understanding how you are perceived in today's multigenerational workforce
DESCRIPTION
Want to increase your ability to communicate more effectively with interviewers, co-workers, subordinates, and managers? There are some generational "dynamics" that you may need to master...TRANSCRIPT
How You’reHow You’rePerceived in aPerceived in a
Multi-Multi-generationalgenerationalWorkforceWorkforce
Why This Is ImportantWhy This Is Important
•Generational Perspectives Generational Perspectives are at work in todays are at work in todays workplaceworkplace– Effects how you as a Effects how you as a candidate are perceivedcandidate are perceived
– Effects who gets hiredEffects who gets hired– Effects why people leave jobsEffects why people leave jobs
Thirty-eight-year-old Tim is a blunt, just-the-Thirty-eight-year-old Tim is a blunt, just-the-facts guy. He demands that his employees facts guy. He demands that his employees provide quantitative data about almost provide quantitative data about almost everything they propose, and he tells them his everything they propose, and he tells them his thoughts straight out.thoughts straight out. He doesn't like speculation and guesswork, He doesn't like speculation and guesswork, and he focuses on results, working 10- to 12-and he focuses on results, working 10- to 12-hour days to get things done. On the other hour days to get things done. On the other hand, 24-year-old John is devoted to his work hand, 24-year-old John is devoted to his work and loves what he does, but he leaves every and loves what he does, but he leaves every day at 5 p.m. sharp for his exercise class. day at 5 p.m. sharp for his exercise class.
He is very diplomatic and careful not to offend He is very diplomatic and careful not to offend any coworkers, but he often clashes with Tim any coworkers, but he often clashes with Tim because of Tim's blunt style and his demands because of Tim's blunt style and his demands for John to be physically at work. What's for John to be physically at work. What's happening here?happening here?
Stand at Your CornerStand at Your Corner
Pearl HarborPearl HarborKorean WarKorean War
11stst Radio Radio
Your GenerationYour GenerationImpactsImpacts
How you How you CommunicateCommunicate
Kennedy Kennedy AssassinationAssassination
Armstrong Moon WalkArmstrong Moon Walk11stst TV set TV set
Fall of Berlin WallFall of Berlin WallChallenger CrashChallenger Crash
11stst PC PC
OJ / Dot Com BustOJ / Dot Com BustMonica/Gulf War IMonica/Gulf War I11stst E-mail Address E-mail Address
10%
44%
34%
12%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Matures Boomers Gen X Gen Y
Generations in Work Generations in Work ForceForce
60% of employers report some “generational 60% of employers report some “generational tension”tension”
Traditionalists Boomers Gen-X Gen-Y
Generation OverviewGeneration Overview
TRADITIONALISTTRADITIONALISTS:S:
DepressionDepressionBuildersBuildersSaversSavers
Your Your GeneratiGenerati
ononImpacts Impacts How you How you
LiveLive
BOOMERS:BOOMERS:Post WWIIPost WWIISpendersSpendersLive to WorkLive to Work
GEN Xs:GEN Xs:Latch-keyLatch-keyDivorceDivorceDownsizedDownsizedIndependentIndependent
GEN Ys:GEN Ys:Digital revolutionDigital revolutionCorp / Govt Corp / Govt
flawedflawedShort attention Short attention
spanspanWork to LiveWork to Live
Characteristics, Characteristics, Perspectives, Attitudes and Perspectives, Attitudes and
BeliefsBeliefs
Different Perspectives, Different Perspectives, Different PrioritiesDifferent Priorities
Work
Life
Family
Work Life
Family
Example : Work/Life balanceExample : Work/Life balance#1 Issue between Generations#1 Issue between Generations
70% of American workers say they 70% of American workers say they don’t have proper work-life balance … don’t have proper work-life balance …
and blame their employers for the and blame their employers for the problemproblem
SuccessSuccess
Feeling Feeling personally personally satisfiedsatisfied90%90%
Having close family Having close family relationshipsrelationships
81%81%
Having a close Having a close group of group of Friends Friends
69%69%
An active An active religious or religious or
spiritual life spiritual life 50%50%
Gen Y’s Gen Y’s Definition of SuccessDefinition of Success
Generations Y LoyaltyGenerations Y Loyalty((in order of importance to them)in order of importance to them)
1.1.FamiliesFamilies
2.2.FriendsFriends
3.3.CommunitiesCommunities
4.4.Co-workersCo-workers
5.5.ThemselvesThemselves
6.6.Their EmployerTheir Employer
Generation Y 90% say they are
“very close” to their parents
44% of teens consider parents as role models
Quality and quantity time
Raising a family is very important – 75%
Baby Boomers More than 40% in
1974 said they would be better off without their parents
“Quality time”
Raising a family is very important – 59%
Family - Family - ParentingParenting
Marrying later or not Marrying later or not at allat all
• 1960 1960 • Women Women 20 years old20 years old• MenMen 23 years old23 years old
• 2007 2007 • Women Women 26 years old26 years old• MenMen 28 years 28 years
oldold
Median age at marriageMedian age at marriage
Volunteering is very Volunteering is very important to Gen Yimportant to Gen Y
• More than 60% of students volunteer at least monthlyMore than 60% of students volunteer at least monthly
• More than 80% of college freshmen More than 80% of college freshmen volunteered as high school seniorsvolunteered as high school seniors
• Focus: environment, poverty and Focus: environment, poverty and community problemscommunity problems
