AARP Employer Training Managing the Generations at Work They

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AARP Employer Training

• Managing the Generations at Work

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The Changing Landscape of Work
For the first time in modern history, workplace
demographics now span four generations.
This presents both challenges and opportunities!
change
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Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to

• List the characteristics of different generations
• Understand career stages
• Identify best practices for managing various
  generations at work

education
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What is a Generation?

• A group of people defined by age boundaries
• They share the history of the times.
• Their values and attitudes tend to be similar.

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What is a Generation Gap?

• Generational differences in cultural norms

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Generations!

• World War II/TraditionalistsBefore 1945

• Boomers 1946 1964

• Gen X 1965 1980

• Gen Y 1980 on

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The Business Case for Addressing
Intergenerational Dynamics
The transfer of knowledge between retiring
generations of veteran workers and newer entrants
to the workforce is becoming increasingly more
important.

• Building an age-responsive workplace supports
  real communication understanding across all
  ages
• Randstad USA 2008 World of Work Survey

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The Business Case for Addressing
Intergenerational Dynamics
Businesses that focus on intergenerational
dynamics see an impact on the bottom line
through Leading a Multigenerational Workforce,
AARP

• Corporate Culture
• Recruitment
• Employee Engagement
• Retention
• Customer Services

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The Business Case for Addressing
Intergenerational Dynamics
More than a third (42 percent) of all employees
say they have experienced intergenerational
conflict in the workplace.

• Multi-generational teams make members feel like
  they all have important contributions to make.
• Kelly Global Workforce Index August 2009

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Root Causes of Conflict

• Work ethic
• Technology
• Perspective
• View of Authority
• Communication
• Leadership

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Generation Workplace Needs

• Guess what? People generally want the same
  things
• To be respected
• To be recognized for a job well done
• To be coached
• To be consulted
• To be connected
• They just want them delivered in different
  packages!

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Generational Demographics 2006 and 2011
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WWII Generation/Traditionalists
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WWII Generation/Traditionalists

• Events
• Great Depression
• Pearl Harbor
• Jackie Robinson joins major league
• Korean War
• Compelling Messages
• Stay in line/respect the rules
• Sacrifice
• Be heroic
• Work Motto Hard Work, no option!

• Parenting
• Schedules
• Conformity
• Discipline
• Obedience

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WWII Generation/Traditionalists

• Words that Motivate
• Your experience is respected here.
• Rewards that Motivate
• Tangible symbols of loyalty,
• commitment and service
• Management Actions that Motivate
• Connect their actions to overall good of
  organization
• Communication Style
• Linear, logical, respectful
• Turn Offs
• Profanity, slang, poor grammar, disrespect

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Baby Boomers
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Baby Boomers

• Events
• Civil Rights
• Sexual Revolution
• Space Travel
• Woodstock
• Compelling Messages
• Be anything you want to be
• Change the world
• Work well with others
• Personal growth
• Work Motto Work, Work, Work.Its what we are
  about.

• Parenting
• Throw Away Schedule
• Love Nurture
• Pamper Cherish
• Stay-at-home moms

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Baby Boomers

• Words that Motivate
• We need you. You can make a difference.
• Rewards that Motivate
• Personal appreciation, promotion, recognition,
  status symbols
• Management Actions that Motivate
• Managers get them involved and show them how to
  make a difference
• Communication Style
• Personable, Informative Reward
• Turn Offs
• Brusqueness, one-upmanship

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Generation X
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Generation X

• Events
• Three Mile Island
• Berlin Wall falls
• John Lennon killed
• Chernobyl
• Exxon Valdez
• Compelling Messages
• Dont count on it
• Get real
• Take care of yourself
• Always ask why?
• Work Motto Work more with flexibility. But work
  even more? Lets talk.

