Some straightforward advice on retaining and engaging the different generations employed in your workplace.
Bob Dylan wrote, Times, they are a-changin’, and his words are perhaps truer today than when they were written back in 1964.
We live in an age where in Australia, the average age of the first marriage (30.2) is older than the average age of the first birth (29.7) and where the glass is neither half full nor half empty, thanks to Google, the glass is now a medium for content – interactive, connective and portable.
In an age where technology (and having lived with Covid) has transformed our society and is constantly changing the way we live, work, communicate, travel and make decisions, embracing this change and – more importantly – the people driving it, or resisting it, has never been more crucial for business success.
Who are the generations at work?
It is highly likely your workplace employs at least three generations – Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y – stretching the demands on your management style to meet their various dispositions, expectations and drivers.
Employees aged 60 an over, referred to as Baby Boomers, while loyal are generally highly competitive and tend to be more conservative in their work styles. Gen X’ers, aged 44-59, are more likely to be your problem-solvers yet also tend to be sceptical and independent-minded.
Gen Ys—also known as Millennials—were born in 1980 or later and are now aged 22-43, and like teamwork, regular feedback and embracing technology.
And in the not too distant future, Generation Z, the most educated, individualistic and technology- dependent generation are now in workplace with the first of them turning 22 this year and armed with undergraduate degrees.
Recognising that the difference generations have different mindsets and require different communication and management styles is essential to successful employee management in your business.
Change your management style to retain your staff
In a workplace with employees spanning several generations, we can’t apply a blanket communication-method policy.
It’s important to recognise that most Boomers will prefer to communicate in person or via telephone, while Gen Y/ Millennials and younger are most comfortable emailing, texting or sending instant messages.
Baby Boomers
Generally speaking, Baby Boomers tend to be work-centric, believing that they sacrificed a lot to get where they are today. This workaholic generation generally believe that Gen X and Gen Y should “pay their dues” and conform to a work style of long hours, often criticising them for having a lack of work ethic or commitment to the workplace.
Motivated by the three Ps – position, perks and prestige – Boomers are generally managed well by providing an opportunity to lead the team and mentor others. As a well-educated generation, they are ideally situated to tutor Gen Y in the communication skills they are often accused of lacking. (Conversely, have Gen Y’ers instruct the Boomers on the use of social media and advantages of embracing technology.)
Communicating change in the workplace is vital to maintaining Baby Boomer buy-in. While many may be nearing retirement age, remain mindful of the competitive nature of Baby Boomers. They equate work and position with self-worth and believe strongly in a hierarchal structure, therefore many have a hard time adjusting to workplace flexibility trends sought after by Gen X and Millennials such as working remotely or “child friendly” hours that were not available to them as young parents.
Generation X
With the first of Generation X pushing 60, these independent latchkey kids are often already in leadership roles in our businesses and yet it appears we know very little about them and what drives them and ultimately our success.
Less than half the size of the Baby Boomers generation, Generation X has potentially been the victim of the middle-child syndrome. While we may have been focused on an ageing Boomer generation and a demanding and seemingly uncontrollable Gen Y, we may have completely overlooked these diligent employees toiling quietly in their corner office and enjoying the trappings of their achievements.
Sometimes referred to as the Parent Generation – some having both school-aged children and parents 65 or older – they may be more likely to utilise Personal/Carer’s Leave to tend to the needs of sick children or dependent parents.
Both individual and independent, Generation X are the quiet achievers in the workplace. Focused on making money, they are often at odds with the Millennials desire to create “meaning”.
Generation X leadership style tends to be structured, punctual and linear, and they are generally frustrated with Gen Y’s need for an unstructured, non-linear, and independent workplace.
Getting the best out of Gen X will depend on your ability as a business owner to promote teamwork and flexible workplace practices allowing for work-life balance, judging performance on merit rather than status and downplaying hierarchy. Gen X needs to be aware that while they may as a group live to work, Gen Y, whom they are managing, work to live. For Gen X to get the best out of Gen Y, they will need to depend on their ability to provide regular feedback and coach Millennials through tasks and processes.
Generation Y
The children of the Baby Boomers, who were raised with the mantra that both they and their opinions are important, have an expectation that they will have a stake in outcomes.
Unlike their parents or Gen X, for Gen Y (or Millennials) talking directly to the CEO of a company and expressing exactly what’s on their mind is second nature to this generation.
When managers ask this generation to jump – don’t expect them to jump. Expect them to look you in the eye and ask “Why?”
When dealing with this generation we need to shift from a command and control style to a more inclusive management philosophy.
However, despite all the hype and negative publicity, Generation Y is not all bad. Hays surveyed 1,000 people in Australia aged 18 to 30 on their views and expectations of the workplace and interestingly they found that Gen Y are more loyal than we have previously given them credit for.
Their findings reveal that what keeps them motivated to stay in a role includes job satisfaction and enjoyable work (56 percent), work-life balance (49 percent) and personal wealth (44 percent). Meanwhile, 45 per cent said job security was the key factor in deciding to stay with an employer.
Investigating their need for security further, Hays found that 47 percent of Gen Y’ers in Australia linked feeling valued and appreciated with job satisfaction.
The survey concluded that employers who provide regular feedback to their staff and offer them the opportunity to work on projects of interest will be in a strong position to retain their Gen Y talent for the long term.
How generations rate each other
A study by EY asked 1,200 employees about their perceptions of their peers. While the study found that they recognised obvious differences in their strengths and weaknesses, they all agreed that cash was still king and remains the number-one driver in the workplace.
A well-rounded workplace will most likely have employees represented by the three generations. One of the most effective tools in managing these groups is to identify and celebrate the differences.
Take action this month and run a team-building activity that highlights and promotes the advantages of each employee group. By downplaying weaknesses in favour of harnessing strengths, you will bring about greater synergy within your team and potentially realise greater business success. AMP
Sources:
• The McCrindle Blog – Mark McCrindle
• Wikipedia.org /wiki/list of generations
• The New Workforce Challenge – Andres Hatum, Palgrave McMillan
