5 Generations: What Happens When We Work TogetherE XC ER P T S F ROM AN I N S I GH T 1 8 0 I NDU S T RY S U RV E Y
July2018
©2018insight180,inc.
About the Surveyinsight180 isforevercurious– especiallyaboutforcesandtrendsthatshapecompanies’culturesandbrands.
GOAL:Wewantedtolearnmoreabouttheimpactofhaving,forthefirsttimeever,fourgenerations(sometimesfive!)intheworkplace.
TIMING:ThesurveywasopenfromMarch28throughApril3,2018.
APPROACH:Weusedanon-scientificapproachtosolicitparticipationforthisonlinesurvey.Oneleaderofalocal(HowardCounty,Maryland)communityofbusinessleadersagreedtoinvitememberstoparticipate.Wealsousedemailsandsocialmediatoinvitecolleagues,friendsandfamilytorespond.
PARTICIPANTS:Weaskedthatrespondentshadprofessionalworkplaceexperiencewithinthelastfiveyears.
RESPONSES:97peopleparticipated,withatleastonepersonfromeachofthefivegenerations.
©2018insight180,inc.
Tradi;onalistsb.1925–1945
BabyBoomersb.1946–1964
Genera;onXb.1965–1979
Millennialsb.1980–1994
Genera;onZb.1995–2014
Influences • CameofageduringWWI,NewDealorKoreanWar
• ParentslivedthroughtheGreatDepression
• ExperiencedhardVmesgrowingup,followedbyprosperity
• LedtheCivilRightsmovementandthesexualrevoluVon
• ProtestedVietnamWar• Highestdivorcerate
ever• ExpectedtheAmerican
Dream
• LyingpoliVcians(Watergate)
• Parentslaidofffromwork
• Latchkeykidsofdual-incomeparents
• Economicrecession,thenboom,thenbust
• (Odendivorced)parentskeptkidsbusyandprotectedfromdisappointment
• Experienced9/11,theWaronTerror,globalfinancialcrisis
• Globalism• MulVracialkids,some
growingupwithsame-sexparents
Media • Mostgrewuplisteningtoradioathome
• AmongthefirsttohaveTVsintheirhomes
• EmergenceofportableradiosandcolorTV
• Technologytoentertain(consolegames,SesameStreet)
• MTV,CNN• Emergenceofthe
Internet
• PC,smartphones,web,socialmedia
• Neflix• GPS
3DefiningTraits • PaVent• Loyal• Task-oriented
• Team-oriented• Calminacrisis• Strongworkethic
• Informal• Self-reliant• Self-focused
• Confident• HotlycompeVVve• Self-focused
• AccepVngofdifferences• Entrepreneurial• Wired
Five Generations – Forces that Shaped Each
©2018 insight180, inc.
Worldevents,culturalnormsandmediahelpedtoshapekeycharacterisVcsofeachgeneraVon.
Benefits of Multiple Generations At WorkR E P R E S ENTAT I V E R E S PONS E S A BOUT TH E B ENE F I T SO F WORK ING W I TH OTH ER G ENERAT IONS
Whathaveyounoticedthat’sgreataboutworkingwithothergenerationsintheworkplace?
• 94%ofrespondentsnoticedsomethinggreataboutworkingwithothergenerations
• Majorityofexamplesfellintooneoffourcategories:• LearningandCollaboration• PerspectiveandEnergy• KnowledgeandExperience• BalanceofStrengths
©2018insight180,inc.
QUESTION
“Iworkinanorganizationwithmostlyblue-collar,40+yearoldpeopleandit’sgreattoseetheirloyaltyandhardwork.Itrytotaketheirpositivetraitsandcombinethemwiththemoderndayworkforce.”– Millennial
“Ilearnedtobemoreproficientintechnology.”– BabyBoomer
“ILOVEhavingamentorwhoisolderthanmeandhappenstobeaBabyBoomer.Ihavelearnedinvaluablelessonsaboutridingoutstorms,keepingcalmunderpressure,pickingyourbattles,andrememberingthattherearevariousperspectivesoneveryissue.”– Millennial
“Theoldergenerationshaveamuchbetterunderstandingonhowtoworkaroundcertaintasksduetotheirexperienceinthefield.Theyareagreathelptolearnmoreabouttheworkwedo.”– GenZ
“Ithelpsmetobemorecreativewhenfacedwithadifficulttasksandbecomemoreself-awareandbetterequippedtoeffectivelycommunicatewithothers.”– Millennial
Withmultiplegenerationsintheworkforce,wecaneachlearnfromothergenerationsabouthowtodoourownjobsbetter.
