Managing the Multi-Generational Workforce EXP HR Research – Q1 2007 Toolkit Authors: Diane Berry Lily Mok Andy Walker
Dec 16, 2015
Managing the Multi-Generational Workforce
EXP HR Research – Q1 2007
ToolkitAuthors:
Diane Berry
Lily Mok
Andy Walker
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Getting started
This study explored how organizations manage and develop their multi-generational workforce in a manner that blends the attributes of each and maximizes their contributions to the enterprise. The study detailed how to develop a people strategy that builds a highly effective IT organization that draws on the strengths of each generation in the workforce.
This toolkit contains the tools and templates developed during the course of the research study, and are intended to help you apply the research findings in your own organization. The study and the contents of this toolkit assist to address the following questions:
What are the characteristics of a multi-generational workforce?
How do you blend, manage and maximize the contributions of each generation of the workforce?
How do you develop and retain a multi-generational workforce?
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
This toolkit contains the following tools:
1. Workforce plan
A tool to create a series of snapshots, monthly and quarterly, that provide the basis for planning how to address gaps in workforce supply.
2. Demographic analysis A tool to reflect different views of the workforce supply based on the interest of the organization.
3. Workforce requirements A tool to determine projected skills gaps.
4. Retirement projection A tool to determine the level of vulnerability to non-replacement of retirees.
5. Retirement analysis A tool to forecast who is likely to leave an organization by both time period and area, so that replacements can be determined.
6. Sourcing plan
A tool to determine the appropriate sources for talent based on nature of need and availability of talent.
7. Transfer plan for retiring Baby Boomers
A tool to address key questions resulting in individual Baby Boomers retiring: 1) Who are likely replacement candidates; 2) How is their knowledge transferred; and 3) What is their post-exit role.
8. Human capital management program review
A tool to determine the status of various HCM programs in effectively integrating the multi-generational workforce.
What tools are included?
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Creating a blended multi-generational workforce
To create a blended multi-generational workforce first requires assessing the current skills mix against demand, understanding vulnerability to retirement and attrition. Then plan to address the shift in workforce demographics, mitigating the risk of losing critical knowledge.
IT organizations must prepare now for a multi-generational mix. It is likely that, where the workforce is comprised primarily of older workers, IT organizations will find the call for action to be compelling. Use the framework shown on the next slide to assess and plan for a blended multi-generational workforce. Sourcing strategies must be reviewed so that they contribute to building a mixed workforce. Hiring from outside may not be an option, so consideration must be given to reinitiating programs for training and growing the workforce.
Organizations that invest in their people now, are the most likely to be able to retain them later. Once acquired through appropriate sourcing channels, the different generations of workforce can then be integrated by creating an environment that meets the diverse interests of all individuals.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
The blended multi-generational workforce framework
Integrate themulti-generational
workforce Understandthe changing demographic
context
Assess and plan for a
multi-generational
mix
Review sourcing
strategies for a mixed
workforce
Blendedmulti-
generationalmix
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
The workforce planning process
A workforce plan enables IT organizations to manage the supply of skills against demand during times of transition, such as Baby Boomer retirement and introduction of new technology and skills. The plan starts with an assessment of the organization’s workforce demographics and its skills composition.
Based on a skills inventory and attrition analysis per demographic group, make a projection of skills gaps and time frame. Use a retirement scenario plan to then address ways of sourcing and transitioning those vacancies to younger generations.
A sourcing plan identifies the channels and sources to be used to fill specific skill needs. The net result is a series of snapshots, initially on a monthly basis and then later quarterly, that can be used to plan how to address gaps in workforce supply.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Create a workforce plan
Future supply (options)Retirement scenarios/analysis
Future supply(retirement replacements)
Future supply (overall sourcing mix)
Demand
Demand
Existing supply
Skills gaps and attrition
Skills sourcing plan: Skills hiring plan Skills development plan ESP sourcing plan
Transfer plan
IT workforce forecast/skills
Workforce demographic analysis
Supply or demand? Completed (check)Planning component
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Analyze workforce demographics
The demographic analysis can be used to show different views of workforce supply analysis that are of interest to the organization. Most organizations combine internal classification data (job level, department and date of hire) with demographic data (gender, date of birth and retirement eligibility date) as a basis for identifying the impact of retirements on skills required and future workforce diversity.
This report, if sorted by most eligible for retirement, provides an initial overview of the workforce and can be used to identify the numbers likely to retire in any period. It also provides data input to the next stages of workforce planning.
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Tool: Conduct demographic analysis 3
AgeSeniority Full retirementGenderJob familyGrade
Age 65+:62-64:59-61:
Totals Service 30+:25+:20+:
2007:2008:2009:
M:F:
Date of birthJob level Date of hire Date eligibleMale/
femaleIT departmentAssociate
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Example: Demographic analysis 3
3/2/72
3/5/63
12/27/63
12/15/41
9/17/42
5/22/43
8/13/46
Age
14
19
15
13
21
15
17
Williams. T.
Marks, P.
Lewis, N.
Jackson, A.
Ellesmore, G.
DeGood, R.
Clark, B.
