A new generation at work

That's the slogan for Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, an event for children ages eight to 12 taking place April 22nd. I was surprised to read in the HRTools.com newsletter that 67 percent of those polled said their organization doesn't participate in this activity. Does your company?

In the upcoming April issue of T+D, I write about the workforce of tomorrow and how we can provide opportunities for young people to become better future employees. This event is one good way to do it.

The program benefits not only the children who participate and learn about their parent's job and the world of work in general, but also the parent and the workplace as a whole. Fathers, for example, thank the Ms. Foundation for Women (the event's organizer) for letting them be "public fathers" in the workplace and show the reason they may need to leave early for a parent-teacher conference. And organizations can benefit, the foundation says, from hearing what the next generation of workers expects and hopes for. The learning is multidirectional.

Once called Take Our Daughters to Work day, the revised name indicates the expanded focus on children of both genders. And the Our, says the foundation, expresses a hope that people will bring not just their own sons and daughters but also nieces and nephews, neighbors and friends, disadvantaged children, anyone who may benefit from seeing available opportunities in the work world.

The Website offers a ton of resources such as toolkits for organizers, parents, and educators; activities for children; a contest; and more.