Generations in the Workforce: Challenges and Advantages

Diagnosing our Demographic Deftness

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All generations are essential to the success of our workforce.

• What are the differences in generational thinking and behavior? How do they impact or influence hiring practices, work expectations, and patient perspective?

• Recognizing and embracing generational differences will determine whether we sink or swim in our ever changing workforce environment.

Today’s objectives:

While generations may have specific character traits and personalities, they are not monolithic.

There are as many differences within generations as there are among generations.

• Life Cycle Effects

• Period Effects

• Cohort Effects

At any given moment in time, age group differences can be the result of three overlapping processes:

Remember when the people who lived through

the Second World War poured scorn on the

Baby Boomers and their idealism and self-

absorption?

Or when Generation X-ers were castigated for

their lack of loyalty and belief that they could

have it all?”

“There has always been tension between the generations,

especially in the workplace.

Roger Trapp Forbes Online

March 31, 2015

Roger Trapp Forbes Online

March 31, 2015

“Now, it is the Millennials’ turn to be the whipping boys, and

girls.

Their attitudes are in sharp contrast with those of

the Boomers who are increasingly running the

organizations where they work.

While Boomers believe strongly in the value of

experience and working your way up,

Millennials are seen as feeling entitled and

over-pampered by parents.”

Four-generation workforce

TraditionalistsBorn 1928 - 1945

Baby BoomersBorn 1946 to 1964

Generation XBorn 1965 to 1980

MillennialsBorn 1981 to 2000

Intermountain employee count by generationJuly 2017 data

Traditionalists

1927 – 1945

.6%Baby Boomers

1946 – 1964

20.6%

Millennials

1981-2000

44.2%

Gen X

1965 – 1980

34.7%

GI Generation, Veterans, Silent Generation,

The Builder Generation, Greatest Generation

TraditionalistsBorn 1928 - 1945

Period Effects

• Traditional values

• Dedication and hard work

• Conformity

• Respect for authority

• Delayed reward

• Duty before pleasure

• Honor

Who are they?

• Low stress communication

• Value respect

• Don’t count them out

• Help them transition

• Learn from their experience

What’s important?

Born 1946 - 1964

Baby Boomers

Period Effects

• Optimistic

• Team oriented

• Good at relationships

• Re-inventing the norm

• Time starved…stressed out

• Work

• Community / Politics

Who are they?

What’s important?

• Teamwork

• Personable atmosphere

• Eye contact

• Refocus

• Training…don’t leave us behind

• Let me contribute

• Focused retirement

Born 1965 - 1980

Generation X

Baby Busters, Post-Baby Boomers, Sandwich Generation, Yuppies

Period Effects

Who are they?

• Creative

• Techno-literate

• Flexible

• No corporate allegiance

• Self reliant

• Work-life balance

• Private

• Informal

• Survivor mentality

• Skills, skills, and more skills

• Individual driven

• Results oriented

• Multi-task / Switch-task oriented

• Process information quickly

• Access to information

What’s important?

Born 1981 - 2000

Millennials

Generation Y, Generation WHY, Net Generation, Digital Generation, Generation Next,

Nintendo Generation

Period Effects

• Confident

• In control

• Connected

• Innovative

• Social / Social media

• Desensitized

• Global

• Liberal

Who are they?

• Interaction and feedback

• Be specific...answer the WHY

• Make it relevant

• Career path

• Question everything

• Solving problems

• Ready access to information

• Results oriented

What’s important?

Generation ZBorn after 2000

New Silent Generation, Me Generation, New

Millennial

Period Effects

• Sheltered / Entitled

• An “unreal” reality

• “Don’t talk, just text me” o “LOL” o “OMG”

• Always within 3 feet of their devise

• Spend at least 6 hr/day actively connected (“Digital Natives”)

• Socially networked with hundreds of international “friends”

• Increasingly expected to be “on the grid” 24/7

• Instant minded / Impatient

• Independent

• Ambitious

• Culturally accepting

• Take in information instantly, and lose interest just as fast

Who are they?

