GENERATIONS: Same, but Different

23rd @ 4 pm

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Paul Clarke Nonprofit Resource Center Allen County Public Library

Today’s Objectives

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Understand volunteers

Understand generations

Strategies for engagement

Volunteers in the USA

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• Boomers

• Gen X

• Gen Y

• Gen Z

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Who volunteers the most?

•Gen Y – 28.9%

•Gen X – 28.0%

•Boomers – 23.5 to

25.1%

•Gen Z – 21 to 22.3%

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.toc.htm

• Men

• Women

•Women 27.8%

•Men 21.8%

Education attained

• High school

• Some college

• B.S. degree & above5

B.S. or above 38.8%

Employment status

•Working

•Unemployed

•Not in Labor Force

Marital status

•Married

•Unmarried

•Parents with kids

Working 27.2%

Parents w kids 31.3%

How do they become involved?• On their own• Were asked

Type of organization?

•Educational or youth

•Religion

•Social or Community service

Time spent annually?Median – 52 hours

Range high 94 hours (age 65+) to

low of 36 hours (age under 35)

Become involved?On their own 41.6%

Were asked 41.2%

Religious 33.1%

Educational or youth 25.2%

Social or Community 14.6% 6

Volunteering in

• 26.9% of residents volunteer

• 1.474 million volunteers

• 25.2 volunteer hours per capita

• 132.14 million hours of service

• $3.1 billion of service contributed

• 51% of Hoosiers donate $25 or more7

http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/IN

Generations Same…

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Pu

rpo

se Mission

Inte

rest

ing

Work

Tim

e

Respect

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Similar Work Values

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1.Teamwork.

2.Flexible work arrangements.

3.Work-life balance.

4.Having a job that challenges.

5.A company that provides continual

training and development opportunities.

6.Employee is involved in decision-making

processes that affect employee’s work.

7.Being financially rewarded for the work

employee does.

Generation Clashpoints

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Clashpoint Traditionalists Baby Boomers Generation

Xers

Millennials

Institutions Are loyal to

institutions

Want to put their

own stamp on

institutions

Are skeptical of

institutions

Will judge

institutions on

their own merits

Rewards Satisfaction of a

job well done

Money, title,

advancement,

renewal

Freedom is the

ultimate reward

Work that has

meaning for “me”

Feedback No news is good

news

Formal yearly

feedback with lots

of documentation

Frequent, honest,

immediate

feedback

Feedback

whenever I want it

at the push of a

button

Balance Support me in

shifting the

balance

Help me balance

everyone else

and find meaning

myself

Give me balance

now, not when I’m

65

Work isn’t

everything; I need

flexibility to

balance all my

activities

Training I learned it the

hard way; you can

too

Train them too

much and they

might leave

The more they

learn, the more

they stay

Continuous

learning is a way

of life

Job Changing Job changing

carries a stigma

Job changing puts

you behind

Job changing is

necessary

Job changing is

part of my daily

routine

Cuspers bridge the gap…

Silents / Boomers

1940 – 1945

Boomers / Gen X

1960 – 1965

Gen X / Millennials1975 - 1980

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Important roles …

Mediating

Translating

Explaining

Coordinating

Resolving conflicts

Communication,

Feedback &

Appreciation

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…Communication

Preferences

Feedback Appreciation

Silents No news is good

news

Subtle, w/o fanfare

Satisfaction of job

well done

Boomers Don’t

appreciate

feedback

Money, title

recognition

Gen X Sorry to interrupt,

but how am I

doing?

Freedom is the best

reward

Not public

recognition

Gen Y Whenever I want

it and at the push of a button

Meaningful work

Recognizeexceptional work 15

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Strategies for

Engagement

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Same, but different

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Program

Alignment

Outreach

Ideas

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Boomer

Program Alignment:

Repackage the way volunteer opportunities are presented. Focus on skills and work to be done.

Outreach Idea:

Relationships with corporations and business associations

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Gen X

Program Alignment:

Flexibility in roles and schedules, casual attire,

and a comfortable environment

Outreach Idea:

Internet (bulletin boards, chat rooms, websites)

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Gen Y

Program Alignment:

Create meaningful positions with real responsibility

Outreach Idea:

Post artistic flyers in cafes, diners, bookstores, other art/media centers

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How To Motivate

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Volunteers

Gen X

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•Let them do it their way

•Remove unnecessary rules

•Give them control of their work

•Provide more frequent feedback

•Give time to have fun at work

•Remove anything that looks like “old boy network”

Gen Y

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•Team them up with others like them

•Be open, fair and honest

•Teach them what they need to know

•Take the time to orient them

•Provide on-going development

•Provide a mentor from the most seasoned group

Silents &

Boomers

• Provide meaningful & challenging work

• Focus on skills & experience

• Create mentorship opportunities

• Provide occasions for networking – telling the

story

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Generations Donate…

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28

29

30

31

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https://www.classy.org/blog/infographic-generational-giving/

Resources

• Bls.gov

• Volunteeringinamerica.gov

• Case Foundation

• Nonprofithub.org

• Gettingsmart.com

• MatureMarketInstitute.com

• Knoll.com

• Classy.org/blog

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34Thanks! Marilynn & Elise