Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header
Share for a Cause









Helicopter Parents Descending onto Your Organization

Written by: Jennifer Loftus

Article Overview: Has your organization seen an increase in the number of "helicopter" parents involving themselves with their child's work, social and personal life? If so, you're not alone. This trend has definitely taken an upswing the past few years, and has become so common that there are organizations trying to devise strategies on how to combat this phenomenon.

Free Download - Addressing the Needs of Seasonal Employees By Jennifer Loftus
Name: Email:

Helicopter Parents Descending onto Your Organization

The helicopter parent. In the past, the phrase may have been used in a whisper to describe parents who micromanage their children’s lives from kindergarten until entering college. The phenomena of helicopter parents has become a significant workplace issue, particularly when hiring new employees. In some organizations, it is not surprising to find parents patiently waiting outside of an office while their adult child attends an interview. Some of these parents have even gone as far as calling managers in reference to performance reviews. To an HR professional, knowing how to properly handle this rising phenomenon can prove to be an arduous task. Where did these parents come from? How are other organizations dealing with this issue?

Who are Helicopter Parents?
Most helicopter parents in one article (http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/08/leadership-careers-jobs-lead-careers-cx_tw_1109kids.html) prepared by Forbes are described as past baby-boomers and present parents who take a more aggressive, active role in their children’s lives. Many of these parents believe that with plenty of time and money invested in their child they can ensure his / her successful future. Some parents proudly mention that they paid the college tuition bill, and were active by swarming onto college campuses scouting and ensuring a good education. For these parents, it is simply believed that attending career fairs, passing their child’s résumé, and even scheduling an interview is just the next step in ensuring that their investment is still of value.

Some parents have even taken it a step further. Hewlett Packard (http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2007-04-23-helicopter-parents-usat_N.htm) has reported that parents have contacted the company in order to discuss their child’s salary and relocation packages. Some organizations have received phone calls from dismissed candidates’ parents inquiring why their son or daughter did not receive a position (http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2007/06/18/story16.html?b=1182139200%5e1477168). The children of these parents, commonly described as Generation Y or the Millennial Generation (currently ages 10-29), are so accustomed to parental involvement (http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/helicopter-parents-on-the-job/20080804144009990002) that there is no sense of impropriety with having such additional support. For many HR professionals, this extra involvement is so novel, that they don’t know how to react.

Underlying this phenomenon is the fact that the relationship between parent and child for this particular generation gap is closer than ever before. Hence, this young generation seeks parental help frequently. Having access via text message, e-mail, and phone calls, there is no wait time in order to find a solution. Help from mom or dad is only a few seconds away. Further, these baby boomer parents remember their own mistakes and the difficulties of the job market. They want to ensure that their children do not suffer as they may have from easily avoidable mistakes. Severing the cord seems to be increasingly difficult. However it must be done (http://blogs.payscale.com/salary_report_kris_cowan/2007/10/helicopter-pare.html), as many HR professionals believe. Otherwise, it will be harder for Generation Y-ers to make decisions on their own.

How Does this Affect the HR World?
As the Millennial Generation prepares for the shrinking job market, helicopter parents are moving off college campuses and descending into the job market. This trend raises issues for Human Resources. How do you respond to these well-intentioned parents?

Many organizations are recognizing that there are only two ways to handle prospective Generation Y graduates and their helicopter parents: allow or deny involvement. Here are some examples of how organizations are handling this new employment dynamic:

• According to one article (http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/08/leadership-careers-jobs-lead-careers-cx_tw_1109kids.html), the Office Depot’s website has an entire page dedicated to parents of candidates for hire, giving the parents tips on how to be supportive without being invasive.

• Enterprise Rent-a-Car Service (http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/05/28/45917/recruiting-young-people-meet-the-parents-the-helicopter-parenting-phenomenon-of-generation-y.html) has in the past sent letters to parents of recent hires informing them about the company for which their son or daughter will be working. Donna Miller, the European HR director of Enterprise stated, “While we don't like parents to attend induction sessions (we see that as being a little too much like a child's first day at school), we do believe in building on the family network."

• In 2006, Merrill Lynch (http://www.bnet.com/2403-13059_23-201845.html) held a parent’s day for parents of select applicants and new hires. Part of the parent’s day activities included a tour of the office where their child would be working and more information about the company. So far, only one applicant whose parents attended the event did not accept the job offer.

