Generation Diversity Training
This information comes from the Boy Scouts of America Online Learning Center E-Learning for adult leaders. These are the notes from the interactive course on Generational Diversity. Understanding these differences will help you to teach and better interact with different people.
Four Distinct Generations in the American Workplace:
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The Matures
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- Includes those born before 1945, Veteranns, the "Silent Generation"
- Events: Great Depression, WWII
-- these events formed values
- Smallest portion population, 35 million members/5% workforce
- wealthiest of generation
- Loyalty to country and company is an inggrained trait
- Worked in predominantly male dominated wworkplace when women stayed home and raised children
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The Baby Boomers
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- Born between 1945 and 1964
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- Born between 1965 and 1979
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- Born between 1981 and 2000
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Generations defined by population waves
17 - 22 year period typical generation changes
What begins and ends a generation varies
There are attitudinal changes in each generation
Attitudes and birth years have a lot in common
A collection of people with similar attitudes about similar things demarcates a generation
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In order to understand the generational and attitudinal differences between the generations
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- As each generation enter mainstream sociiety, superficial trappings of rebellion tend to fall away
- What remains are deeper beliefs and valuue systems that are too important to compromise
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- Tend to admire and respect the military
- CONFORMIST
- PATIENT; Hard-working; By-the-Rules
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-Came of age during relative prosperity
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- Born between 1965 and 1980; growing up wwhen many of our national institutions were beginning to fail and disapoint
- Independent, Skeptical, "Prove it to me!!"
- Grew up with Boomer parents who spent loong hours in the office
- Heroes tend to be people they know: parrents, grandparents, coaches, teachers, mentors
- They do not share their parents value syystems (the pay your dues and be rewarded in the long run)
- Carpe Diem: control the work they do, tthe purpose of the work, and with whom they choose to work; if it doesn't suit them, they will go elsewhere
- Techno-Literate; Adaptable
-- Grew up with PCs and related technology entering their homes and workplace
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- Born between 1980 and 2000 and entering the workforce
- Millennials are techno-savvy; navigatingg the web as natural and intuitive as eating and sleeping
- very optimistic generation; high expectaations for themselves
- Individualistic; Run in Packs
- Multi-taskers; short term focus; high sttimulation
- Adult-olescence
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Team Attitudes of the four generations:
Matures (born before 1945): Team is a group, a unit, it's tangible, "it's about us, not me"
Baby Boomers (born 1945-1964): Whatever it takes, get it done, the customer, the volunteer whatever comes first, through themselves into the job; people who conform to that
Generation X (b. 1965-1980): I have a job, I fulfill a job description and then goes home for "me" time; the team is important, I play a role in that team but do not have a compelling desire fulfill the needs of the team but rather have a desire to fulfill the job description
Millennials (b. 1980 - 2000): Tell me the benefit of being on this team, what is this team experience going to be for me, what am I going to get out being part of the team - a whole lot of individual focus
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Generational Diversity:
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Attitudes and attributes of matures an extension of value systems influenced by WWII and Great Depression
- Job Strength: stable and loyal workers who follow rules and play it by the book
- Attitude/Outlook: practical and conservvative, avoiding unnecessary risk
- View of authority: respectful of authorrity
- Leadership style: based on military-likke hierarchy; seniority equals position
- Turnoffs: turned-off or repelled by vullgarity or lack of civility
- Diversity experiences: lived through ann era when ethnic segregation and prejudice were commonplace
- Performance feedback: their view of perrformance feedback is "no news is good news"
- Career goals: job security and lifetimee employments were expectations when they entered workforce
WORKING WITH MATURES:
