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Managing the Next GenerationAt Work
Who are These Kids, Anyway?
They don’t show up.
They don’t know how to work.
They want to start at the top.
They aren’t loyal.
They question everything.
They have the attention span of a gnat.
They think they are entitled to everything.
Generation:A body of individuals born in approximately the same time period who generally share similar behaviors and attitudes.
“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.”
The Four Generations
Traditionalists/Veterans – (Born 1922-1945)
Baby Boomers – (Born 1946-1964)
Generation X – (Born 1965-1982)
Millennials/Generation Y – (Born 1983-2000)
How the Generations Differ
Social, Political, and Economic Influences
Familial Structure and Influence
Education
Values
Work Ethic
Understanding these differences
is the key to managing them.
Traditionalists/Veterans
Born 1922-1945
Influences: Social, Political & Economic
Great depression
World War II
New Deal
G.I. Bill
Korean War
Cold War
Familial Structure & Influence
Traditionalists grew up in nuclear families consisting of two parents and children.
Fathers typically worked while mothers stayed home.
As a result, traditionalists tend to be conservative, rule-abiding, and appreciative of authority.
Education
For most Traditionalists, higher education was not possible.
They valued hard work, and their focus was on scraping by financially.
For many, religious education was just as important as formal (school) education.
Values
Courtesy
Discipline
Dependability
Authority
Tradition
Security
Stability
Loyalty
Logic
Baby Boomers
Born 1946-1964
Influences: Social, Political & Economic
Civil Rights Era
Equal Rights Era
Rise of the Suburbs
Television
Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll
Space Exploration
JFK
Watergate
Vietnam War
Familial Structure & Influence
Like Traditionalists, Baby Boomers grew up in relatively traditional, nuclear families.
However, because of their optimism and the Civil Rights Era, Baby Boomers are more open to change.
Education
Education became much more of a common aspiration among
Baby Boomers.
Most Baby Boomers completed high school and over a fourth of Baby Boomers have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
Values
Adventure
Vision
Change
Rapport
Equality
Openness
Standing out
Success
Generation X
Born 1965-1982
Influences: Social, Political & Economic
Fall of Berlin Wall
Operation Desert Storm
Energy Crisis
MTV and Rock/Punk/Grunge Music
Challenger Space Disaster
AIDS epidemic
Rodney King Affair
Familial Structure & Influence
Generation Xers are also known as latchkey kids, who grew up during a dramatic increase in two-income households. They often came home to empty houses.
As a result, Generation Xers are more self-reliant, although they tend to question authority.
Education
Generation Xers were the best educated generation before Generation Y (Millennials).
They were better educated than both Traditionalists and Baby Boomers.
Many view college as a means to an end, the end being a solid career path.
Values
Freedom
Flexibility
Independence
Frankness
Efficiency
Access
Personal Life
Millennials/Generation Y
Born 1983-2000
Also Known As:
Echo Boomers– named for many being the children
of Baby Boomers.
Generation Me– named for being more confident but
also more self-absorbed and demanding.
Internet Generation– named for being the first generation
to grow up with widespread use of the internet.
Influences: Social, Political & Economic
Rap and Hip Hop Music
Oklahoma City Bombing
Lewinsky Scandal
Columbine and Other School Shootings
Dot Com Crash
Religious Scandals
Enron and Corporate Scandals
War in Iraq
Proliferation of Communications and Mobile Technology
9/11
Familial Structure & Influence
Millennials have grown up in non-traditional families with a record number of divorces.
– 1 in 4 lives in a single-parent household.
For many Millennials, both mothers and fathers work and take part in child-rearing.
– 3 in 4 have working mothers.
Familial Structure & Influence
Millennials’ families are more child-centered, with parents involving themselves in their children’s activities and education.
Millennials have a strong sense of their own self worth, are ambitious, and believe they can achieve anything.
Only 26% marry by age 32 vs 65% of Veteran generation.
Education
Millennials are the most educated generation yet. More than a third have advanced degrees.
They spend much more time on homework than previous generations.
They value college education despite expensive tuition costs.
Values
Flexibility
Entertainment
Creativity
Variety
Education
Achievement
Meaning
Personal Life
Values
Millennials’ are the least religious of the four generations. (58% vs 74%)
Millennials are the most politically independent (50% vs 32%) and see fewer differences between the two major parties.
However, they tend to be more liberal than their predecessors.
Values
Millennials’ are the most racially diverse of the four generations. (43% non-white, half of newborns are non white)
Millennials are the least trusting generation. Only 19% believe you can trust most people compared to 40% of boomers.
They are the most optimistic generation in terms of their financial future (85% vs 56% for veterans).
Work Ethic
Value challenging, variable, meaningful work.
Work is a venue for involvement and achievement.
Work is important but so is personal life.
Preferred Leadership Approach
Respect authority and rules similar to Traditionalists.
Value a relationship with the immediate boss.
Respond best to an informal, engaging, and “fun” approach.
