HRDC -‐ Let’s Talk HR 21st February 2013
HUMAN RESOURCES Building a Strong
Mul/genera/onal Workplace
Eddy M. Jolicoeur
What is this all about?
For the first 4me ever we have 3 different genera4ons in our workforce working together side-‐by-‐side:
! Baby Boomers (born 1946-‐1964)
! Genera4on X (born 1965-‐1980)
! Millennials (Gen Y) (born 1981 to 1995)
What is this all about?
! Each of these genera4ons have been impacted by various events that shape who they are and how they work
! We need to understand what mo4vates the various genera4ons and how we can work together
! Stereotypical experiences and percep4ons of each genera4on help us to understand perspec4ves
Looks familiar?
Different PercepCons
Percep4ons frequently have genera4onal issues as their cause
! “He is not commiVed to his job” ! “She has a poor work ethic” ! “He does not respect experience” ! “I can’t believe the way she dresses” ! “Who cares that we have always done it that way, with technology we can do it beVer this way”
The Challenge
"Managing mul4genera4onal workforces is an art in itself. Young workers want to make a quick impact, the middle genera4on needs to believe in the mission, and older employees don't like ambivalence. Your move."
Harvard Business School "Working Knowledge“ newsleVer, April 2006: "Can you manage different generaCons?"
A New GeneraCon Gap
“The term Genera4on Gap was used mostly to describe conflicts between parents and children. Today, the “Gap” has more of a presence in the workplace, where employees from different genera4ons are finding it difficult to work side by side because their experiences, goals and expecta4ons are different”. GOVEXEC.com
THE MCB WORKFORCE
Millenials 52%
Gen X 36%
Baby Boomers 12%
What about us?
They’re HEEERRE!!
The Business Case…
! Recruitment/Compe44on for talent ! Reten4on ! Reward ! Produc4vity and business results linked to work environment
! Employee Sa4sfac4on ! Customer Sa4sfac4on/Customers from all genera4ons
Benefits of the MulCgeneraConal Team
! Can aVract/retain talented people of all ages, more inclusive
! More flexible
! Can gain/maintain greater market share because reflect mul4genera4onal market
! Decisions are stronger, more broad-‐based with mul4ple perspec4ves
! More innova4ve and crea4ve
! Can meet needs of diverse public and can relate more effec4vely
What Shaped You?
! Na4onal Events ! Music ! Technology ! Values ! Rela4onships ! Parental Expecta4ons ! Other?
Pickings from the focus group
! 14% of the Boomers agreed that a person should build their career with one employer, compared to 11% of Xers
! When asked “Which genera4on is the best at finding work-‐life balance?”, all genera4ons picked Millennials
! Millennials indicated that flexible workplace and opportunity for promo4on were more important than salary
Characteristics Baby Boomers Born 1946-1964
Generation X Born 1965-1980
Millennials Born 1981-1996
Age Span 50 to 65 years old 34 to 49 years old 19 to 33 years old Traits Idealistic
Break the rules Time stressed Politically correct
Pragmatic Self-sufficient Skeptical Flexible Media/Info/Tech savvy Entrepreneurial
Confident Well-educated Self-sufficient Tolerant Team builders Socially/politically conscious
Defining Events Vietnam War/Cold War Mai 1968 Independence
Liberal subjects Recession Free education
Computers in schools Globalisation Terrorism Corporate scandals China
To Them Work Is An exciting adventure A difficult challenge To make a difference
Work Ethic Driven Balanced Eager but anxious Employment Goals Second career Work/life balance Unrealistic Education Birthright Way to get to an end A given Communication Telephone Email IM/Text messaging Time at Work is defined Visibility Why does it matter if I get it done
today? Is it 5 PM? I have a life…TGIF
Need most in the workplace
Recognition! ‘Stop ignoring me!’
More information ‘Nobody tells me anything!”
Praise and fun; or is that fun and praise?
