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Valuing Generational Differences

Valuing Generational Differences. Mixing and Managing Generations in the Workforce. Learning Objectives. Who are these Generational Groups Shared life experiences Shared Beliefs / characteristics Why should this matter to you as managers? Communication Team Building Leadership .

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Valuing Generational Differences

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  1. Valuing Generational Differences Mixing and Managing Generations in the Workforce

  2. Learning Objectives • Who are these Generational Groups • Shared life experiences • Shared Beliefs / characteristics • Why should this matter to you as managers? • Communication • Team Building • Leadership

  3. Four Generations in the Workforce • The Veterans • Born prior to 1945 • The Baby Boomers • Born 1945-1964 • Generation X • Born 1965-1980 • Generation Y/(Millenials) • Born 1981-1993 • Generation Z (entering) • Born 1994-2004

  4. Just the Facts • Percentage in the workforce • 12.8% Veterans • 25.7% Boomers • 20.4% Gen X • 27.6% Gen Y

  5. Video Clip: Boomers & Generation Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2k3Mx07B9I

  6. Characteristics of Veterans • Dedicated to job once they take it • Respectful of authority, even when frustrated • Duty before pleasure • Patience is a virtue • Honor and integrity critical • Reluctant to challenge the system • Give maximum effort

  7. Veterans in the Workplace • Appreciate formality and order • Reluctant to challenge how things are done • Expect them to be honest and straightforward, but tactful • Comfortable with top-down, command and control systems with leadership clearly defined • Bound by duty, tradition and loyalty

  8. Baby Boomers • Live to work – give maximum effort • Results driven • Plan to stay with organization over the long term • Retain what they learn • General sense of optimism • Unprecedented influence • Willing to go into debt • Tend to be team and process oriented • Strive for convenience & personal gratification • Individuality, tolerance and sometimes self-absorption

  9. Baby Boomers in the Workplace • Positive, confident • Like being the star of the show • Like to build consensus around their plan • “Thank God it’s Monday” • Watch their response to face-to-face updates • Like loose structures that have temporary teams and task forces and informal power centers • Long hours and hard work is honorable

  10. Generation X • Technology savvy • Like informality • Learn quickly • Seek work/life balance • Embrace diversity • Jobs viewed w/in context of contract • Sense of contribution while having fun • Versatility provides security • Don’t trust institutions • “Marriage is forever, but my parents got divorced.” • “If you work hard, you’ll always have a job. But my parents were laid off.”

  11. Generation X in the Workplace • Work to live, but expect work to be fun and help them grow • Not loyal to the employer, but will stay longer if development opportunities exist • Value and expect a certain degree of autonomy • A job is more than a way to make money • Like diversity • Self-reliant • Appreciates directness • Aren’t into teams or meetings, unless they call them • Equate structure with bureaucracy • Like flexibility of work hours • May want to leave the office at 3:00 to attend an event for kids, but they will login after the kids are in bed

  12. Generation Y • Pick up on new technology very quickly • Drawn to authenticity, consistent expectations, autonomy • Like informality • Embrace diversity • Demonstrate respect only after treated with respect • Learn quickly • Conditioned to live in the moment • Like things NOW • Earn money for immediate consumption • Question everything

  13. Generation Y in the Workforce • Expect a desire for coaching / mentoring • Want fast upward mobility • Not worried about organizational hierarchy • Will work hard if you give them a reason to work hard • Interested in work results more than work hours • Want flexibility, want to work hard, get the job done and then go home • Want to be involved in decisions/ direction • Meaningful work very important

  14. Generation Z(Generation Next) • Limited research so far on this generation • on the brink of being a part of the workforce • Growing up on the web, fully expects instant gratification. They thrive on acceleration and next, next, next. To Gen Z, dial-up is as ancient as the dinosaurs. • Grown up with social communities, such as Facebook. They value the ability to spread messages to vast sums of internet users. • Find little value in privacy; personal information is only sensitive when it comes to money and everything else is fair game. (Consider the issue of privacy as it cascades through Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. Privacy is less of a concern with the more tech-savvy generations.)

  15. Why Does This Matter??? • Understanding these differences can help us: • Communicate more effectively • Improve Customer Service • Train more effectively • Understanding what motivates each Generational Group • Recruit and Retain employees • Engage employees • Lead more effectively

  16. Communication Style Preferences

  17. Tips to Customize Communications • Recognize subtle differences and tailor communications • Delegate work in a way that involves the strengths of each group • Hold fewer and shorter meetings for Generations X and Y • Customize educational programs to meet individual employee’s preferences

  18. Preferences for Training • Veterans and Baby Boomers prefer classroom training • Gen X may take online training course to do at home (after the kids are in bed) • Gen Y and Gen Z uploads podcasts into their iPod to listen to while driving home at night

  19. Preferences for Feedback

  20. Group Exercise • Comparisons of events and themes throughout the years.

  21. Understanding Veterans • Create positive working relationships by gaining trust and respecting their experience without being intimidated by it • Ask for and listen to their experiences – they have valuable knowledge to share • Gain their confidence by demonstrating compassion and understanding

  22. Understanding Baby Boomers • Show appreciation for their energy and hard work • Approach them with respect for their achievements • Involve them in participating in the organization’s direction and implementation of change initiatives • Challenge them to contributing as part of a team to solve organizational problems • Offer opportunities to serve as a coach as part of the change process • Support work/life balance • Later years

  23. Understanding Generation X • Respect the experiences that have shaped their beliefs and thinking • Tell them the truth • Clearly identify boundaries • Honor sense of work/life balance • Offer mentoring programs • Clearly communication that repetitive tasks and quality checks are part of the job • Offer learning opportunities

  24. Understanding Gen Y • Take time to orient them with respect to the organization’s culture • Provide structure and strong leadership • Be clear about expectations and long-term goals • Set them up with a mentor right away • Give them challenging projects to work on • Listen when they challenge the status quo

  25. Remember:One Size Doesn’t Fit All • Not everyone has all the characteristics of their generation • Don’t assume everyone has the same needs/ preferences • All generalizations are dangerous , even this one…. • Alexandre Dumas, 1824-1895 • Good guidelines to help build understanding • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb1n5aZHwks

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