Transcript Presentation Title Subtitle

Understanding a MultiGenerational Workforce
Willow Jacobson
School of Government, UNC-CH
State Budget and Management’s Annual Conference
October 15, 2008
Agenda
• Demographic and diversity
changes in the workforce
• Managing an
intergenerational workforce
• Changing expectations and
values at work
The US Population Today
Generations in the US Workforce
NC State Agencies
Matures
4%
Gen Y
11%
Gen X
28%
Boomers
57%
Juvenile Justice
Gen Y
11%
Gen X
31%
Matures
4%
Boomers
54%
Governor’s Office
Gen Y
7%
Matures
8%
Gen X
32%
Boomers
53%
Secretary of State
Gen Y
11%
Gen X
31%
Matures
4%
Boomers
54%
Auditor
Matures 1%
Gen Y
24%
Boomers
46%
Gen X
29%
Treasurer
Gen Y
8%
Gen X
31%
Matures
7%
Boomers
54%
Public Instruction
Gen Y
4%
Matures
5%
Gen X
27%
Boomers
64%
Justice
Gen Y
11%
Matures
3%
Gen X
32%
Boomers
54%
Agriculture
Gen Y
9%
Matures
6%
Gen X
25%
Boomers
60%
Labor
Gen Y
4%
Matures
8%
Gen X
23%
Boomers
65%
Insurance
Gen Y
3%
Matures
8%
Gen X
23%
Boomers
66%
OSP
Gen Y
2%
Matures
4%
Gen X
21%
Boomers
73%
Administration
Gen Y
6%
Matures
7%
Gen X
19%
Boomers
68%
Transportation
Gen Y
9%
Matures
4%
Gen X
28%
Boomers
59%
Environment and Natural
Resources
Gen Y
9%
Matures
4%
Gen X
32%
Boomers
55%
Wildlife Resources
Gen Y
16%
Matures
1%
Boomers
43%
Gen X
40%
Health and Human Services
Gen Y
10%
Matures
4%
Gen X
25%
Boomers
61%
Correction
Gen Y
13%
Gen X
30%
Matures
3%
Boomers
54%
Commerce
Gen Y
5%
Matures
10%
Gen X
17%
Boomers
68%
ESC
Gen Y
4%
Gen X
22%
Matures
8%
Boomers
66%
Revenue
Gen Y
11%
Gen X
32%
Matures
3%
Boomers
54%
Crime Control and Public Safety
Gen Y
13%
Gen X
45%
Matures
1%
Boomers
41%
Controller
Gen Y Matures
2%
2%
Gen X
32%
Boomers
64%
ITS
Gen Y
1%
Gen X
29%
Matures
8%
Boomers
62%
Community College
Gen Y
4%
Matures
6%
Gen X
22%
Boomers
68%
Board of Elections
Gen Y
12%
Matures
4%
Boomers
41%
Gen X
43%
UNC Chapel Hill
Gen Y
15%
Gen X
28%
Matures
4%
Boomers
53%
NC State
Gen Y
13%
Matures
4%
Gen X
27%
Boomers
56%
Culture Resources
Gen Y
10%
Matures
7%
Gen X
22%
Boomers
61%
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 in 2008
Exercise
Matures
Matures Formative Events
•
•
•
•
•
The Great Depression
Pearl Harbor
WW II
Hiroshima
The New Deal
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
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
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
Matures in the Market
• Faith in the nation’s institutions and
the government
• Demand quality
• Are loyal customers but aren’t afraid
to shop around
• Follow the rules that have been
established
• Believe standard options are just
fine
Messages that Motivate
• “Your experience is respected here”
• “It’s valuable to the rest of us to hear what
has –and hasn’t—worked in the past”
• “Your perseverance is valued and will be
rewarded”
• Motivated by symbols
Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers Formative Events
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Civil Rights movement
Martin Luther King
John F. Kennedy
Vietnam War
Woodstock
The Cold War
Roe vs. Wade
Baby Boomers Values
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stability
“Workaholic”
Competitive
Balancing family and work
Desire for respect
Success is largely visible
Personal development
Optimistic
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
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
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 they’re to be broken
• Want products and services that will indicate to their
peers that they’re successful
Messages that motivate
“You’re important to
our success”
“You’re valued here”
“Your contribution is
unique and important”
“We need you”
“I approve of you”
Gen Xers
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
Generation X Values
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Parent’s began raising them as “friends”
No common heroes
Work-Life balance
Independent
Cynical and pessimistic
Seek career opportunities
Thinking globally
Technoliterate
Informal
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
On the Job
Assets
–
–
–
–
–
Adaptable
Technoliterate
Independent
Un-intimidated by authority
Creative
Liabilities
–
–
–
–
Impatient
Poor people skills
Inexperienced
Cynical
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
Messages that motivate
• “Do it your way”
• “We’ve got the newest
hardware and software”
• “There aren’t a lot of rules
here”
• “We’re not very corporate”
Millennial
Millennial Formative Events
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oklahoma City bombing
9/11 terrorist attack
Columbine High School
The Internet boom
Child focus
Technology
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
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
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
Millenials in the Market
• Want to be like their peers but with a
unique twist
• Don’t want to be hurried
• Consider a company’s products if the
company is known for their altruistic
attitude
• Are loyal consumers
• Search for the unique items
Messages that Motivate
• “You’ll 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”
Important Distinctions and
Strategies
Respect for Authority
• Matures:
Seniority and tenure
• Boomers:
Similar values Matures;
they’ve earned it
• Gen X:
Authority figures deserve
skepticism & testing
• Gen Y:
Test but search
Time on the Job
• Matures: Work ethic defined by the punch clock
• Boomers: Visibility was/is the key
• Gen X:
“What does it matter when I work, as
long as I get the job done”
• Gen Y:
“It is five o’clock – I have another life to
get to.”
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
Bottom Line Differences
• Matures
and Boomers:
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
• Gen X
and Y:
To them, there is no promise that
invested time pays a dividend
They’ll have multiple CAREERS, so the
job is probably a temporary thing
Workplace Strategies
Baby Boomer
– Sabbatical options—longevity leave
– Increased vacation
– Retirement packages
– Fitness benefits
– Consulting options
Workplace Strategies
Generation X/Y
– Leadership development
– Mentoring
– Recognition/incentive
– Vacation
– ‘Cafeteria’ benefits plan
– Cross training
– Education
Workplace Strategies
All Generations
– Alternative work
schedules
– Telecommuting
– Employee assistance
– Floating holidays
Workplace Strategies
• When possible combine function-based work with
project-based work
• Team vs. Independent?
• Consider communication
strategies
• Avoid stereotyping
Thank You