucks for those they are supposed to be servicing.

I have a friend that is trying to get his retirement package started. Sent HR an email - no response so he resent it several times and finally a week later he got an answer. Normally he could just walk up to HR and talk to a human in person.

 

[pcgeek11]

In my experience most older people oppose it because it's simply not what they did and think everybody should do it the same way forever. There really isn't a lot of logic to the position.

Nope. There is plenty of logic to the position. You just don't get it.

 

[pcgeek11]

So, Navy retirement, SS - any 401Ks? Nice retirement income - enjoy!

I tried to get into the my state's IT department for years as a developer, lower pay but excellent retirement benefits. I even had a hook, not high enough up though.

Navy retirement.
Company 100% Funded Pension.
Social Security, Wife and I.
401K Company matched at 75%.
Personal savings.

Yes life is good.

 

[Exterous]

For the average Joe/Jill working at their job everyday on site and trying to work through Human Resources, Personnel, Payroll, and Medical is a nightmare when all of the administration in these departments are at home "working" in their Pj's. Nothing beats human interaction when working through problems. It may be great for those working at home, but it sucks for those they are supposed to be servicing.

I have a friend that is trying to get his retirement package started. Sent HR an email - no response so he resent it several times and finally a week later he got an answer. Normally he could just walk up to HR and talk to a human in person.

The general trend of findings is that productivity is up with WFH situations, especially for those departments so it sounds like your issue is more with leadership and their inability to get their employees to do work and\or do it in a way constructive to your environment. Virtual office hours fixes your complaint about 'just walking down' and human interaction (although it is a bit of a shift for your brain). And - to be honest - likely does so in a way that is a net productivity bonus for the company and employees compared to the just walking by (unless you're in an org big enough they have staff just to handle walk ins). Those just dropping by interactions are bad for productivity overall whether its casual conversation or work related. One person might get an answer right away by doing that but it often has knock on effects. Some task that would take 30min working straight through takes 35-40min total if you add in a random chat of some length in the middle because your brain takes time to shift from task to task. (So a 30min task + 10min chat doesn't consume 40min if that chat interrupts the task. That task now takes 37min and the chat takes 12 because your brain needs time to switch focus)

So your friend goes to a portal, picks a 15min (or 30 or whatever) slot that works for him from an availability calendar and an admin person meets him online at that time. Both employees get scheduled time to have that conversation and can structure their work responsibilities more efficiently around the selection because the timing is known. Bonus points if you can put in what you want to talk about to improve meeting preparation (thereby improving the efficiency of the meeting and reducing necessary duration) vs a rando stopping by. Yes said friend might need to wait a day or two but that means that friend #2's admin request doesn't get interrupted and he gets his response faster.

 

[K1052]

Nope. There is plenty of logic to the position. You just don't get it.

What because you can't wander in to whatever department you need and talk to somebody? Unless your work location is actually co-located with those departments that's not even realistic. Like in your example If I want to physically see someone in HR it would involve two Ubers and a 3 hour plane ride.

 

[pcgeek11]

The general trend of findings is that productivity is up with WFH situations, especially for those departments so it sounds like your issue is more with leadership and their inability to get their employees to do work and\or do it in a way constructive to your environment. Virtual office hours fixes your complaint about 'just walking down' and human interaction (although it is a bit of a shift for your brain). And - to be honest - likely does so in a way that is a net productivity bonus for the company and employees compared to the just walking by (unless you're in an org big enough they have staff just to handle walk ins). Those just dropping by interactions are bad for productivity overall whether its casual conversation or work related. One person might get an answer right away by doing that but it often has knock on effects. Some task that would take 30min working straight through takes 35-40min total if you add in a random chat of some length in the middle because your brain takes time to shift from task to task. (So a 30min task + 10min chat doesn't consume 40min if that chat interrupts the task. That task now takes 37min and the chat takes 12 because your brain needs time to switch focus)

So your friend goes to a portal, picks a 15min (or 30 or whatever) slot that works for him from an availability calendar and an admin person meets him online at that time. Both employees get scheduled time to have that conversation and can structure their work responsibilities more efficiently around the selection because the timing is known. Bonus points if you can put in what you want to talk about to improve meeting preparation (thereby improving the efficiency of the meeting and reducing necessary duration) vs a rando stopping by. Yes said friend might need to wait a day or two but that means that friend #2's admin request doesn't get interrupted and he gets his response faster.

I do see your point.

 

[pcgeek11]

What because you can't wander in to whatever department you need and talk to somebody? Unless your work location is actually co-located with those departments that's not even realistic. Like in your example If I want to physically see someone in HR it would involve two Ubers and a 3 hour plane ride.

Well that make sense In Your Situation.

Where I work we always had these departments in house and could arrange a mutual satisfactory meeting time to sit down and discuss issues and or problems. And that worked very well.