Generation Y and Generational Differences

hhRMRMMultigenerational Awareness – The Impact Now and in the Future

Why generations matter.Roy MarkTotal HRM 07736 631834

the job you are likely to

be doing in ten years

time may not exist yet

hhRMRM

“Each generation is a new people.”

Alexis de Tocqueville 1805-1859

We have 3 generations working side by side and in the next 3

years will have 4; all responding differently to

varying management and communication styles

hhRMRM

‘Baby-Boomers’1943 – 63

Gen. X

1964 – 81

Gen. Y

1982 – 1996

‘Millennials’

1997 – 2222?

‘Idealist’ ‘Reactive’

‘Members’ ‘Adaptive?’

hhRMRM

Baby-Boomers (1943-1963)

hhRMRMBaby-Boomers (47-67 yr old)

– Ethos: hard work; loyalty; rewards – Organisational and careerist (ladder

climbers). – Define themselves by work

achievements and social status.– Often worked for only one or two

employers in their lifetime– Was largest generation in history -

35% of workforce – Defined by post-war optimism and

values– Family-orientated– Idealistic and altruistic.– Socially liberal; politically

conservative.– Chief goal is now comfortable

retirement

hhRMRM

Generation X (1964-1981)

hhRMRMGeneration X (29-46 yr old)

– Loyal (fixed) to a profession, but not necessarily to an employer.

– Impacted by the decline of traditional industry – Blurring of traditional boundaries (class, economic

mobility, etc).– Confident and independent, but concerned about

work-life balance.– End of Cold-War certainties.– Lack of clarity – at home (M/F role), work and in

the world.– Grew up during a time of strong political

leadership.– Largest group now in the workforce.– ‘Digital Converts’.

hhRMRM

Generation Y (1982-1996)

hhRMRMGen Y– characteristics (14–28 yr old)

– Connected …24/7– Blurred home/work boundaries

(known as ‘whole-you’ rather than ‘work-you’+’home-you’)

– Self-confident– Optimistic– Independent(?)– Bored by routine– Do not define themselves by job or

organisation but by their people network and lifestyle

– Entrepreneurial– Goal oriented– ‘Digital Natives’

hhRMRMGen. Y – Expectations and Aspirations

– Lots of Change, Challenge and Choice (work and play)

– Not committed to one organisation or necessarily one career

– Need a sense of purpose and meaning

– Access to mentors and other company champions

– Need to feel they can influence earnings

– Open social networks that embrace open / honest communication

– Solutions are often technology based

– Flexibility

– Motivational leadership– Career ‘brands’ which offer

creative/visionary future– Casual employee/manager relationship

(see managers as peers not superiors)– Coaching and mentoring (often)– Require frequent feedback– Opportunities for learning and

developing– Interesting work– On-going development and support– Facilitated and experiential learning – Face-face learning rather than e-

Learning (??)

hhRMRMUSA Dept Employment estimate that today's students will have 10-14 jobs by the

age of 38 Succession planning usually assumes a single employer!

hhRMRM

The top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010………

…. did not exist in 2004!

81

Young Engineers View on Future Service

82

How Gen Y learns best

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Computer-based training

From my boss/ supervisor

Classroom style learning

Through social / informal settings

From my peers

When it's multi-sensory

Through mentoring / coaching

When it's fun

SOURCE: Bibb, S., Walker, S., James, J. (2008).

Do our primary learning

methods fit ?

83

Succession Planning Considerations

Generation ‘X’• Looking for a plan• Looking for a path• Looking for career direction

• Succession planning focused on;• Identifying talent• Replicating proven competence

sets• Operating within a relatively

stable business environment• Identifying and developing

talent from a retained and available talent pool

Generation ‘Y’• Give me a reason to stay (return)• Give me options and alternatives• Give me control of my career

• Succession planning will need to;• Address a constantly and rapidly

changing business and technical environment, with increased global competition

• An adaptive competency framework (what worked in the past may not in the future?)

• A demanding and more mobile workforce

84

Questions?

• How do we identify career paths for jobs that may not exist in 10 years or without knowing what they may be replaced by ?

• How do we ensure the Talent management process blends the needs of the ‘Y’ generations values with BAE’s needs, and ‘X’ Generation managers?

• Do we need to do anything different - yet?

Falling Desire for Jobswith Greater Responsibility

Source: Generation & Gender in the Workplace, An Issue Brief by Families and Work Institute

69%

41%

14%

60%54%

31%

15%

80%

Under 23 years old(Gen-Y in 2002)

23-37 years old(Gen-X in 2002)

38-57 years old(Boomers in 2002)

58 or more years old

1992

2002

Lower Alignment with the Organization

4539

32

4844

28

5752

35

6561

53

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

I really care about the fateof this organization

(agree)

I’m willing to put in effortbeyond that normallyexpected to help the

organization besuccessful (agree)

I find my values and theorganization’s are similar

(agree)

Y X Boomer Traditionalist

Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

In 2000, A Fairly “Young” World . . .

Under 5% 5% to 12.4% 12.5% to 20% Above 20%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Percent of Population Age 60+ in 2000

. . . Rapidly Aging by 2025

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Under 5% 5% to 12.4% 12.5% to 20% Above 20%

Percent of Population Age 60+ in 2025

Change in UK Population 2000-2020

-0.9%

-2.1%

2.1%

3.1%

-0.7%

0.7%

-2.5%

0.3%

-4.0%

-3.0%

-2.0%

-1.0%

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

0-15 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-70 70+

UK Changing Workforce PatternsUK Age Profile

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

0-15 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-70 70+

198020002020

Age Profile

1. Fewer younger workers entering work

2. Declining mid-career workers

3. Rapid growth in over 55’s

Contributory Factors (affecting skills retention)

1. A more mobile Generation Y population

2. Generation X early retirement aspiration

3. Decline of single employer/location roles

4. End of final salary pensions and benefits

5. Continuous job content re-invention

Education Work Leisure

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Shifting the Old Work/Life Paradigm . . .

Age

Source: Demography is De$tiny, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2003


0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70Age

80

. . . To a “Cyclic” Life Paradigm



0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70Age

80

. . . Evolving to a “Blended Lifestyle”


Cutting Back Has New Meaning: Cyclic Work

12%

39%

49%

Working full-time Working part-time Moving back and forthbetween working full-time

and not working

The most popular pattern for working after “retirement” is

not part-time, but moving back and forth between

periods of working and not working.

Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

Generation Y and Generational Differences

Documents