5 Generations: What Happens When We Work TogetherE XC ER P T S F ROM AN I N S I GH T 1 8 0 I NDU S T RY S U RV E Y

July2018

©2018insight180,inc.

About the Surveyinsight180 isforevercurious– especiallyaboutforcesandtrendsthatshapecompanies’culturesandbrands.

GOAL:Wewantedtolearnmoreabouttheimpactofhaving,forthefirsttimeever,fourgenerations(sometimesfive!)intheworkplace.

TIMING:ThesurveywasopenfromMarch28throughApril3,2018.

APPROACH:Weusedanon-scientificapproachtosolicitparticipationforthisonlinesurvey.Oneleaderofalocal(HowardCounty,Maryland)communityofbusinessleadersagreedtoinvitememberstoparticipate.Wealsousedemailsandsocialmediatoinvitecolleagues,friendsandfamilytorespond.

PARTICIPANTS:Weaskedthatrespondentshadprofessionalworkplaceexperiencewithinthelastfiveyears.

RESPONSES:97peopleparticipated,withatleastonepersonfromeachofthefivegenerations.

©2018insight180,inc.

Tradi;onalistsb.1925–1945

BabyBoomersb.1946–1964

Genera;onXb.1965–1979

Millennialsb.1980–1994

Genera;onZb.1995–2014

Influences •  CameofageduringWWI,NewDealorKoreanWar

•  ParentslivedthroughtheGreatDepression

•  ExperiencedhardVmesgrowingup,followedbyprosperity

•  LedtheCivilRightsmovementandthesexualrevoluVon

•  ProtestedVietnamWar•  Highestdivorcerate

ever•  ExpectedtheAmerican

Dream

•  LyingpoliVcians(Watergate)

•  Parentslaidofffromwork

•  Latchkeykidsofdual-incomeparents

•  Economicrecession,thenboom,thenbust

•  (Odendivorced)parentskeptkidsbusyandprotectedfromdisappointment

•  Experienced9/11,theWaronTerror,globalfinancialcrisis

•  Globalism•  MulVracialkids,some

growingupwithsame-sexparents

Media •  Mostgrewuplisteningtoradioathome

•  AmongthefirsttohaveTVsintheirhomes

•  EmergenceofportableradiosandcolorTV

•  Technologytoentertain(consolegames,SesameStreet)

•  MTV,CNN•  Emergenceofthe

Internet

•  PC,smartphones,web,socialmedia

•  Neflix•  GPS

3DefiningTraits •  PaVent•  Loyal•  Task-oriented

•  Team-oriented•  Calminacrisis•  Strongworkethic

•  Informal•  Self-reliant•  Self-focused

•  Confident•  HotlycompeVVve•  Self-focused

•  AccepVngofdifferences•  Entrepreneurial•  Wired

Five Generations – Forces that Shaped Each

©2018 insight180, inc.

Worldevents,culturalnormsandmediahelpedtoshapekeycharacterisVcsofeachgeneraVon.

Benefits of Multiple Generations At WorkR E P R E S ENTAT I V E R E S PONS E S A BOUT TH E B ENE F I T SO F WORK ING W I TH OTH ER G ENERAT IONS

Whathaveyounoticedthat’sgreataboutworkingwithothergenerationsintheworkplace?

• 94%ofrespondentsnoticedsomethinggreataboutworkingwithothergenerations

• Majorityofexamplesfellintooneoffourcategories:• LearningandCollaboration• PerspectiveandEnergy• KnowledgeandExperience• BalanceofStrengths

©2018insight180,inc.

QUESTION

“Iworkinanorganizationwithmostlyblue-collar,40+yearoldpeopleandit’sgreattoseetheirloyaltyandhardwork.Itrytotaketheirpositivetraitsandcombinethemwiththemoderndayworkforce.”– Millennial

“Ilearnedtobemoreproficientintechnology.”– BabyBoomer

“ILOVEhavingamentorwhoisolderthanmeandhappenstobeaBabyBoomer.Ihavelearnedinvaluablelessonsaboutridingoutstorms,keepingcalmunderpressure,pickingyourbattles,andrememberingthattherearevariousperspectivesoneveryissue.”– Millennial

“Theoldergenerationshaveamuchbetterunderstandingonhowtoworkaroundcertaintasksduetotheirexperienceinthefield.Theyareagreathelptolearnmoreabouttheworkwedo.”– GenZ

“Ithelpsmetobemorecreativewhenfacedwithadifficulttasksandbecomemoreself-awareandbetterequippedtoeffectivelycommunicatewithothers.”– Millennial

Withmultiplegenerationsintheworkforce,wecaneachlearnfromothergenerationsabouthowtodoourownjobsbetter.

