At times, investing in the future of your business means investing in a workforce that is still in its infancy – or one that may literally be at recess. As parents, and as business leaders, we have an opportunity to inspire, mentor and educate the youth that will someday support our initiatives, drive innovation and help our economy thrive.
That’s not the only reason why I think it’s important to show kids what we do at work, but it’s a good one. And, next month, we all have a reason to do it.
SAVE THE DATE
April 22nd is “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day,” sponsored by the foundation of the same name – and it’s a great opportunity for businesses to structure an event for the future workforce.
The day calls for businesses to plan activities for kids ages 8-18, to help them understand what goes on in the workplace, the importance of establishing work-life balance, and the steps necessary to achieve lifelong goals. And, to make it easy, its website includes a Workplace Coordinator’s Toolkit with guides, worksheets and games, aimed at getting kids to think about their futures and explore opportunities.
I think it’s great that this effort inadvertently encourages businesses to start thinking about future workers. And, it has a noble goal: to get kids thinking about their aspirations, what it means to be a leader and to understand:
- What their parent or mentor does professionally
- Why it’s important
- The value of education
- Work/life balance
- Their own vision of the future; and
- What steps they need to take to achieve the future they dream of
So, it basically encourages businesses to do what we already do as parents; help create a strong foundation for the next generation of smart, bright and successful leaders.
And, gaining insights into the burgeoning ideas of the young certainly never hurt a business either!
Tags: April 22nd, Bernie Dyme, bring kids to work, kids, mentor, take our daughters and sonds to word day
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