• Generational differences impacting performance/engagement
• Identify communication styles
• Contrast values, goals, expectations
• Unify workforce, capitalize engagement and satisfaction
Objectives
DIFFERENT CORE VALUES
DIFFERENT IDEAS
DIFFERENT WAYS OF GETTING IT DONE
DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATION
1) Attract and retain talented people of all ages
2) More flexible
3) Stronger decisions, broad based, multiple perspectives
4) More innovative and creative
5) Meets the needs of a diverse public and can relate more effectively
• Traditionalists 1928-1945 73 y/o
• Baby Boomers 1946-1964 72-55
• Gen X 1965-1978 54-41
• Millennials 1979-1996 40-23
• Gen Z After 1997 22 y/0
• Behavior based on experience growing up in WWII
• Men worked, women stayed home to raise children
• Depression, WWII, McCarthyism, Started Civil Rights movement
• Children were “seen”, but not heard
Boomers 1946-1964
•Radicals of the 70’s, Yuppies of the 80’s
•Civil and Women’s rights movement, Vietnam War, Sexual Revolution, Assassination of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King
•American Dream promised to them as children
Generation X 1965-1980
•Came of age when USA was slipping as most powerful and prosperous nation in the world
•Grew up taking care of themselves, watching politicians lie and their parents get laid off
•Single parents, latchkey kids, downsizing, increasing divorce rates
Millennials (Gen Y) 1981-1995
• Came of age in period of economic expansion
• Kept busy as kids, hyper structured, not allowed to fail, entitled, self esteem curriculum
• Grew up more sheltered, “Helicopter parents”, close family relationships although 50% from divorced families
• Digital/Social media, school shootings, 9/11, terrorist attacks
• Smart phones and Social Media
• Never knowing a world free of global terror and war
• Great Recession
• Cyberbullying
• Complexity of Life
Values - Boomers•Loyal to employer, optimistic, self aware
•Salary, title, promotion, driven to achieve
•Value hierarchy and strong chain of command
•Live to work
•Can be set in their ways
Values - Gen X
• Skeptical, cynical, relaxed, comfortable environment
• Value integrity and honesty, not hype
• Entrepreneurial, self directed
• Work to live
• Challenges authority, respect earned
• Prioritize both family and work not sacrificing one for the other
Values - Millennials
• Loyal to those who help them vs. company
• Results oriented vs Time clock oriented
• Confident, high achieving and expect to contribute Day
• Instant knowledge due to technology skills
• Community outreach, diversity and volunteerism vs. money
• Feedback and team oriented
• More realistic, not idealistic
• Private—don’t want to be tracked
• Entrepreneurial
• Personal contact
• Division of labor• Work ethic built on commitment, conformity,
responsibility• Seniority and age correlate• Kept work and family separate• Move up ladder by working hard and persevering• Not likely to “rock the boat”, break rules or disrespect
authority• Tend to stay a long time in one workplace
• Always learning• Workaholics• Likes relationships in the workplace • Prefer face to face communication• Focus on process and output, not implications and
outcomes• Job status and symbols important• Always been seen as loyal to their company
STRENGTHS
• Executive presence
• Cost Effectiveness
• Hardworking
WEAKNESSES
• Expectations
• Cynicism
• Lacking in tech skills
Communication - Boomer
•Somewhat formal through structured network
•Mix of electronic and face to face
•May struggle with technology
•Meetings
• Likes more casual, fun workplace• Technology savvy• Approaches authority casually• Skeptical• Needs minimal supervision• Prefers flexible work hours• Started 80% of new businesses in last 5 years• Easy to recruit, hard to retain
STRENGTHS
• Relationship building
• Problem solving
• Productive
WEAKNESSES
• Problems with authority
• Strong need to work independently
• Skeptical of everything
Communication - Gen X
• Casual, direct approach
• Prefer conversation immediately after event
• Use clear and specific language
• Tech savvy—prefers email, web, social media and instant messaging
Goal setting is a priority
Can-do attitude of Traditionalist
Teamwork ethic of Baby Boomers
Technology savvy of X’ers
Search for co-worker with the same high ideals they have
Communication - Millennials
•Fast, casual and direct
•High Tech, participative conversations
•Entire life surrounded by technology
•Clear, direct and specific. Follow up to ensure message
Areas of Conflict
• Work Hard, put in the time
• Seniority matters
• Perfectionist
• “Facetime”(time spent in office)
• Pay your dues
Boomers
• Don’t bother me I prefer to work alone
• No chatting or office gossip
• Mistrust, prove it to me
Gen X
Areas of Conflict
Gen Y• Strong sense of entitlement
• Impatience
• Don’t want to be told what to do without explanation
• Why
• Unfair, condescending, inconsistent leaders
Areas of Conflict
Motivators
Gen X• Work/Life balance
• Time off
• Autonomy
• Personal development
• Recognition(private)
Motivators
Gen Y• Competitive pay
• Regular, detailed feedback
• Purposeful work
• Volunteerism
• Experiences
• Free flowing digital and mobile information
• 1) Observed the work driven stress levels of parents• --far less willing to sacrifice lives for work
• 2) Traveling teams and helicopter parents• --need more frequent feedback and approval
• 3) Most technologically connected generation ever• --huge awareness of other jobs available and great
visibility into other leadership cultures in other organizations
MYTH
• Younger generations of Millennials have no workethic
REALITY
• Millennials have a self-centered work ethic
MYTH
• Younger generations don’t want to put in the hours to get ahead
REALITY
• They are willing to put in the time to do the job, however, they are uninterested in “face time”
MYTH
• Millennial employees have no respect for authority
REALITY
Millennials have great respect for leaders and loyalty, but not just because they are “supposed to”
• Opportunity to learn and grow
• Quality of Manager
• Quality of Management
• Interest in type of work
• Opportunity for advancement