scce 2014 generational ethics handout...• cost of replacing experienced workers = 50% -150% of...

Copyright ©"2014 Paul Fiorelli, Gretchen Winter, All Rights Reserved

Generational Diversity:A Battle of the Ages

2014 SCCEAnnual Conference

Chicago, Illinois

Paul Fiorelli, J.D., M.B.A.Professor of Legal StudiesCo-Director, Cintas Institute for Business EthicsXavier [email protected]

Gretchen Winter, J.D.Executive Director

Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and SocietyCollege of Business, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

[email protected]


GENERATIONS

• A generation is a group who shared common experiences at the same time in history– Shared experiences do not mean common

attitudes• Does mean shared common influences

– Not meant to stereotype or pigeonhole• Use information to develop context, empathy and

understanding– Become better listeners, improve communication make

organization more effective


The Veterans - born before 1944The Boomers - born between 1944-1964

Gen X - born between 1965-1979Millennials - born between 1980 - 2000

4 GENERATIONS WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE


Why Do We Care?• 2005 AARP survey - finding skilled employees tops the list

in the most important issue facing business.

• Cost of replacing experienced workers = 50% -150% of their annual salaries (including recruiting, orienting and training)

• Median age of workers is 40, highest in history.

• Oldest “Boomers” are nearing retirement age.

– Avoid “brain drain” and encourage intergenerational transfer of institutional wisdom

• Commitment to “age diversity” can make a company an employer of choice

• Lee Hecht Harrison survey found 60% of employees experiencing intergenerational conflict.


“Engaged” Employees?• Companies with “highly engaged” employees have a strong tendency to outperform

organizations with “less engaged” employees.

• Managers understanding what motivate employees within different generations more effectively keeps them engaged.

– Higher retention, lower turnover, increased loyalty from employees of all generations

• Engaged employees defined:

– Employees who are willing and able to contribute to organizational success.

– Tend to thrive in inclusive work environments

• value, reward and develop employees from all generations

• Cost of “disengagement”

– 2006 Gallop poll estimates cost of employee disengagement at $328 billion per year.


THE “VETERANS”

Top 7 Disciplinary Problems in Public Schools

1940’s 1980’s


• 52 million• 66 years and older• 2011 - 7 Million still working

(5% of workforce)• Communicate by letters,

memos, personal notes

THE “VETERANS”aka - Traditionalists, Builders, Matures, Industrialists, Depression Babies, GI Joe Generation, The Greatest

Generation


THE “VETERANS”

Name 5 Events that shaped this

generation

Popular Technology


THE “VETERANS”

What words or phrases would we use to describe

this generation?

How does this generation view ethics?

36% viewed misconduct at work

39% reported that misconduct


• 2011 - 66 million strong 38% of the workforce

• Ages 45-65• Communicate by phone

calls, personal interaction

THE “BABY BOOMERS”aka - Boomers, Vietnam Generation, Me Generation



generation

Popular Technology

THE “BABY BOOMERS”

44% observed misconduct

64% reported misconduct

Ethics Resource Center, Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics: A Supplemental Report of the 2011 National Business Ethics Survey. 2013 (USA). at 6, 8, & 22. available at ethics.org.

THE “BABY BOOMERS”What words or phrases

would we use to describe this generation?




• 2011 - 51 million, 32% of the workforce

• Ages 29-45

• Communicate by voicemail, email

GEN “X”Baby Busters, Twenty-somethings

Thirteenth Generation (since the American Revolution), Post-Boomers



generation

Popular Technology

GEN “X”

45% observed misconduct


Ethics Resource Center, Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics: A Supplemental Report of the 2011 National Business Ethics Survey. 2013 (USA). at 6, 8, & 22 available at ethics.org.

GEN “X”


this generation?




• 2011 40 million of them

GEN “Y” - “Millennials”Internet Generation, Echo Boomers, Boomlet, Nexters, Nintendo Generation, Sunshine Generation, and Digital

Generation

29 and youngerText messages, blogs, emails



generation

GEN “Y” - “Millennials”

Popular Technology

49% observed misconduct- An unfavorable result


Ethics Resource Center, Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics: A Supplemental Report of the 2011 National Business Ethics Survey. 2013 (USA). at 6, 8 & 21. available at ethics.org.

GEN “Y” - “Millennials”


this generation?




OBSERVED MISCONDUCT COMPARISON

Ethics Resource Center, Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics: A Supplemental Report of the 2011 National Business Ethics Survey. 2013 (USA). at 8. available at ethics.org.


Ethics Resource Center, Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics: A Supplemental Report of the 2011 National Business Ethics Survey. 2013 (USA). at 9. available at ethics.org.

REPORTED MISCONDUCT COMPARISON


BACK TO THE FUTURE

1966 - Person of the Year - (25 and under)Cutting edge knowledge, and technology

2006 - Person of the Year - (You, You control the information age)

2016, 2026, 2036, 2046 - Who or What will be the Person of the Year? What new technology that has not even been dreamed of, will form the basis of the next generation(s) business needs, social needs, cultural needs?


Managing Generations• Have open conversations about generations

– Respect longevity, but reward productivity

– Develop ways to transfer knowledge (institutional wisdom) from one generation to another (mentoring, reverse mentoring)

• Ask employees about their needs and preferences

– Job rotations and horizontal movements to improve skill sets

– alumni programs to welcome back returning employees

• Offer options

– Consider “phased retirements” - reduced capacity for a few years

– Long-term care policy may be important to one group, tuition reimbursement and child care to another

• Pursue different perspectives - do more than tolerate differences, embrace it and use it as a competitive advantage for recruitment, retention, career development, client marketing and customer satisfaction.


CLOSING THOUGHTS

We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges.

Tim Berners-Lee (British Physicist)

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. John Quincy Adams

Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. Robert Kennedy

scce 2014 generational ethics handout...• cost of replacing experienced workers = 50% -150% of...

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