Mar. 8, 2010 - Detroit, Mich. - Inforum, Michigan’s leading network for professional women has teamed up with Sphere Trending, a cutting-edge consulting and forecasting firm, to launch a series of reports exploring the trends affecting women as the second decade of the 21st century begins.

The four-part “Women in 2010” series kicks off this month with the release of “Women in 2010: The New Workforce,” a high-level overview of the key trends affecting working women, their employers, their co-workers, their families, and those seeking to sell products and services to them.  Among the key “takeaways” from the report:
•         The workforce of today is the first in history to be defined by the wants, needs and work styles of four generations of women.
•         Each of these groups – the Gen Now, Gen X, Zoomer and Prime Timer generations – brings its own set of expectations, desires and values to the workplace and marketplace.
•         Accommodating these groups in a way that utilizes the key strengths of each and fosters synergy between them will be the key of every employer for years to come. Those who do it best will be best-positioned to excel in today’s economy.

Terry Barclay, President and CEO of Inforum and Inforum Center for Leadership, said the “Women in 2010” series is part of Inforum’s ongoing effort to give women in Michigan – along with the organizations that employ or cater to them – the tools they need to lead and succeed.
 
“We’re very excited to be partnered with Sphere Trending on this project,” Barclay said. “Sphere, one of Inforum’s newest corporate investors, has built a reputation as one of the top trend spotters in the country. What’s even better is that the company also happens to be a woman-owned Michigan success story.”

“As a woman in business for over 30 years, the importance of our partnership with an organization like Inforum, which was built on the principal of supporting women, is priceless,” said Maxine Lauer, CEO (Creative Examiner of Opportunities) for Sphere Trending. “Sphere Trending is a unique and collaborative company built on the principal of filling gaps. Inforum provides direction on how women can fill a gap that is much needed in business today; intuitive and informative ways to solve problems and provide for innovation utilizing the strength that women have always had but not always knew how to use.”
Future “Women in 2010” reports, scheduled to be released over the course of the year, will be:
•         “Women in 2010: The New Consumer,” a deeper dive into the female consumer.
•         “Women in 2010: The New Mom,” which will explore the characteristics and insight into today’s new mothers.
•         “Women in 2010: The New Homeowner,” a look at how women are changing the homeowner marketplace.

Learn More at Inforum’s March 17 Event
Copies of “Women in 2010: The New Workforce” will be distributed at Inforum’s March 17 breakfast event, called called “The Big Picture: Are You Ready for the New Consumer?” The event is scheduled to begin at 7: 30 a.m. at the Westin-Southfield, 1500 Town Center, Southfield, Mich.
At the event, Susan Yashinsky, Macro Trend Forecaster for Sphere Trending, will discuss many of the report’s themes, including the key “touch points” that appeal to the needs and desires of Gen Now, Gen X, Zoomers and Prime Timers.

“The ability to reverse mentor among four unique generations will bring the best of the best to tomorrow’s workplace, combining the experience of older workers with the optimism and technological skills of youth,” Yashinsky said.

Tickets for the March 17 event are available now $45 for Inforum members and $60 for nonmembers.