• Parenting
• By proxy
• Latchkey kids
• Soaring divorce rates
• Autonomy independence

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Generation X

• Words that Motivate
• Do it your way. and There is life beyond
  work.
• Rewards that Motivate
• Free time, upgraded resources, opportunities for
  development, bottom-line results, certifications
  to add to resumes
• Management Actions that Motivate
• Managers give choices and permit work autonomy
• Communication Style
• Direct, straightforward, results-oriented
• Turn offs
• Using time poorly, corporate-speak

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Millenials / Gen Y
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Millenials / Gen Y

• Events
• Columbine shootings
• Enron scandal
• War begins in Iraq
• Natural disasters Katrina and Tsunami
• Mandela released
• Compelling Messages
• You are special
• Leave no one behind
• Serve your community
• Connect 24/7
• Work Motto Work flexibly anywhere. Tell me why
  you want me to do something. Work harder? No
  way, and Im texting my friends to tell them what
  a jerk you are.

• Parenting
• Parent advocacy
• Supervision
• Put kids first
• Strictness on the 3 Ds (drinking, driving,
  drugs)

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Millenials / Gen Y

• Words that Motivate
• We respect you here. and What are your goals?
• Rewards that Motivate
• Awards, certificates, tangible evidence of
  credibility
• Management Actions that Motivate
• Managers connect actions to employees personal
  and career goals
• Communication Style
• Positive, motivational, personal and
  goal-oriented
• Turn-Offs
• Cynicism, sarcasm, condescension

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Interesting But

• We remember that understanding generational
  tendencies is only one aspect that accounts for
  who an employee is, and what they want and need.

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Incorporate a New Way to Think!

• Sloan Center on Aging Work
• Deconstructing Age
• Chronologically
• By Generation
• By Career Stage
• By Life Stage
• Age may not predict life and career-stages

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Life Stages
Career Stage
Traditional

• New

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What is a Manager to Do?

• With so many preferences and differences in the
  workplace, what is a manager to do?

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Seizing the Opportunity The Strength of Four

• Each generation is distinct
• They have different approaches
• Seizing the opportunity an enriched work
  environment and product or service

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Creating an Age-Responsive Workplace

• An Age-Responsive Workplace boosts employee
  retention, satisfaction and performance, reduces
  age discrimination claims, and positively affects
  your bottom line.

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Obstacles to Multigenerational Management Success

• Holding on to old views
• Managing with a one size fits all style
• Not understanding generational idiosyncrasies
• Not under-standing individual development
  stages

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Resources and Bibliography

• Leading a Multigenerational Workforce, AARP,
  2007.
• Decoding Generational Differences, W. Stanton
  Smith, Deloitte LLP, 2008.
• Age Generations Understanding Experiences at
  the Workplace, Marci Pitt-Catsouphes, Ph.D.,
  Christina Matz-Costa and Elyssa Besen, The Sloan
  Center on Aging and Work, March, 2009.
• Engaging the 21st Century Multi-Generational
  Workforce, findings from the Age and Generations
  Study, Marci Pitt-Catsouphes, Ph.D., Christina
  Matz-Costa, 2009.

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Bottom Line Impact

• Recruitment
• Commit to age diversity
• Gain the competitive edge
• Gear recruitment messages to each generation

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Bottom Line Impact

• Employee Engagement
• Know what motivates different generations
• Engagement supports financial stability
• Employee satisfaction is higher when workers
  believe that opportunities exist for all,
  regardless of age

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Bottom Line Impact

• Customer Service
• Each generation has unique service preferences
• Appeal to different generations
• Match staff to customers

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Bottom Line Impact

• Retention
• An engaged workforce results in higher retention
• Employee benefits can build loyalty
• Recognize the contributions of all generations

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Multi-Generational Management To Do List

• Appreciate and honor the perspectives of all
  employees
• Develop a system to effectively transfer skills
  and knowledge
• Turn multi-generational teams into
  intergenerational collaboration
• Maximize all employees capabilities and
  strengths
• Recognize what the generations (people!) have in
  common
• Evaluate how policies will affect each generation
• Examine how decisions will be perceived by each
  generation

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Age-Responsive Employment Brand
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As a Result of Todays Session

• Has Your Thinking Changed About Different
  Generations?

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