Watching the Old-Timers’ Day ceremonies at Yankee Stadium this past weekend, I was filled with the usual barrage of mixed emotions. Ranging from proud glee to a distinct fear of aging, the rollercoaster ride of an event not only pays tribute to the players of yesterday, but helps fans understand how an empire was built.
While the corporate environment does not usually have the star power or ‘excitement’ of professional sports, there might be something to be said for understanding how your company got where it is today.
So I pose the question:
Is it time for your company to hold an old-timers’ day?
(Though I’m sure HR will make us come up with a more politically correct name. Perhaps ‘Come Back to Work Day’ or ‘Unretirement Day.’ )
For an exercise like this to be successful, current employees would have to show interest – and patience.
Who sat in your chair before you? How did they get things done before the computer age?
Even an alumni day would be interesting; at the very least, you could find out where people’s careers led after they left. Many employers feel jilted when employees move to other companies. But embracing the past could help the future, and establish a sense of pride within the organization. The generational gap can be closed via a knowledge exchange.
There are more questions than answers with this blog post…
Would the retired individuals want to return?
Would current employees truly benefit?
Any potential problems?
Do events like this already exist? If so, where?
A nostalgia day seems like it could be fun. You could check out old literature, vintage employee handbooks, old uniforms, building blueprints and so on.
Rounding up former employees could prove difficult. But with the social networking craze of today, events like this will be easier to put together in the future.
I happen to work for an organization that is older than sliced bread, so my opinion could be weighted.
Now let’s hear from you…
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