Blending Generations in the Workplace

Debra S. Williams MD CPE FACEP

• Generational differences impacting performance/engagement

• Identify communication styles

• Contrast values, goals, expectations

• Unify workforce, capitalize engagement and satisfaction

Objectives

DIFFERENT CORE VALUES

DIFFERENT IDEAS

DIFFERENT WAYS OF GETTING IT DONE

DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATION

• REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY

• CHALLENGES IN HIRING

• TURNOVER RATES INCREASE

• MORALE DECREASES

1) Attract and retain talented people of all ages

2) More flexible

3) Stronger decisions, broad based, multiple perspectives

4) More innovative and creative

5) Meets the needs of a diverse public and can relate more effectively

• Traditionalists 1928-1945 73 y/o

• Baby Boomers 1946-1964 72-55

• Gen X 1965-1978 54-41

• Millennials 1979-1996 40-23

• Gen Z After 1997 22 y/0

• Behavior based on experience growing up in WWII

• Men worked, women stayed home to raise children

• Depression, WWII, McCarthyism, Started Civil Rights movement

• Children were “seen”, but not heard

Boomers 1946-1964

•Radicals of the 70’s, Yuppies of the 80’s

•Civil and Women’s rights movement, Vietnam War, Sexual Revolution, Assassination of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King

•American Dream promised to them as children

Generation X 1965-1980

•Came of age when USA was slipping as most powerful and prosperous nation in the world

•Grew up taking care of themselves, watching politicians lie and their parents get laid off

•Single parents, latchkey kids, downsizing, increasing divorce rates

Millennials (Gen Y) 1981-1995

• Came of age in period of economic expansion

• Kept busy as kids, hyper structured, not allowed to fail, entitled, self esteem curriculum

• Grew up more sheltered, “Helicopter parents”, close family relationships although 50% from divorced families

• Digital/Social media, school shootings, 9/11, terrorist attacks

• Smart phones and Social Media

• Never knowing a world free of global terror and war

• Great Recession

• Cyberbullying

• Complexity of Life

Values - Boomers•Loyal to employer, optimistic, self aware

•Salary, title, promotion, driven to achieve

•Value hierarchy and strong chain of command

•Live to work

•Can be set in their ways

Values - Gen X

• Skeptical, cynical, relaxed, comfortable environment

• Value integrity and honesty, not hype

• Entrepreneurial, self directed

• Work to live

• Challenges authority, respect earned

• Prioritize both family and work not sacrificing one for the other

Values - Millennials

• Loyal to those who help them vs. company

• Results oriented vs Time clock oriented

• Confident, high achieving and expect to contribute Day

• Instant knowledge due to technology skills

• Community outreach, diversity and volunteerism vs. money

• Feedback and team oriented

• More realistic, not idealistic

• Private—don’t want to be tracked

• Entrepreneurial

• Personal contact

Basic Communication Skills

•Reading

•Writing

•Listening

•Speaking

Baby Boomers & Millennials at Work

• Division of labor• Work ethic built on commitment, conformity,

responsibility• Seniority and age correlate• Kept work and family separate• Move up ladder by working hard and persevering• Not likely to “rock the boat”, break rules or disrespect

authority• Tend to stay a long time in one workplace

• Always learning• Workaholics• Likes relationships in the workplace • Prefer face to face communication• Focus on process and output, not implications and

outcomes• Job status and symbols important• Always been seen as loyal to their company

STRENGTHS

• Executive presence

• Cost Effectiveness

• Hardworking

WEAKNESSES

• Expectations

• Cynicism

• Lacking in tech skills

Communication - Boomer

•Somewhat formal through structured network

•Mix of electronic and face to face

•May struggle with technology

•Meetings

• Likes more casual, fun workplace• Technology savvy• Approaches authority casually• Skeptical• Needs minimal supervision• Prefers flexible work hours• Started 80% of new businesses in last 5 years• Easy to recruit, hard to retain

STRENGTHS

• Relationship building

• Problem solving

• Productive

WEAKNESSES

• Problems with authority

• Strong need to work independently

• Skeptical of everything

Communication - Gen X

• Casual, direct approach

• Prefer conversation immediately after event

• Use clear and specific language

• Tech savvy—prefers email, web, social media and instant messaging

Goal setting is a priority

Can-do attitude of Traditionalist

Teamwork ethic of Baby Boomers

Technology savvy of X’ers

Search for co-worker with the same high ideals they have

Communication - Millennials

•Fast, casual and direct

•High Tech, participative conversations

•Entire life surrounded by technology

•Clear, direct and specific. Follow up to ensure message

Areas of Conflict

• Work Hard, put in the time

• Seniority matters

• Perfectionist

• “Facetime”(time spent in office)

• Pay your dues

Boomers

• Don’t bother me I prefer to work alone

• No chatting or office gossip

• Mistrust, prove it to me

Gen X

Areas of Conflict

Gen Y• Strong sense of entitlement

• Impatience

• Don’t want to be told what to do without explanation

• Why

• Unfair, condescending, inconsistent leaders

Areas of Conflict

Motivators

Boomers

• Make a difference

• Money

• Recognition

• Sabbatical

Motivators

Gen X• Work/Life balance

• Time off

• Autonomy

• Personal development

• Recognition(private)

Motivators

Gen Y• Competitive pay

• Regular, detailed feedback

• Purposeful work

• Volunteerism

• Experiences

• Free flowing digital and mobile information

• 1) Observed the work driven stress levels of parents• --far less willing to sacrifice lives for work

• 2) Traveling teams and helicopter parents• --need more frequent feedback and approval

• 3) Most technologically connected generation ever• --huge awareness of other jobs available and great

visibility into other leadership cultures in other organizations

MYTH

• Younger generations of Millennials have no workethic

REALITY

• Millennials have a self-centered work ethic

MYTH

• Younger generations don’t want to put in the hours to get ahead

REALITY

• They are willing to put in the time to do the job, however, they are uninterested in “face time”

MYTH

• Millennial employees have no respect for authority

REALITY

Millennials have great respect for leaders and loyalty, but not just because they are “supposed to”

• Opportunity to learn and grow

• Quality of Manager

• Quality of Management

• Interest in type of work

• Opportunity for advancement

Summary

• Individualization

• Communication

• Authenticity, Transparency