Sometimes we struggle with challenges we don’t perhaps fully understand. At times, forces conspire against us, consciously or not. Life is a journey filled with uncertainty, misconceptions, and mysteries. But frequently, the problem is all too clear, an 800-pound gorilla in the room.
The world of work faces a systemic dilemma in the midst of the third decade of the 21st century. Generations have been raised with various values and perceptions that we do not necessarily understand. Some believe that the distinction is somehow starker in the community of workers' compensation, but I am dubious. The fact is generations change, values evolve, and today will never be yesterday. The Next Gen will have as much to lament in forty years as we have today.
Some believe that part of our workers' compensation challenge is based upon a conscious decision to neither recruit nor train young professionals early in the 21st century. Proponents of this theory argue that increased automation facilitated a minimization of human investment and that the expense of training was consciously and purposely avoided through industrial cannibalism.
Cannibalism? Davero? Si. An industry executive once explained to me that in the late 90s, it became far cheaper in the risk business to lure one’s competitors' employees than to recruit and train your own. Because technology was facilitating productivity and efficiency, the paradigm made sense to some, perhaps to many. Training programs were diminished, career tracks were abbreviated, and automation was leveraged.
As Sabrina Carpenter so poignantly reminds in Thumbs, EVOLution, 2016:
It never ends till the end, then you start again
That's just the way of the world
Others with similar perceptions believe that the law firms in workers' compensation similarly stopped attracting young lawyers to after the 2001 and 2003 reforms. They lament and blame attorney fee legislation. These scholars rarely address perceptions that the “donut hole" (February 2023)) is experienced widely in America. They do not even attempt to answer the question: if Florida’s reform legislation created the donut hole, how did it do it in other states?
The 800-pound gorilla in the room
For too long, I have listened to pontifications regarding the accidental nature of Worker’s Compensation. There is no arguing with the simple fact few, if any, professionals set out, purposefully, for a career in Worker’s Compensation. This is a destination and a nice one. It is a place we have all benefitted from, learned from, and which a few love. But, it is also a destination that virtually no one set out for. We are accidental tourists here.
In the end, that is likely the 800-pound gorilla. The challenge is not about this space being livable. It is not about whether one can thrive here. It is not about desirability, functionality, or even money. In the end, it is likely only about knowledge. Knowledge.
The conclusion of Field of Dreams (1989), shows hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of headlights clogging the road, and approaching Kevin Costner‘s farm. The spirits advised him “If you build it, they will come.“ Miraculously, in fact, they did. But that is fantasy. Has anyone ever figured out how those people in the cars ever learned of the field of dreams? It is a fantasy to believe people will spontaneously come. For more on the Field, see Uncle Buck to Ray Kinsela (July 2021).
The 800-pound gorilla in the room.
Today is no different than any other prior era. There is an abundance of young people who are diligently searching for a place in this world. They may have different values, but they are striving for a today, just like we did yesterday. I spend hours with them, they are phenomenal, intelligent, motivated, and worthy. They are not like me, but they are worthy. Unfortunately, to a person, they have likely never heard of the workers' compensation community.
At the conclusion of The Bourne Identity (2002), the old guard is struggling with the challenge presented by their prodigy, Jason Bourne (try to forgive that this great line comes from the villain - spoiler alert, he is not in the sequel). There is some argument as regards dealing with that 800-pound gorilla. One of the senior CIA officials suggests to the other:
"Well, why don't you go upstairs and book a conference room. Maybe you can talk him to death."
The poetry of this statement is palpable. Our analytical side convinces us that we can cipher through our challenges, build, consensus, and conspire against the challenge. Unfortunately, having booked the conference room, we have done plenty of hand-wringing and the problem is still sitting there.
The 800-pound gorilla.
This market will survive. There will always be workers' compensation. Despite the lamentations, it’s entirely likely it will be better tomorrow, even if not the same. And that’s truly the point. It doesn’t really matter if tomorrow looks like today. It doesn’t really matter if we see ourselves in the next generation. What matters is that there is a next generation.
The 800-pound gorilla.
There is a challenge to attract talent. That is being experienced from the highest level to the entry level at entities across the globe. It’s convenient to point to this or to that. It is comforting to blame, technology, the pandemic, or any other cause that is not “me.“ Convenient. Comforting. Useless.
There are a variety of potential solutions. I have been privy to several suggestions. Some plans are more grandiose than others. But to anyone taking action, I say "Kudos to you." I have chosen my path, and write today to invite you to join.
Last week we mailed close to 400 introductory letters to colleges and universities across Florida. These are directed to various undergraduate professors, department heads, and deans. We have high hopes that their students may have an interest in this dynamic career path. Our letter offers a simple introduction to the topic. And we offer, a classroom visit by someone(s) from this community.
We’re not offering placement, recruitment, a job fair, or employment. We are offering information (use the QR code above) on the premise that knowing the truth may bring value. There is a chance we may put you or someone like you in a classroom to describe the opportunities in this community to the young and ambitious that will inherit this world.
These institutions are full of young people who labor towards a degree, as ignorant to the field of (Dreams of) Worker’s Compensation as I once was. I suffer under no illusions that we will receive 400 responses. I do not think we will speak to 400 students next year. But, the point is to continue striving for those opportunities to introduce this community, these professions, and the significant human need.
The 800-pound gorilla? Those of us in this industry and community know that the challenge is knowledge. The fact is that many of us, had we known this community existed, would have strode into it instead of stumbling, so many years ago. Can we inspire today's youth to stride in? Can we do better than those who preceded us?
If you would be interested in speaking to a class in your area, email me david.langham@doah.state.fl.us. I am making a list and checking it twice. What are your interests? What kind of class would you feel comfortable addressing? Provide your geographic preference and your perceptions of your subject matter or educational track preference(s).
The 800-pound gorilla? Why can’t it be you?