What’s important?• Space

• To be recognized

• Relationships

• Technology

• Social media

• Live in a world of emoji and 6-second online videos

If will not reach this generation

Why is understanding generational differences a big deal in the workforce?

• We think differently

• We socialize and communicate differently

• We process problems differently

• Patient expectations, according to their age, can be different

• We lead differently

When generational differences

Collide !

Collision vs. Collaboration

Case #1: “High-Tech Tech”

In 2015 Intermountain added two topics to New Employee Orientation: “No Texting While Drawing Blood” and “No Texting While Transporting Patients”. The requirement to add these topics was based on multiple incidents in multiple facilities, all involving “Millennial” employees.

Millennial Employee:

“It’s no big deal! I was totally focused on what I was doing, and have never made an error. It was a quick text, no different than my coworkers who talk to other employees while working or pushing beds.”

Baby Boomer Boss:

“These kids make me nuts. Whatever happened to common sense and courtesy. How do they think it makes patients feel? I’m embarrassed with my patients, and am frustrated that I have to babysit my staff.”

Collision vs. CollaborationCase #2: “Seasoned vs. Stale”

During the most recent annual performance review Lisa, a new manager in her early 30’s, gives Virginia, a tenured nurse in her late fifties, tough feedback on her performance. Lisa tells Virginia that her overall performance is not good enough. She is resistant to change, she is slow to learn and utilize the newest systems and tools, and other staff members hesitate to involve her with complicated cases. Virginia tells Lisa that she doesn’t understand how her performance could have declined that much from last year’s review. She has never gotten this type of feedback from previous bosses.

Baby Boomer Nurse:

“She should never have been given the manager position. She has no idea how to deal with people. I am one of her best nurses; I get more thank you letters from patients and families than any other nurse on our unit. I have done more of these complicated procedures than any of them. This feels like age discrimination.”

Millennial Manager:

“Virginia is nice lady, but I wouldn’t want her taking care of any of my family members. She lives in the past. She takes forever with patients, which we can no longer afford. I’ve had my best subject experts try to train her on the new equipment, but it doesn’t click.

We need to Change how we Think about and React to them

It’s one thing to recognize and understandgenerational differences

BUT

“The only person who likes change is a baby”Mark Twain

Competing traditionsHow do we compromise – or should we?

Example: the 12 hour shift question

• Don’t compromiseo Provide structure to ensure reliable staffing outcomes

• Bargain / negotiateo Provide multiple shift options in order to attract millennials

• “Uber” philosophyo New healthcare work model: sign up for shifts according to

employee need – no set schedule

“I believe strongly that all generations,

and especially Millennials, which is so

technology proficient, must still

strengthen their professional

competencies in written and verbal

communication, active listening,

empathy, resilience, and self awareness.

These skills are a deal breaker and

imperative for professional success.”

Caroline Dowd-Higgins

Behavioral skills that “are a deal breaker”

The new dominating psychographicPsychographic: the study of personality, values,

opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles

Generation

Born any

= ConnectedCommunicativeChangeableComputerizedConstantly clickingCritical consumersCommunity-orientedContent centricContribute and curate (take charge)

a mindset that spans generations

Who are they?• 35% are Gen Xers; 65% are Millennials

• Will soon make up 50% of theU.S. Population

• 90% are always within 3 feet of their device

• They spend at least 6 hours a day actively connected

What’s important• To be connected. “On the grid” 24/7 (soon to be the norm)

• Socially networked: severalhundred “friends”

• Passion for building communityand making voice heard

• Uninhibited communicatorsthrough virtual connections

• Prime motivator…FOMO: Fear of Missing Out

Bottom line: Personal, familial, community and business activities mingle seamlessly – a flexible mix of work, commuting, shopping, communications and entertainment

The Challenge

Recognize and involve this new psychographic!

• Don’t assume because someone falls within a certain age group they will behave a particular way.

• They may carry traits from their generation, but they see past generational norms.

The Challenges and Advantages of our Generational Workforce

from Traditionalists

to C’s

Idea Sharing

Coming Soon to a Job Interview with You!

Generation Alpha?