6/18/02
3/17/90
4/12/91
5/18/76
4/3/85
12/8/81
11/1/06
Seniority
3/2/2038FInfrastructure web
3/5/2029
12/27/2029
12/15/2007
9/17/2008
5/22/2009
8/13/2012
Full retirement
MInfrastructure web
FAD web
MAD mainframe
FAD web
MInfra. mainframe
MAD mainframe
GenderJob familyGrade
Date of birthJob levelAssociate Date of hire Date eligibleMale/
femaleIT department
Age 65+: 162-64: 259-61:1
Totals Service 30+: 125+: 120+: 1
2007: 12008: 12009: 1
4M3F
Example:
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Assess workforce requirements
A skills inventory is typically conducted to determine what skills are held across the IT workforce. It provides an input to the tool in the next slide. A forecast requirement of headcount per skill is taken from the technology plan. The gap between the forecast and actual shows the variance, which can then be adapted for projected attrition based on current turnover rates including projected retirements.
Surpluses are inevitable as technologies and subsequent skills mature in their respective lifecycles. Those skills that are no longer needed offer opportunities for redeployment if skills retraining can be undertaken successfully. Skills gaps enable redeployment while providing the need for a sourcing strategy.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Workforce requirements analysis
(Gap)Supply(Projected
gap)Demand
Actual variance
Actual number of staff with
skill
Variance+
Projected attrition
Forecast requirementSkill
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Example: Workforce requirements analysis
(3)
(5)
(3)
5
(8)
(13)
(10)
7
35
27
15
17
22
35
(7)10Visual Basic
(7)40UNIX
(5)30Microsoft.NET
210Java
(9)25J2ME
(14)35Cobol
(12)45AS400
(Gap)Supply(Projected
gap)Demand
Actual variance
Actual number of staff with
skill
Variance+
Projected attrition
Forecast requirementSkill
Example:
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Retirement projection: Assess exposure to Baby Boomer loss
Use a retirement projection as a basis for managing the risk of losing critical enterprise knowledge. Project the size of the risk in terms of exposure to exits of Baby Boomers against available replacement options. To quantify the assessment, the retirement scenario figures can be added to create an overall exposure level after pre-allocated vacancies are filled.
Percentage comparisons can be made, so that the threat of different timings can be contrasted in the same area. This provides a retirement scenario comparison. Attrition projections also can be added to the projected number of retirements to show overall projected exposure for the job group. This results in an attrition scenario comparison. These two types of scenarios can then be contrasted across the workforce, to show areas of vulnerability.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Create a retirement projection to assess exposure to Baby Boomer loss
# of retirees – # of replacements = exposure level
EXAMPLE: Worst case scenario: all boomers retire on their earliest eligible dates
40 retirees in 2007 – 14 ready replacements =exposure level of 26 in 2007
Exposure level
Number of retirees= % exposure
EXAMPLE: 26/40 = 65% exposure
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Retirement analysis:Assess impact of Baby Boomer loss
A retirement analysis is used to forecast who is likely to leave an organization and what impact it will have on various functions. The purpose is to prepare for direct replacements should a vacancy take place.
This type of analysis is most useful in large IT organizations and functional areas with a large amount of staff, where the size of the problem can easily be overlooked. The analysis should be considered against the priority of the work of the group, not just urgency.
For example, one question to ask is how important is this work to on-time delivery of projects? Another example question might be, how does it impact reliability of services delivered?
Questions that help assess impact are useful when determining where best to deploy scarce resources. The analysis enables decision makers to make an informed selection of sourcing.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Conduct a retirement analysis
Impact to function 1
Second most likely to retireMost likely to retire
Possible exit date(s)
Impact to function 2
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Example: Retirement analysis
-10 to -12-4 to -6Names + jobsNames + jobsQ2 2008
-5 to -9
0 to -2
-1 to -2
-2 to -3 people
Names + jobs
Names + jobs
Names + jobs
P. Callahan (AD Web)N. Mc Neill (AD Mainframe)T. O’Donnell (AD Mainframe)F. Flemming (Infrastructure
Mainframe)I. Sanders (Infrastructure
Mainframe)
Names + jobs
Names + jobs
Names + jobs
B. Smart (AD Web)C. Miller (Infrastructure Web)N. Turner (AD Mainframe)E. Patel (AD Mainframe)G. Stewart (Infrastructure
Mainframe)H. Wilson (Infrastructure
Mainframe)
Q3 2008
Mar. 2008
Feb. 2008
Jan. 2008
-17 to -29
-6 to -8
-5 to - 9
-4 to -8 people
Impact to Web function
Second most likely to retireMost likely to retire
Possible exit date(s)
Impact to mainframe
function
Example:
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Plan your sourcing requirements
A sourcing plan allows the workforce planner to compare the merits of different sourcing scenarios.
Build a sourcing plan around the skills gap analysis. The choices typically are to purchase hard-to-get, longer-term, non-core skills from external service providers, and fill short-term critical skills with contract labor.
The less hard-to-fill and the not-so-significant gaps are more likely to be filled through skills training, where internal talent exist, and external hiring when appropriate internal resources are close to depletion.