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- Job strengths: competitive creatures geeared to win one for the team, even if it takes 60 hours a week
- Attitude/outlook: they have a positive,, "expect success" attitude
- View of authority: love/hate relationshhip with authority; obsessive workaholic focus cause them to be resentful of leaders who don't recognize their efforts as well as less committed peers or subordinates
- Leadership styles: participative leaderrship and team consensus are the order of the day
- Turnoffs: prejudice and narrow-mindedneess; what some call political incorrectness
- Diversity experience: part of activism that ushered in the civil rights movement and desegregation
- Performance feedback: believe in annuall performance feedback, based on clear and measurable objectives
- Career goals: motivated by recognition,, position and commensurate income increases that improve their lifestyle
WORKING WITH BABY BOOMERS:
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- Job strengths: with workaholic parents,, Gen Xers learned to fend for themselves, to adapt quickly, and to make the most of technology
- Attitude/outlook: skepticism, pessimismm, and "prove it to me!" attitude guide their workplace persona
- View of authority: Gen X not intimidateed nor impressed by authority alone
- Leadership style: prefer straightforwarrd, competence-based approach to leadership
- Turnoffs: don't try hyperbole and clichhe on Gen Xers; they won't be fooled
- Diversity experiences: integration and equal rights are all this generation has known and all they will accept
- Performance feedback: be prepared to giive and receive honest, straightforward performance feedback on the spur of the moment
- Career goals: they believe values basedd on what you know, making one's career a portable asset
WORKING WITH GENERATION X:
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The "adult-olescent" generation, cherished and protected by parents, has an optimistic view of future and lofty goals, but experience difficulty in focusing their efforts:
- Job strengths: effective multi-taskers;; ability with technology is almost innate
- Attitudes/outlook: optimism, a hopeful outlook, lofty expectations for themselves
- View of authority: used to being supervvised and watched (parents, teachers, coaches); polite and deferential to authority
- Leadership styles: inclusive, with an aaversion to conflict; used to being told what the best decision is, instead of being asked
- Turnoffs: Millennials are the instant ggratification generation; can't tolerate waiting and delays
- Diversity experiences: witnessing a reaalignment of racial majorities
- Performance feedback: want and need freequent performance feedback and guidance in helping them achieve their goals
- Career goals: ultimate multi-taskers, mmany Millennials see a possibility of several parallel career tracks (e.g. marketing manager and freelance journalist)
WORKING WITH MILLINNIALs
Millennials bring enthusiasm, a fresh approach to things, an excitement in learning, they bring an enormous competency in technology. Technology has always existed for them, it's like plumbing - there is no fear, there's only fluency in technology; they're great teachers of technology.
SUMMARY
Once you understand how generational attitudes and attributes translate into workplace behavior, you can increase your communication effectiveness and your positive interactions with co-workers. That equates to greater productivity and a more enjoyable work environment.
- The job still has to be done; companies and organization have to function
RECOGNITION EXAMPLES
Matures:
"I know you don't like to be singled out. But, I wanted to acknowledge the great job you did leading us to the big account win. This contract means a lot to the future of our company and to all our employees. It's a heck of a legacy for your career, and we as a group, want to say thanks."
Baby Boomers:
"I've pulled the sales team together today to thank you for your hard work and leadership in winning the new account. We framed this congratulatory letter from the chairman of the board, next to a photo of you signing the contract with the client. And, I don't want to forget this nice commission check and raise that go with the photo."
Generation X:
"When you took on this project, I told you I would make it worth you while if we won the account. Well, you proved you were up to the task. And now, I'm going to prove I meant what I said. In addition to that nice big commission check, I want you to take two extra weeks of vacation anytime you want, to make up for all those long nights and weekends you put in."
Millenials:
"I want to congratulate you on helping with the big new account. You are a unique individual, and I believe your optimistic attitude and positive personality were a big reason we won this one. I think you have a lot of potential here, and I'd like to sit down with you next week and work on some plans for your future."
