Transcript Organizational Behavior Meets Generation X and Y – A

Organizational Behavior
Meets Generation X and Y –
A Practical Approach
Richard A. Lewis, CRA
Corporate Director, Operations
Florida Radiology Imaging (FRi)
HPN Fall Conference – Louisville, KY
September 23, 2005
What is this all about?
• This program is intended to help identify the styles of
management that some of us may employ and how
they impact “new age” employees in our respective
fields
• This is not intended to be exhaustive, nor a primer for
how you should manage your employees; rather, it is
good information and some things I have done in
previous positions
• Finally, this is not the perfect approach; hopefully, this
will spark some conversation between generations in
this room and your organizations
Now, let’s play a game!
• Let’s play People Bingo
• We are going to take a few moments to see if we
can go around the room and identify who is
older than the dirt on Noah’s Ark, or younger
than the clothes you wore to work last week
• The initials should represent the earliest event
you remember in your lifetime, and you need to
identify the year
• Don’t cheat!
Here we go!
Oklahoma City
Bombing
Watergate
John Lennon
shot and killed
Salk Polio
Vaccine
introduced
Clinton/
Lewinski
Scandal
Hitler Invaded Ronald Reagan
Austria
Inaugurated
Martin Luther
King lead the
March on
Washington
The Berlin Wall
Fell
President
“The Pill” was
Kennedy Was made available
Assassinated
The Space
Shuttle
Challenger
exploded
Three Mile
Island
First Man on
the Moon
The United
States entered
World War II
McCarthy
Un-American
Hearings
Answers!
Oklahoma City
Bombing
1995
Watergate
1973
John Lennon
shot and killed
1980
Salk Polio
Vaccine
introduced
1955
Clinton/
Lewinski
Scandal
1998
Hitler Invaded Ronald Reagan
Austria
Inaugurated
1937
1981
Martin Luther
King lead the
March on
Washington
1963
The Berlin Wall
Fell
1989
President
“The Pill” was
Kennedy Was made available
Assassinated
1960
1963
The Space
Shuttle
Challenger
exploded
1986
Three Mile
Island
1979
First Man on
the Moon
1969
The United
States entered
World War II
1941
McCarthy
Un-American
Hearings
1954
What was the purpose of the game?
• Hopefully, this was an icebreaker that allowed
you to get to know each other a little better
• This also allows us to break down the
generations that are in the workplace today: The
Veterans, The Baby Boomers, Generation X and
Generation Y
Veterans (1922 – 1943)
now between 61 – 82 years old
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Lindbergh Transatlantic flight ’27
Lindbergh baby kidnapping ’32
Stock Market Crash ’29
Depression ’29 – 33
FDR’s New Deal ’33
Social Security established ’34
Hitler and World War II ’37 - 43
Veterans – Values and Work Ethic
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Dedication and Sacrifice
Hard Work
Respect for Authority
Adherence to Rules
Duty before Pleasure
• Work ethic influenced by
manufacturing economy
• Obedience and
conformity over
individualism
• Seniority and age directly
correlated
• Tend to respond well to
directive leadership
Directive leadership
• Much more comfortable with “scientific
management” style
• Comes as result of the military background of
this group
• Very conformist, little place for individual style
Baby Boomers (1944 – 1963)
now between 41 – 60 years old
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•
•
•
McCarthy Hearings ’54
The Pill ’60
Assassinations of JFK (’63) and MLK (’68)
Civil Rights (Rosa Parks ’55) (March on
Washington ’63)
• Vietnam ’65
• Man on the Moon ‘69
Baby Boomers – Values and Work
Ethic
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•
•
•
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Optimism
Team Orientation
Personal Growth
Personal Gratification
Health and Wellness
Involvement
• Service Oriented
• Driven by the legacy of
World War II
• Uncomfortable with
conflict
• Can be overly sensitive to
feedback
• Can be judgmental of
those who see things
differently
Management style for the Boomers?
• While Organizational Behavioral modifications
really began to sink in with the Boomers, they
largely responded well (and still do) to
“scientific”, directive style of leadership
• However, desire to see a more referent model
begins to emerge
Looking around…
• How many of you are described in the previous
groups?
• Interesting in the fact that the values and work
ethic of the Veterans and Boomers are natural
outgrowths of the previous
Now…
• Let’s focus our attention
on the groups that our
main discussion is based
upon…
• Generation X
• Generation Y
Generation X (1964 – 1980)
now between 24 and 40 years old
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Women’s Liberation Movement ’70
Watergate and the Energy Crisis ’73
Tandy and Apple personal computers ’76
Three Mile Island ’79
66 American Hostages in Iran ’79
John Lennon Shot and Reagan Inaugurated ’80-81
MTV ‘81
AIDS ’84
Challenger Disaster ’86
“Latch key kids”
Generation X – Values and Work
Ethic
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•
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Diversity
Thinking globally
Balance
Techno-literacy
Fun
Informality
Self-reliance
• “differently oriented toward
work”
• “just a job”
• Flexible hours, informal work
environment, just the right
amount of supervision
• Multi-tasking
• Give them lots to do and
freedom to do it their way
What makes them tick?