As circumstances change, the plan can be adapted. Having a plan does not lock the organization in but allows alternative options to be identified and adopted.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Develop a sourcing plan
FT and PTTraining to
intermediateESP/
offshoringFT and PTVariance +
attrition
Hiring employee
Skills development Outsourcing
Hiring contractors(Projected gap)
Skill
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Example: Sourcing plan
2
1
3
1
4
1
5 FT + 2 PT
1
1
2
1
5
3
6
4 (Offshore)
5 (ESP)
0
0
0
8 (ESP)
0
0
0
0
0
0
1FT + 2PT
0
(7)Visual Basic
(7)UNIX
(5)Microsoft.NET
2Java
(9)J2ME
(14)Cobol
(12)AS400
*For the purpose of headcount calculations: 1 PT (part-time employee) = ½ FTE (full-time employee)
FT and PT *Training to
intermediateESP/
offshoringFT and PT *Variance +
attrition
Hiring employee
Skills development Outsourcing
Hiring contractors(Projected gap)
Skill
Example:
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Transfer plan for retiring Baby Boomers
A transfer plan is a back-up plan for retiring Baby Boomers. It can be used to determine how to use Baby Boomer resources after retirement, including:
Who to approach to extend their dates of scheduled retirement?
Who to offer an on-call arrangement or work on-site as a contractor?
The plan also can be used to identify opportunities for replacements from other sources, particularly internal new skills development for those interested in working on legacy systems – an inevitable requirement at some point if those systems are to remain in use.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Create a transfer plan for retiring Baby Boomers
Post-exit role?Knowledge
transfer Replaced by ?
(Date 2)Replaced by ?
(Date 1)Possible exit
date(s)Retiree
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Example: Transfer plan for retiring Baby Boomers
NoneJob rotationP. James:8/1/07
Aug. 2007D. PatelAnalyst
On site contractor (1 year)
Project assignmentRecruit;8/1/07
N. Meyers;3/1/07
Mar. 2007- Aug. 2007
T. JonesProject Manager
On call role for 6 months
Formal training + mentoring
S. Parr;3/1/08
G. Forbes;3/1/07
Mar. 2007- Mar. 2008
A. C. Clark AD Mainframe
Post-exit role?Knowledge
transfer Replaced by ?
(Date 2)Replaced by ?
(Date 1)Possible exit
date(s)Retiree
Example:
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Assess HCM programs to improve alignment
Creating an integrated culture or work environment for a blended workforce requires that all HCM programs should be well aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, values and behavioral competency standards.
Use a climate survey, together with focus groups made up of members from homogenous age groups, to procure feedback on the programs. Those HCM policies and programs that are not addressing harmony and retention of the workforce should be re-examined and redesigned appropriately with the involvement of employees from the various generational groups.
Work with respected champions from the different age groups to raise proposals for change. In this way, opinions can be heard and applied to prioritize funding when it is insufficient to meet the needs of every group.
For some of the programs, such as leadership development, the IT leadership team should take responsibility for setting direction. This includes ensuring that the direction provided by each member of the senior leadership team is both consistent and communicated in ways that will be fully understood by participants.
Entire contents © 2007 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tool: Assess HCM policies & programs(Part 1 of 2)
Private or public as thanks for building high expertise
Refresher in expectations and gain awareness of younger colleagues
Stimulating work that recognizes high expertise
Enables women to create a predictable routine
Competitive current/ retirement medical. Maximum employer contributions to savings.
Recognition
Diversity training
Employee involvement
Work/life benefits
Employee insurance/savings benefits
Public to increase opportunities of advancement
To understand changes in the workforce mix
To be noticed and given better opportunities
Efficient organized work life that balances with family life. More time at home.
Contribution options.Family health coverage.
Public to show contribution
Help to bring age awareness to high level of ethnic/culture diversity
To contribute and be valued and heard
Shorter time at work balanced by working off hours at home
Low contribution.Opt out for cash refunds at time of resignation
*R/Y/G = Red (much work still to do), Yellow (programs can be easily improved), Green (all bases are covered)
Expectations by generation
Baby Boomers
Policy/program Generation X Generation Y
StatusR/Y/G*
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Tool: Assess HCM policies & programs(Part 2 of 2)
Interactive. Clear hierarchy. Meet the expectations of others who depend on the work
Fairness is key. Compromise merit pay just to survive
Cynical. Minimize time spent on it.
Classroom/group style. Like to be mentors. Build deep expertise in area of knowledge
Culture
Compensation
Performance management
Training and development
New opportunities, innovation, risk with rewards to match
Competitive and key to retention
To demonstrate successes and negotiate rewards
E-learning that supports breadth and depth with tests to demonstrate ability
On the job learning and open forums to add value. Interesting work with minimal supervision.
Year-on-year high end improvement
Feedback and opportunity to discuss learning opportunities
Low profile with emphasis on self directed learning, breadth of learning and fun, such as video games
*R/Y/G = Red (much work still to do), Yellow (programs can be easily improved), Green (all bases are covered)
Expectations by generation
Baby Boomers
Policy/program Generation X Generation Y
StatusR/Y/G*