Generations in the Workplace

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Generations in the Workplace

• June 2013
• Aging Odyssey
• Ouida Crozier, M.Ed.
• Equal Opportunity Access Division
• MN Department of Human Services

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Learning Objectives

• Identify the 4 generations
• Identify the formative experiences and value
  systems of each generation
• Understand impact of these experiences and values
  on the workplace
• Understand and respect what is important to each
  generation
• Identify varying approaches to interacting with
  co-workers from each generation

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The Generations in Todays Workplace

• The Veterans/Matures (b. 1922-1943)
• The Baby Boomers (b. 1943-1964)
• Generation Xers (b. 1960/64-1980)
• Gen-Y/Gen-Next/Millennials (b. 1980-2000)
• (Generations at Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak,
  c. 2000)

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The Veterans/Matures

• Born 1922-1943
• Early memories are of Great Depression WWII
• Around 40 million people still living from this
  generation
• Includes The Sandwich/Forgotten Generation (b.
  1930-1940)

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The Baby Boomers

• Born 1943-1964
• Earliest memories are post-WWII
• Around 75 million people still living from this
  generation
• Two cohorts
• Early Boomers (b. 1943-1954)
• Late Boomers (b. 1954-1964)

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Generation X

• Born 1960/64-1980
• Earliest memories are post-Boomer
• About 50 million people from this generation
  still living
• Also two cohorts
• Early Gen-X (b. 1960-1970)
• Later Gen-X (b. 1970-1980)

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Gen-Y/Millennials

• Born 1980-2000
• Earliest memories include computers and other
  digital media
• About 75 million people in this generation
• Also two cohorts
• Early Gen-Y (b. 1980-1990)
• Later Gen-Y (b. 1990-2000)

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The VeteransA Deeper Look
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Formative Events Veterans

• The Dustbowl and the Great Depression
• World War II Pearl Harbor the Holocaust
  Hiroshima Nagasaki
• Created the United States as we have known it for
  more than half a century 1 country in the world
  politically, militarily, industrially
• Built our infrastructure from Interstate highways
  to national power grids to a powerful central
  government
• Vaccines, the conquering of communicable
  diseases, public health infrastructure
• The Korean War

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Veteran Values

• Dedication sacrifice
• Hard work can accomplish anything
• Conformity adherence to rules
• Respect for authority
• Law order
• Patience delayed rewards
• Duty first, pleasure later
• Honor

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Forgotten/Sandwich Veterans (b. 1930-40)

• Not old enough to serve in WWII
• Korean vets but lack the recognition of those who
  served in WWII
• Never had their own President
• Smaller cohort than older Veterans much smaller
  than Boomers
• Suffered the brunt of change in social mores
• Learned to act as go-betweens excelled at
  mediation
• Many are still in the workforce

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Veterans Cultural Touchstones

• Down on the farm
• The Shadow, The Lone Ranger
• Golden Era of Radio
• Tarzan the Ape Man, Flash Gordon
• Mickey Mouse, Blondie
• JL Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman
• Marilyn, Mae West, The It Girl
• Clark Gable, John Wayne, Gary Cooper
• Vinyl records 33 1/3 rpm
• Coats ties, nylons, neatly styled hair

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Veterans Heroes/Role Models

• Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) (1882)
• Eleanor Roosevelt (1884)
• Helen Keller (1880)
• Generals MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower (1880,
  1885, 1890)
• Winston Churchill (1874)
• Gary Cooper Audie Murphy (1901, 1925)
• Babe Ruth Joe DiMaggio (1895, 1914)

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The Baby Boom GenerationA Deeper Look
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The Baby Boomers

• Born 1943-1964
• Earliest memories are post-WWII
• Around 75 million people still living from this
  generation
• Two cohorts
• Early Boomers (b. 1943-1954)
• Late Boomers (b. 1954-1964)

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Formative Events Boomers

• Post-WWII prosperity
• McCarthyism
• Polio vaccine others become widespread
• Civil rights movement 64 CR Act
• Silent Spring, Peace Corps
• Birth control pills, Nuclear reactors
• Assassinations of JFK, MLK, RFK
• The space program, men on the moon
• Vietnam War, protests, Kent State U shootings
  LBJ declines to run again
• Agnew resigns Watergate Nixon resigns