• They tend to avoid corporate politics – they have no
orientation for this
• They are generally not very interested in traditional
perks but (WARNING!!!) they will bail out if they see
Boomers getting excessive perks
• They are usually motivated by the prospect of
independence, the lack of corporate structure, a lack of
rigidity, and the latest technological advances
How do you teach, train and orient
them?
• Does your department or facility use Web-based
training?
• This group is not afraid to ask questions
• Say at least 3 times – “We want you to have a life.”
• Stress upcoming dramatic organizational changes
• Encourage a learning inventory at the end of each day
• Stress the importance of training; however, keep the
training materials brief and easy to read
The Myths surrounding Gen X
• They’re materialistic.
– Many are struggling to make ends meet. This
generation is probably the American generation that
probably will not replicate or improve on their
parents’ lifestyle. They worry that they will not have
the money to pay for a house and children’s
education. They want to get out of debt. While
money is important to them, material wealth and
status items are largely scorned.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen X
• They’re whiners.
– Gen Xers face some rather daunting challenges –
college loans, skyrocketing health care costs – yet
most are philosophical about the problems they are
inheriting.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen X
• They have a “you owe me” attitude.
– No more so than any other generation.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen X
• They’re not willing to work hard.
– In interviews, Gen Xers consistently tell us they are
willing to work very hard. They don’t want to be
taken advantage of, though. Many believe it’s unfair
to expect a seventy-hour week for forty hours of
pay. And, as a generation, they’re committed to
having a life beyond work.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen X
• They’re living on easy street.
– In the 1950s, young homeowners could make the
monthly mortgage payment by using 14 percent of
their income. Today it takes 40 percent. And today,
folks older than sixty will get back about $200 for
every $100 they put into Social Security. Gen Xers
will lose more than $100 for every $450 they
contribute.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
Do not make the mistake of buying
into the media stereotype of this
group…
• Once again, these are the latch-key kids all
grown up…
• This group grew up with task lists to be
completed with minimal supervision…
• “Quality time” is a part of their lexicon – make
it worthwhile when you have their attention…
• Make it clear “what’s on the test?”
Style of management?
• This group, while understanding a need for
conformity in healthcare, and respectful of
legitimate authority, wants to see referent power
in action
Generation Y (1980 - )
now 24 years old and younger
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Oklahoma City Bombing
The Internet
Clinton/Lewinsky scandal
Columbine High School Massacre
September 11, 2001
The popularity of ESPN
Generation Y – Values and Work
Ethic
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Optimism
Civic Duty
Confidence
Achievement
Sociability
Morality
Street smarts
Diversity
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Collective action
Tenacity
Heroic spirit
Multi-tasking
Technological savvy
Have difficulty dealing
with difficult people
issues
Be prepared…
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Education and teaching
Business
Computer related fields
Law
Psychology
Medicine
What makes them tick?
• They love a challenge
• They function well as team members – a bit
different from their older siblings in Gen X
• They want to be heroes
• They want to be surrounded by bright, creative
people
• They want it – right now
How do you teach, train, and orient
them?
• Allow plenty of orientation time
• Create a clear, realistic picture of the work
environment – good and bad
• Spell out expectations and goals
• Take the time to find out their goals and help
them define a strategy for meeting them
• Take note that gender roles of the previous
generations do not apply
The Myths surrounding Gen Y
• The youth of today are “going to hell in a
handbasket.”
– Experts believe this is a fine group of young people
who will make heroes of themselves.
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen Y
• Today’s kids are getting a great education.
– Not all of them. Gregory Schmidt of the Institute
for the Future, Menlo Park, CA, says, “Tomorrow’s
haves and have-nots are already diverging in today’s
third grade classrooms as they either advance into
the information age or fall behind for lack of
reading and math skills or access to computers.”
(Wall Street Journal, 2/9/97)
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
The Myths surrounding Gen Y
• Kids need to spend more time reading and
less time watching TV and playing video
games.
– Kids are spending more time reading. Business Week
reports that surveys show video games cut into TV,
not reading time. (4/19/97)
• Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp
Publications, 1997)
Some takeaways for this generation
• They are a unique mix – a very independent
group politically
• They are not as conservative as their older
siblings in Generation X; however, are not as
liberal as their Baby Boomer parents were when
they were that age
• They are religious, but not in a traditional sense
Don’t forget…
• These are the children who grew up with Ronald
Reagan as “The Great Communicator”
• Their morality is an outgrowth of being raised in more
conservative times
• They have largely known prosperous times (despite a
few hiccups in the early ’90s)
• They desire a good education so that they can make
their mark
• Really, they are the Veterans in a different generation
What will make them seek out
greener pastures?
