I live just a few minutes away from one grandson and 1000 miles from the other.    Fortunately, I am able to spend time with each of them every week. When I have mentioned this to friends, the first thing they ask is, “how?”  The answer is simple:  A computer and a webcam allow us to overcome the distance and see our grandson, Lorenzo, as he has begun to walk, run and say words. We visit with Lorenzo and his parents for an hour or so every weekend. Lorenzo gets excited when we first can be seen on the computer screen and greets us enthusiastically. After everyone says hello, he proceeds with his play while we talk with his mom. A few minutes later, he will come back to the computer and wave, dance to music, laugh and wander off again. He blows us kisses and waves goodbye when the conversation is ending. In that hour, the relationship with his grandparents deepens and grows.

The same routine is followed with his paternal grandparents in Italy, though this conversation is in Italian. He responds – plays – dances and blows kisses. At 15 months, this little boy is connected across the globe! It is comfortable and commonplace for him in a way that would not have been possible a few years ago. 

It should be no surprise that HR is expanding into a global focus!  HR has changed; this millennium has seen the profession developing across borders and cultures. The dramatic changes that have occurred in the global landscape and economy have resulted in a world that is more connected than ever before.  Historical and geographical divisions are becoming increasingly irrelevant and our jobs in HR are becoming even more challenging.  A new world is dawning and we need to be ready.

I am not sure how Lorenzo’s generation will be referenced. Will Gen Z come after Gen Y?  Whatever they might be called, I see a generation for which technology is commonplace, diversity is the norm, and relationships regularly transcend geographical borders. It will be an exciting world, not just for Lorenzo, but for us all.

Get ready – study for the GPHR!  Visit www.hrci.org for details.