Managing Generations X, Y, & Z

1. Managing Generations X, Y, & Z Challenges and Opportunities Sharon Braun Executive Coach Sunsweet Growers Inc., and Morrison & Company

2. Generational Wisdom Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it. George Orwell The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible – and achieve it, generation after generation. Pearl S. Buck

3. We will explore… • Who are the generations in today’s workplace? • What impact does this mix create? • Why does it matter? • How can I best manage in this environment? • Q & A

4. WHO? Generational Mix in the Workplace Traditionalists: Born before 1946 Boomers: Born between 1946-1964 GenX: Born between 1965-1978 GenY & GenZ: Born between 1978-2000 Source: Diversityjobs.com Network

5. Traditionalist Wall Paper Lindbergh Transatlantic flight ’27 Stock Market Crash ’29 Depression ’29 – 33 FDR’s New Deal ’33 Social Security established ’34 Hitler and World War II ’37 - 43 Joe DiMaggio and John Wayne

6. Dedication and Sacrifice Hard Work Respect for Authority Adherence to Rules Duty before Pleasure Influenced by manufacturing economy Obedience and conformity over individualism Seniority and age directly correlated Tend to respond well to directive leadership Traditionalist Trademarks

7. Boomer Wall Paper • Rosa Parks • McCarthy hearings • MLK, Jr. • Kent State • Walk on the Moon • Happy Days • Woodstock and “Sex, drugs, & rock n’ roll” • Gloria Steinem & Feminism • The Pill

8. Later Boomers Wallpaper Women’s Liberation Movement ’70 Watergate ‘73 Energy Crisis ’73 Personal computers introduced ’76 Three Mile Island ’79 American Hostages in Iran ’79 John Lennon Shot ’80 Reagan inaugurated ‘81 MTV ‘81 Challenger Disaster ’86

9. Optimism Team Orientation Personal Growth Personal Gratification Health and Wellness Involvement Service Oriented Legacy of World War II, many with parents who experienced post-war boom Often overly sensitive to feedback May be judgmental of those who see things differently Boomer Trademarks

10. Gen X Wall Paper • Berlin Wall • Growing global awareness • ESPN, MTV, expansion of TV (waaay more than 3 channels) • Latch-key kids • Discovery and spread of AIDS • Madonna • Exxon Valdez oil spill • Oklahoma City Bombing • The Internet • Clinton/Lewinsky scandal • Columbine High School Massacre • September 11, 2001

11. Diverse Globally aware Balance conscious Techno-literacy Fun Informality Self-reliance No hope for cradle-grave employment Flexible hours, informal work environment Multi-tasking Give them lots to do and freedom to do it their way GenX Trademarks

12. What’s in a name? Those between 1978-2000 have been bestowed with numerous generational labels, including: • Millennials • Gen Y • Gen Z • GenNext • the Google Generation • the Echo Boom • The Tech Generation

13. What’s in a number? 2010 Census results are expected to show that Millennials have surpassed the 80,000,000 Boomer population (in part due immigration).

14. Gens Y & Z Wallpaper • You Tube • Tiger Woods • Explosion of internet’ • Social Networking

15. Optimism Civic Duty Confidence Achievement Sociability Morality Street smarts Diversity Collective action Tenacity Heroic spirit Multi-tasking Technological savvy Have difficulty dealing with difficult people issues Gens Y & Z Trademarks

16. What does this mix create?Divergent Workplace Views Boomers: • You are what you do (“I’m Jim, and I’m an engineer”). • Loyal to company, even though they know reciprocal loyalty doesn’t exist anymore Gen X: • Work to pay bills, amass new skills, assume there will be a next job • Loyal to people, not company, if supervisor is a superb communicator/motivator Gens Y & Z: • Work to afford lifestyle…means to an end • Loyal to person for whom they are working • Have been raised to believe that they are “special” and can do anything they set their mind to

17. Leadership and Traditionalists • Earned their stripes in workplaces largely run on Taylor’s “scientific management” school of thought. • Commonality of military backgrounds/war experiences- experienced and subsequently adopted command and control style. • Learned that conformity rather than individuality led to workplace success.