Baby Boomers’ generaCon
Baby Boomers
! The “Me” genera4on
! More hours equals beVer performance; now regret
! They are the managers who are running our organiza4ons today
! Career oriented
! “Love the good life”
! Love job performance feedback
Managing the Baby Boomers
! Help them explore their next set of workplace op4ons, and demonstrate how your organiza4on can con4nue to use their talents
! Walk the talk on work-‐life balance by redesigning their jobs to accommodate mul4ple life demands
! Encourage them to enrich their present job and grow in place if they need to slow their career pace
GeneraCon X
GeneraCon X
! The next genera4on of leaders
! The most well educated genera4on
! Goal-‐oriented
! Free Agents vs. Company Loyalists
! Thrive on independence
! Want to be challenged
! Led dot.com boom
Managing GeneraCon X
! Talk to them about their reputa4on, not just job tasks; they want your candid perspec4ve and feedback (Trust)
! Acknowledge their ability to work independently and encourage them to leverage their entrepreneurial abili4es
! Help them get the most out of every job posi4on by discussing what the job can do for them and what they can learn from it
Millenials
Millennials
! Value independence but need some supervision
! Look for new challenges
! Challenge the status quo
! Want the job of their dreams not a good job
! Want the opportunity to make an impact
! Fear boredom more than anything else
Managing the Millennials
! Demonstrate the stability and long-‐term value of your organiza4on, and also show how your organiza4on is flexible and filled with learning opportuni4es for them
! Provide work schedules that help them build careers and families at the same 4me
! Make groups and teams part of their job
Summary of Work CharacterisCcs
The differences exist so....
DEAL WITH THEM!
3 Strategies to Manage by:
1) Communica4on
2) Delega4on
3) The Giq of Feedback
CommunicaCon
• What do your employees want from a work environment? – Forget exit surveys; why do people stay? – What do you want from your work environment?
• Talk about peoples’ differences amongst your team • Develop an ac4on plan specific to your team • Talk about conflict – do not brush it under the carpet
DelegaCon
! Boomers want teamwork, Xers want independence, Millennials want more responsibility
! Delega4on can be the answer to everyone’s needs ! Prepare Xers for the next role, challenge Millennials, give
Boomers some much needed balance
! Requires accountability and feedback P.S. Forget how long it took you to reach the point where things were delegated
to you…those days are gone!!
The Gi] of Feedback
Keys to providing effecCve feedback: • Immediate feedback – to recognize good performance, and
address performance issues as they arise
• PosiCve and construcCve feedback – direct, non-‐judgmental, ethical and based on values governing the policy
• Specific feedback – the feedback should pinpoint targeted strengths and areas for improvement
• Give feedback OFTEN – keeps employee on course, prevents
work from going “off track” for long periods of 4me, and reduces the s4gma of giving feedback
Keys to Providing EffecCve Feedback:
• Spend Cme with your employees to discuss the work and
see how they are doing
• Explain how the employee’s work contributes to the big picture
• Delegate based on employee workload and capabiliCes
• Show your commitment to their objec4ves by providing needed support and direc4on
STAR Model for Giving Feedback
• S SituaCon – describe the SITUATION where the behaviour occurred
• T Task – describe the TASK the employee performed
• A AcCon – describe the ACTION the employee chose in this situa4on
• R Result – describe the outcome that occurred as a RESULT of the ac4on
If it is construc/ve feedback add an addi/onal AR:
• A AlternaCve AcCon -‐ suggest an ALTERNATIVE ACTION the employee could have chosen in this situa4on
• R AlternaCve Result -‐ describe the likely outcome that would have occurred as an ALETERNATE RESULT of the alternate ac4on
DON’T FORGET TO GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK
What’s Next?
• Digital Na4ves (born 1996 or aqer) enter the scene star4ng in 2014: – More ‘knowledgeable’ about technology than instructors have been
– Technology is how they connect with their friends, perform research, and feel at home
– When combined, Millennials & Digital Na4ves out number Baby Boomers
– Mul4-‐tasking isn’t a concept – it is the only way!
Thank You! Ques4ons?
Sources and references
• Harvard Business School "Working Knowledge“ newsleVer, April 2006: "Can you manage different generaCons? hVp://www.hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/5297.html
• The Economist “Winning the genera4on game” September 2013 hVp://www.economist.com/
• McGee Jr., Paul E. “A New Genera4on at Work: Y and How to Manage It.” The Washington Business Journal. May 10, 2004. hVp://www.washingtonbizjornals.com/
• Valueop4ons.com” Understanding and managing different genera4ons” hVp://www.valueop4ons.com/