Generational Issues in the Work Place

Mark FitzgeraldBoise State University

Power of communication

"For digital immigrants, people who are 40 years old who spent their college time in the library acquiring information, the Internet is really a miraculous source of knowledge. Digital natives, however, go to the Internet not to store knowledge in their minds, but to retrieve material and pass it along. The Internet is just a delivery system.'' (Bauerlein)

Generations in the workplaceVeterans: 1922-1945Baby Boomers: 1946-1964Generation X: 1965-1980Millenials: 1981-2000

First time having 4 Generations in the Work Place!

Size in the workforceGeneration Y will be 63 million strong by 2014. Larger than either

X (41 million) Boomers (48 million)

More than 5.1 million Americans, 65 years of age or older, are still active in the workforce.

https://sdwp.emeetingsonline.com/emeetings/sdwp/102/backgrounder-gary.pdf

CharacteristicsVeterans Boomers GenX Millenials

Role Models SupermanEisenhowerBabe Ruth

Martin Luther KingJohn F. KennedyJohn Glenn

Michael JordanPrinces DiTiger Woods

Values DedicationSacrificeRespectAuthority

OptimismTeam OrientatedInvolvement

DiversitySelf-RelianceBalanceLatch Key

SociabilityAchievementStreet Smart

Communications Let’s meet

Call me any time

Call me at work

Text Me

If you had a question where do search for an answer?Row Labels Baby Boom Gen X Gen Y

I would ask a coworker 31% 23% 29%

I would contact my local network administrator/Help Desk 40% 32% 29%

I would search on the web 22% 39% 33%

Other 7% 6% 8%

Grand Total 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Name the generational issuesTechnologiesCommunicationTensionRespectWork ExpectationsHelicopter Parents

Balance at workDefine business casual?

Are flip flops allowed?What else is changing in the office?

Hey Dude!

How do different generations view these technologies?

Comments about Google Apps

Baby Boom59%

Gen X36%

Gen Y5%

Google Apps Is A Social Networking Tool

In the past 30 days I have been as efficient with Google as GroupWise

Agree 3 Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Baby BoomGen XGen Y

Have you integrated Google Apps into your pedagogy?

No

Yes

0.00%10.00%

20.00%30.00%

40.00%50.00%

60.00%70.00%

80.00%90.00%

Baby Boom

Baby Boom

Gen X

Gen X

Gen Y

Gen Y

Gen YGen XBaby Boom

Our Google Apps transition

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Google Apps is Less Functional Google Apps is

Equal Google Apps is more functional

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

Comparing Functionality of Google Apps to GroupWise

EmailCalendarOther Features

Boomers

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Google Apps is Less

Functional Google Apps is Equal Google Apps is More

Functional

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

Comparing Functionality of Google Apps to GroupWise

Baby Boom - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-EmailBaby Boom - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-CalendarBaby Boom - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-Other Features

Gen X

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Google Apps is Less

Functional Google Apps is Equal Google Apps is More

Functional

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

Comparing Functionality of Google Apps to GroupWise

Gen X - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-EmailGen X - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-CalendarGen X - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-Other Features

Millenials0 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

Google Apps is Less Functional Google Apps is

Equal Google Apps is More Functional

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

Comparing Functionality of Google Apps to GroupWise

Gen Y - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-EmailGen Y - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-CalendarGen Y - Count of How would you rate the functionality of Google Apps as compared to GroupWise-Other Features

Transition by Generation

Gen YGen X

Baby Boom

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Rate your transition to Google Apps

DifficultNeutralSuccessful

Methods of CommunicationGeneration Y more likely to call – Why?

Wanting to connectNot Wanting to fix it themselvesNot as technical as perceived

Multiple conversations at a timeIM, Text, Cell, Blog, Landline etc.World of one way, fragmented conversations

Text-message generation entering workplace http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14576541/

Training Preference -Gen Y

Gen Y Likely

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

1 College User Groups2 Brown bag Demonstrations3 Instructor Led Computer Classroom4 Training Videos5 Department Meetings6 Website Tutorials

Did you watch our training videos?

Yes39%

NO61%

Baby Boom

Did you watch our training videos?

Yes37%

NO63%

Gen X

Did you watch our training videos?

Yes33%

NO67%

Gen Y

What about Value of Videos?

Gen YGen X

Baby Boom

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Value of Training Videos

Neutral to IneffectiveEffictive

Generation Y and Management“Is it possible that it's the older workers who

will ultimately have to adjust, forced to do away with the personal touch in favor of pure speed and efficiency?”

How did people responded to different types of communication?Row Labels Blog Website Email Paper Flyer In Person

MeetingGen Y 5.00 6.04 6.88 5.08 5.83Gen X 6.05 6.54 6.62 3.46 6.92Baby Boom 4.60 5.50 6.19 3.43 6.14Grand Total 5.09 5.84 6.37 3.53 6.34

Generation Y and Management“Matt Berkley, 24, a writer at St. Louis Small

Business Monthly, says many of his generation have traveled and had many enriching experiences, so they may clash with older generations they see as competition or not as skilled. "We're surprised we have to work for our money. We want the corner office right away," he says. "It seems like our parents just groomed us. Anything is possible. We had karate class, soccer practice, everything. But they deprived us of social skills. They don't treat older employees as well as they should.“”

Who is complaining about service?

Gen Y Gen X Baby Boom0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

Rate the service by the OIT Help Desk

Group1 - DisastisfiedGroup1 - 3 Neither - 3 NeitherSatisfied

Generation Y and ManagementMore than 60% of employers say they are

experiencing tension between employees from different generations - Lee Hecht Harrison.

The survey found more than 70% of older employees are dismissive of younger workers' abilities. And nearly 50% of employers say that younger employees are dismissive of the abilities of their older co-workers.

Baby Boomers and VolunteerismIn 2005 1/3 of 77 million boomers

volunteered for formal organizationshttp://www.getinvolved.gov/Imagine your workforce and the issues you

face with a large percentage as volunteersWho will be managing?How will the training be accomplished?Who is going to do the hard stuff?Do you think there will be communication

issues?

TakeawaysHighly SkilledMulti TaskingCommunicate differentlyDifferent Expectations

You can fight itYou can accept itYou will have to deal with it

Discussion