Dr. Ira Wolfe is a speaker and adviser on workforce trends, social media and employee assessments. He is president of Success Performance Solutions, which advises companies on hiring and retention. He is also the author of "Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization" (2009), a look at how to bridge the generational gap in the workplace, and "The Perfect Labor Storm 2.0: Workforce Trends That Will Change The Way You Do Business (2007)." Contact Ira.
Expert Answers
Re: What book are you reading right now?
Sunday Feb 14, 2010I'd highly recommend Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel. It's a pretty easy and very practical read but I keep getting distracted. I keep getting new ideas on every page!Is there any legal action an employee can take if an employer threatens to fire him/her for leaving during a state of emergency?
Saturday Feb 6, 2010This question was sent to me by an employee of a company who requested anonymity. The situation erupted when blizzard conditions were forecast last week. The Governor declared a state of emergency. The employee felt there was no possibility he/she wouldIs there any legal action an employee can take if an employer threatens to fire him/her for leaving during a state of emergency?
Saturday Feb 6, 2010This real-life situation erupted when blizzard conditions were forecast. An employee of a company sent this to me requesting anonymity. The Governor declared a state of emergency. The employee felt there was no possibility he/she would be home beforeRe: Can you offer me some advice on my first business?
Monday Jan 18, 2010Andy - it looks like you're off to a great start. It seems that you have the basics covered. While a business plan and financing are important, I' recommend spending some time developing your marketing plan. Marketing is more than just a bullet on aRe: Quality phone secretary service, similar to Grasshopper.com
Thursday Dec 31, 2009Casie - when we did our research, one difference between you and RingCentral seemed to be the actual phone lines. Do you provide numbers or do users have to purchase them from somewhere else and you just port them over. It would help this discussionRe: Does a business owner/executive lose credibility in your eyes if they can't connect with you on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or use other social networking sites?
Wednesday Dec 30, 2009Ellie - thanks for your post. I agree that social media is not one-size-fits-all. I too work with mostly small business owners and managers and "too busy" isn't a good excuse these days. I get that a lot.."others in my industry don't think it willRe: Performance and success of an employee
Tuesday Dec 29, 2009Your question is timely - I'm actually working on a post for my Workforce Trends blog about a Wharton Journal article I just read. Here's a sneak preview.... The journal Organization Science published a paper earlier this year entitled, “UnpackingRe: Where is the best place to find a sales superstar?
Tuesday Dec 29, 2009In today's market, top performers are available everywhere. They just get lost in the very large pool of candidates who are looking for jobs. In my opinion, it's not the search that is the challenge today but the applicant processing system thatRe: Quality phone secretary service, similar to Grasshopper.com
Tuesday Dec 29, 2009Chris, I too just signed with Ring Central. I looked at Grasshopper too but we didn't have enough phone numbers. I was also going to have to pay for dedicated phone lines into my employee home offices so I went with Ring Central. I'm not up andRe: How can I make Performance Reviews more impactful?
Tuesday Dec 29, 2009Mark, You've had several good recommendations so far - I won't be redundant. I recommend 3 steps in designing an evaluation process: 1. What are the goals? In its simplest form, what are the 3 to 5 things that you expect the employee to
Content
Awesome Facebook and Google Stats You Can't Ignore
by Ira Wolfe Monday Mar 8, 2010I continue to be awed by the statistics pumped out hourly, daily and monthly by Internet giants Google and Facebook. Likewise, I’m flabbergasted when I speak to CEOs and business owners who don’t embrace the Internet as an integral cog in their business model. For instance, just look at these numbers from Google: Daily page views - 7.2 billion Monthly worldwide searches - 87.8 billion The amount of data processed daily by Google - 20 PB (every book in every US library – 2PB) Words per minute written on Blogger - 270,000
The Pros and Cons of Rehiring Employees Who Quit
by Ira Wolfe Friday Mar 5, 2010Just a few years ago, using the axiom “time heals all wounds” and boomerang worker in the same sentence would seem so…contradictory. Today, many employees who have left a company to pursue opportunity elsewhere have shed the label “traitor” and have been ordained corporate “alumni.”
You're Homesick. Should Your Employer Offer Support?
by Ira Wolfe Thursday Mar 4, 2010Just when I thought I heard it all… I didn’t. Just a few days ago, another story surfaced about how Millennials — often labeled as the spoiled, coddled and entitled generation — seemed to live up to their billing.
Jobs Are Scarce, But Candidates' Expectations Aren't
by Ira Wolfe Tuesday Mar 2, 2010There’s an assumption pervading board rooms and inner circles of management that high unemployment is tempering the demands of candidates. I’ve got a simple response: Stop drinking the Kool-Aid!
3 Ways Small Business Can Take Advantage of the Web
by Ira Wolfe Monday Mar 1, 2010If you’re an executive or business owner looking for a good reason to ignore social media in your business, here’s some potentially good news. You can simply ignore it if you can say “I agree” to all three of the following statements: I have more business than you know what to do with. Robust relationships aren’t important for customer satisfaction and referrals in my business. I don’t need more traffic to my website. How did you do? I suspect most of you didn’t pass the test.
Recession Produces a Bumper Crop of Boomerangers
by Ira Wolfe Wednesday Jan 6, 2010Social scientists call them "boomerangers" -- young adults who move in with parents after living away from home. This recession has produced a bumper crop.
A Case Study for Why Small Business Needs Twitter
by Ira Wolfe Tuesday Feb 23, 2010Inevitably, when I mention Twitter to clients and audiences, a large majority tell me “I don’t get it.”
Video: Why Generation Gaps Are About Attitude, Not Age
by Ira Wolfe Tuesday Feb 23, 2010One of my mother’s biggest complaints in life? Old people! My mother is 86 years old.
The Hypocrisy Behind Gen Y Criticism
by Ira Wolfe Monday Feb 22, 2010Entitlement has become a dirty word these days, especially when you pit a Baby Boomer with a Gen Y. When I asked my audience recently what words first comes to mind to describe Gen Y (born between 1980 and 2000), a Baby Boomer (born between 1946 and 1954) shouted out “entitled!” “I’ve worked hard every single day since I graduated high school,” she said angrily. “And these damn kids expect to get everything handed to them today.”
Podcast: Managing a Multi-Generation Workforce
by Ira Wolfe Friday Feb 19, 2010How can business owners and managers meet the challenges of managing and working in a multi-generational workforce? Check out the podcast I recorded recently with Donald Roeck, host of Delmarva Today, on Public Radio Delmarva -WSDL 90.7 and WSCL 89.5.