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Matures:
Baby Boomers:
Generation X:
Millennials (27 years old and younger):
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Strategies aren't working - not getting the volume, not getting the type of individuals they need
Matures:
Baby Boomers:
Generation X:
Millennials:
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The younger they are, the more they've been coached by parents into asking for the 401K, the medical benefits package, the vacation plan
Employee benefits are seldom effective retention tools; Millennials have been taught to ask but they don't make job decisions on what that 'bucket of money' looks like
Matures:
The flexible benefit package is not there yet but is coming
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- They have to make a more proactive role in these relationships with these individuals
- The biggest reason why someone from Gen X and Millennials generations leave particularly within three years is because of a disconnect or dissatisfaction with the person whom they work for
- The key is to get the individual throughh the three years
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Performance Reviews and 360 feedbacks are a component of the work place
- Gen Xers and Millennials don't want theiir appraisals done this way
Millennials:
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Step 1. The leader needs to do a lot of self-reflection:
By being clear on your own profile and attitudes, you can then adjust to the other generations
Step 2. Understand the motivators in the other generations and begin to accommodate those motivators
- Allow different opinions and attitudes tto flourish
- When leaders allow this to happen, they will see a quick, quick response to these attitudes
- Word of mouth is viral "this is the placce you want to work"
- Micromanagement is not appealing for anyybody but it will drive out the Gen X and Millennials
- Very authoritarian and micromanagement iis certainly a detractor
- An expectation of scheduling, the time ccomponent, is important to understand
- TIME is such a valuable currency for Genn X and Millennials
- Formative events: civil rights movementt, Vietnam War; assassination of JFK, Robert Kennedy, and MLK Jr.; Cold War
- In control of American workplace
-- Run most of local, state, national governments
-- Bosses, managers, and CEOs of most companies
- Dominant population group >80 million meembers/45% of workforce
- 'Workaholic' describes this generation
Generation X
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- Formative Events: Watergate scandal, Chhallenger shuttle disaster, Gulf War, PC boom, escalating divorce rate among their parents
- "Slackers" unmotivated, jaded, irreverennt
- First generation that would not be as suuccessful as their parents had been
- Form their point of view, every instituttion in the country has failed to earn their trust (government, church, military, marriage, major corporations)
- Overarching attitude: "Prove it to me!""
- 45 million, significant smaller than booomers but second largest group in the workforce/ 40% of workers
- Eldest member of Gen X are beginning to assume managerial and leadership roles in many organizations and facility with new technologies is accelerating that process
Millennials
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- Formative events: OKC bombing and 9/11 terrorist attack, internet, Columbine shootings, war in Iraq
- Growing up in a world immersed in technoology: cell phones, wireless laptops, iPods, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence
- Experienced a prosperous American econommy
- Protected & cherished by boomer and Gen X parents, as children they've already been exposed to violent threat of terrorism in our country
- 75 million & just beginning to enter thee American workforce/10% of workers currently
- Technically savvy, ambitious, self-confiident group with a new and different take on the meaning of success
- Typically 17-22 years
- But sometimes an anomaly like the Gen X and Silent Generation
- Consider the environment and experiencess in which their attitudes and value systems were formed.
- As each generation reaches adulthood, thhey feel compelled to distinguish themselves from the previous generation
-- to rebel in clothes they wear, length of hair, words/language, heroes they admire
SEGMENT II: UNDERSTANDING THE GENERATIONS
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MATURES: Duty, Honor, Country, Loyalty, Self-Sacrifice
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- value personal sacrifice and dedication to nation that they witness in war
- WWII experience taught Matures to value the wellbeing of the group above the individual
-- Like to conform to norms of society; "regular Joe" is a complement
-- Heroes were not individuals, they were the group, the Army, the Navy etc.
-- From Great Depression to WWII to a period of extraordinary prosperity; matures believe in:
- Value of hard work, doing a good job and attention to detail
- Believe a person who perseveres, puts in his time, pays his dues will be rewarded in the long run
- Believes age should equal organizational seniority
-- Think of classic films where hero always willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the group ("The Sands of Iwo Jima," "It's a Wonderful Life")
BABY BOOMERS
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-- "Workaholic" coined in 1970s to describe this generation
-- Average work week for baby boomers is 55 hours
-- Most influential in the workplace and will continue to be for the next two decades
- Very competitive generation; frequently display accomplishments (trophies, diplomas, plaques)
-- believe strongly in teamwork; teamwork part of being a winner - therefore good at relationships
- Heroes were larger-than-live individualss who reflected their value system (Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela)
-- drawn to meaningful causes led by charismatic individuals
Gen X
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-- Nixon resignation
-- Growing divorce rate
-- End of Vietnam War
-- savings and loan scandal
-- Many institutions parents trusted (government, church, corporations) have not lived up to that trust
-- Take little at face value
-- Grew to be self-reliant (parents weren't home)
-- when parent came home, they wanted quality time with kids; i.e. raised as their parents' "friends"
-- Self-reliance and peer relationship with parents meant they are rarely intimidated by authority figures
-- People who have proven themselves to them
-- Only 5% of Generation X have heroes that they have never met.
-- Too skeptical and self-reliant for that.