Communication Style
Like informal communication that feels positive and personalized to them.
Value patience and clarification.
Prefer electronic communication over meetings.
Interaction with Others
Millennials have a collaborative spirit and are good team players.
They value social networking.
Millennials are also respectful of the experience of others.
Millennials may be perceived as having poor communication skills, being rude, or feeling entitled due to their self-confidence and willingness to ask for what they want.
Approach to Feedback
Millennials like to be given feedback for something immediately after they do it.
They are a generation known for wanting instant feedback and praise.
This isn’t just an egocentric thing – Millennials are eager to please and looking to be coached.
View toward the Employer
Millennials’ view toward employers are dependent on their specific work experiences.
They have high expectations for their boss and their work experience.
Unmet expectations drive them to leave.
Work vs. Personal Life
Careers must leave room for personal lives.
Seek flexible scheduling and part-time or temporary leave options.
What they Want
Millennials prefer to receive immediate rewards for their achievements.
Like Generation Xers, they want more challenges and opportunities to develop their skills.
Financial Behaviors
Millennials have already won a reputation for being financially savvy.
Though they are willing spenders, they are concerned about adequate saving and financial security.
They care about job benefits, including retirement benefits.
Relationship with Technology
Millennials are the first generation “native” to digital technology. They have been using it from childhood.
They are very comfortable with technology, and they excel at its use.
They prefer to have up-to-date or cutting edge technology in the workplace.
Technology
Expectations
Instant feedback/gratification, praise
Have fun at work
Work on a variety of tasks
Mentorship
Training and opportunities for professional growth
Flexible schedules
Pros and Cons…
Millennials Pros/Cons
Pros driven
can multi-task well
technologically savvy
quick learners
flexible
respectful of rules, authority, and elders
Cons want instant
gratification/praise
have high expectations for management
need guidance
lose interest if they don’t perceive work to be meaningful
need to have fun
can appear self-absorbed
Motivating Millennials
Encourage through positive feedback.
Make work entertaining.
Inspire them to work toward a vision or cause.
Offer additional training opportunities.
Support creativity and diversity.
Take their ideas into serious consideration despite their youth.
Implications for Management
Be a mentor:
Millennials place great importance on their relationship with their immediate boss.
They see their boss as a resource for learning, training, and growth opportunities.
They also may see their boss as a big reason to leave a job.
Implications for Management
Be a mentor:
They also value frequent communication with their boss, which includes feedback.
They expect their boss to be directly involved in overseeing their career development.
Implications for Management
Structure work:
Give them numerous tasks with deadlines, a clearly defined schedule, and measurable goals.
Inform them of the steps involved in a project, and allow them to complete it in pieces.
Implications for Management
Challenge them:
Put Millennials on the fast-track to increased responsibility.
As soon as they enter the workplace, they are looking to move forward and upward within the company.
They want to prove their worth, so allow them the opportunity to do so.
Generational Disconnect
Veterans have the tendency not to question or challenge authority.
This may cause confusion and resentment among the Gen Xers and Millennials who have been taught to speak up.
Generational Disconnect
Gen Xers and Millennials may fail to actively listen to Boomers and Traditionalists thereby missing valuable information and guidance.
Communication Tips
Communication Tips: Millennials
Be descriptive to form mental pictures.
Always ask for their feedback.
They will respect you if you show your respect through language.
Communication Tips: Millennials
They will resent it if you belittle them.
Assure them that you do not take yourself seriously by using humor.
Encourage them to go against the norm and seek alternate paths or options.
Summary: The Differences
Feedback
Veterans: “No news is good news.”
Boomers: “Feedback once a year and lots of documentation.”
Gen Xers: “Sorry to interrupt but how am I doing?”
Millennials: “Feedback where I want it at the push of a button.”
Summary: The Differences
Corporate Tenure
Veteran: want to be appreciated due to their years of service, and want to know that they will be taken care of.
Boomers: want to be praised for longevity and big on equity.
Gen Xers: praise for longevity does not work; corporate hoppers.
Millennials: although loyal, longevity within a company is not essential.
Summary: The Differences
Job Expectations
Veteran: Do what needs to be done.
Boomers: Need understandable and brief job expectations.
Gen Xers: They will question the task if they can’t see its reasoning.
Millenials: Want to make a difference, do not want boring jobs.
Summary: The Differences
Retirement
Veteran: “Put in 30 years, retire and live off of pension/savings.”
Boomers: “If I retire, who am I? I have not saved enough money, so I need work.” Many are defined by what they do.
Summary: The Differences
Retirement
Generation Xers: “I may retire early. I’ve saved my money. I may want different experiences and change careers.”
Millennials: Appear to be similar to Generation Xers.
Conclusion
Ireland 2006
Effective leadership in this century can no longer be “my way or the highway.” We must have a vision for the future, an understanding of our employees and a plan that meets their needs as well as those of the company. But a vision and a plan without execution is meaningless.
