Transcript WORKING ACROSS GENERATIONS

WORKING ACROSS GENERATIONS
Jason Crowe and Ginny D’Angelo
OBJECTIVES
• To understand four generations in
the workplace—their
characteristics and needs
• To be aware of demographics in
your workplace vs. the
marketplace
• To gain insights into leading
across generations
GENERATION TYPES
BIRTH YEAR
1922-1945 Traditionalists, Veterans, Silent Generation
1946-1964 Baby Boomers, The Sandwich Generation
1965-1980 Gen Xers, Generation Xers, Xers
1981-2000 Millennial’s, Gen Y, Nexters
SILENT GENERATION
• Nearly fifty million Americans were born to the Silent Generation
in America from the beginning of 1925 through 1942.
• This generation is comparatively small when compared to the
surrounding generations because people had fewer children in the
1920s and 1930s, in response to financial and global insecurity.
• Silents are about 95% retired at this point.
• The Silent Generation was the generation born between the two
World Wars, who were too young to join the service when World
War II started. Many had fathers who served in World War I.
SILENT GENERATION
SILENT GENERATION
TECHNOLOGY
Radio and Television
CORE VALUES
Patriotic
Conformers
Discipline
Respect for Authority
SILENT GENERATION
EXPERIENCES
WWI / WWII
Holocaust
Great Depression
Roaring 20’s
FDR Administration
SILENT GENERATION
Members of this generation experienced vast cultural shifts in the
U.S., and struggled with conflict morals, ideas, and desires.
The 1920's was, for 8 years and 3/4 of 1929, a very happy decade.
The last 1/4 was the Stock Market Crash that could have started
the Great Depression that lasted straight through the 1930' s, not
ending until mid-1940. A war started before 1920, and a war broke
out in 1929. Although it was called the Great Depression, people
killed others, killed themselves, became homeless, and became
penniless. Actually, the eight years of happiness might have felt
like a small vacation to a person who lived during the time.
BABY BOOMERS
• Baby Boomers is the name given to the generation of Americans
who were born in a "baby boom" following World War II.
• The youngest group of Baby Boomers are managing the
Millennials and Generation-X groups of employees - and in some
cases, being managed by them.
• The United States experienced an explosion of births (hence the
name baby boom) that continued for the next 18 years, when the
birth rate began to drop. In 1964, baby boomers represented 40%
of the population, which means that more than one third of the
population was under 19 years of age.
• Since baby boomers make up such a sizable portion of the
consuming public, their spending habits and lifestyles have a
powerful influence on the economy.
BABY BOOMERS
BABY BOOMERS
EXPERIENCES
Cold War/Viet Nam
Man on the Moon
Civil Rights
Sexual Revolution
Energy Crisis
Watergate
BABY BOOMERS
TECHNOLOGY
Television
CORE VALUES
Optimism
Involvement
BABY BOOMERS
For the years 1940-1994, inclusive, 202 million Americans were born; about
77% of all Americans now living were born after 1939. During the baby
boomer years, 1946-1964 (inclusive), 75.8 million Americans were born.
The ratio of males to females has stayed relatively constant. There were
approximately 1.05 male births for every one female birth.
The biggest year of the boom was 1957, when 4.3 million boomers were
born. Why it took over 10 years for so many post-World War II families to
get going is a matter of speculation. For the 5-year period between 1956
and 1960, inclusive, 21.2 million boomers were born, nearly 1 1/2 times
the number born between 1941 and 1945, and the largest for any 5-year
period in the 20th century.
Boomers today represent 28% of the U.S. population. But in 1964, they
represented about 40% of the population. In other words, in 1964 more
than a third of the population was under 19 years old! No wonder the
baby boomers attracted so much attention.
GENERATION XERS
• In the U.S. Generation X was originally referred to as
the "baby bust" generation because of the drop in the
birth rate following the baby boom.
• This generation saw the inception of the home
computer, the rise of videogames, and later the internet
as a tool for economic purposes: Dot.coms, MTV,
Grunge music, Hip hop culture and Security-Moms
attributed to this generation.
• The US Census Bureau cites this group (Generation X)
as statistically holding the highest education levels
when looking at age group
GENERATION XERS
GENERATION XERS
TECHNOLOGY
Home Computer
Video Games
Dot-Com boom and bust
CORE VALUES
Skepticism
Fun
Informality
Independent
GENERATION XERS
EXPERIENCES
Roe vs. Wade
Challenger Disaster
Persian Gulf War
O.J. Simpson trial
Clinton Administration
GENERATION XERS
According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, 83.8 million
people were in the 25-44-year-old Generation X age
bracket.
Gen Xers are in their peak years of product and service
consumption and its members view electronic media
as a primary tool for conducting research and
accomplishing tasks.
