Managing Through Generational Gaps

Managing Through Generational Gaps PMI Nova Scotia Chapter March 7, 2012 Dalhousie University Club Brian Duggan CHRP Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group Limited

Leading Multiple Generations FourChallenges Three Opportunities

This group: 62% Boomers; 32% Gen X; 3% Gen Y and Z • What are your thoughts about generation ____ in the workplace? • What does a well managed multi-generational workplace look like?

Why talk about this? People are living and working longer Could be up to five generations in one work place Generational attitudes – ‘firewalls’ Generational knowledge e.g. social media; networks

Framework Key Factors Leadership Business Objectives People

Challenge One Who can tell us their personal mission?

Challenge One • Know yourself • What is your passion? • When you go to work what are you looking forward to? • What do you bring that no one else does?

Challenge One Who can tell me the purpose of their organization?

Challenge One • Define your organization • Opportunity? • Strengths? • Innovation? • Why be part of it?

Challenge Two Are you Managing or Leading?

Managing • Classically • Looks inward • Processes • Delivers • Provides Guidance

Leading • Classically • Looks outward • Future oriented • Strategic • Visionary

Opportunity One • Create a fit • Know and use your strengths to make an impact • Align who you are with the organization • Manage and Lead: ‘work in and on your business’

Pause • Leading to achieve business objectives • It takes people • Two Questions • What are the drivers of engagement? • What about the generations?

Challenge Three Understand your people

What drives Engagement? Rational Engagement Employees believe they will personally benefit financially, developmentally, or professionally from organization. It makes sense for them to stay with the organization.

What drives Engagement? Emotional Engagement Employees believing in, valuing, or enjoying their day-to-day work, team, manager or organization. They make the linkage between their role and organizational objectives and values and their own. They enjoy or find fulfillment in the work.

Engaged or Disengaged? Employees are normally on a spectrum of engagement: Not engaged: indifferent, wait and see, no visible commitment Actively disengaged: consistently against virtually everything Engaged: builders, eager, focused ‘they want to use their strengths and talents at work’!! Adapted from C Coffman 2002

Challenge Three A multi-generational workplace • ‘Matures’ (silent) born 1925-1945 • Now ages 67-87 (10%) • ‘Baby Boomers’ born 1946-1964 • Now ages 46-66 (35%) • ‘Gen Xers’ born 1965-1979 • Now ages 32-46 (26%) • ‘Millennials’ (Y) born 1980 – 1991 • Now ages 18-32 (24%) • ‘Gen Z’s’ born 1992 – (5%)

Challenge Three • Workplace Priorities • Millennials: Salary; Advancement; Interesting Work, Work-life balance, Good benefits • This group: 36% Work-life balance and Intellectually interesting work • Gen Xers: Work-life balance, Salary, Flexible hours, Intellectually stimulating work • Adapted from Sean Lyons PhD

Challenge Three • Workplace Priorities • Boomers: Work-life balance, Good benefits, Work-values compatibility, Fulfilling work, Intellectually stimulating work • This group: 43% Intellectually interesting work; 24% Personally fulfilling work • Matures: Work-values compatibility, Policy and procedure fairness, Fulfillment, Flexible hours, Ability to use abilities/Accomplishment at work • Adapted from Sean Lyons PhD

Challenge Three • Top five motivators across generations (Lyons) • Work-life balance • Intellectually stimulating work • A good Salary • Benefits • Flexible work hours • This group: Intellectually interesting work; Work-life balance; Personly fulfilling work

Opportunity Two • Align your people with your business objectives • Use diverse strengths • Align with motivators

Challenge Four Engage your people • Leaders • Hold people accountable for performance • Recognize a job well done • Do this by knowing them

Key Understand before you judge TALK TO PEOPLE You may be surprised by what you hear

Views of Leadership • Matures: loyal to leaders because they are leaders • Boomers: will challenge leaders (rebellious 60s) • Gen X and Y: impacted by parent’s job loss, Enron … want to see leaders who are loyal however • Gen X: generally distrust leaders • Gen Y: want connection to leaders • Rachel Schaming January 11, 2010 Managing Multi-Generations in Today’s Workplace

Opportunity Three • Employees worldwide who know their manager ‘as a person’ are more likely to be engaged (Blessing White)

Have ‘Intentional’ conversations Demonstrate concern for employee/families health and wellbeing Involve employees in decision making that impacts them Listen to and value the views and contributions of employees Support employees’ sense of personal and career development; acknowledge impact of their contribution at work

Opportunity Three 59% of engaged employees say their job brings out their creativity 3% of disengaged employees say this (Gallop) 92% of 1500 Managers in the UK that identified an innovative style of leadership in their organizations felt proud to work there (www.humancapitalleague.com)

Opportunity Three 78% of engaged employees would recommend their organizations products or services 13% of disengaged employees would do the same (Gallop) 70% of engaged employees indicate that they have a good understanding of how to meet customer needs 17% of non-engaged employees say the same (Wright Management)

Opportunity Three • 86% of engaged employees say that they very often feel happy at work • 11% of disengaged employees say the same (Gallop) • 90% of leaders say that engagement impacts on their business • 25% of the same leaders have an engagement plan (ACCOR)

From Challenge to Opportunity • A multi-generational workforce supporting business objectives? • Leadership that understands and uses employee strengths • Leadership that breaks down the ‘firewalls’ between people • A workplace that is flexible and balanced

Key Messages Live in the present, it is not like it used to be! Develop an atmosphere that allows people to understand each other Understand and respect strengths without value judgment

Thank you

Managing Through Generational Gaps