©2018insight180,inc.

LEARNING AND COLLABORATION

“Energylevelisveryhighwhenallagesareengagedinteams.Oldershowcalmandyoungershownewdirections.Everybodygainsifmindsareopen.”– GenX

“Beingexposedtoenergyofyoungergenerations.”– Traditionalist

“Variedtypesofenergyandperspectivesandknowledge.”– BabyBoomer

“Perspective!It'sALWAYSgoodtohavesomuchmoreperspectivetodrawfromindecisionmaking.”– Millennial

“Mostviewpointsoneverythingtogetthebiggerpicture.”– GenZ

“ThattheythinkandapproachworkdifferentlythanIdo.Ialwayslearnfromothersandlikethatenergyanddifferent-ness.”– BabyBoomer

“It'swaymorefun.Greatideasareshared.Welovehavingdifferentperspectives.”– GenX

Itcanbeenergizingtoworkwithothergenerations.Differentperspectivesimprovedecision-makingandteamknowledge.

©2018insight180,inc.

PERSPECTIVE AND ENERGY

“Theyhavedifferentbackgroundsandeducationsandcanbringcompletelydifferentideasthatenhanceourideas.”– BabyBoomer

“Knowledgegetspasseddown.Thereisgreatopportunityformentorship.”– Millennial

“Differentexperiences.”– GenZ

“Youngerworkers,too,haveknowledgetoshare.”– GenX

“Theknowledgethatcanbepassedonfromoldergenerationstotheyoungergenerationsisfast…Butittakesbothgenerationsbeingwillingtobehumbleandopentolearningfromeachotherandaskgoodquestions.”– Millennial

Welearnfromeachother’sknowledgeandexperience.

©2018insight180,inc.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

“Thebestandworstineachgenerationisbalancedbyothergenerations.”– GenX

“Oldergenerationsaremoreunflappableandprofessional.Morepragmatic.Youngerencouragetheoldertohavefunandthatenjoyingyourjobisarightnotaprivilege.”– Millennial

“Youngerworkersbringinnewideasaboutsocialinteractions.”– BabyBoomer

“Everyonehasdifferentstrengths,experiences,BabyBoomersarereallygreatwithoneononenetworkingandbringdecadesofexperience.Millennialsareveryopen-minded,readyfornewexperiencesandeagertolearn.”– GenX

“Workingwitholdergenerationsprovidesanimmenseopportunitytolearnfromother'sexperiences,gainamoreseasonedperspective,andfollowaprovenstrategy(alotoftimes!).”– Millennial

“Ilovethe‘ahhas’fromeverygenerationwhentheylearnsomethingneworstarttoseeasituationfromanewperspective.And,Ireallylikethateverygenerationhassomegreattools,tricksofthetrade.Theneweronesaremoreapttobeappsandtheolderonesprocesses,butit'sallgood.”– GenX

Together,wegetthebesteachgenerationhastooffer.

©2018insight180,inc.

BALANCE OF STRENGTHS

ObservationsTHR E E S UR P R I S I NG TH ING S WE L EARNED

Thoughthefrustrationsandbenefitsthemselvesweren’tsosurprising,weLOVEtheexamplespeopleshared.And,morepeoplecitedbenefitsofhavingmultiplegenerationsintheworkplacethancitedfrustrations.

Frustrations Balance Benefits

©2018insight180,inc.

©2018insight180,inc.

TechnologyTechnology isbothasourceofconflictbetweenthegenerationsatworkandabenefitofworkingtogether.Olderworkerstendtobefrustratedbyyoungergenerations’use (or overuse)oftechnologyatwork;youngerworkersarefrustratedbyoldergenerations’limitedtechnologyskills.Yetallgenerationspointtolearningabouttechnologyfromoneanotherasabigbenefitofworkingtogether.

Eager to Learn

©2018insight180,inc.

Ofthefourcategoriesofbenefitscitedbysurveyparticipants,LearningandCollaborationwasthemostcommonacrossallgenerations.Clearly,generationsareeagertolearnfromoneanother.

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