The media they use are fragmented. They embrace a
wider range of lifestyles than previous generations.
Weaned on MTV and cable television, they are largely
immune to traditional advertising. Faced with stagnant
wages and high debt, they are more cost conscious
than free-spending boomers.
MILLENNIALS
The Generation Y are sometimes called the "Trophy
Generation", or "Trophy Kids," a term that reflects the
trend in competitive sports (as well as many other
aspects of life) where "no one loses" and everyone
gets a "Thanks for Participating" trophy.
Trophy kids developed pressure to excel not only in
school, but also hobbies , sports and service work.
A recent survey, they found that 97% of students owned a
computer, 94% owned a cell phone, and 56% owned
an mp3 player (iPod, Zune, Sansa, etc.).
They are the most educated generation in the United
States currently.[
MILLENNIALS
MILLENNIALS
EXPERIENCES
9/11 - World Trade Center attack
Oklahoma bombings
Kids shooting kids
Corporate scandals
George W. Bush
MILLENNIALS
TECNOLOGY
Grew up with Technology
Internet
Play Station/X boxes
CORE VALUES
Realism
Confidence
Extreme fun
Social
MILLENNIALS
Sixteen percent grew up—or are currently growing up—in poverty.
Being amongst the first generations to be born and actively grow up in
an American society desegregated by law (brown vs board of
education), imposing sexual equality by law (Title IX), and
proactively defending the rights of various minority groups by law,
in addition to the effects of 60's and 70's era influence on their
generation, Millennials to some extent have been conditioned by the
state, educational insitituion, and cultural influence to take a more
neutral outlook on multiculturalism.
They’re the hottest commodity on the job market since Rosie the
Riveter. They’re sociable, optimistic, talented, well-educated,
collaborative, open-minded, influential, and achievement-oriented.
They’ve always felt sought after, needed, indispensable.
Work Ethic & Values
Traditionalist
•Hard working
•Respect
authority
•Sacrifice
•Duty before fun
•Adhere to rules
•Work is an
obligation
Baby Boomer
•Workaholics
•Work efficiently
•Crusading
causes
•Personal
fulfillment
•Desire quality
•Questions
authority
•Work is an
exciting
*https://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
adventure
Gen X
•Eliminate the
task
•Self-reliance
•Want structure
and direction
•Skeptical
•Work is a
challenge and a
contract
•Values diversity
Millennial’s
•What’s next
•Multi-tasking
•Tenacity
•Entrepreneurial
•Tolerant
•Goal-oriented
•Work is a means
to an end and
fulfillment
Work and Family Life
Traditionalist
•Never shall
the two meet
Baby
Boomer
•No balance
•Work to live
*https://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
Gen X
•Balanced
Millennial’s
•Balanced
Communication
Traditionalist
•Formal
•Memo
•In digestible
amounts
•Relevant to their
security/historical
perspective
Baby Boomer
•In person
•As needed
•Relevant to the
bottom line and
their rewards
*https://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
Gen X
•Direct
•Immediate
•When I need it
•Relevant to
what matters to
them
Millennial’s
•E-mail
•Voice mail
•Five minutes
ago
•Relevant to
now, today and
their role
Motivations
Traditionalist
Baby Boomer
•Respect &
Recognition
•Teamwork &
Duty
•Group
•Honoring Long - Discussions
Term Values
•Increased
Responsibility
•Personal Touch
•Handwritten
Notes vs. E-mail
*https://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
Gen X
•Professional
Interest vs.
Company’s
•Employer
Commitment
•Work/Life
Balance
Millennial’s
•Diversity
•Responsibly
•Manager
Quality
•Independence
in Decision
Making
•Flexible Hours
•Creative Input
•Unique Work
Experiences
U.S. Demographics
12%
10%
34%
44%
U.S. Demographics
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Gen Xers
Millennial's
Manager vs. Non-Manager
6%
4%
3%
27%
38%
53%
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Gen Xers
Millennial's
34%
35%
Manager /Supervisor
Non Manager
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Gen Xers
Millennial's
A few reasons to pay attention:
• Both Gen Xers and Millennial’s say the most
important job characteristic is a schedule that
allows for family time
• 70% of men ages 21 to 29 say they would
sacrifice pay for more time with their families.
• 51% of Gen Xers said they’d quit if
another employer offered them the
chance to telecommute.
Questions to ask
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What is the age make up of our department or market?
What opportunities or challenges does this present?
Do we have successors identified for our key positions?
Have we built leadership bench strength?
Is our work environment attractive to a multi-generational work
force?
– Can we offer flextime, telecommuting?
– Can we structure part time jobs for retirees?
– Can employees maintain work/life balance?
• Are we maximizing our use of technology in communications and
training?