All materials are Copyrighted 2012 by Strategic Human Resources Management India, Pvt. Ltd. or Society for Human Resource Management unless otherwise expressly noted. All rights expressly reserved.

Webinar on “Leveraging Multigenerational Diversity in the Workforce”

17th October, 2012

Structure

1. Nirmala Menon-- Overview of Generations in the workplace - Global &

Indian context

2. Tanusree Mazumdar-- Key challenges and opportunities-- Key initiatives for managing generational diversity-- Evaluation of Multi Gen Diversity

3. Nirmala Menon-- The way Forward

4. Question & Answer SessionSlide 2

What is a generation?

A group of employees that have similarities in their core values, lifestyle, history, and attitudes – Each of these generations has its own common set

of social & historical events that have helped shape their personal outlook, aspirations, and world views

– Each of these generations approach work and career in different ways based on their common approaches, ideas, and values

(Lancaster & Stillman, 2002)

Slide 3

Which generation said this?

"The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone knew everything and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for girls, they are forward, immodest and unwomanly in speech, behaviour and dress.”

Slide 4

Why are businesses interested?Why is it relevant today?

Slide 5

Traditionalist Gen X Gen Y

1950 -1965 1965 -1980 1980 - 1995

Generational cohorts in Corporate India

Slide 6

Generational cohorts

Stability*Financial securityStable Govt. jobs preferred*Hard work = success*Patient & loyal*Conservative

*Regulation. Protectionism*Food sufficiency*Political instability –emergency, assassination*Expansion of telecom*Birth of IT

Gen X (‘66 – ’80)

*Independence/Partition*Socialist eco model*Shortage of food*Wars around borders*Social reforms*Green revolution

Gen Y (‘81 – ’00)

*Liberalization*Credit cards*IT boom*Access to technology*Growing middle class*Dual income families

*Optimistic. Confident*Tech savvy*Entrepreneurial*IdealisticChallenging status quo*Breakdown of hierarchies

Traditionalist (‘50-’65)

*Optimism*Preference -private firmsGrowing consumerismJob change more frequent*Believed in Institutionsbut ready to question*Success – going abroad

Slide 12

Structure

1. Nirmala Menon-- Overview of Generations in the workplace - Global &

Indian context

2. Tanusree Mazumdar-- Key challenges and opportunities-- Key initiatives for managing generational diversity-- Evaluation of Multi Gen Diversity

3. Nirmala Menon-- The way Forward

4. Question & Answer Session

Slide 13

Challenges and opportunities of Multigenerational Diversity

Who, What, When, Where

Slide 14

Challenges and Opportunities Co exist

Slide 15

Typical Conversations at Work!

Anil “How was your weekend?

Rohit “it was just Great! Was a good gaming weekend”!

Slide 16

How do I deal with it? Is it here to stay or a flash in the pan?

Multitude of Emotions …..Careers

Organization Design & Structures

Psychological Contract is it changing??

Slide 17

Opportunities & Challenges

Organizational Level

Team Level

Individual Level

Slide 18

Initiatives to build Multi Gen Diversity

• Changing nature of psychological contract

• Redesign career• Leverage generational sagacity

Organizational level

• Sensitization programs • Dialogues and conversations• Reverse mentoring & mentoring Team Level

• Demonstrate willingness and openness to embrace multi gen

• Work with a coach to become aware of biases and mindsets at play

Individual Level

Slide 19

Evaluation of Multi Gen Diversity

Evaluation of Multi gen reminds me of a wise man’s saying “It is like sowing seeds and checking on the growth of the seed to a sapling everyday

and sometimes in haste even uprooting the sampling”

Evaluation and Metrics go hand in hand and organizations need metrics to quantify and qualify the outcome and sometimes in areas like Multi gen Diversity, and Diversity it becomes nebulous

Some metrics that are found useful

- Quantitative: Coverage of Career conversations, reverse mentoring and mentoring and sensitization workshops conducted

- Qualitative: Take note of emergent themes

Slide 20

Structure

1. Nirmala Menon-- Overview of Generations in the workplace - Global &

Indian context

2. Tanusree Mazumdar-- Key challenges and opportunities-- Key initiatives for managing generational diversity-- Evaluation of Multi Gen Diversity

3. Nirmala Menon-- The way Forward

4. Question & Answer SessionSlide Slide 21

The way forward…

What do we really want?What can we learn from Gen Y?

Slide 22

Challenges? Different perspectives?

Sense of entitlement. Question everything

Low acceptance of hierarchy. Informal. Equality oriented

Work “On the go”. Technology is liberating! Multitask

Life is more than work. Work - fun, flexible & seamless

Most educated. Want meaningful/fulfilling work. Idealistic

Change - new “Normal”. Experimental with life and career

– Leverage their comfort with teams, technology & change

– Provide structure, leadership and guidance

– Encourage the "can-do" attitude & positive self-image

Slide 31

The Bottom-line!Not responsible for our Generational background. We all need to learn how to get along!

All people want only to:- Belong, Valued and Respected - Have trustworthy and fair leaders - Make meaningful contributions - And recognised for it

So!“Managing” diversity is simply managing well in general!!

Slide 34

Slide 35

Do visit the SHRM India Microsite on Multigenerational Diversity

http://multigen.shrmindia.org/

Slide 36