I love this time of year because fun, community events are in full swing! September saw us put another year of supporting the Employee & Family Resources’ annual event – Every Family Rocks! The Des Moines Family Music Festival – under our belt. And at the end of October we’ll be celebrating the 19th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure where more than 25,000 people will show their support in the fight against breast cancer.

But right in between these two fabulous fall events is one of my favorites – the Josephs Jewelers Diamond Dash. It’s this Saturday and so far we’re expecting about 300 couples to tackle the texting scavenger hunt through the streets of Des Moines for the chance to win a $10,000 Josephs diamond engagement ring. If you’re interested, couples can still register for the event by telling us why they should be selected to play. Just visit www.josephsdiamonddash.com.



I hope everyone is taking advantage of all these great community events happening around Des Moines this fall. If so, I’ll see you there!

I have always had an interest in generational studies (this probably has something to do with my fascination with birth order, but that’s another blog, another time). It’s amazing to me how we can classify millions of people based on the events, leaders, developments and trends of a certain period of time. And what’s really interesting is how we’re all supposed to “play nice in the sandbox” with all of these pre-determined judgments.

So what does this mean for the workforce? Well, let’s chat quickly about the three key generations that make up the majority of it.

Millennial or Gen Y (approx. 1984-2002) – This is me. Supposedly, we have a sense of entitlement, have never had to work for anything and have never lost…at anything. Call us the “trophy” generation because everyone’s a winner. We are peer-oriented and want things instantly because we’ve never been without technology, email, texting, IM, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook… I could go on.

Gen X (approx. 1965-1983) – I’d say the majority of the employees at Flynn Wright fall into this generation. They were brought up on television, Atari and personal computers. They are suspicious of organization, unimpressed with authority and self-reliant. But, they look for new challenges and opportunities to develop new skills and value their relationships.

Boomers (approx. 1946-1964) – Ah, the “rock and roll” generation. They are conversational, skilled vocal and writer advocates, poor on marital skills...the first divorce generation. Yet, they are optimistic, driven and team-oriented.

If all of these personalities are supposed to work together for a common goal, then here’s some advice for each generation: try to understand where your peers are coming from and take an active role in working together through your differences. Bridge the gap, folks.

Here's what you can do:

MILLENNIALS Get a mentor. Land an internship where you can prove yourself with hard work. Join a social group where you actually have to meet face-to-face. Be prepared to have to work your way up.

GEN X Take continuing education classes on new media. Get a smart phone like the iPhone or the Droid and start trying out new apps. Explore new social media sites like LinkedIn or Twitter.

BOOMERS Set up a time to meet with and get to know the Gen Ys in your company. If you’re not involved with a social media site, start with something like Facebook or LinkedIn. Attend informational sessions about new and emerging media and what it can do for your bottom line.

Ok, maybe not all of us, but our very own Jena Murray – HR extraordinaire – got her 15 minutes of fame in this this week's Juice. Featured in the “What I’m Into” column, she shared her love of fashion, the Fleur Cinema and the Hawks with the 20/30-something demo in Des Moines. But one thing she did fail to mention was the real reason she loves Mi Mexico – those margarita shakers! Good job Jena, you’ve made this PR girl very proud!

We had a great time at the first annual Every Family Rocks! Des Moines Family Music Festival on Sunday, September 27 at the Blank Park Zoo. Over 4,500 people came through the gates for a day of fun, music and activities - including a rockin' photo booth created by Flynn Wright. Our tent was a hit - and we had a little fun with it too!



Pictured from left to right: Kiersten Maertens, Gina, Paul & Noah Schlueter, Liz Garvey, Sherri Gast and Mara White