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Boomer Values

• Optimism/We can change the world
• Team work
• Personal gratification/Me-generation
• Well-being personal growth
• Youth-oriented
• Work defines me
• Social involvement
• Question authority
• Trust no one over 30

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Early Boomers (b. 1943-54)

• Idealistic
• Felt a part of the 1960s revolutionary changes in
  culture (Hippies)
• Workaholics putting career over family
• More lifetime income and bigger assets (Yuppies)

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Later Boomers (b. 1954-1964)

• More realistic
• Environmental movement begins
• Family important, career second
• Embraced changes in sex roles shared parenting
• More cynical experienced assassinations
  Watergate
• Experienced Reagan recession and down-sizing

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Boomers Cultural Touchstones

• Ed Sullivan Elvis
• The Beatles
• The Rolling Stones
• Cadillacs, Continentals, Corvettes
• Fallout Shelters, Suburbs
• Golden era of TV
• TV Dinners Hula hoops
• The Mod Squad Laugh-In
• Peace sign, Love-ins, Woodstock
• 45s and 8-tracks
• Designer jeans/glasses, trendie fashion

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Boomers Heroes/Role Models

• Gandhi (1869)
• John F. Kennedy (1917)
• Robert Kennedy (1925)
• Jacqueline Kennedy (1929)
• Gloria Steinem (1934)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929)
• John Glenn (1921)
• Golda Meier (1898)

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First Two GenerationsCompare Contrast
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Veterans vs. Boomers

• Veterans
• Followed tradition (sex roles, culture)
• Loyalty (marriage, work, family)
• Disciplined approach
• Be patient, wait for rewards to come
• Play by the rules
• Boomers
• Redefined roles promoted equality
• Left unfulfilling relationships in pursuit of
  others that would bring happiness
• Sought immediate gratification
• Changed the rules

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On the Job Veterans

• Pluses Minuses
• Stable, reliable - Ambiguity change are hard
• Detail oriented - Hesitant to buck the system
• Thorough - Uncomfortable w/ conflict
• Loyal, team players - Not likely to speak up
  when they disagree
• Hard-working - Value Hierarchy
• Spend wisely

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Veterans Communication Preferences

• Use good grammar clear enunciation
• Discrete, formal
• Link msg to company history
• One-to-one
• High regard for skills in interpersonal
  communication

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On the Job Boomers

• Pluses Minuses
• Service-oriented - Not budget-minded
• Driven - Reluctant to buck peers
• Willing to go the - Uncomfortable w/ conflict
• extra mile
• Good at relationships - May value process over
  results
• Want to please - Not always accepting of
  feedback
• Team-spirit - Sometimes self-involved
• Value quality

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Boomers Communication Preferences

• Take time for rapport
• In person
• Link msg to company vision/mission
• Call me anytime!
• Diplomacy

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Motivating Messages Veterans

• Your experience is valued/respected here.
• Experience is a good teacher!
• Its useful for us to hear what has and hasnt
  worked in the past.
• Your perseverance is valued and will be
  rewarded.
• Quality of work is even more important than
  quantity of work.

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Motivating Messages Boomers

• Youre important to our success.
• You're part of the family here.
• Your contribution is unique and important.
• We need you here you can make a difference.
• This work is worthy of what you bring.
• Theres room here for personal and professional
  growth.
• This is a cutting-edge place to work. We are
  making history!

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The Next GenerationGen-X
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Generation X

• Born 1960/64-1980
• Earliest memories are post-Boomer
• About 50 million people from this generation
  still living
• Also two cohorts
• Early Gen-X (b. 1960/64-1970)
• Later Gen-X (b. 1970-1980)

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Formative Events Gen-X

• Womens Rights Movement education opens doors
• Watergate Nixon resigns
• Oil crisis of 1970s
• Personal computers introduced
• Jonestown
• Three Mile Island
• Iran hostage crisis
• John Lennon assassinated
• Massive corporate layoffs recession of the 80s
• Ride, Sally Ride Challenger disaster
• Fall of Berlin Wall end of Cold War
• First Iraq War