• Top reasons for volunteering: Top reasons for volunteering: • ““feel I am helping others” feel I am helping others” • ““good skills for the future”good skills for the future”• ““makes me feel proud”makes me feel proud”
Understand What Understand What Motivates Each GenerationMotivates Each Generation
BoomersBoomersPriority on careerPriority on career
Sacrifice family for workSacrifice family for work
Hard workersHard workers
Loyalty to companyLoyalty to company
““Panic” re: retirementPanic” re: retirement
Gen XGen XHard work Hard work
Using technologyUsing technology
Prefers cash & salaryPrefers cash & salary
Wants some funWants some fun
Loyal to professionLoyal to profession
Gen YGen YContact with supervisorContact with supervisor
Make a differenceMake a difference
Work in teamsWork in teams
State-of-art tech stuffState-of-art tech stuff
Be at top nowBe at top now
Frequent feedback & trainingFrequent feedback & training
How They Look at How They Look at RecruitingRecruiting
Gen YGen YStart early – internshipsStart early – internships
Web site very importantWeb site very important
Recruit through peersRecruit through peers
Engage with videosEngage with videos
Recruit via InternetRecruit via Internet
Appeal to desire to learnAppeal to desire to learn
Sell via flexible Sell via flexible schedulingscheduling
Highlight paid trainingHighlight paid training
Gen XGen XAvoid hypeAvoid hype
Offer money & stockOffer money & stock
Web site importantWeb site important
Appeal to desire to Appeal to desire to learnlearn
Highlight paid training Highlight paid training & skill development& skill development
48% look in local paper48% look in local paper
76% get news online76% get news online
59% use Net for search59% use Net for search
Attitides about RetentionAttitides about Retention
Gen YGen Y• 83% want flexibility83% want flexibility• 73% motivated by 73% motivated by
salarysalary• 58% want pathway to 58% want pathway to
personal growthpersonal growth• Work-life balanceWork-life balance• Frequent feedbackFrequent feedback• Access to managersAccess to managers• Social interaction at Social interaction at
workwork
Gen XGen X• CompensationCompensation• Access to managersAccess to managers• Work “with” not “for”Work “with” not “for”• Weekly feedbackWeekly feedback• Health/medical Health/medical
benefitsbenefits• Given desired Given desired
outcome & then outcome & then turned looseturned loose
• Training Training (live/computer)(live/computer)
• Gen Y workers want a job that lets them Gen Y workers want a job that lets them exercise personal values and beliefsexercise personal values and beliefs
Causes ClickCauses Click
• 62 percent of Gen-Y want to work for 62 percent of Gen-Y want to work for companies that give them a chance to companies that give them a chance to use their skills to help a nonprofit. use their skills to help a nonprofit.
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Gen Y’s Use of TimeGen Y’s Use of Time
Communications Communications PreferencesPreferences
BoomersBoomers Xs & YsXs & Ys
PrintedPrinted ElectronicElectronic
Snail MailSnail Mail
NewspapersNewspapers
NewslettersNewsletters
ConferencesConferences
Face-to-face meetingsFace-to-face meetings
TelephoneTelephone
E-mailE-mail
Online news, blogs, pod castsOnline news, blogs, pod casts
E-lettersE-letters
Video conferencesVideo conferences
WebinarsWebinars
TextingTexting
EXERCISEEXERCISE
How well How well do you do you
“read” others? “read” others?
Boomer ViewsBoomer Views
Of Boomers:Of Boomers:• Annoying sense of entitlementAnnoying sense of entitlement• Experienced and well groundedExperienced and well grounded• Goal oriented with good work ethicsGoal oriented with good work ethics
Of Gen X-ers:Of Gen X-ers:• Family firstFamily first• Job hoppersJob hoppers• Self absorbedSelf absorbed
Of Gen Y-ers:Of Gen Y-ers:• Feel entitledFeel entitled• Need a lot of strokingNeed a lot of stroking• Comfortable with (dependent on) technologyComfortable with (dependent on) technology
Gen X ViewsGen X ViewsOf Boomers:Of Boomers:• ComplacentComplacent• Didn’t plan for retirement and probably won’t Didn’t plan for retirement and probably won’t
retireretire• Hard working, dedicatedHard working, dedicated
Of Gen X-ers:Of Gen X-ers:• Job hoppers, transient; slackersJob hoppers, transient; slackers• Focused on career … as means to enjoy lifeFocused on career … as means to enjoy life• Able to bridge gap between Boomers & Y-ersAble to bridge gap between Boomers & Y-ers
Of Gen Y-ers:Of Gen Y-ers:• Selfish, impatient, immature, spoiledSelfish, impatient, immature, spoiled• Want to be involved in decision makingWant to be involved in decision making• Tech savvyTech savvy
Gen Y ViewsGen Y ViewsOf Boomers:Of Boomers:• Not tech savvyNot tech savvy• Stuck in waysStuck in ways• Hard workingHard working
Of Gen X-ers:Of Gen X-ers:• Carefree, laid backCarefree, laid back• Cynical, “me” generationCynical, “me” generation• SkepticsSkeptics
Of Gen Y-ers:Of Gen Y-ers:• Technologically sophisticatedTechnologically sophisticated• Looking fort outreach/volunteer opportunitiesLooking fort outreach/volunteer opportunities• Open minded, willing to adopt new Open minded, willing to adopt new
practices/ideaspractices/ideas
Putting it all togetherPutting it all together
• It’s about effective It’s about effective communicationcommunication– Connecting with those with whom Connecting with those with whom
you’re interviewingyou’re interviewing– Understanding where the other Understanding where the other
party is coming fromparty is coming from
• Or put another way,Or put another way,– Helping you get on the same Helping you get on the same
“wavelength” as the interviewer(s)“wavelength” as the interviewer(s)