four generations multi generations in today’s … · benefits of the multi -generation work team...

FOUR GENERATIONS MULTI GENERATIONS IN TODAY’S WORKFORCE

MaineHealth Leadership Training Judith West, SVP & CHRO

Benefits of the Multi-generation Work Team

• The team can attract and retain talented people of all ages.

• The team is more flexible. • The team can gain and maintain greater market share

because its members reflect a multi-generation market. • Decisions are stronger because they’re broad-based with

multiple perspectives. • The team is more innovative and creative. • The team can meet the needs of a diverse public and can

relate more effectively.

General Information • Average Living Age

• Average Women live to age 85 • Average Men live to age 82

• This is expected to go up in the future.. • People will choose to stay in the work environment longer.

• Age of Social Security Retirement is going beyond the age of 65

Leading a Multi-Generational Workforce

• Today, it is very common for leaders to manage a multi-generational team. Each generation has its unique mindset, work style, and ways of communication. Managers need to recognize how to motivate team members individually and capitalize on strengths each member brings to the team.

• Understanding attitudinal and behavioral differences among team members of different generations is an important tool of driving engagement.

Exercise

• Generation Y (New Millennium – Born post 1980)

• Teams of 3-4 – make a list of words that describes this generation.

Life Magazine 1968 • Bad Attitude • Continually Complains • Gossips • Rude • Apathy • Disloyal –Will Quit in a Minute • Wants Rewards • Wants to Have Fun

Description of a Youthful Generation – New and Inexperienced

Each Generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it and wiser than the one that comes after it.

George Orwell

Four Generations

• The Traditional Generation (Born pre-1945)

• Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)

• Generation X (Born 1965-1980)

• Generation Y (New Millennium) (Born 1981-2000)

• Generation Z (Born after 2000)

Current Trends • Everyday 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 55 years old.

• First Time the number of workers entering the workforce will not replace those leaving.

• Traditionalist and Boomers embody the culture of most organizations today.

Healthcare Challenge • Healthcare will be one of the first industries hit with the

Boomer Challenge.

WHY

Generations in Workplace (National)

45%

5%10%

40%

Baby Boomers Traditionalists Generation Y Generation X

MH – Boomers 42.03% Traditionalists 1.35% Generation Y 20.81% Generation X 35.81%

Generational Challenges

•13% of Americans age 41-59 (Boomers) are sandwiched between caring for their young children (Gen Y) and aging parents (Traditionalist & Boomers) at the same time.

“People resemble their times more than they resemble their parents.” -Arab proverb

The Traditional Generation Before 1946

•Generational Sign Post •World War II •Prohibition •Korean War •Great Depression •New Deal

The Traditional Generation (General Descriptions) ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES

• Highly Dedicated • Hardworking • Civic Pride • Value Discipline • Respect for Authority • Likes Structure • Detail Oriented • Willing to make sacrifices • Stay for the Long Haul • View work as a privilege • Believe in Mentor and passing

knowledge and experience on.

IN WORKPLACE • Are loyal and expect the same in

return • Did what they were told • Believed in Leadership • Excellent interpersonal skills • Believe promotions, raises and

recognition should come from job tenure and experience.

• Want clear defined goals and direction

• Reluctant to “challenge” the system

The Traditional Generation Believes

Life is not a brief candle it is a splendid torch that they want to pass on.

Learn to Communicate, coach and motivate The Traditional Generation

• Train 1 on 1 • Ask for their opinion (they may have a much better solution, but until you ask they will keep it to themselves so as to not “rock the boat”)

• Tell them their experiences are highly valued. • Don’t forget to say “Please” and “Thank you”.

Communication – Traditional Generation

• Don’t expect them to Share their Thoughts immediately.

• Face to Face or Written Communication is preferred.

• Don’t waste their time or let them feel their time is being wasted.

• It is important to give them an opportunity to share their experience.

Baby Boomers Born 1946-1964

• Generational Sign Post • Vietnam War • Civil Rights Movement • “Free Spirit Movement” • First Generation to have report card

scoring on plays and works well with others.

• First Generation to focus on Education. • President Kennedy assassinated • U.S. moon landing • Women’s liberation demonstrations. • World’s first heart transplant.

Baby Boomers (General Descriptions) ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES

• Accept Authority Figures • Value Career • Personal Growth • Results Driven • Self Focused • Good Team Players • Service Oriented • I am what I do Attitude • Work Hard and Long Hours • Cynical, but Loyal • Want Immediate Gratification • Willing to go the extra Mile • Wants Respect • Uncomfortable with Conflict

IN WORKPLACE • Believe in Champion, evaluate

themselves and others based on Work Ethics

• Work Ethic measured in hard work and hours worked

• Believes Team Work is critical to Success

• Expects Loyalty from those they Work With

• Believe Relationships are Important

• Can be over sensitive to feedback • Not naturally budget minded • Can be judgmental

Learn to Communicate, coach and motivate Baby Boomers

• They believe they have never met a problem they couldn’t solve, bluff, power through or write a book about….