18. Leadership and Boomers • WW II parents, Vietnam era experiences • Began work in “scientific management” style environment • Over career gained exposure to emerging alternative managerial principles • Have witnessed first hand the exponential changes in workplace diversity

19. Leadership and Gen X • Corporate politics are not natural nor usually desirable • Often considered cynical by both Boomers & Millennials • Commonly motivated by the prospect of independence, the lack of corporate structure and rigidity, and access to technological advances • Small demographic sandwiched in between two large ones • Missed the security of Traditionalist/Boomer career path and witnessed the techno bubble burst

20. Why does it matter?Boomer Perspective This whole generation thing is garbage…these kids need to grow up, straighten up, and fly right…

21. Why does it matter?Gen Y Perspective “All generation-y wants is what the last generation received: decent paying jobs. Gen-Xers and boomers reaped the benefits of the largest credit bubble the world has ever seen. Yet, they continue to f** over subsequent generations in order to ensure that they receive their bloated pensions, 401ks, and Social Security checks. Adjusted for inflation, the average gen-y college grad earns a starting salary of 40% less than the previous generation. But they're so spoiled! lol Utter BS.”

22. Ask and ye shall receive? • Millennials have been raised to expect a lot and to ask for it…including a job they find fulfilling. More than half of the people surveyed in United States said Millennials have the most entitled attitude at work. • In China, India, and Europe, GenX received the “prize”

23. Gens Y & Z Want: • A good job in a stimulating work environment • Good pay & good bosses • MEANING-according to Kelly Global Workforce Index, 51 percent of young workers surveyed were prepared sacrifice pay or title for being part of something meaningful • 90% of Gen Y & Z said being able to give back through their company was somewhat to very important, yet only 26% thought their company provided this opportunity

24. and Gens Y & Z want to: • Make a difference • Contribute • Innovate • Be heard • Know they are succeeding They want all of the above…and they want it NOW!

25. Generational Work Life Attitudes The workforce is moving toward a more balanced work/life focus 22% of Boomers are work-centric compared to 12% of Gen X and Y members 41% of Boomers are family-centric compared with 50% of Gen X , 52% Gen Y Men in dual earner couples with children spend 1 hour more per week sharing chores and 1 hour per day more with their child Accenture reports that 83% of their employee’s indicate ability to manage work/life impacts commitment to stay (Work/Life Accenture Survey).

26. New Economic Realities In the 1950s, young homeowners could make their monthly mortgage payment by using 14% percent of their income. Today it takes 40 %. Today, folks older than 60 will get back about $200 for every $100 they put into Social Security. Gen Xers will lose more than $100 for ever $450 they contribute. Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp Publications, 1997)

27. Economic Realities of Gens X,Y, & Z • Least likely to be covered by health insurance. Pew reported over 40% have no health insurance at all. • Only 58% pay bills on time (National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 2010). • 60% of workers aged 20-29 cashed out their 401(k) plans when they changed or lost jobs (Hewitt Associates, 10/09). • 70% of Gen Y members are not building a cash cushion and 42% are amassing too much credit card debt (MetLife, 11/09). • The average Gen Y member has more than 3 credit cards…20% carry a balance greater than $10,000. • Millennials are graduating from college with an average of $23,200 in student debt a 24% increase from 2004. (Project on Student Debt) • Unemployment among Gen Y is severely and adversely affecting their careers. Unemployment rate for Gen Y is MUCH higher than the national rate, 18.8% for workers younger than 25 versus 9.7 overall nationally (Pew Executive Research Center, March 2010). • Even before recession, nearly ½ of all college students drop out before earning a degree (Demos Report). • Safety nets available to past generations (e.g. GI Bill, defined benefit pension plans) are non-existent for Millennials.

28. GenY Factiods • Most educated, most socially and environmentally aware generation • 50% raised by divorced parents • Coddled and raised to be confident by Boomer Parents • Parents most prosperous generation in modern history • Pervasive societal lesson- get now – pay later • More TV than any other generation • Always contactable • Multi-taskers • High expectations for job and life • Dual-centric or family-centric events/experiences

29. Surprising Facts about 18-29 Year Olds • 75% have social networking profiles (GenXers 50%, Boomers 30%) • 40% have tattoos (GenXers 33%, Boomers 15%) • 37% are unemployed, the highest number in more than three decades, and • Only 41% have a full time job.

