Austin Human Resource Management Association

[Excerpt from "Perspectives...Presenting Thought Leaders' Points of View: Harnessing Value from Changing Workplace Demographics," by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.]  “In the current economy we need all hands on deck.  It’s the individual people who are keeping companies and institutions afloat.  We need people to be striving to be as productive as they can be.  This requires new understanding of differing and ever changing values in the workforce,” stressed Lynne Lancaster.  Lancaster and David Stillman are co-founders of BridgeWorks and authors of When Generations Collide: Who They Are, Why They Clash, How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work.

The Generational Puzzle

Four defined generational groups work together in almost every organization.  Each group has unique values, needs, perceptions, and work styles that have been shaped by their own world experiences.  The four generations are constantly in motion, all part of a puzzle that must fit together to achieve success and productivity.  Lancaster and Stillman provided an in-depth look at Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials t0 help administrators achieve two primary objectives:

1. Better organizational communications – not just speaking, writing, or texting each other but actually reaching understanding.
2. Successful engagement – harnessing the value of diversity to improve the quality of decisions.

A good starting point for achieving these objectives is a basic understanding regarding how members of the different age groups feel about themselves, about the institutions where they work, and what workers seek in return for their efforts.

Traditionalists, born for the most part before 1946, were shaped by the highs and lows of the Roaring 20′s, The Great Depression, and World War II.  They generally believe that individuals should have faith in their institutions.  With regard to information sharing, they think that no news is good news.  Senior management will determine what information others need to know and when they are told.  They are most often loyal to their  employer, patriotic, and fiscally conservative.  They work very hard for the institution but resist changing ideas and processes that they believe have worked well in the past.  Often they lament that younger staff do not value the knowledge that Traditionalists have gained through decades of hard work.  They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that needs to be utlized now and also captured for future generations before the Traditionalists retire.

Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are shaped by the Vietnam War, the Great Society, Women’s Rights, their sheer numbers (80 million), and a strong emphasis on formal education.  They believe in the need to change institutions for the better.  They are optimistic, want to be heard, and want to make an impact.  They are more willing to speak their minds than Traditionalists and believe that it is their responsibility to question authority.  They are highly competitive, aware of the formal and political structure of the organization, and “still believe they can get things done.”

Generation Xers, born between 1965 and 1981, grew up in the era of divorce, latch key kids, grunge music, and the personal computer.  With many of their views shaped by the media, Xers are skeptical of institutions.  This is the generation that watched 23,000 hours of TV by the time they were 18.  In a recent survey, an overwhelmingly large percentage of Xers indicated that they believe they have a greater chance of seeing a UFO than a Social Security check.  They are eager to work very hard but independently and on their own time schedule.  They have strong opinions about how things should be done, and they want to be heard.  They want ramped up communication from top management: what is your plan and how may I play a significant role?  In a survey, 90% indicated that they want some feedback from superiors within a day or two after completing an assignment or they feel unappreciated.

Millennials, born between 1982 and 2000, have been on our campuses for several years as students, but are just beginning to enter the full-time workforce as faculty members and administrators.  Raised in an era of the technology explosion, 9/11, terrorism, texting, and 24-hour news, they are media-savvy and realistic.

Many are used to receiving near continuous information, positive reinforcement, and easy access to people in positions of authority, such as their parents.  They are intelligent, and few have ever had to compete for a job.  They are used to prosperity and mobility.  They are willing to work hard, as long as it is for something that they believe in.  From day one, they expect to be part of the big decisions.  They don’t take criticism well and are not used to accountability.  Many members of this group had “snow plow” parents who cleared every obstacle.  They value sustainability, personal safety, wellness, and fitness.  Millennials are most comfortable working in teams with social networking and fluidity.

Lancaster and Stillman emphasized that every generation has a valid point of view.  To successfully motivate a diverse group of individuals, a leader needs to remove his or her “generational lens” and try to see situations through the eyes of others.  Leaders need to design organizations that not only recognize the differences but also capitalize on them.

Reference:

Dillon, Bobbie.  “Perspectives…Presenting Thought Leaders’ Points of View:  Harnessing Value from Changing Workplace Demographics.”  Feb. 2009: 3-5. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Retrieved 3 Apr 2009 from http://www.nacubo.org/documents/Workplace%20Demographics%20White%20Paper.pdf