• Challenge them to create change (think of the 60’s and 70’s; Baby Boomers forced great legal and social changes.

• Recognize their unique qualities and characteristics. Boomers like to feel unique and different from their co-workers.

• Appreciate their strong work ethic, willingness to work long hours, and desire to prove themselves.

Learn to Communicate, coach and motivate Baby Boomers

• Provide them with resources and involve them in the decision making. They like a collaborative and consensual environment. They feel important when you include them in the decision-making process.

• Communicate face-to-face and directly. Give them continual feedback with evidence.

• Recognize them publicly. They like to be praised in from of others.

Communication – Baby Boomers

• Are the Me Generation. Body Language is important when Communicating.

• Speak in an open Direct Style but avoid controlling language.

• Answer Questions thoroughly expect to be pressed for more details.

Baby Boomers One of the challenges with this generation is that they have been so work related (invented the 60

hour work week) and tend to be self-centered as a generation did not share mentor knowledge with

next generation.

Did not raise next generation to work as hard.

A generation that is not willing to give into ageing.

Generation X Born 1965-1980

• Generational Sign Post • First to have large number of both Parents

Working • Latch Key Kids/Managed Themselves • Impact of Terrorism • Watergate • Computers • MTV • Gulf War • Era of high inflation and downsizing • Global energy crisis • Stock market plummets • Challenger and Chernobyl disaster • AIDS identified

Generation X (Smallest Generation) (General Description)

ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES

• Independent • Training/Learning Focused • Like Informality • Seek Work/Life balance • View work as just a job • Think Globally • Self-Reliant • Technology Savvy • Learn Quickly • Embrace Diversity

IN WORKPLACE • Want open Communication

regardless of position, title or tenure.

• Respect Production over Tenure • Value having Control • Looks for a Person to whom they

can connect with. • Casual relationships to Authority • HUGE detest for

micromanagement

Generation X • Enable a Balanced Life • Change represents Opportunity • Independent Worker & Learner (If their ideas to do a job better and faster won’t work, be prepared to explain WHY)

• Create a merit value culture • Gets the Job Done their way • Ideal reward is Work at Home Flexibility or Time Off not “lunch out with boss”.

• Have a value of making the world better. • May be the first generation that will not be better off then their parents.

Generation X Born 1965-1980

• Generation X entered the job market in the wake of the “Boomers” and were confronted with new terms like “downsizing” and, “outsourcing”. They tend to be skeptical toward authority and cautious in their commitments. Managers need to recognize those characteristics.

Communication – Generation X

• Prefers Open and Constant Communication regardless of Position, Title and Tenure.

• Use Email as a primary Communication Tool.

• Talk in Short Sound Bites to keep their Attention.

• Share information with them – need to keep them in the Loop.

• Use Informal Communication Style. • Advance online communication

Learn to Communicate, coach and motivate Generation X

• Freedom from traditional management practices. Give them the elbow room to e creative in the way in which they accomplish tasks and goals. Allow them the opportunity to make choices to use their own resources and creativity to achieve success. Invite them to engage in multiple projects and empower them to prioritize these projects themselves so they feel in control.

• Give them room to grow. To engage their employees, managers need to clearly communicate their employees’ career paths and align their career goals to the company goals.


• Provide challenging tasks. Allow opportunities to learn new skills and provide a variety of responsibilities. This group loves learning opportunities and training programs. They know that keeping their abilities current is critical for their professional success, so investing in training programs can build on job satisfaction and engagement.

• Coach briefly and be straightforward. Gen X members are self-learners. Encourage them to figure things out themselves. As questions like: “What do you think is the best approach?” and “How do you plan to solve this problem?”. These employees feel appreciated when you need and ask for their opinions and ideas. Show them how their work makes a difference.


• To achieve full engagement from Gen X’s the manager needs to be proactive, show strong leadership skills, and foster a positive working environment.

• Listen attentively and respect their opinions. Provide constructive and direct feedback on their progress. They need to know what they are doing right and what they need to improve. This goes hand-in-hand with their desire for self-development, improvement, and engagement.

Generation Y (Millennials) Born 1981-2000

• This generation grew up with technology. They are the employees most familiar with technology changes and multitasking. Extensive use of social media is one of the significant differences with older generations. Coming of age during a shift toward values, they are attracted to organizations whose missions speak to a purpose greater than a bottom line. Millennials are motivated from opportunities to learn and develop. In general, family and work-life balance are important to them.


•Generational Sign Post • Stay at Home Dads & Soccer Moms • Helicopter Parents • Exposed to Technology prior to

entering School (spends an avg. of 6 hours a day using technology)

• World Trade Towers • First Black President • Presidential Female Candidates • Iraq War • Experienced Parents being laid off.