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Gen-X Values

• Work-Life balance
• Technological literacy
• Informality
• Self-reliance
• Pragmatic
• Fun
• Think globally
• Be skeptical
• Diversity is good

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Early Xers (b. 1960/64-1970)

• Cynical, pessimistic
• Dont trust the Fortune 500
• Huge debt from college education
• Experience is the best teacher
• Self-reliant latch-key kids
• But still were stuck living at home

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Later Xers (b. 1970-1980)

• dot.com boom ? better job opportunities
• Skills in demand
• Commanded high starting salaries
• Changed the workplace flexibility
• Entrepreneurship is good
• More economic independence

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Gen-X Cultural Touchstones

• The Brady Bunch
• Dynasty
• ET
• The Ninja Turtles the cartoon
• Pac-Man
• Cassette tapes
• Cabbage Patch Dolls
• Disco, John Travolta, platform shoes
• Gas wars of the 1970s
• Friends
• Playing on the edge extreme sports
• Nirvana, Grunge scene
• Nose-rings, naval-rings, functional clothing,
  tats

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Gen-X Heroes/Role Models

• This generation rejects the notion of shared
  heroes and role models
• they heard about or lived through the
  assassinations of the 1960s,
• and witnessed Watergate, Jonestown, Three Mile
  Island, the Iran hostage crisis, and the
  Challenger disaster.
• Any heroes they have are personal and no one
  elses business.

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The Boomers XersCompare Contrast
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Boomers vs. Gen-X

• Boomers
• Challenged authority
• Center of media attention
• Defined and excited by work live to work!
• Politically active socially at work
• Gen-X
• Go around authority ignore social position
• Dont let them label you!
• Work to live Get a life!
• Politics never solved anything usually makes it
  worse dont waste time on that at work

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On the Job Gen-Xers

• Pluses Minuses
• Adaptable - Impatient, want it now
• Technoliterate - Poorer people skills
• Independent - Self-interested
• Unimpressed by - Cynical, jaded
• authority
• Creative - Lack attachment to a specific
  job
• /- Conservative spenders

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Gen-X Communication Preferences

• Get to the point!
• Avoid buzz-words, clichés, and hyperbole
• Lighten up! Dont take things so seriously
• Often prefer e-mail or texting
• Call me at work, not at home!

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Motivating Messages Gen-X

• Weve got the newest hardware software.
• There arent a lot of rules to follow. Youll
  have lots of choices.
• Were not very corporate here.
• Theres plenty of opportunity to do it your
  way.
• We offer a lot of flexibility in
  work-scheduling.
• Theres plenty of opportunity for advancement
  here.
• You can tele-commute a fair amount.

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The Newest GenerationGen-Y/Millennials
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Gen-Y/Millennials

• Born 1980-2000
• Earliest memories include computers and other
  digital media
• The fawned-over offspring of the most age-diverse
  set of parents in U.S. history (teens, Xers,
  Boomers)
• About 75 million people in this generation
• Also two cohorts
• Early Gen-Y (b. 1980-1990)
• Later Gen-Y (b. 1990-2000)

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Formative Events Gen-Y

• InterNet is ubiquitous
• Attempted assassination of Reagan
• Challenger disaster
• Black Friday (10/87) dot.com boom (mid-90s?)
• Fall of Berlin Wall end of Cold War
• First Iraq War
• Oklahoma City bombing abortion clinic bombings
  Columbine shootings
• Princess Diana killed Mother Teresa died
• President Clinton impeached
• U.S. experiences new wave of immigration from
  new countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America
• 9/11

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Gen-Y/Millennial Values

• Passionate optimism
• Civic duty morality
• Confidence
• Achievement
• Immediate, honest, frequent feedback
• Sociability Loyalty towards others
• Call to collective action/We can change the world
• Street smarts, protect yourself
• Old is good music, clothes, entertainment
• Diversity tolerance
• Gender equality, racial equality

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Early Millennials (b. 1980-1990)

• Video games Nintendo, Sega
• Families are in again
• CDs are where its at for music, VCRs for video
• AOL, Hotmail, home computers
• Buy now, pay later for everything
• End of cold war
• Recession

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Later Millennials (b. 1990-2000)