30. How can I effectively manage through the generation gap(s)?

31. A Different Definition of Success Gen X , Y, & Z women and men work very hard but do not necessarily want to advance into jobs with more responsibility. • In 1992, 57% of workers wanted more responsibility. By 2002, only 36% did (G & G study). • Equal numbers of men and women in post-Boomer generations value Work/Life balance, flexibility, and career on/off ramps (SHRM study).

32. What does “meaning” mean? Traditionalists: Often born of immigrant parents and lacking social safety nets, “meaning” was working to provide a better future for their families, and in performing a job well. Boomers: Received opportunity from Traditionalist parents. Focused on working hard to get to where their job would have “meaning.” Some boomers, reflecting the 60s ethos, found “meaning” in effecting the “great society,” advancing women’s rights, and growing non-profits and NGOs. Generation X: In turmoil surrounding them, found “meaning” outside of work. They took on the work/life balance struggle. GenX suffered the highest parental divorce rate, highest isolation rate (latch key kids).

33. 51 Million Accept diversity Pragmatic/Practical Self-reliant/Individualistic Reject rules Killer life Mistrust institutions PC Use technology Multitaskers Latch-key kids Friend-not family 80 Million Celebrate diversity Optimistic/realistic Self-inventive/individualistic Rewrite the rules Killer lifestyle Irrelevance of institutions Internet Assume technology Multitask FAST Nurtured Friends=Family Comparing X to Y & ZTheilfold & Scheef, 2004, Generation X and the Millennials: What you need to know about mentoring the new generations. www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/nosearch/mgt08044

34. Casual, friendly work environment Involvement Flexibility and freedom A place to learn Theilfold & Scheef, 2004, Generation X and the Millennials: What you need to know about mentoring the new generations. www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/nosearch/mgt08044 Structured, supportive work environment Personalized work Interactive relationship Be prepared for high demands, high expectations Mentoring Do’s for X and Y & ZTheilfold & Scheef, 2004, Generation X and the Millennials: What you need to know about mentoring the new generations. www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/nosearch/mgt08044

35. Management Foci: Gens X, Y, & Z STRENGTHS-BASED COACHING • Be clear and concise. • Be encouraging but be honest about developmental needs. • Provide a lot of challenges but provide the structure to go with the challenge. Goals may need to be broken down into steps. • In general, Gen Xers tend to be more independent and may have trouble understanding Millennials apparent need for a hands-on relationship

36. Management Foci: Gens Y & Z FEEDBACK- Specific and Often All Millennials are new to the professional workplace. So, regardless of talent, intelligence, education, etc. they’ll need mentoring. And, they’ll respond well to personal attention. They appreciate structure and stability, and so mentoring Millennials should be more formal and with a more authoritative attitude on the mentor’s part than when dealing with Gen Xers.

37. Somewhere Between Command & Control and Helicoptering… • Explain how the employee’s role fits within the context of the whole. • Realize that your years of experience have provided you with unconscious competence. Don’t assume “everyone knows that…” • Don’t patronize or condescend. • Model respect. • Set challenging goals and expectations. Don’t do your staff’s “homework” for them. Use the adult learner approach---provide guidance and make resources available but don’t jump in and do it because you can do it better, faster, etc… • Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know and to be open to learning from those new to the workforce. Being humble and open allows you to grow and gain new skills while modeling for those you are mentoring. • Your employees are not your children. Adopting a parental role is fraught with danger and will backfire sooner or later.

38. Closing thoughts… Be a mentor to those in upcoming generations Stay open to their perspective and learn from them Enjoy their energy and optimism and remember: “In case you’re worried about what’s going to become of the younger generation, it’s about to grow up and start worrying about the younger generation.” Roger Allen

39. Resources for further learning Books: Marston, C. (2007). Motivating the “what’s in it for me?” workforce, Manage across the generational divide and increase profits. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Tulgan, B. (2009). Not everyone gets a trophy, How to manage Generation Y. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Articles: Dugas, C. (2010). Gen Y likely to pay for excesses. Group known for free spending, no savings faces massive debt, insecurity. USA Today Jayson, S. (2010). Study: The older you are, the fewer cares you have. USA Today. Napier, C. (2007, July 23). Commentary: Saturdays were made for Generation X slackers. Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, p. A1 Samuelson, R. (2010, March 13). Generation gap visible in economy. The Greenville News, p. 6A