My work in the field of employment and training and the current labor market is always a topic of discussion for employers and is the reason I have decided to address these concerns in this paper. With the labor market shortage, the consensus agrees labor is currently a huge problem for employers. Measurable data confirms a labor market decline from 66% in 2007 compared to 62% in 2016. However, I have heard many other statements from our employers regarding our labor shortage such as the current workforce does not want to work, they’re not committed, and you can’t find good people anymore and when you do find them they do not stay. Can we all say Millennials! While some of these statements may be true for some people in both present and past labor markets, I have decided to challenge these assumptions, labels, and stereotypes through the lens of communication …show more content…
She states, “For the first time in history, four different age generations comprise the workforce. This change can affect communication processes because members of each age cohort or group tend to have differing experiences, values, and interests” (Allen, p 5). Allen continues to point out some of the challenges we face because we define ourselves in opposition to others and how we are different rather than the same. The tendency to define ourselves by our differences leads to false assumptions and labels that stereotype anyone who does not look like those that do not look like our group. To deepen this culture divide, Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, Edwin, Sexton in their book Communication Between Cultures, describe those of us who live in the United States as individualistic in nature and we are encouraged from early on to be unique and independent. This part of our deep culture often becomes an obstacle in the team culture we desire to create in the