• Video games Xbox, Wii
• iPods and DVRs/ Laptops and cell-phones
• Facebook, YouTube, High-speed InterNet
• Columbine other school shootings
• Terrorism is a daily fact of life
• Kids integrated into adult activities
• Nuclear family becomes minority model
• Global electronic pen-pals
• Boom-times economically
• News as entertainment

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Millennials Cultural Touchstones

• Barney, Nickelodeon
• The Ninja Turtles the movies
• Virtual pets
• Beanie Babies, American Girl dolls
• Oprah, Rosie, Ellen, Britney
• Michael Jordan, Shaq, Koby, Kirby, Sammy Sosa
• Kerri Strug, Mia Hamm, Venus Serena
• Michael Jackson, The Spice Girls, N Synch
• CDs MP3 players, video games, e-mail, personal
  computers/RWCDs
• Casual style, fondness for retro, mix-n-match

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Millennials Heroes/Role Models

• Princess Diana (1961)
• Mother Teresa (1910)
• Bill Gates, Steve Jobs (both 1955)
• Mia Hamm, Tiger Woods (1972, 1975)
• Christopher Reeve (1952)
• First responders
• Their parents
• Barack Obama (1961)
• Instant celebrities

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The Xers MillennialsCompare Contrast
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Gen-X vs. Millennials

• Gen-X
• Go around authority ignore social position
• Dont let them label you!
• Work to live Get a life!
• Politics never solved anything usually makes it
  worse dont waste time on that at work
• Millennials
• Embraced by authority value wisdom/experience
• Center of attention
• Were used to being busy we can multi-task!
• We are all in this together and together we can
  make a difference

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On the Job Millennials

• Pluses Minuses
• Optimistic - May need supervision structure
• Tenacious goal-oriented - Lack experience in
  dealing with interpersonal issues
• Multi-tasking - Prefer e-communication to
  face-to- face or telephone
• Techno-savvy - Lavish spenders of others
• money
• Confident demand - Impatient Lets try
  something
• respect new!
• Value the collective welfare - Unrealistic
  expectations

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MillennialsCommunication Preferences

• E-mail
• Texting, instant messaging
• Voice mail
• Polite
• Social networking

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Motivating MessagesMillennials

• You can help turn things around.
• Youll be working with other bright, creative
  people.
• Your boss has been here a long time.
• Most of our work is team work.
• You can make a difference here.
• There is a lot of flexibility here.
• You will be treated respectfully and paid well.
• We expect you to speak up, ask for what you
  need.

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In Summary

• At Work
• Veterans are in search of Quality
• Boomers seek to retain Control
• Gen-Xers are in search of Truth
• Millennials seek Identity

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In Summary, cont.

• It matters less the exact year a generation is
  said to begin than the formative events a
  generation experiences collectively, and which
  events and generational values an individual
  identifies with
• Knowing which generational context a person comes
  from is important for working with and managing
  other employees

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In Summary, cont.

• Generational differences tend to manifest in
  behaviors i.e., the ways in which values are
  demonstrated
• Friction between individuals of differing
  generations is most likely due to the behaviors
  through which ones values are manifested not
  to differing values

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Looking Forward

• Size does matter it impacts the current
  workplace where Boomers are holding spots that
  Xers want, but which will most likely be filled
  by Millennials when Boomers retire
• Motivate with messages tailored to each
  generation, but keep in mind the desires that are
  universal
• being valued
• recognition
• appreciation

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Forward, cont.

• Create safe environments for direct, honest
  communication, teach employees how to
  communicate through dialogue and active listening
• Taking time to tailor your approach to working
  with others in recruiting, hiring,
  collaborating, and managing is well worth the
  investment will pay off with improved
  performance productivity!

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Forward, cont.

• In recruiting, employ mission-based hiring
• In training, advance leadership development,
  skills training, problem solving, team building,
  and communication skills for members of all
  generations

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Forward, cont.

• In your environment, foster dialogue and efforts
  to understand differing ways of demonstrating the
  same underlying values
• Organizationally, be attuned to the behavior of
  all employees, and adjust policies, benefits, and
  operational culture to best serve the overall
  goals and operation of the organization

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Discussion

• Implications in your workforce?
• Generational selling points when recruiting?
• Retention of Xers and Millennials?