Generational Differences in the Workplace

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Generational Differences in the Workplace

• Presented by Peggy Mastel
• for
• Minnesota State Community and Technical Colleges

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Protecting Our Legacy

• We have a long, proud history of going above and
  beyond the call of service.
• Leaders carry the responsibility of passing on
  the mission and values.
• How can we make sure our organizations stay
  strong and thrive when our workforce is changing?
  

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• Four generations are working side by side in the
  American workplace for the first time in history.
  Why would THAT cause problems?

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• Each generation is shaped by events and cultural
  influences which occurred while they were growing
  up.
• People resemble their times more than they
  resemble their parents.

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Who can make change happen? Me?

• Someone tell the managers but theyre too
• busy
• old
• young
• often out of town
• hard to talk to

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Veterans

• Tradition
• WW II
• Scarcity
• Military style of leadership
• Formal, disciplined
• Savers
• Dont like it? Tough. Be quiet.

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Baby Boomers

• Team players, meeting madness
• Changed history
• Better lifestyle than parents
• Buy now, pay later
• Focus on education
• Workaholics
• Are you in charge of me?

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Generation X

• Self-reliant
• Skeptical
• Balance
• Is this going to be on the test?
• Latch-key kids
• Technology is easy
• Informal, no rules, or Im out of here

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Generation Y

• Multitasking
• Technology, technology, technology
• Balance
• Confident
• Merged families
• I want it now
• Earn more, spend more

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Delete This File

• The correct way is my way.
• This is the way weve always done things.
• Some people cant learn new things.
• I shouldnt have to change. Ive been here
  longer.
• I had to put my time in. So should the others.

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Works Well With Others

• Listen
• Discuss innovation, requirements
• Discuss expectations, priorities
• Listen
• Discuss big picture, goals
• Listen

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• Show me you know whats in it for me!

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• Generationally balanced workgroups respect and
  learn from yesterdays experiences, understand
  todays pressures, dilemmas, and needs, and
  believe that tomorrow will be different still.
  They are comfortable with the relative rather
  than absolute nature of a situation, knowledge,
  skill, value, and, most of all, solutions to
  problems.
• Generations at Work
• Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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• Do we allow others to be different or do we make
  them become like us?
• Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

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• Do we lead with flexibility, honor differences,
  paint the big picture, over-communicate,
  LISTEN, and give appropriate, consistent
  feedback?
• Nothing is as fast as the speed of trust.
• Stephen R. Covey

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• Show respect for what employees know and how they
  take initiative. Hire the whole brain, then
  expect it to work.
• We hire the best possible people and we dont
  lose sight of that.
• HR Manager

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• Hire the best people for the job, then work hard
  to keep them. Become the Employer of Choice.
  Retention is critical.
• Gen Xers plan to work for an employer only as
  long as they are getting what they need
  marketable skills, exposure to decision makers,
  tangible results for which they can take credit,
  work-life balance, and performance-based
  rewards.
• Bruce Tulgan
• Managing Generation X

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• Bob Dylan was right. The times, they are
  a-changin.
• Different expectations of the work-life ratio
  are here to stay. So get used to it.
  Concentrate on increasing awareness and
  understanding of employees to the needs and
  desires of their co-workers.
• Brad Sago
• Executive Update