Pink Hair in a Land of Pink Hair in a Land of BifocalsBifocals

Managing the GenerationsManaging the Generations

in thein the

WorkplaceWorkplace

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Identify the generations in the workplace and Identify the generations in the workplace and define them by experience and eventsdefine them by experience and events

Compare and contrast the values and the Compare and contrast the values and the potential outcomes of generational interactionpotential outcomes of generational interaction

Consider potential problems within the Consider potential problems within the organization when people fail to communicate organization when people fail to communicate effectivelyeffectively

Offer strategies for cross generational Offer strategies for cross generational communication including feedback stylescommunication including feedback styles

Why learn about the GenerationsWhy learn about the Generations

Changing demographicsChanging demographics Better understand it’s impact in the Better understand it’s impact in the

workplaceworkplace Increase personal competency in Increase personal competency in

communication and managementcommunication and management Promote teamworkPromote teamwork

Generations at workGenerations at work

Events and conditions during our formative Events and conditions during our formative years help define who we are and how we years help define who we are and how we view the worldview the world

The generation we grow up in is just ONE The generation we grow up in is just ONE

influence on adult behaviorinfluence on adult behavior

Generational differences may INFLUENCEGenerational differences may INFLUENCE

behavior but they don’t DETERMINE our behavior but they don’t DETERMINE our

Interactions.Interactions.

Born Between

Traditionals (1922-1943)

Baby Boomers (1943-1960)

Generation X (1960-1980)

Millenial (Gen Y) (1980-1990)•Contains iY (1990 - )

Traditionals (Silent Generation) Traditionals (Silent Generation) 1925-19441925-1944

Grown up during Grown up during the great the great depressiondepression

Fought in WWIIFought in WWII RadioRadio Rise of Labor Rise of Labor

UnionsUnions

TraditionalsTraditionals

Value duty, discipline and thriftValue duty, discipline and thrift Expect to be called upon for personal Expect to be called upon for personal

sacrificesacrifice Don’t expect life to be “fun”Don’t expect life to be “fun” Believe conformity is good and Believe conformity is good and

individuality is badindividuality is bad Delayed rewardDelayed reward Believe in hard workBelieve in hard work

On the JobOn the Job

AssetsAssets Detail orientedDetail oriented ThoroughThorough Loyal Loyal Hard workingHard working StableStable

LiabilitiesLiabilities Don’t like change Don’t like change

or ambiguityor ambiguity Won’t buck the Won’t buck the

systemsystem Don’t like conflictDon’t like conflict Reticent when they Reticent when they

disagreedisagree

Working with TraditionalsWorking with Traditionals

Direct leadership Direct leadership stylestyle

““We’ve always We’ve always done it that way”done it that way”

Like being Like being respected for their respected for their experienceexperience

Status symbols are Status symbols are bigbig

Baby Boomers (1943-1960)Baby Boomers (1943-1960) Cold WarCold War Korean ConflictKorean Conflict Civil RightsCivil Rights May have served in May have served in

VietnamVietnam SuburbsSuburbs Rock & RollRock & Roll TVTV

Baby Boomer traitsBaby Boomer traits

Vast majority of Vast majority of management and management and administration in administration in organizationsorganizations

““Cleaver” familyCleaver” family OptimisticOptimistic Relationship orientedRelationship oriented Spared harsh discipline Spared harsh discipline

and day care stressesand day care stresses Pay with plasticPay with plastic

Boomer Core ValuesBoomer Core Values OptimismOptimism Team orientationTeam orientation Personal gratificationPersonal gratification Health and wellnessHealth and wellness Personal growthPersonal growth YouthYouth WorkWork InvolvementInvolvement Identify themselves by jobsIdentify themselves by jobs Ladder orientedLadder oriented

Boomers on the JobBoomers on the Job

AssetsAssets Service orientedService oriented DrivenDriven Willing to go the extra Willing to go the extra

milemile Good at relationshipGood at relationship Good team playersGood team players

LiabilitiesLiabilities Not naturally budget Not naturally budget

mindedminded Uncomfortable with Uncomfortable with

conflictconflict Overly sensitive to Overly sensitive to

feedbackfeedback Self centeredSelf centered Judgmental of those who Judgmental of those who

see things differentlysee things differently

Working with BoomersWorking with Boomers

Believe they are Believe they are leading consensually leading consensually but they may not be!but they may not be!