Organizations recognize that when it comes to recruiting Generation Y, more has to be done in order to attract and retain the best. There is a need to also recruit their parents. Many of these “parent workshops” are still in the infant stages. It will be interesting to see how they may evolve in the future.

For organizations that prefer not to deal with potential candidates and their helicopter parents, there are ways to avoid such a challenge. Many of these helicopter parents appear to belong to the affluent group (http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/helicopter-parents-on-the-job/20080804144009990002) in the Millennial Generation. This may give an advantage to Generation Y-ers whose parents could not take such an active role or may have had a diverse background. Ana Ivy, a career coach mentions, “In some ways there's an opportunity. There are plenty of Generation Y-ers who are professional and mature and they are really sticking out now. There's now a meaningful way to distinguish themselves.”

As the phenomena of the helicopter parent becomes an increasing issue for organizations around the world, HR must take the time to review how to address such a concern. Whether your organization decides to take a proactive approach or not, be sure to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Understanding what concerns a parent may have can be the first step. Understanding apprehension from the candidate’s perspective is another step. Equally important is being able to understand what the organization’s wants and needs are in a candidate. Being able to clearly describe these attributes will provide a gauge for both parent and candidate in understanding where the line is drawn. Certainly, most organizations will have to face this topic, each with their own action plan. Awareness and strategic planning are essential in successfully handling your organiz

Related Articles
  Mubarak Abdullahi’s home-made helicopter takes Nigeria’s Kano Plains by storm
  How to Cripple Your Kids
  Are Children Good Closers In Sales?
  The Law of Hype – The Situation Is Often the Opposite of the Way It Appears in the Press
  Prom and Underage Drinking: A Parent's Guide to Keeping Kids Safe

Home > Human-Resources > Jennifer Loftus > Helicopter Parents Descending onto Your Organization
Article Tags: adult child, arduous task, baby boomers, bizjournals, career fairs, college campuses, college tuition, forbes, good education, helicopter parents, leadership careers, micromanage, money economy, performance reviews, plenty of time, relocation packages, tuition bill, usatoday, whisper, workplace issue

About the Author: Jennifer Loftus
RSS for Jennifer's articles - Visit Jennifer's website

Astron Solutions gets our articles from our bi-weekly e-zine, Astronology. Astronology utilizes a number of authors, each with their own fields of interest and expertise. All authors are employees of Astron Solutions unless otherwise noted. If you'd like to sign up for your FREE bi-weekly edition of Astronology, please visit http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1101600060994 and fill out the required information. A bit about Astron Solutions: Astron Solutions is a New York-based consulting firm dedicated to the delivery of human resource consulting services and supportive technology. We work nationwide to develop and implement human resource programs that support the strategic direction of organizations through the creation of a positive employee relations environment. For more information and complete contact information, please visit our website.

Click here to visit Jennifer's website
Dashed Line

More from Jennifer Loftus
The Employee Free Choice Act What You Need to Know
Back to School Part 13 Working and Learning Can They Be Balanced
The Fearful FLSA Audit
July 4rth Crash Course in History
Honoring Ted Kennedy


