Nexters to Matures: Managing Multiple Generations

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Nexters to MaturesManaging Multiple Generations

• Willow JacobsonSchool of GovernmentUniversit
  y of North Carolina

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Agenda

• Demographic and diversity changes in the
  workforce
• Managing an intergenerational workforce
• Changing expectations and values at work

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The US Population Today
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US Generations in the US Workforce
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NC State Agencies
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Commerce
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Governors Office
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ITS
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OSP
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Administration
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Labor
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Controller
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Community College
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Health and Human Services
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Crime Control and Public Safety
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Board of Elections
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Wildlife Resources
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Auditor
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Important to Consider

• For every two experienced workers
• leaving the workforce, one will enter
• Matures and Boomers embody the culture of most
  organizations today
• In 2006 everyday 7,918 Boomers turned 60
• One in six workers will be over 55 years old by
  2008

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Exercise
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Matures
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(No Transcript)
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Matures Formative Events

• The Great Depression
• Pearl Harbor
• WW II
• Hiroshima
• The New Deal

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Matures Values

• Duty, honor, dedication, sacrifice
• Conformity, unity We First
• Hard times then prosperity
• Patience
• Importance of a job well done
• Law and order respect for authority
• Adherence to rules
• Age Seniority

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Matures in the Workplace

• Are loyal to their employer and expect the same
  in return
• Believe promotions, raises, and recognition
  should come from job tenure
• Measure a work ethic on efficiency

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On the Job

• Assets
• Stable and Thorough
• Detailed oriented
• Loyal and Hard working
• Liabilities
• Challenged by ambiguity and change
• Reluctant to buck the system
• Uncomfortable with conflict
• Reticent when they disagree

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Matures in the Market

• Faith in the nations institutions and the
  government
• Demand quality
• Are loyal customers but arent afraid to shop
  around
• Follow the rules that have been established
• Believe standard options are just fine

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Messages that Motivate

• Your experience is respected here
• Its valuable to the rest of us to hear what has
  and hasntworked in the past
• Your perseverance is valued and will be
  rewarded
• Motivated by symbols

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Baby Boomers
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(No Transcript)
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Baby Boomers Formative Events

• The Civil Rights movement
• Martin Luther King
• John F. Kennedy
• Vietnam War
• Woodstock
• The Cold War
• Roe vs. Wade

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Baby Boomers Values

• Stability
• Workaholic
• Competitive
• Balancing family and work
• Desire for respect
• Success is largely visible
• Personal development
• Optimistic

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Baby Boomers in the Workforce

• Evaluate themselves and others based on their
  work ethic
• Work ethic measured in hours worked

• Teamwork is critical to success
• Relationship building is very important
• Expect loyalty

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On the Job

• Assets
• Service oriented
• Driven
• Good at relationship
• Team players
• Liabilities
• Not naturally budget minded
• Uncomfortable with conflict
• May put process ahead of result
• Overly sensitive to feedback

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Baby Boomers in the Market

• Are interested in products and services that will
  allow them to regain control of their time
• Believe technology brings with it as many
  problems as it provides solutions
• Want products and services that have been
  customized for them, the individual
• Believe rules should be obeyed unless they are
  contrary to what they want then theyre to be
  broken
• Want products and services that will indicate to
  their peers that theyre successful

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Messages that motivate

• Youre important to our success

• Youre valued here

• Your contribution is unique and important

• We need you

• I approve of you

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Gen Xers
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(No Transcript)
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Gen Xers Formative Events

• Post-Watergate
• Fall of the Berlin Wall
• Challenger explosion
• The Gulf War
• The PC boom
• Parental divorce rates
• Latchkey kids
• MTV
• AIDS

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Generation X Values

• Parents began raising them as friends
• No common heroes
• Work-Life balance
• Independent
• Cynical and pessimistic
• Seek career opportunities
• Thinking globally
• Technoliterate
• Informal

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Gen X in the Workplace

• Eschew the hard-core, motivated, Boomer work
  ethic
• Want open communication regardless of position
• Respect production over tenure
• Value control of their time
• Look for a person to whom they can invest loyalty

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On the Job

• Assets
• Adaptable
• Technoliterate
• Independent
• Un-intimidated by authority
• Creative
• Liabilities
• Impatient
• Poor people skills
• Inexperienced
• Cynical

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Gen X in the Market

• Can spot a phony a mile away
• Rely on peer-to-peer referrals
• Want options plans B, C, and D
• Embrace technology
• Want to be in control of the sale

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Messages that motivate

• Do it your way
• Weve got the newest hardware and software
• There arent a lot of rules here
• Were not very corporate

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Millennial
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(No Transcript)
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Millennial Formative Events

• Oklahoma City bombing
• 9/11 terrorist attack
• Columbine High School
• The Internet boom
• Child focus
• Technology

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Millenials Value

• Optimistic and Confident
• Individual key, yet group oriented
• Difficulty focusing on non stimulating stuff
• Often raised as friends
• Search out authorities
• Ambitious yet aimless
• Civic duty
• Diversity

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Millenials in the Workplace

• Search for the individual who will help them
  achieve their goal
• Want open, constant communication and positive
  reinforcement from their boss
• Find working with someone of the Mature
  generation easy to do
• Search for a job that provides great, personal
  fulfillment
• Are searching for ways to shed the stress in
  their lives

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On the Job

• Assets
• Collective action
• Optimism
• Tenacity
• Heroic spirit
• Multitasking capabilities
• Technological savvy
• Liabilities
• Need for supervision and structure
• Inexperience, particularly with handling
  difficulty people issues

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Millenials in the Market

• Want to be like their peers but with a unique
  twist
• Dont want to be hurried
• Consider a companys products if the company is
  known for their altruistic attitude
• Are loyal consumers
• Search for the unique items

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Messages that Motivate

• Youll be working with other bright, creative
  people
• Your boss is in his (or her) sixties
• You and your coworkers can help turn this
  company around
• You can be a hero here

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Important Distinctions and Strategies
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Respect for Authority
Seniority and tenure Similar values Matures
theyve earned it Authority figures deserve
skepticism testing Test but search

• Matures
• Boomers
• Gen X
• Gen Y

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Time on the Job

• Matures
• Boomers
• Gen X
• Gen Y

Work ethic defined by the punch clock Visibility
was/is the key What does it matter when I work,
as long as I get the job done It is five
oclock I have another life to get to.
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Work-Life Balance

• Matures Interested in flexible hours
• Boomers Was/Is this workaholic lifestyle
• worth it?
• Are the rewards worth the cost?
• Gen X Balance is very important.
• Willing to sacrifice it occasionally
• Gen Y Lifestyle vs. promotion

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Bottom Line Differences
Time was something that could be invested with
the hope for some sort of return in the
future Defined by their job and association
membership To them, there is no promise that
invested time pays a dividend Theyll have
multiple CAREERS, so the job is probably a
temporary thing

• Matures
• and Boomers
• Gen X
• and Y

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Workplace Strategies

• Baby Boomer
• Sabbatical optionslongevity leave
• Increased vacation
• Retirement packages
• Fitness benefits
• Consulting options

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Workplace Strategies

• Generation X/Y
• Leadership development
• Mentoring
• Recognition/incentive
• Vacation
• Cafeteria benefits plan
• Cross training
• Education

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Workplace Strategies

• All Generations
• Alternative work schedules
• Telecommuting
• Employee assistance
• Floating holidays

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Workplace Strategies

• When possible combine function-based work with
  project-based work
• Team vs. Independent?
• Consider communication
• strategies
• Avoid stereotyping

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Thank You