managing a multigenerational · pdf file1978 – 1989 gen z 1990 – 1999 generations...

© 2014 Robert Half Technology. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. All rights reserved. This material is theconfidential property of Robert Half Technology. Copying or reproducing this material is strictly prohibited. © 2016 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Managing a MultigenerationalWorkforce

Tomm AldridgeSr. Vice President

Robert Half Management Resources

Today’s Agenda

� How the generations work and what they value

� How to harmonize multigenerational teams

2

BABY BOOMERS1946 – 1964

GEN Y1978 – 1989

GEN Z1990 – 1999

Generations in the Workforce

3

GREATEST GENERATION

1901 – 1924

SILENT GENERATION(TRADITIONALISTS)

1925 – 1945

MILLENNIALS

GENERATION X1965 – 1977

MILLENNIALS

Four Generations in the Workplace

4

BABY BOOMERS1946 – 1964

GEN X1965 – 1977

GEN Y1978 – 1989

GEN Z1990 – 1999

Avoiding Stereotypes

•Not wise to try to stereotype an entire

generation.

•Our discussion today based on surveys

Robert Half and others have done.

•Gen Z information, for example, based on

input from real Gen Zers who were polled for

a report from Robert Half and Enactus, Get

Ready for Generation Z.

Culture and History Influence Who We Are

Baby Boomer Gen X Gen Y Gen Z

Also

Known

As

• Boomers • MTV Generation • Echo Boomers

• Gen Next

• Millennials

• iGeneration

• Post-millennials

• Millennials

• Centennials

Definin

g

Events

• Vietnam War

• Civil rights

• JFK/MLK/RFK

assassinations

• Moon landing

• Counterculture

• Watergate

• Disco

• Tape decks

• VCRs

• “The Graduate”

• Fall of Berlin Wall

• Iran-Contra Affair

• Gulf War

• Cable TV

• Satellites

• PCs, CDs

• First generation on

internet

• “The Breakfast

Club”

• 9/11

• Wars in Afghanistan

and Iraq

• Columbine shooting

• iPods

• YouTube, Facebook

and Twitter

• European Union

• Environmental

concerns/global

warming

• “Mean Girls”

• Paris terrorist attacks

• Instability in Syria/refugee

crisis

• Smartphones/texting/apps/I

nstagram and Snapchat

• Heavy student debt

• Digital and global

generation

• “Hunger Games”

6

Four Generations at Work:Generations at a Glance

7

Sources: The Changing Workforce: Urgent Challenges and Strategies, 2007, Joe Kristy, associate partner, Human Capital Management Practice, IBM; Bruce Tulgan, founder, RainmakerThinking

Baby Boomers Gen Xers Gen Yers Gen Zers

Behavior Challenge the rules Change the rules Create the rules Customize the rules

Training Preferred in moderation Required to keep meContinuous and

expectedOngoing and

essential

Learning style Facilitated IndependentCollaborative and

networkedTechnology-based

Communication style

Guarded Hub and spoke Collaborative Face-to-face

Problem-solving Horizontal Independent Collaborative Entrepreneurial

Decision-making Team informed Team included Team decided Team persuaded

Leadership style Unilateral Coach Partner Teaching

FeedbackOnce per year, during

the annual reviewWeekly/daily On demand

Consistent and frequent

Change management

Change = caution Change = opportunityChange =

improvementChange = expected

Education

44.9%

Graduated College?

Postgraduate Studies?

8

Boomers Gen X Gen Y Gen Z

18% 31% 37% 41%


19% 19% 27% 34%

Survey of 1176 individuals conducted by SSRS for Robert Half.


77% 69% 75% 83%

Insights into Attitudes: Good Boss/Bad Boss

9

YES!


21% 31% 23% 20%

How would you rate your boss’s leadership skills?

Do you think you could do a better job than your boss?

STRONG!


Insights into Attitudes: Rewards and Recognition

10

How effective do you think your company is at recognizing employees for good performance?


80% 70% 66% 83%

EFFECTIVE!



42% 59% 64% 69%

MORE TIME!


29% 29% 37% 49%

THE SAME TIME!

Vacation Expectations

11

If your company instituted a policy of unlimited vacation, do you think you would take more time off, less time off, the same amount of time off, etc.?


Effect of Vacations on Productivity

12

If such a policy existed, what impact would it have on productivity?


44% 42% 24% 25%

INCREASE!


23% 34% 40% 50%

DECREASE!


31% 22% 28% 24%

NO CHANGE!

