Creating Adaptive Businesses: Growing Millennials and Working Across Generations

Facilitator: Merryn Rutledge, Ed. D., Principal, ReVisions

LLC Panelists Becky Cohen, Internship Program & Special

Projects Manager, VBSR Tom Novak, business leader Jessica Sabick, PHR, Vermont Energy

Investment Corporation Kerin Stackpole, Attorney, Paul Frank +

Collins

Multiple generations in the workplace for longer periods of time

We come to the workplace with different◦ Work Experiences◦ Educations◦ Perspectives◦ Life Experiences◦ Influences◦ Responsibilities

Putting it all in Perspective

Economic

Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Legal Protections◦ Title VII◦ Title IX◦ ADA, FMLA, WC◦ NLRA

Technology

Social Systems◦ Community◦ Family◦ Marriage◦ Church

Education

Interaction with the World

Workplace Practices

A World of Change

                          

                                                                                            

The WWII GenerationBorn 1925-1945 – Approx. 70 Million

Baby Boomers Born 1946-1964 – Approx. 80 Million

Generation XBorn 1965-1980 – Approx. 50 Million

Generation Y/ MillennialsBorn 1980-2002 – Approx. 76 Million

When Generations Collide

4 Generations are working side by side

Different values, experiences, styles, and attitudes create

◦ Misunderstandings◦ Frustrations◦ Inefficient communication◦ Lower productivity

Understanding and appreciating differences can help bridge the gap.

Why learn about the Generations?

Influences◦ Great Depression, Roaring Twenties, ◦ World War II, Korean War, G.I. Bill

Some Common Characteristics◦ Patriotic◦ Respect for authority◦ “waste not, want not,” ◦ Faith in institutions◦ Military influenced top-down approach◦ Loyal and committed

WWII Generation (66 and older)

Influential People/Events

Logic, Hard Work, Discipline and Order are important

Tend to Struggle with Change

Loyalty and longevity are valued

Believe that Legacy is Important

Not Native Technology Users

WWII Generation (66 and older)

Influences and Life Experiences

◦ TV, Vietnam, Suburban Sprawl, Watergate, civil rights movement, feminist movement, anti-war protests, drugs, rock ‘n roll

◦ Saw war as it happened and watched body counts rise in Vietnam in real time.

◦ Affected by the Draft

Some Common Characteristics

◦ Competitive

◦ Willing to Question Authority

◦ Optimistic

◦ Idealistic

◦ Hoping to Retire, but afraid they will never get the chance

Baby Boomers (46-65)

Influential People/Events

Often called the “Me” GenerationMoney, Title, RecognitionWant to Build A Stellar CareerTold They Could “Have it All”

◦ Experiences of Men and Women in this generation are significantly different on this point.

Now, members of this generation are “in charge”

Entitlements are being challenged by the aging of this generation.

Baby Boomers (46-65)

Influences and Experiences

◦ Sesame Street, MTV, Game Boy, PC, divorce rate tripled in their lifetime, latch-key children, Title IX, Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas, 9/11

Some Common Characteristics ◦ eclectic, resourceful, self-reliant, distrustful of

institutions, highly adaptive to change and technology, willing to change jobs for better opportunities or greater life balance.

Generation X (30’s to mid 40‘s)

Influential People/Events

Possibly Most Misunderstood Generation

Seeking a balance between work and life – Freedom

Flexible and Motivated

Goal is to Build a Portable Career

Generation X (30’s to mid 40’s)

Influences and Life Experiences◦ Rapid expansion of technology, climate change and

natural disasters, social networking in cyberspace, school violence, cultural diversity, flexible and virtual work environments

Some Common Characteristics◦ Globally focused, realistic, very cyber literate,

“personal safety” is a critical concern, seeking flexibility to achieve life balance, “informational overload,” comfortable with being constantly “connected”

Generation Y/Millennials (under 30)

Influential People/Events

                          

                                                                                            

Value Diversity/ Change

◦ Willing to make frequent changes to meet personal goals

◦ Willing to “try out” jobs to “rule out” what they do NOT want

Community Activism is Important

Want Work to be Meaningful and to Have a Say in How Work is Done

Raised “by a Village” (and used to having the entire “Village” involved)

Generation Y/Millennials (30 and under)

“Helicopter Parents”◦ Less freedom given to this generation and more

direct involvement by parents in their daily activities

Typically from smaller families

Education and Parenting methods based less on discipline and more on teaching

Good with Positive Feedback; Challenged by Negative Feedback

Generation Y/Millennials (30 and under)

Making Diversity Work

Recognize that there can be conflicts between employees of different generations or cultural backgrounds around issues such as:

◦ Goals (why we work)

◦ Work Styles (work as work, work as fun, balance)

◦ Feedback (style, frequency and method)

◦ Rewards (money, title, time)

◦ Career Path (stability, flexibility, fluidity)

What practices work?

Looking ahead, what are top challenges vis-à-vis Millennials and future generations?

Questions for Discussion

Shepard, S.  Managing Millennials http://www.shepardcomm.com/managing-

millennials-wp.pdf Rutledge, M.  Articles on Millennials and

Managing Diversity http://www.revisions.org/news.php Human Resources Tips for Managing

Millennials http://humanresources.about.com/od/

managementtips/a/millenials.htm

Additional Resources