Team building within a generational diverse team Research Paper

Team building within a generational diverse team - Research Paper Example It follows that this essay examines generational characteristics in terms of their articulation within the workplace environment, specifically considering the ways that a generationally diverse team can be accomplished. Generational Gap in Today’s Workforce There are a number of pros and cons in regards to the generational gap in today’s workforce. One of the most beneficial aspects of generational diversity in the workforce is the ability for individuals within this frame of context to engage in collaborative activities that mesh a variety of world perspectives and experiences together in a way that produces higher levels of company results. Conversely, the values that underline the generational differences can oftentimes result in conflicts of opinion or perception that hinder company progress and can derail workplace cooperation. Another factor that is a problem in regards to generational diversity in the workplace is the consideration of the workplace hierarchy in r egards to generational factors. ... Boomer generation’s retirement approaching they place increased emphasis on the importance of benefits; when this emphasis is compared with that of the Generation Xers who are more predominantly concerned with subsistence and building wealth than enhancing retirement portfolios. Team Building In considering the ways that team building can be accomplished within the workforce one of the most central questions is understanding the characteristics that define each generation and then analyzing how they can be intermingled and implemented in as productive a means possible. In these regards, it’s the values that underline the generations that are the most important factors to consider when building a generationally diverse team. It was earlier noted that one of the challenges facing the overarching corporate benefit structure in terms of generational diversity was attuning conflicting desires in term of compensation needs. For instance, in order to build a more functional te am environment, the business or corporate structure must development retirement and compensation packages that take into consideration the competing values of the generations in the work environment. In properly melding these competing desires into a package that appeals to both generations, factors related to motivation can be harnessed as a means of bringing employees together under a shared goal. In these regards, Notter (2009) writes that, â€Å"Knowing in advance how each generation can be triggered, either positively or negatively, can help organizations develop balanced policies and can help individual managers and employees structure their work interactions in ways that benefit all types of people.† Here Notter raises the interesting point that team building with generational diversity is not

Childhood Obesity in African American Children Research Paper

Childhood Obesity in African American Children - Research Paper Example -2004) found out that 21 percent of African Americans, 23 per cent of Mexican Americans and 14 per cent of non-Hispanic white adolescents aged 12-19 are likely to be overweight. Among children aged 6-11 years, 22 percent of Mexican Americans, 20 percent of African Americans and 14 percent of non-Hispanic white children were found to be obese (Centre for Disease Control, 2000). The main negative effects of the condition include medical, psychosocial and economic problems. Medical impacts include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The condition causes significant economic costs. The 2003 national rate of related expenses on obesity reached 75 billion dollars in the US, with most of the funds being generated towards social programs such as medical care. Hudson (2008) asserts that the related hospital expenses for obesity related diseases among children under the age of 17 years increased from 35 million to 127 million dollars over a period of twenty years. Overweight teens, especially girls; perceive their body size as unfashionable as they cannot conform to the recent changes in lifestyles. Most of the overweight children experience social discrimination and low self-esteem because of the teasing and neglect portrayed by their colleagues. This causes stress that increases the prevalence of th e condition. Obese teenagers significantly exhibit irregular school attendance. According to Geier, Foster and Womble et al. (2007) obese children missed an average of 12.2 days while those with an average weight missed an average of 10.1 days annually. This affects their performance as well as reduces their parents’ work output. According to USA Today (2011), most parents divert most of their attention in taking care of the obese children. The school systems also experience financial losses from taking care of overweight children. The risk factors associated with childhood obesity include genetics,