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)