Employers must help schools prepare students for success
Among the younger generation entering the workforce there appears to be a shift away from placing any value in a good work ethic and dedication to a position or employer.
With employers increasingly hamstrung both by a fear of wrongful dismissal and labour shortage, job seekers appear to have the upper hand. Unfortunately, it has become a frightening trend during the past few years for employers to accept poor performance from employees, because the alternative is to be left without someone to cover a shift or even operate a business. Is this simply a problem of the “bad apples” taking advantage of the situation or is it that younger people simply aren’t set up for success? Have we given them the tools they need to achieve professional success in the modern workplace?
There are two sides to this dilemma. On one hand, the only one ultimately responsible for accepting and, implicitly, encouraging unacceptable behaviour in younger (or even older) employees is the employer. If an employer is unable or unwilling to correct unacceptable behaviour, then this complaint is moot. On the other hand, how did the unacceptable behaviour begin? Is it due to a lack of proper education and preparation in school?
Working with entry-level seasonal employees, one finds this issue rearing its ugly head on a regular basis. Since most people seeking this sort of employment are currently attending or just finishing high school or university, it’s not a great mystery where their experience has been gained up until that point. Not in the workforce, but in the schools.
Schools, in general, seem to create this fantasy world for students, a place filled with candy-coated streets where jobs come and go like the wind, and a job poorly done carries no repercussion. With diploma or degree in hand, most students head out for their first jobs with the impression that they will start off in middle management, that there will be little or no real challenges to be faced, and that someone will be standing with pen in hand, waiting for a signature on the next job offer if things should turn sour.
But programs have started to emerge such as the CAPP program offered at a local high school just outside Panorama Resort in British Columbia. The CAPP or “Career and Personal Planning” program offers students insights into what the “real world” will expect of them. CAPP intends to change students’ attitudes about work, giving them an opportunity to learn hard life lessons without even leaving the starting gate. Writing a resume and interview techniques are some of the important topics covered. But beyond getting them through the initial stages of employment, the program aims at giving students skills that are often missed, but crucial for success.
But one school program in one small town just isn’t going to make the grade when thousands of new employees hit the market every day. When students come into the workforce and don’t possess the tools to put forth an effort worthy of recognition, then our education system isn’t pulling its weight.
What can be done about this? Programs like the CAPP offer a small light at the end of the tunnel. With the development of educational material that can properly instill in younger people an appreciation for the benefits of showing up on time, clean cut and ready for work, we will see fewer dissatisfied employers and a larger number of happy employees. They will know what is expected of them prior to walking into work the first day and they will demand nothing less than a solid performance from themselves.
It is true, jobs seem to grow on trees these days and it is a buyer’s market. But without work ethics young employees will ultimately find themselves without the employer references they need to get ahead. Instead they’ll have hostile references borne from a poor work ethic and subpar performance.
Employers need to make the effort to get involved in local high schools, universities, colleges and other community programs to get the message across: Employees need to make the grade and with a report card filled with failing grades (as it currently stands) on Work Ethics 101, they will be joining the unemployment line before the red ink has dried.
Mike Doyle is a recruitment co-ordinator with ski and golf resort Panorama Mountain Village’s people department in south-east British Columbia. He can be reached at (250) 341-3063 or [email protected].
With employers increasingly hamstrung both by a fear of wrongful dismissal and labour shortage, job seekers appear to have the upper hand. Unfortunately, it has become a frightening trend during the past few years for employers to accept poor performance from employees, because the alternative is to be left without someone to cover a shift or even operate a business. Is this simply a problem of the “bad apples” taking advantage of the situation or is it that younger people simply aren’t set up for success? Have we given them the tools they need to achieve professional success in the modern workplace?
There are two sides to this dilemma. On one hand, the only one ultimately responsible for accepting and, implicitly, encouraging unacceptable behaviour in younger (or even older) employees is the employer. If an employer is unable or unwilling to correct unacceptable behaviour, then this complaint is moot. On the other hand, how did the unacceptable behaviour begin? Is it due to a lack of proper education and preparation in school?
Working with entry-level seasonal employees, one finds this issue rearing its ugly head on a regular basis. Since most people seeking this sort of employment are currently attending or just finishing high school or university, it’s not a great mystery where their experience has been gained up until that point. Not in the workforce, but in the schools.
Schools, in general, seem to create this fantasy world for students, a place filled with candy-coated streets where jobs come and go like the wind, and a job poorly done carries no repercussion. With diploma or degree in hand, most students head out for their first jobs with the impression that they will start off in middle management, that there will be little or no real challenges to be faced, and that someone will be standing with pen in hand, waiting for a signature on the next job offer if things should turn sour.
But programs have started to emerge such as the CAPP program offered at a local high school just outside Panorama Resort in British Columbia. The CAPP or “Career and Personal Planning” program offers students insights into what the “real world” will expect of them. CAPP intends to change students’ attitudes about work, giving them an opportunity to learn hard life lessons without even leaving the starting gate. Writing a resume and interview techniques are some of the important topics covered. But beyond getting them through the initial stages of employment, the program aims at giving students skills that are often missed, but crucial for success.
But one school program in one small town just isn’t going to make the grade when thousands of new employees hit the market every day. When students come into the workforce and don’t possess the tools to put forth an effort worthy of recognition, then our education system isn’t pulling its weight.
What can be done about this? Programs like the CAPP offer a small light at the end of the tunnel. With the development of educational material that can properly instill in younger people an appreciation for the benefits of showing up on time, clean cut and ready for work, we will see fewer dissatisfied employers and a larger number of happy employees. They will know what is expected of them prior to walking into work the first day and they will demand nothing less than a solid performance from themselves.
It is true, jobs seem to grow on trees these days and it is a buyer’s market. But without work ethics young employees will ultimately find themselves without the employer references they need to get ahead. Instead they’ll have hostile references borne from a poor work ethic and subpar performance.
Employers need to make the effort to get involved in local high schools, universities, colleges and other community programs to get the message across: Employees need to make the grade and with a report card filled with failing grades (as it currently stands) on Work Ethics 101, they will be joining the unemployment line before the red ink has dried.
Mike Doyle is a recruitment co-ordinator with ski and golf resort Panorama Mountain Village’s people department in south-east British Columbia. He can be reached at (250) 341-3063 or [email protected].