-- They believe in Carpe Diem - seize the day
-- Early adaptors; the technophiles amou
ng us
-- Adaptable to change
-- Quick to see new applications for technology
Millennials
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-- Numbers will surpass Gen Xers and rival Baby Boomers
-- Value systems and expectation are much different
-- Difficult to find a millennial not connected to a digital device
-- Nurtured, cherished, protected by parents more than any previous generation
-- Development of self-esteem a priority; parents raised them as "friends" and worked hard
to convince them they can accomplish whatever they wish
-- Take pride in being highly individualistic
-- They run in packs - eclectic mixes of cultures, ethnicities, and interests
-- Citizens of the world
-- schedules packed with music lessons, soccer league, school activities
-- learned to multi-task, adapt to changes quickly
-- short term focus; require a high level of stimulation to remain interested in an activity (look at commercials aimed for this generation)
-- Like Gen X they admire parents and grandparents
-- Extend the gap between adolescence and adulthood longer than any previous generation
-- 50% of millennials move back home with parents after completing their education
-- Have not formed long-term plans for accomplishing their ambitions - they live their lives one day at a time
(Remember: Generation not necessarily a factor of year of birth)
Segment III: WORKING WITH THE GENERATIONS
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- Recognize that motivators of different aages and generations are different
- What makes each generation tick, what thhey want out of their career, what they expect from their leader (a boss, a mentor, a manager, etc.)
- Understanding their ages and generationss create different attitudes in similar things
- It about understanding there are differeent attitudes and expectations in the workforce
Matures
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- Show respect and deference to this generration, for the life they lived and the work they've done
- Listen attentively to the wisdom of theiir experience
- Celebrate their contributions in the worrkplace but don't overdo it; this is the "we" group oriented generation
- Remarkable customer skills, great interppersonal skills; wisdom; "let's think about this" laidback approach
Baby Boomers
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Entered the workforce by millions, creating competitive generation
- Acknowledge the time they spend in the wworkplace - the long hours invested by this workaholic generation
- Recognize their competitive wins, accompplishments, and contributions to the team with awards and title changes
- Use optimistic language; talk about posiitive goals and outcomes
- Be succinct - use short bursts of informmation. taking care of a job, elderly parents, and children keeps their lives very busy
- Average work week is 55 hours, have insttitutional knowledge, they have wisdom, longevity to see how things work, they have a work ethic and a clear understanding on how to get things done
Generation X
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- Must prove credibility to this skepticall generation; be prepared to answer the question "What have you done lately?"
- Talk short term: plans and goals shouldd be 6 months at best, 3 to 5 years at most
- Time is currency for Gen X - if they worrk late, let them come in late the next day. Reward extra performance with time off
- Recognize that Gen X finds their identitty outside the workplace
- Pessimistic by nature, be ready to preseent backup plans and fallback strategies for any new projects
- Be specific (not nebulous) about expectaations for their role and contributions
- Gen Xers believe their value is based onn what they know, and in career portability.
-- Keep them learning and growing, or be prepared for them to leave
- Gen Xer are project driven; great for giiving them tasks; they are nomads, they choose to exist on the edges; they bring loyalty to the person, they understand this role and when they become leaders they know that loyalty and retention is their responsibility
Millennials:
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- Crave immediate and instant gratificatioon; keep them busy and give them immediate feedback
- Keep assignments and plans very short-teerm, and give short, rapid bursts of information to help them focus
- Help them itemize and prioritize their aassignments and schedules
- Be direct; don't give nebulous time frammes or deadlines
- Recognize the adult-olescent phase, avoiid the "when I was your age" view and attitude
-- Understanding the what makes each generation tick is fundamental in getting the job done
-- Ignoring this and retreating will cause the following: difficulty in hiring; recruiting, retention; creating incentives, bonus, vacation plans
-- Additionally, the Millennial generation (1980-2000) is massive, 75 million people, figuring this out positions you for what is coming;
can be a strategic differentiator; helps you to figure this out so these challenges don't rise up
-- Bonus: it makes people want to come to work, it makes people enjoy their work; their values, attitudes, their characteristics, their reasons for showing up are welcomed, accepted, enjoyed; makes it a pleasant work environment
Segment IV: GENERATIONS ISSUES AND ANSWERS
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The Meaning of Work
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- About 5% of today's workplace
- They're either volunteering; they enjoy it or are bored and needed something to do with their time
-OR-
