All of us at Frause were so excited about starting a blog; we spent hours fighting over who would be responsible for the content. We drew straws, played rock paper scissors, even thumb wrestled for the honor. It turns out our interns have some strong thumbs (not to mention opinions). They also have the best opportunity to provide a “fly on the wall” look into the workings of Frause. Without further ado, we present Frause – through the eyes of our interns!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Talkin' 'Bout My Generation

A few weeks ago while I was working at the front desk, Lisa, Frause’s office manager, sent me a Google Message asking me to check a contact on the Rolodex. I replied that I would gladly look up the contact but a panic quickly began to set in. Rolodex? I had no idea what I was being asked to look for. I frantically looked around the desk, opening drawers and searching on the computer desktop. Eventually I sheepishly went back to the chat and asked the question that has now become the joke of the office, “What is a Rolodex?”

Shocked that I had never heard of a Rolodex, Lisa asked Amy, the Frause intern from last summer (and our current assistant account executive) if she knew what a Rolodex was and the first thing that came to Amy’s mind was a watch. After everyone got a good laugh at our naïveté, we soon realized that our ignorance wasn’t just because we’re relatively new to the workplace- it’s generational.

My generation is just beginning to enter the “real world” and, as we cross from the realm of students to that of employees, a generational divide in the workplace is going to become increasingly apparent. Due to technology and the fast-paced world we have grown up in, we are different from any generation before us.



My generation (called Generation Y or Millennials) is incredibly technologically savvy, specifically with the Internet. We’ve been conducting Google searches, e-mailing and using social networking sites since elementary or middle school. We have diverse social lives thanks to the development of sites like MySpace, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook and we don’t think it is abnormal to put our information online. My generation sees social networking as part of a normal social life, rather than a revolutionary concept. We are comfortable with putting ourselves out into cyberspace and aren’t hesitant about Internet networking. Because of this, we can easily tap into the huge power of these websites without much strategic thought.

Another thing that is unique to Gen Y is texting. I have been able to text since I got my first cell phone at age 12 and it has always been my primary way of communicating. But because of my affinity for texting, I am not as comfortable picking up the phone to call someone. When asked to make a call here at the office, the first thing that always pops into my head is whether or not an e-mail will suffice. This isn’t because I’m lazy. It’s just because I am not used to making phone calls and I am not as comfortable with direct communication where technology isn’t there to act as a middleman.

Between our gravitation toward Internet networking and our disregard for one-on-one, interpersonal communication, Gen Y members are at an interesting place, especially because the opposite tendencies seem to be true among earlier generations.

Right now, as the members of Generation Y enter the workforce, I believe there will have to be a big shift in the methods of communication on both ends of the generational spectrum for business to continue to be successful. I will be the first to admit that the men and women of my generation need to become more fluent in the art of direct communication and need to get used to having conversations not mediated by a screen. At the same time, the more open previous generations become toward social media and maintaining online relationships, the easier it will be for them to reach younger audiences and perhaps clients. If all generations within the workplace do their part to learn and adapt to new communication methods, the increasing generational divide may eventually disappear, and, luckily for me, the Rolodex may disappear with it.

- Katie Sells

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Island Life



Whidbey Island has been on my list of places to visit ever since I was a little girl. Growing up I would always hear stories about my friends going to their cabins on the island or taking a day trip to Langley, but never once have I made the drive north for a visit myself.

That all changed two weekends ago when Bob and his wife Sue were generous enough to open their home (and farm) on Whidbey Island to the entire Frause team hosting the Frause annual summer barbeque.

The weather was gorgeous, and despite the unusually long ferry lines, everyone was happy to be there. The food could not have been better, leading the entire team to stuff our faces with everything from classic chips and salsa to decedent corn and blueberry salad and a summery berry trifle; all of which put my modest chocolate chip cookies to shame. And the entertainment of the evening? Watching three boys (all under the age of 12) play bartender and earn a sizable amount of tips for shoving beverages into every empty hand.



What I found to be the most interesting aspect of the barbeque was seeing all of my Frause coworkers outside of their office roles. I got to see people with their kids, husbands and wives, and boyfriends and girlfriends. I learned that some people moonlight as chefs and others are stellar at kickball. I learned some people have allergies, others tell good jokes, some go to Sounders games or even share my same interests in TV shows.



It was fascinating to see everyone outside of the Frause walls and to get to know them as people who do much more than send e-mails and give me Excel sheets to work on. Spending time with my coworkers outside of the office has enriched my relationships with the people here and has helped me get to know the Frause team on a more personal level.

- Katie Sells