Show them where Show them where they can excelthey can excel

Public recognitionPublic recognition Reward work ethicReward work ethic

Generation X Generation X (1960-1980)(1960-1980)

Slacker or “Me” Slacker or “Me” GenerationGeneration

Challenger TragedyChallenger Tragedy AIDSAIDS Fall of the Berlin WallFall of the Berlin Wall MTVMTV Apple ComputersApple Computers Gulf WarGulf War

The Gen X “Me The Gen X “Me Generation”Generation”

Mom began working Mom began working outside homeoutside home

More skeptical and More skeptical and less optimistic than less optimistic than BoomersBoomers

Tech savvy Tech savvy Less relationship Less relationship

oriented than oriented than Boomers – resent Boomers – resent close supervisionclose supervision

Gen X Core ValuesGen X Core Values

DiversityDiversity Thinking globallyThinking globally Balance Balance TechnoliteracyTechnoliteracy FunFun InformalityInformality Self-relianceSelf-reliance PragmatismPragmatism Work to playWork to play

Xer’s in the WorkplaceXer’s in the Workplace

AssetsAssets TechnoliterateTechnoliterate IndependentIndependent AdaptableAdaptable Not intimidated by Not intimidated by

authorityauthority CreativeCreative

LiabilitiesLiabilities ImpatientImpatient Poor people skillsPoor people skills InexperiencedInexperienced CynicalCynical

Working with Xer’sWorking with Xer’s

Be willing to flex Be willing to flex scheduleschedule

Hands off supervisionHands off supervision Make work funMake work fun Offer professional Offer professional

developmentdevelopment Realize their need for Realize their need for

variety at workvariety at work Out of the box rewardsOut of the box rewards

Millennial Generation Millennial Generation (Born in 1980’s and 1990’s )(Born in 1980’s and 1990’s )• 9-11 9-11 • Cell PhonesCell Phones• MP3 players, MP3 players,

downloading, downloading, Napster…Napster…

• Information Super Information Super highwayhighway

• Instant MessagingInstant Messaging• Facebook, My SpaceFacebook, My Space• Reality TVReality TV• IraqIraq

Gen Y’s Core ValuesGen Y’s Core Values

• OptimisimOptimisim• Civic DutyCivic Duty• ConfidenceConfidence• AchievementAchievement• SociabilitySociability• MoralityMorality• Street SmartsStreet Smarts• DiversityDiversity• Want to move up fastWant to move up fast

Traits and Tendencies of Gen Traits and Tendencies of Gen YY

• ImpatientImpatient

• AdaptableAdaptable

• InnovativeInnovative

• Let them multi-Let them multi-tasktask

• Ask for their inputAsk for their input

• Harness their Harness their energyenergy

• Source of new Source of new ideasideas

Traits and Tendencies, cont; Traits and Tendencies, cont;

• EfficientEfficient

• DesensitizedDesensitized

• Projects with Projects with dead-linesdead-lines

• Move away from Move away from hourly payhourly pay

• Connect through Connect through their heartstheir hearts

Working with MillenialsWorking with Millenials

• Budget time for Budget time for plenty of orientationplenty of orientation

• Dump idea of Dump idea of traditional gender traditional gender rolesroles

• Continue Continue professional professional developmentdevelopment

• Mentor programsMentor programs

Traits and Tendencies, cont.Traits and Tendencies, cont.

• DisengagedDisengaged

• SkepticalSkeptical

• ResilientResilient

• Emphasize the Emphasize the good stuffgood stuff

• 100% truth100% truth

• Let them in on Let them in on the futurethe future

And more ……And more ……

• DisrespectfulDisrespectful

• BluntBlunt

• TolerantTolerant

• CommittedCommitted

• Don’t demand Don’t demand

• Structured forumStructured forum

• Don’t segregate Don’t segregate themthem

• Make them Make them believe!believe!