• 97% own a Computer • 94% have Cell Phones • 76% Instant Message • 75% of college students have a face book account • 34% use website for news source (this # growing daily)

• 70% when eligible contribute the max to their 401 plan

• High percentage prefer to own their own business • Expect to move around in jobs – very loyal to employer if continually learning and growing but will move on if they are not growing and learning.

Generation Y (Millennials) (General Description) ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES

• Self Confident • Goal Focused • Optimistic • Can Do Attitude • Like Informality • Open to Feedback • Out Spoken • Technology Savvy • Learn Quickly • Want Meaningful Work • Likes working on a Team • Expects consistent Learning

IN WORKPLACE • Search for individual who will

help them achieve their Goals

• Wants open constant Communication and Positive Reinforcement

• Works to Shed Stress in their lives

• Works to achieve personnel fulfillment

• Need Supervision • Wants an employer that is

improving society.

Generation Y (Millennials) • Challenge to Manage – Need awards for everything because they “got trophies” and certificates for showing up.

• Work is not their priority. • Need to have a good vision and what good are “we the employer” doing for the world.

• Focus • What can I learn today • What can I Volunteer • What will you offer me today • How will I be rewarded today

Generation Y (Millennials) • Wants a wide range of projects to work on. • Want to be valued for their creativity. • Have no problem with going directly to the CEO and by passing management if they do not believe things are going ok.

• Important to chat with co-workers • Lives at home work on Fridays. • Instant messaging • Freedom to do more • They insist in a high level of Management if not high level will not stay.

Generation Y (Millennials) • Provide frequent Rewards (think: video games, where points add up quickly)

• Be clear about what rules are important and why and provide specific training.

• Identify which rules you can bend, change or get rid of.

• Need to train them on how to plan beyond today. • Set up a learning pathway for them and continue to follow up.

• Have some FUN!

Communication – Generation Y

• Use Action Words and Challenge them at every opportunity.

• Will resent it if you talk down to them.

• Prefers Communication through Technology.

• Real time access to information that is updated and fresh.

• Quick response to emails • Paper is OUT

Learn to Communicate, coach and motivate Generation Y (Millennials)

• Coach them directly and know they will get the point quickly. Paint visual pictures to engage, motivate, and inspire them. Use different electronic forms to communicate with them.

• Get to know them as personalities and create a person-centered relationship with them. Show respect and interest in their personal lives. Focus on their personal values and goals, try to align those with the company’s goals. Provide opportunities for learning, personal growth, and responsibility. Communicate company’s overall vision and plans for growth.


• Positively challenge their abilities, creativity, and interest. Gen Y-s like to be challenged. Assign them projects from which they can learn. They like to try new things. Encourage them to use the latest technology and media. Stimulate out-of-the box thinking and innovation.

• Crate a positive, informal, and fun team environment and delegate tasks. Gen Y-s prefer to work in tandem with others. Often their colleagues became their friends. Assign challenging and meaningful work. Show them how their work makes a difference and that it is important to the team and the company’s goals.


• Give them flexibility, and they will be loyal to you. • Respect their personal lives, family concerns, and health

issues, and they will pay you back with respect as a leader.

• Create an environment where reciprocal feedback is encouraged. Show Generation Y employees your door is always open for them. Recognize them frequently with positive feedback. Personal recognition from direct managers is a very effective motivator.

Gen Y vs Boomer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JugpV3jg0Cg&sns=em

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JugpV3jg0Cg&sns=em

Exercise • Identify at least one action item you plan on adding to

your management style in managing the multi-generation workforce that you believe will have a positive impact in your Department and Engagement.

Generation Z After 2000

• Technology Lifestyle From the Beginning

Generation Z - Characteristics Gen Z is part of a generation that is global, social, visual and technological. They are the most connected, educated and sophisticated generation ever. They are the up-agers, with influence beyond their years. They are the tweens, the teens, the youth and young adults of our global society. They are the early adopters, the brand influencers, the social media drivers, the pop-culture leaders. They comprise nearly 2 billion people globally, and they don’t just represent the future, they’re creating it. Gen Z’s have been born into the crisis period of terrorism, the global recession and climate change. They are predicted to spend their young adult years in a time of economic and social renewal. They are also living in an era of changing household structures, and are the students of today and university graduates, employees and consumers of tomorrow.

Generation Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmNzZf0996o&sns=em

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmNzZf0996o&sns=em

Did You Know? • Today’s Learners will have 10-14 jobs by age 38. • 1 in 4 Workers have been with their employers for less than a year.

• 1 in 2 Workers for less than 5 years. • 1 out of 8 Couples married in the US last year met on line.

• 200 Million Users on My Space. • 31 Billion Searches on Google every month.

Did You Know? • Today the number of Text Messages sent and received every day exceeds the total population of the Planet

• Years it took to reach a Market Audience of 50 Million:

Radio – 38 Years TV – 13 Years

Internet – 4 Years IPOD – 3 Years

Face Book – 2 Years

Question – How Well Does Your Organization Manage a Workforce with

Multiple Generations?

four generations multi generations in today’s … · benefits of the multi -generation work team...

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