- Are working in a position of leadership or highly influential in their workplace
- Significant sense of transition
- Core component of Baby Boomers - work iss still a place to prove themselves and a place to be celebrated by their peers when they do well
- Still see work as an important part of ttheir definition; work defines that individual
- Top 5 to 10% are looking at retirement
-- They want to transfer their corporate knowledge
-- Giving the next generation the wisdom they need to carry on
- Were similar to the millennials but now they're mature
- Most are now parents; work is something they do to create a stable environment for themselves and their children
- That stable environment is not ten yearss, it's three or four years
- Beginning to say "I'm no longer bullet pproof," "beer is no longer food," "I need to talk to you about this insurance thing because that's important to me"
- Work is now in a chapter in their lives that is allowing them to look ahead three or four years into the future
- Work is something they do to afford a liifestyle
- Work is something they do to network witth their peers
- Work is something to do where they can rrely on people to help them develop their professional goals
- Work doesn't define them, at least rightt now it doesn't
Recruiting
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- Sharing wisdom
- Leaving a legacy
- An opportunity to improve themselves
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- Providing a reliable and stable place too work
- Similar to Matures
- Give them opportunities for leadership
- Talk about the things they're going to llearn
- The people they're going to work for; coonnections they're going to make
- Opportunities to develop mentors and advvocates
- What they're going to learn in the very near future "here's what you're going to do in the next six months,"... the next six weeks"
- Going to network with your peers; the peeers in the workplace are going to be a big part in the work experience
- Going to facilitate social interactions outside the work place
- Going to allow each of these individualss to be unique and special and allow them to flourish
- Introduce the millennials to the influenntial members of the organization
-- Make sure these leaders are interested in them; not necessarily be their best friend but to know them and help guide them
-- Millennials know where they are and they know where they want to be but seek the dotted line to help get them there (this had previously been done by their parents)
-- The influential members of the organization will become the facilitators that will help them develop this blue print in their workplace
- In the recruiter mode, this is what you will talk about and how you will provide that for them
Employee Benefits
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- They like the customizable benefit plan<
- Describe here is the value of employee bbenefits and you can take it in the following ways (cafeteria approach)
- Get nervous with flexible approach
Retention
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- The manager can no longer tell Gen X andd Millennials "you're an employee here just like I am, do you're job and we'll be fine"
-- that middle manager becomes a linchpin, a key to developing the relationships
-- The direct manager needs a genuine and empathetic concern for the individual
--- "How are you doing?"
--- "How can we help you?"
--- "What do you need to know?"
--- "Let's talk about your job"
--- "Let's talk about what you are doing"
--- "Let's talk about how I can facilitate different things for you"
Performance Reviews
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- Problems arise when:
-- They're continuously delayed
-- When they're not taken seriously
-- When they are performed 2 weeks prior to the boss's deadline to have it done
- Wouldn't mind quarterly feedback, "how aam I doing?" "Tell me along the way."
- More frequent the better; must be genuinne
- Must be taught what to do with the feedbback
-- This is the least criticized generation in the world; don't know what to do with the criticism
-- This criticism must be explained; what to do about the feedback
--- "Here's your performance evaluation and from this we're going to do these things. Don't look at these as strikes against you; look at these as opportunities to develop better in your workplace or as an individual"
-- Must have this extra step in their performance review (the recipe on what to do with the feedback)
--- Otherwise, if it's critical they don't know how to respond, "I'm out of here..."
Leadership and Management
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- Who am I?
- What generational profile do I fit into??
- Do I fit into one?
- Why do I believe in what I do?
- Have I inherited these ideas?
- Do I have these ideas because they're coomfortable to me?
- Do I have these ideas because they've prroven successful in the past for me?
-- a different approach to the workplace
-- a different approach to the work force
-- Work ethic goes up
-- Retention goes up
-- Recruitment will go up
-- Matures & Baby Boomers "I don't like my boss"
-- Gen X and Millennials "I'm quitting and leaving because I don't like my boss"
-- The stereotypical authoritarian model "This is when and how I work, I expect you to follow in line"
-- If you are hard, fast, set on this model you will find this doesn't work
-- They'll get the job done but they're not the typical "8 to 5-er"
-- "You should get there before the boss and leave after the boss" will not work with Gen X and Millennials
-- These generations want to spend their time in their own terms
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Revised 1 Jan 2009