©2018insight180,inc.
LEARNING AND COLLABORATION
“Energylevelisveryhighwhenallagesareengagedinteams.Oldershowcalmandyoungershownewdirections.Everybodygainsifmindsareopen.”– GenX
“Beingexposedtoenergyofyoungergenerations.”– Traditionalist
“Variedtypesofenergyandperspectivesandknowledge.”– BabyBoomer
“Perspective!It'sALWAYSgoodtohavesomuchmoreperspectivetodrawfromindecisionmaking.”– Millennial
“Mostviewpointsoneverythingtogetthebiggerpicture.”– GenZ
“ThattheythinkandapproachworkdifferentlythanIdo.Ialwayslearnfromothersandlikethatenergyanddifferent-ness.”– BabyBoomer
“It'swaymorefun.Greatideasareshared.Welovehavingdifferentperspectives.”– GenX
Itcanbeenergizingtoworkwithothergenerations.Differentperspectivesimprovedecision-makingandteamknowledge.
©2018insight180,inc.
PERSPECTIVE AND ENERGY
“Theyhavedifferentbackgroundsandeducationsandcanbringcompletelydifferentideasthatenhanceourideas.”– BabyBoomer
“Knowledgegetspasseddown.Thereisgreatopportunityformentorship.”– Millennial
“Differentexperiences.”– GenZ
“Youngerworkers,too,haveknowledgetoshare.”– GenX
“Theknowledgethatcanbepassedonfromoldergenerationstotheyoungergenerationsisfast…Butittakesbothgenerationsbeingwillingtobehumbleandopentolearningfromeachotherandaskgoodquestions.”– Millennial
Welearnfromeachother’sknowledgeandexperience.
©2018insight180,inc.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
“Thebestandworstineachgenerationisbalancedbyothergenerations.”– GenX
“Oldergenerationsaremoreunflappableandprofessional.Morepragmatic.Youngerencouragetheoldertohavefunandthatenjoyingyourjobisarightnotaprivilege.”– Millennial
“Youngerworkersbringinnewideasaboutsocialinteractions.”– BabyBoomer
“Everyonehasdifferentstrengths,experiences,BabyBoomersarereallygreatwithoneononenetworkingandbringdecadesofexperience.Millennialsareveryopen-minded,readyfornewexperiencesandeagertolearn.”– GenX
“Workingwitholdergenerationsprovidesanimmenseopportunitytolearnfromother'sexperiences,gainamoreseasonedperspective,andfollowaprovenstrategy(alotoftimes!).”– Millennial
“Ilovethe‘ahhas’fromeverygenerationwhentheylearnsomethingneworstarttoseeasituationfromanewperspective.And,Ireallylikethateverygenerationhassomegreattools,tricksofthetrade.Theneweronesaremoreapttobeappsandtheolderonesprocesses,butit'sallgood.”– GenX
Together,wegetthebesteachgenerationhastooffer.
©2018insight180,inc.
BALANCE OF STRENGTHS
ObservationsTHR E E S UR P R I S I NG TH ING S WE L EARNED
Thoughthefrustrationsandbenefitsthemselvesweren’tsosurprising,weLOVEtheexamplespeopleshared.And,morepeoplecitedbenefitsofhavingmultiplegenerationsintheworkplacethancitedfrustrations.
Frustrations Balance Benefits
©2018insight180,inc.
©2018insight180,inc.
TechnologyTechnology isbothasourceofconflictbetweenthegenerationsatworkandabenefitofworkingtogether.Olderworkerstendtobefrustratedbyyoungergenerations’use (or overuse)oftechnologyatwork;youngerworkersarefrustratedbyoldergenerations’limitedtechnologyskills.Yetallgenerationspointtolearningabouttechnologyfromoneanotherasabigbenefitofworkingtogether.
Eager to Learn
©2018insight180,inc.
Ofthefourcategoriesofbenefitscitedbysurveyparticipants,LearningandCollaborationwasthemostcommonacrossallgenerations.Clearly,generationsareeagertolearnfromoneanother.
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