Generation iYGeneration iY

• Overwhelmed – Overwhelmed – 94 % stressed out94 % stressed out

44 % depressed44 % depressed

10% considered 10% considered suicidesuicide

• Stress is both external Stress is both external and internaland internal

Over-connectedOver-connected

• Respond to stress by Respond to stress by getting lost in virtual getting lost in virtual world or by trying to world or by trying to over performover perform

• Don’t take time for Don’t take time for self discoveryself discovery

• Short on patience, Short on patience, listening skills and listening skills and conflict resolutionconflict resolution

OverprotectedOverprotected

• Safety, safety, Safety, safety, safety!safety!

• So sheltered by So sheltered by parents, teachers, parents, teachers, counselors and counselors and government that government that they have trouble they have trouble learning learning independent coping independent coping skills.skills.

OverservedOverserved

• Very high self Very high self esteemesteem

• 80% of high school 80% of high school students feel they students feel they are very important are very important peoplepeople

• Where do they get Where do they get this idea?this idea?

Tips for connecting with the iY Tips for connecting with the iY generation.generation.

1.1. EXPERIENTIALEXPERIENTIAL

2.2. PARTICIPATORYPARTICIPATORY

3.3. IMAGE RICHIMAGE RICH

4.4. CONNECTEDCONNECTED

Generational FeedbackGenerational Feedback

• Feedback style and form can be Feedback style and form can be impacted by generational differencesimpacted by generational differences

Feedback stylesFeedback styles

• Traditionalists – “No news is good Traditionalists – “No news is good news”news”

• Boomers – “Feedback once a year and Boomers – “Feedback once a year and lots of documentation.”lots of documentation.”

• Xers – “Sorry to interrupt but how am I Xers – “Sorry to interrupt but how am I doing?”doing?”

• Millenials – “Feedback whenever I Millenials – “Feedback whenever I want it at the push of a buttonwant it at the push of a button

Generational Meaning of Generational Meaning of FeedbackFeedback• Traditionalists – seek no applause but Traditionalists – seek no applause but

appreciate subtle acknowledgement that appreciate subtle acknowledgement that they have made a differencethey have made a difference

• Boomers often give feedback to others but Boomers often give feedback to others but seldom receive feedback, especially positiveseldom receive feedback, especially positive

• Xers need positive feedback to let them Xers need positive feedback to let them know they are on the right trackknow they are on the right track

• Millenials are used to praise and may Millenials are used to praise and may mistake silence for disapproval – need to mistake silence for disapproval – need to know what they are doing right and what know what they are doing right and what they are doing wrongthey are doing wrong

Motivating the GenerationsMotivating the Generations

• One size does not fit all!One size does not fit all!

TraditionalsTraditionals

Use personalizationUse personalizationVisual status symbolsVisual status symbols

BoomersBoomers

• Public recognitionPublic recognition

• PerksPerks

• Chance to prove themselvesChance to prove themselves

• Get them quoted in journal or Get them quoted in journal or newsletternewsletter

• ConsensusConsensus

• Reward work ethicReward work ethic

Gen XGen X

• Give multiple projectsGive multiple projects

• Constructive and constant feedbackConstructive and constant feedback

• Freedom and funFreedom and fun

• TechnologyTechnology

• Watch out for the “good old boy’ Watch out for the “good old boy’ networknetwork

Gen YGen Y

• PersonalPersonal

• ProportionateProportionate

• PunctualPunctual

• PublicPublic

Generational Work Generational Work Performance ExpectationsPerformance Expectations

• EVERY employee EVERY employee should be held to should be held to the same standardthe same standard

• No adaptation No adaptation should be made should be made that compromises that compromises the integrity of the the integrity of the job or compromises job or compromises the effectiveness the effectiveness on your department on your department to carry out its to carry out its missionmission