• They respect legitimate authority, but they will
follow referent authority
• Work does not bother them, but it needs to be
meaningful, not just busy work
• Overemphasis on outward appearance – not
overall neatness, but picky on insignificant
matters
• Perceived disrespect of their youth
Our driving question is how do we appeal to
these groups to enter allied health professions?
• The American Hospital Association issued a significant statement of interim
positions a few years back entitled Workforce Supply for Hospital and Health
Systems which outlined some interesting recommendations for recruitment
• Even the New England Journal of Medicine realized the need to appeal to
this group as they broaden their reach to undergraduates reaching towards
medical school – introduced a online newsletter geared specifically towards
Gen X and Y entitled The Next Generation
• What are we doing to broaden our outreach? Are we going to high schools,
middle schools, even elementary schools to start planting the seeds?
• While we are still a high touch group of professionals, we also need to play up
our rapid ascension into high technology and the need for those who can
balance the two
• How do our various organizational websites look when it comes to appealing
to those that we potentially want to recruit? (Some members of these
generations have “webmaster” skills that could put us all to shame)
What practical steps worked in the past to
retain younger employees?
• We had the luxury of having a technologist training program at
my previous facility
• We routinely identified excellent candidates from our school to
come on board as graduate technologists
• We consistently communicated to them that they were valued
members of our team, even as students
• And, as a result, we had the luxury of having more qualified
candidates for positions than positions available
• Provided excellent technology for folks to work with – PACS,
CR, DR, and in 2003, the health system completed a system wide
“go live” that will pave the way for automated clinical and
financial processes (EMRs, real time diagnostic results, CPOE) –
our efforts garnered a “Most Improved” in a survey of “The 100
Most Wired Hospitals and Health Care Networks”
How did we keep them?
• Retention “scholarships” – in exchange for a year of
employment, we reimburse them for tuition, books,
uniform expenses, and a couple of coins towards the
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists registry
examination
• Immediately involve them in QC/PI initiatives in the
department, and give feedback to their contribution
towards meeting organizational goals
• Rotating opportunities to be a part of a peer
interviewing group
Encouraged membership in a
Service Quality Committee
• This group volunteered to meet weekly to go
over issues that impact the quality of the
department’s service delivery
• Those who volunteer have to go through an
interview process with the existing committee
members, and they have to commit to regular
and meaningful attendance and participation
What was the impact of this group?
• Created “90 Day Party” for all employees of the service, where
the employee is thanked for being one of our care partners, and
gives opportunity for folks to interact with others and
department leadership
• Conducted an Imaging Services employee opinion survey to look
at areas of concern – worked to address them. Hospital did
general employee survey six months later, and Imaging was one
of the strongest areas in the facility in employee satisfaction
• Continued emphasis on good communication – instrumental in
creating e-mail accounts for all service partners, and also creating
the parameters to make sure that they are being appropriately
utilized
What is the impact…(cont’d)?
• This group was not afraid to ask tough
questions or tackle tough subjects – questioned
Human Resources on creating a more
coordinated recruiting effort; questioned the VP
of Human Resources on the provision of
domestic partners’ benefits; grilled the senior
department leadership on various subjects
• Most importantly, they injected fun into the
service again!
So, what have we learned?
• Really, the kids are alright!
• Forget scientific management – the days of “I tell, you do”, are
over
• Referent leadership, with appropriate balance between boss and
team member
• Give the kids the chance to succeed, with the appropriate tools
needed to get the job done, and they will do it
• If you believe the stereotypes and media hype, you will miss out on
the next great generation of hard workers, willing to sacrifice and
make contributions – however, take consideration of their values
• Create your own practical approach to applying OB to your folks,
and don’t miss an opportunity to let them know how much they are
appreciated
Questions?
Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the
conference!
•
References
- Generations At Work – Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and Nexters in Your Workplace, by
Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak, 2000
- American Generations: Who They Are, How They Live, What They Think, by Susan Mitchell, 1999
- Managing Generation Y – Global Citizens Born in the Late Seventies and Early Eighties, by Carolyn A.
Martin, Ph.D., and Bruce Tulgan, 2001
- Beyond Generation X, by Claire Raines, 1997
- Workforce Supply for Hospitals and Health Systems, American Hospital Association Strategic Policy
Planning Committee, January 23, 2001
- The Next Generation, edited by Lester Y. Leung, New England Journal of Medicine
- New Generation, New Politics, by Anna Greenberg, taken from The American Prospect, Volume 14,
No. 9, October 1, 2003
- Law Firms Mull the ‘Gen Y’ Equation, by Leigh Jones, The National Law Journal, March 2, 2005
Special thanks to:
- Martin Isganitis, Staff Development and Service Excellence Specialist, DeKalb Medical Center,
Decatur, GA
- The Imaging Services Service Quality Committee of DeKalb Medical Center, Starla Longfellow,
RT(R), Manager, Imaging Services and Group Facilitator
- Susan L. Moore, BBA, RT(R), Assistant Director, Radiology, Athens Regional Medical Center,
Athens, GA