Related Forum Posts
Young Entrepreneur Organization - All You Need To Know Young Entrepreneur Organization - All You Need To Know - The Young Entrepreneur Organization (YEO) is a global community of entrepreneurs. This non-profit organization aims to make its members successful in their business through networking and training programs. This article tells you all you need to know about the Young Entrepreneur Organization, and the opportunities it makes available to young entrepreneurs from across the world. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Facts. 1) The Young Entrepreneur Organization has 5,000 members in 35 countries across the world. 2) The organization was founded in 1987. Since then, it has helped many aspiring entrepreneurs with training facilities and getting in touch with the right people. 3) The average age of the members of Young Entrepreneur Organization is 34 years. 4) In order to be eligible for the membership of Young Entrepreneur Organization, you need to be under the age of 40; and be the founder or partner in a business that has annual sales of more than $1 million. World Entrepreneurs Organization: A part of the Young Entrepreneur Organization, the World Entrepreneur Organization and takes the message of Young Entrepreneur Organization to many additional places around the world. This organization is especially active in the area of education and training for entrepreneurs. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Objectives. 1) To foster entrepreneurship. 2) To support Young Entrepreneur Organization members by providing them the chance to network and grow. 3) To provide resources to its members so that they can benefit the economy through innovative business ideas. 4) According to Young Entrepreneur Organization, you get to share your story with those who have had similar experiences, and thus gain insight into the best principles of entrepreneurship. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Facilities. At the Young Entrepreneur Organization, you get to meet and share views with like-minded people and fellow entrepreneurs. In order to facilitate a free exchange of ideas and growth for its member, the Young Entrepreneur Organization provides the following facilities to members. 1) Forum: Join the forum of the Young Entrepreneur Organization and start networking with entrepreneurs from across the world. Each forum group has 12 members who come together regularly to share their experiences and discuss issues related to entrepreneurship. 2) Mentor: In conjunction with the World Presidents’ Organization, the Young Entrepreneur Organization guides and counsels young entrepreneurs through a mentor program by the best business leaders. 3) Social Innovation: The Social Innovators Program involves Young Entrepreneur Organization member who wish to do something for about social issues. It helps members become socially aware citizens and gives them the opportunity to do something for their community. 4) Marketplace: The marketplace allows members to post business offers and receive replies from other members. These are just some of the facilities you will get if you become part of the Young Entrepreneur Organization. Others, like meeting prospective clients through trade shows, and special tools to network and meet with the right people are also part of the YEO facilities.
Protect yourself from Hackers Protect yourself from Hackers - I received this from a newsletter from FXpro that I subscribed to. Please read and apply In the 21st Century internet is widely used for everyday job. Despite the "ease" and free time offered from internet use, one should be aware of the dangers and be prepared to avoid and safeguard him/herself from any attacks his/her computer may accept or even from the "unwanted" e-mails received. Golden Rules of Protection When using the internet make sure you have an antivirus program installed in order to avoid intrusions in your Computer, If you are using wireless internet connection make sure you have your connection locked, Do not save any official documents on your Computer, such as Copy of Passport, ID, Bank account numbers, copy of cards in case your Computer is hacked or even stolen, Keep all access codes/passwords in a safe place, Do not share an e-mail address with any person, Do not reveal any access codes, passwords to any person, If you are using a public Computer, ie in an internet cafe, make sure you log out any internet sites you have visited before leaving and deleting the cookies in order to minimize the risk of someone following your tracks, Regularly change your passwords on your e-mail accounts, or any other account that requires passwords, Be careful of e-mails received. Always check the e-mail address and in case you believe that this does not come from a person, Company, Organization you might be dealing with always send an e-mail to an e-mail address stated on the person's business card, Company's, Organization website requesting them to confirm that the e-mail address on the e-mail received belongs to them, before you reveal any information, Always have in mind that an established Company/Organization never uses an e-mail address such as g-mail, yahoo, hotmail etc thus always be careful when you are receiving such e-mails, even if it appears to be from a Company/Organization you are dealing with, Always remember that a Company or Organization will never require you to send them your login/password/access codes, When using a website that requires an access code, do not allow the browser to remember your passwords
Coming up with a business name Coming up with a business name - I've always been curious about how people select their business names and would love to hear how you came up with yours. When I first started my company I was selecting between Evan Carmichael & Associates or the Carmichael Organization. The reason was I had read two books by Anthony Robbins and Donald Trump and learned about how they came up with their companies names to make them look bigger than they were when they were first getting started. Robbins chose Anthony Robbins & Associates while Trump chose the Trump Organization. I settled on Evan Carmichael & Associates and later changed it to Evan Carmichael Communications Group when I incorporated on the advice of my lawyer. I agree that it is not the most innovative name out there but my business is about building a brand. I would love to hear how you came up with your company name!
Marketing and PR ideas related to a Credit Organization Marketing and PR ideas related to a Credit Organization - Hello Everybody! I would be very grateful if you suggested some PR and Marketing ideas for a Credit Organization which target market is poor public who live in village and haven't any access to the internet. Thanx in advance
Re: When did your entrepreneurism start? Re: When did your entrepreneurism start? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":35vioft3]I'm not sure... it depends what they're selling.[/quote:35vioft3] Ah yes, indeed! [quote="OmnivoreInk":35vioft3]But kids certainly do need to be taught early the value of money, the value of saving, and the value of investing.[/quote:35vioft3] Yes. Sadly, that's not likely to be taught in school, is it? Parents need to do that...


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.



Featured Article


Bottom Footer
Share for a Cause












Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Why Use an Advertising Agency

Remind Me...

How to Set Sales Goals that Work

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.