This Week's Herman Trend Alert Navigating the Next Year

The Herman Trend Alert April 18, 2007 Teen Unemployment---A Future Problem for Employers Between 2004 and 2007, teen unemployment in the United States has hit record levels. These historic highs present a significant challenge for forward-thinking employers. We suspect that this problem is global in scope. This joblessness among teens is a real problem for employers affected by the tightening labor market. Ken Smith, president and CEO of Jobs for America's Graduates, an Alexandria, Virginia.-based non-profit that helps more than 40,000 youth each year transition from school to work, knows this problem well. He said, "The economy is humming along, and employers are almost desperate for people they can hire and train. Contrast that with the lowest teen market penetration in 50 years…The connection point is not being made." This situation presents a critical workforce challenge for future-focused employers and communities. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 37 percent of teens nationwide worked in the summer of 2006---that’s down nearly 11 percent from 1999, the crest of the US economic boom. Certainly, the recession of 2001 took its toll on the teens’ ability to get jobs, but when the economy became robust again, teen employment did not recover as expected. Instead, teen employment has continued to plummet. For summer 2006, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, teens had an unemployment rate of 16.5 percent--four times higher than that of adults during the same period. The two major groups replacing US teens are immigrants and seniors. Immigrants are often willing to accept the less pleasant jobs that some teens had been willing to take on; seniors have a well-deserved reputation for being more stable, reliable, and responsible than young people, many of whom have never held long-term employment. Frequently, the older workers need the money to supplement their fixed incomes; the teenagers are looking to supplement their, often generous, allowances. Employers who want to assure themselves of an available pipeline of qualified workers must begin now to offer internships and sponsor worthwhile organizations like FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). For more information, see our Herman Trend Alert on FIRST. © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." RESOLVE TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN 2009 If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. EMPLOYEE RETENTION BEGINS WITH GOOD SELECTION If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! GET INSIDE THE MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_9-24-2008.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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