Lost Knowledge A book review What happens when organizations lose key knowledge when valuable, and often older, employees leave their employers? This is the question explored in an excellent book by David DeLong, Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Work Force (Oxford, 2004). This resource offers not only a cautionary tale on the challenges of losing talent with key knowledge, but also the tools to evaluate and implement knowledge retention practices. The book opens with employment horror stories: a senior nuclear weapons design employee departing the organization, taking with him historical knowledge critical to future operations; a chemist inventor’s retiring that causes knowledge lost on quality issues; and a senior sales representation taking with her the strong relationships she has developed over her career. In easy to digest chapters, the author outlines why this issue is important today, and why it will continue to become a huge issue as the Baby Boomer generation ages and becomes retirement-eligible. He delineates what HR and business managers must do to strengthen HR policies and practices as well as IT strategies to improve both the transfer and storage of explicit and implicit knowledge. He offers ideas such as storytelling, mentoring and coaching, communities of practice, succession planning, interviews and debriefing sessions, and training, with specific how-to’s for using these methods. This book is a must for all businesses that may see large numbers of their workforces retiring in the next decade. Also recommended . . . Finishing Well by Bob Buford (Integrity Publishing, 2004) Don’t Retire, Rewire! by Jeri Sedlar, Rick Miners (Alpha, 2003)

AARP Job Clubs: We are looking for a few good HR volunteers in Kentucky! AARP KY is beginning a new venture to connect the over 50 job seeker with employers who are looking for experienced, mature workers. AARP Job Club will be a networking/support group for the mature job seeker who wants information and ideas about searching for a job within their communities. This new group will be led by local SHRM volunteers who will receive special training from AARP. What are the goals of the AARP Job Club? Share ideas, job leads, and concerns with others Gain information about job openings and job search strategies Meet with speakers who can add to their knowledge and expertise about workforce issues Understand AARP’s role in supporting mature workers and employers who hire them, including Featured Employers Connect with HR leaders who can make appropriate referrals Learn about AARP local chapters Deal with age discrimination and ageism issues in a positive and productive way How often and where will the AARP Job Club meet? AARP Job Clubs will be held in the local community in a place determined by the volunteer leader and convenient for job seekers. It could be an employer’s offices, a local church, or community building. AARP recommends each group meet bi-monthly (for example, on the first and third Tuesday of each month), again, as determined by the group. What are the duties of the SHRM Volunteer Leader? The duties of the SHRM volunteer leader are to accomplish the following: Help publicize the meeting through community newspapers, bulletin boards, churches, AARP local chapters, etc. Notify AARP Job Club “members” about meetings via email Secure speakers on various topics of interest to mature job seekers Share job leads from the community Lead regular meeting discussions What training will be provided by AARP KY? Training will be provided in first quarter 2006 at the AARP KY offices in Louisville, KY. Training will begin in late morning and be completed by mid- afternoon to allow for drive-time. A luncheon will be provided. Cathy Fyock, CSP, SPHR will develop and deliver the training. In addition to covering some basics on special issues for older job seekers, training will cover these topics: Generating AARP Job Club members Publicizing AARP Job Club events Working with AARP local chapters to build membership and awareness Identifying speakers and speaker topics for meetings Creating collaboration with community resources Forms to make your job easier Guidelines for sharing job leads Tips and suggestions for leading group discussions What are the benefits of being a SHRM Volunteer Leader with AARP Job Club? As a SHRM Volunteer Leader with the newly created AARP Job Club, you’ll have the opportunity to be on the ground floor of establishing an exciting community resource serving both mature job seekers as well as employers wanting experienced employees. I want more information . . . Please call or email Patrice Blanchard at 502-394- 3428 or pblanchard@aarp.org, or Cathy Fyock at 502 243-2482 or cathy@cathyfyock.com.

Order this product to learn more about today’s aging workforce! Finding the Gold in the Graying of America CD-ROM $30 + $5 shipping/handling (audio presentation coupled with Power Point presentation) Learn how to put key ideas into action to maximize the benefits of an age-diverse work-force. Cathy explores six outdated assumptions about work and offers new strategies to reap the gold in the graying of our workforce. Praise for Finding the Gold . . . Cathy Fyock delivers a homerun with her e- Learning products! Cathy couples her HR savvy and years of experience as an Employment Strategist with her keen ability to target the needs of today’s HR professionals. Cathy covers all the basics in a passionate execution of flawless delivery. SHRM’s e- Learning students walk away with tools and tips to immediately help them on their job. Cathy is an asset to the HR Profession. --Tom Melanson, Manager, SHRM e-Learning You can now order this and other products from Cathy Fyock directly from her web site at www.cathyfyock.com.

Cathy’s December - January Calendar Cathy’s December - January Calendar Dec 2 MD SHRM Conference, AARP- Sponsored program “Employment Issues for Workers 50+” Baltimore, MD Dec 5 – 7 HR Generalist Certificate Program, SHRM, Phoenix, AZ Dec 7 – 8 Faculty Meeting, HR Generalist Certificate Program, SHRM, Phoenix, AZ Jan 17 – 19 Selection Certification Training, Bridgestone/Firestone, Dallas, TX Jan 24 – 26 Selection Certification Training, Bridgestone/Firestone, Dallas, TX Tentative Dates for the SHRM HR Generalist Certificate Program ‘06 April 3 – 5 Dallas, TX June 24 – 27 Washington, DC (at the SHRM annual conference) July 10 – 12 Atlanta Oct 9 – 11 New York City Oct 30 – Nov 1 Chicago Nov 13 – 15 Washington DC Nov 29 – Dec 1 Orlando

About Cathy Fyock Are you looking for a high-content speaker for your next conference or meeting? Call or email Cathy to find out how she can work with you to meet your specific goals and objectives. Cathy Fyock, CSP, SPHR, is an employment strategist—helping organizations develop strategies to recruit and retain top talent in an aging and changing marketplace. For over 15 years she has combined her knowledge of work-force issues and her talents as a speaker to provide innovative and inspirational learning events. She has helped organizations attract top talent, reduce turnover, and improve productivity in a volatile labor market.

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