Please Respect My Generation! 5 Generations at work

1. Please Respect My Generation! 5 Generations at work SAIGE 10th Annual National Training Conference Thursday, June 6, 2013 10:15 am – 11:30 am Northern Quest Hotel, Spokane, Washington Presented by: Cynthia D. Dunn, Director Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE) Division Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Washington, DC

2. Who Am I? • Cynthia Dunn, Director, IRS, TE/GE, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion • Highest Ranking Native American Ancestry Official in TE/GE • 33 Years of Federal Service • EEO/EDI/Diversity/Civil Rights Field since 1992 • Lifetime Member of SAIGE • Tribal Affiliation = Crow, Blackfeet, and • Black Hawk • Proud Mother and Grandmother

3. Agenda • Generational BINGO – Opening Exercise • The Aging Workforce • The Five Generations at Work • Generational Communication/Biases • Generational Talk – Exercise • Generational Quotes • The F.A.I.R. Approach to Generational Diversity • A Quick Review • The Way We Lived - Exercise • Our Future Generation • Questions? • Contact Information

4. Generational Diversity Bingo – Opening Exercise

5. Generational Diversity BINGO

6. The Aging Workforce

7. People are Living Longer… • George Roberts, born 1908, Oldest and Longest-serving Federal Employee • Emma Tillman, born 1892, died @ 114 yrs old January 28, 2007 • Madame Jeanne Louise Calment, born 1875 (died @ 122 years, 164 days old August 4, 1997)

8. The Aging Workforce

9. The Five Generations at work

10. Matures • Born before 1939 • Influenced by the Military • 35 million people today • Hard Workers • Respect for Rules • Dedicated to the Job

11. Tips on Working with Matures • Allow the employee to set the “rules of engagement” • Ask what has worked for them in the past and fit your approach to that experience • Let them define quality and fit your approach to that definition • Use testimonials from the nation’s institutions (government, business, or people) • Emphasize that you’ve seen a particular approach work in the past, don’t highlight uniqueness

12. Baby Boomers • 1940-1963 • Most influential people today • 80 million people • Team Oriented • Personal Gratification and Growth • Ambitious and Driven to Succeed

13. Tips on Working with Baby Boomers • Show them how you can help them use time wisely • Assess their comfort level with technology in advance • Demonstrate how important a strong team is • Customize your style to their unique needs • Emphasize that working with you will be a good experience for them • Emphasize that their decision is a good one and a “victory” for them—they’re competitive and want to win • Follow up and check in and ask how the individual is doing on a regular basis

14. Generation X • 1964-1980 • Prove it to me • 45 million people • Fun and Informative • Self Reliant and Pragmatic • Techno Literacy

15. Tips on Working with Generation X • Put all the options on the table • Be prepared to answer “why” • Present yourself as an information provider • Use their peers as testimonials when possible • Appear to enjoy your work • Follow up and meet your commitments. They’re eager to improve and expect you to follow through

16. Generation Millennials or Generation Y • 1981-1990 • Instant Gratification • 75 million people • Feel Civic Duty • Optimistic • Achievement Oriented

17. Tips on Working with Millennials/Generation Y • Offer customization—a plan specific to them • Offer peer-level examples • Spend time providing information and guidance • Be impressed with their decisions

18. Newest Generation – Generation 9/11 • Born after 1991 • Less optimistic about the future • Not many are in the workforce yet • Questions the Importance of College • All They Know is War • Start Working early

19. Tips on Working with Generation 9/11 • Understand that all they know is war, consequently they will face the aftermath of the Iraq war and the effects of today’s political decisions. • They are emotionally tied to global violence and economic issues. • If dissatisfied in the workplace they are most likely to change jobs • We’ll be learning more about this generation over time

20. Tips on Working with Generation 9/11 • Understand that all they know is war, consequently they will face the aftermath of the Iraq war and the effects of today’s political decisions. • They are emotionally tied to global violence and economic issues. • If dissatisfied in the workplace they are most likely to change jobs • We’ll be learning more about this generation over time

21. Generational Communication How is communicating with someone from another generation different from communicating with someone from your own generation? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages?

22. Determining Generational Biases • How do you prefer to communicate – email or phone? • What operating system are you running? • Do you participate or allow your employees participate in the alternate work schedules?

23. What Can We Do to Keep Generational Biases Out of the Workplace? • Understand that generations, like ethic traits or other personal characteristics, help make us who we are. These differences contribute to a diverse and vibrant workplace. • Respect those differences. • Try to understand those differences and think positively about them. • Treat others with respect at all times. • Try to avoid all stereotypes, be they negative or positive. • Remember that all traits of a generation may not apply to everyone in that generation. • Try to be flexible with others. • Explain to others why it is wrong if you feel that you’re being stereotyped. • Try to learn from one another what each generation has to offer.

24. Generational Talk - Exercise • Acronyms or Text Talk? • Abbreviations? • Social Media (Facebook, twitter, texting) What in the world does that stand for?

25. Generational Quotes   “Wisdom is perishable. Unlike information or knowledge, it cannot be stored in a computer or recorded in a book. It expires with each passing generation.” “Before you go and criticize the younger generation, just remember who raised them.” “Blessed is the generation in which the old listen to the young; and doubly blessed is the generation in which the young listen to the old”

26. F.A.I.R. Approach to Generational Diversity • F = Feedback • A = Assistance • I = Inclusion • R = Respect

27. A Quick Review • Generational context is not about age, but common experiences • Acknowledge your team’s expectations, not just your own • Different is neither right nor wrong, just different • Age-ism is the death of any coaching strategy • Generational understanding does not take the place of concern for the individual • Different generations care about different approaches to the same problem – highlight points accordingly • Technology is not universal – assess your team members’ affinity level before making communication assumptions

28. The Way We Lived…A Generational Exercise • Name a political or major event that impacted your life/generation. • Tell us about your music/movies/food/ clothing. • Describe to us the technology in your generation. • Who are your heroes? • What do you like about your generation?

29. Our Future Generation

30. Questions?

31. MY Contact Information Cynthia Dunn, Director, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) IRS - TE/GE: Office of EDI 999 North Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-283-9959 Cell: 202-360-0867 Cynthia.D.Dunn@irs.gov