Job Hopping

13

Do you think job hopping can benefit your career?

https://www.roberthalf.com/accountemps/blog/is-job-hopping-losing-its-stigma

Age 18 – 38 (Gen Y & Gen Z)

Age 39 – 54 (Gen X)

Age 55+ (boomers)

NO 78%

NO62%

YES57%

Getting to Know All About the Generations

14

Baby Boomers

Boomers Reinvent Themselves

� 44 million people in the US are now 65+

� Strong work ethic, challenge the rules, somewhat cautious about change

� Living longer

� Not ready or able to retire

16

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/baby-boomers-retirement/396950/A

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/13/retiring-well-not-most-baby-boomers.html

http://rh-us.mediaroom.com/2014-03-20-Many-Executives-Unconcerned-About-Near-Term-Baby-Boomer-Retirements

27% have enough retirement savings

36%hope to retire

at 70 or later

Boomers Reinvent Themselves

� CFOs value their leadership and legacy knowledge

� Not ready or able to retire

� Bold, not old. Looking for creative alternatives to retirement:

– Shorter hours,

telecommuting or other

flexible work arrangements

– Consulting or contracting

– Mentoring younger workers

– Embarking on new careers

17

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/baby-boomers-retirement/396950/Ahttp://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/13/retiring-well-not-most-baby-boomers.htmlhttp://rh-us.mediaroom.com/2014-03-20-Many-Executives-Unconcerned-About-Near-Term-Baby-Boomer-Retirements

� Some CFOs say, “Please don’t go!”

� Loss of leadership

� Loss of legacy knowledge

Generation X

Gen X: Advancement and Stability

19http://www.businessinsider.com/generation-x-least-prepared-for-retirement-charts-2013-5?op=1http://www.inc.com/magazine/201209/inc-staff/survey-of-inc-500-ceos-who-they-are.html

� Gen Xers are the new leaders

� More than 30% of Gen Xers say they could do a better job than their bosses

� 68% of the Inc. 500 CEOs are Gen Xers

Gen X: Advancement and Stability

� Want to build tenure

� Are eager to enhance skills

20http://www.businessinsider.com/generation-x-least-prepared-for-retirement-charts-2013-5?op=1http://www.inc.com/magazine/201209/inc-staff/survey-of-inc-500-ceos-who-they-are.html

13

13 Gen X and Baby Boomers are both represented by pictures of white men — update stock images to have more diversity?Grace Dobush, 11/23/2015

Millennials: Growing Sector of the Workforce

Gen Y: Ambitious, Motivated

� Experienced economic

uncertainty

� Expect to have a number of

employers over their career

22 https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work/assets/reshaping-the-workplace.pdf

Gen Y: The Restless Strivers

� Expect 6 employers over a career

� Advancement is the top priority

� Seek work/life balance

� Favor electronic communication

23 https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work/assets/reshaping-the-workplace.pdf

Gen Z: New Kids on the Block

� Born 1990-1999

� Makes up 25% of the U.S. population

� Gen Z workforce is expected to nearly double in the next five years

YearGen Z in

Workforce

2015 20 million*

2017 25 million*

2019 30 million*

*Bruce Tulgan and RainmakerThinking, Inc. “Meet Generation Z: The second generation within the giant "Millennial" cohort”24

Gen Z: High Hopes

High hopes and big dreams 5 years after graduation*

25

24%Working my way up the corporate ladder although not yet among the management ranks

32%Managing orsupervising

employees ina corporateenvironment

20%Starting my own business/being an entrepreneur

9%Pursuing higher education

6%Working for a nonprofit organization

*Top five answers shown

Gen Z: High Hopes

� Love learning

� Innovate and improvise

� At ease with technology

� Accustomed to providing input

� Need to strengthen basic skills

� Prefer traditional communication on the job

26

Tap the Knowledge, Experience of Boomers

•Every generation brings a unique set of skills, communication styles, and experience

to the table.

•Boomers:

•Vast reservoir of institutional and historical knowledge

•May continue to offer support in a consulting or training role

Encourage Generational ‘Mingling’

•Communication key to nurturing newer workers and helping all generations work

productively together

•Encourage senior managers to give less tenured employees the benefits of their

experience.

Mentoring Opportunities for Millennials —And Everyone

� 86 percent of CFOs said having a mentor is somewhat or very important for career development, yet only 26 percent of workers have one. (Accountemps survey)

� Create mentoring opportunities across all generations.

� Milliennials benefit most from programs that take into account their individuality.

� Mentoring programs can also help feed succession plans.

Reverse Mentoring

� Mentoring highway a two-way road

� It can be just as constructive to have expertise and insights flowing up the hierarchical ladder:

– Technology expertise

– Business challenges and opportunities from a different point of view

� Strengthens trust and understanding on both sides

Communicating with a Multigenerational Team

� Avoid stereotyping or aone-size-fits-all approach

� Set up informal or formal cross-training sessions

� Build camaraderie through stimulating team events

� Develop project workflows and processes to enhance clarity

31

Managing a Multigenerational Team

Benefits:

� Brings together people of varying experience levels

� Leads to increased productivity

� Allows for greater diversity of project teams

Challenges:

� Each generation may approach work andwork/life balance differently

� Conflicting communication styles

� Different points of view make it harder to reach consensus

32

© 2014 Robert Half Technology. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. All rights reserved. This material is theconfidential property of Robert Half Technology. Copying or reproducing this material is strictly prohibited. © 2016 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

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managing a multigenerational · pdf file1978 – 1989 gen z 1990 – 1999 generations...

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