Valuing Generational Differences

Valuing Generational Differences

Mixing and Managing

Generations in the Workforce

Learning Objectives

• Who are these Generational Groups• Shared life experiences• Shared Beliefs / characteristics

• Why should this matter to you as managers?• Communication• Team Building• Leadership

Four Generations in the Workforce

• The Veterans• Born prior to 1945

• The Baby Boomers• Born 1945-1964

• Generation X• Born 1965-1980

• Generation Y/(Millenials)• Born 1981-1993

• Generation Z (entering)• Born 1994-2004

Just the Facts• Percentage in the workforce

• 12.8% Veterans• 25.7% Boomers• 20.4% Gen X• 27.6% Gen Y

Video Clip: Boomers & Generation Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2k3Mx07B9I

Characteristics of Veterans• Dedicated to job once they take it• Respectful of authority, even when

frustrated• Duty before pleasure• Patience is a virtue• Honor and integrity critical• Reluctant to challenge the system• Give maximum effort

Veterans in the Workplace

• Appreciate formality and order• Reluctant to challenge how things are done• Expect them to be honest and straightforward, but

tactful• Comfortable with top-down, command and control

systems with leadership clearly defined• Bound by duty, tradition and loyalty

Baby Boomers

• Live to work – give maximum effort• Results driven• Plan to stay with organization over the long term• Retain what they learn• General sense of optimism• Unprecedented influence• Willing to go into debt• Tend to be team and process oriented• Strive for convenience & personal gratification• Individuality, tolerance and sometimes self-

absorption

Baby Boomers in the Workplace• Positive, confident• Like being the star of the show• Like to build consensus around their plan• “Thank God it’s Monday”• Watch their response to face-to-face updates• Like loose structures that have temporary

teams and task forces and informal power centers

• Long hours and hard work is honorable

Generation X• Technology savvy• Like informality• Learn quickly• Seek work/life balance• Embrace diversity• Jobs viewed w/in context of contract• Sense of contribution while having fun• Versatility provides security• Don’t trust institutions

• “Marriage is forever, but my parents got divorced.”• “If you work hard, you’ll always have a job. But my

parents were laid off.”

Generation X in the Workplace

• Work to live, but expect work to be fun and help them grow• Not loyal to the employer, but will stay longer if

development opportunities exist• Value and expect a certain degree of autonomy• A job is more than a way to make money• Like diversity• Self-reliant• Appreciates directness• Aren’t into teams or meetings, unless they call them• Equate structure with bureaucracy• Like flexibility of work hours

• May want to leave the office at 3:00 to attend an event for kids, but they will login after the kids are in bed

Generation Y• Pick up on new technology very quickly• Drawn to authenticity, consistent expectations,

autonomy• Like informality• Embrace diversity• Demonstrate respect only after treated with respect• Learn quickly• Conditioned to live in the moment• Like things NOW• Earn money for immediate consumption• Question everything

Generation Y in the Workforce• Expect a desire for coaching / mentoring• Want fast upward mobility• Not worried about organizational hierarchy• Will work hard if you give them a reason to

work hard• Interested in work results more than work hours

• Want flexibility, want to work hard, get the job done and then go home

• Want to be involved in decisions/ direction• Meaningful work very important

Generation Z(Generation Next)• Limited research so far on this generation

• on the brink of being a part of the workforce• Growing up on the web, fully expects instant

gratification. They thrive on acceleration and next, next, next. To Gen Z, dial-up is as ancient as the dinosaurs.

• Grown up with social communities, such as Facebook. They value the ability to spread messages to vast sums of internet users.

• Find little value in privacy; personal information is only sensitive when it comes to money and everything else is fair game. (Consider the issue of privacy as it cascades through Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. Privacy is less of a concern with the more tech-savvy generations.)

Why Does This Matter???• Understanding these differences can help us:

• Communicate more effectively• Improve Customer Service• Train more effectively

• Understanding what motivates each Generational Group• Recruit and Retain employees• Engage employees• Lead more effectively

Communication Style PreferencesVeterans

Face-to-face communication

Baby Boomers

Face-to-face communication

Generation X

Uses most efficient type of communication style

Generation Y/Z

• Instant message, text message, and social networks

Tips to Customize Communications• Recognize subtle differences and tailor

communications • Delegate work in a way that involves the strengths of

each group • Hold fewer and shorter meetings for Generations X and Y • Customize educational programs to meet individual

employee’s preferences

Preferences for Training

• Veterans and Baby Boomers prefer classroom training

• Gen X may take online training course to do at home (after the kids are in bed)

• Gen Y and Gen Z uploads podcasts into their iPod to listen to while driving home at night

Preferences for FeedbackVeterans• Don’t give feedback

unless necessary• Consider that no news

is good news• Cautious with feedback

Baby Boomers• Give feedback in a

structured way• Annual performance

reviews

Generation X• Give/want candid, direct,

timely and honest feedback

Generation Y• Candid and continuous • Comfortable with

upward feedback (regardless of status in the organization)

Group Exercise• Comparisons of events and themes throughout

the years.

Understanding Veterans• Create positive working relationships by gaining

trust and respecting their experience without being intimidated by it• Ask for and listen to their experiences – they have

valuable knowledge to share• Gain their confidence by demonstrating

compassion and understanding

Understanding Baby Boomers

• Show appreciation for their energy and hard work

• Approach them with respect for their achievements

• Involve them in participating in the organization’s direction and implementation of change initiatives

• Challenge them to contributing as part of a team to solve organizational problems

• Offer opportunities to serve as a coach as part of the change process

• Support work/life balance• Later years

Understanding Generation X• Respect the experiences that have shaped

their beliefs and thinking• Tell them the truth• Clearly identify boundaries• Honor sense of work/life balance• Offer mentoring programs• Clearly communication that repetitive tasks

and quality checks are part of the job• Offer learning opportunities

Understanding Gen Y• Take time to orient them with respect to the

organization’s culture• Provide structure and strong leadership• Be clear about expectations and long-term goals• Set them up with a mentor right away• Give them challenging projects to work on• Listen when they challenge the status quo

Remember:One Size Doesn’t Fit All

• Not everyone has all the characteristics of their generation• Don’t assume everyone has the same needs/ preferences• All generalizations are dangerous , even this one….

• Alexandre Dumas, 1824-1895• Good guidelines to help build understanding

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb1n5aZHwks