03/03/2008
G-Forces at Work: Generational Forces at Work in the Workplace
By Jill Evans Silman, SPHR
Vice President, Meador Staffing Services
"This ad has worked for us for years. I can't figure it out, but this time we only had two responses. And, the only thing in their resumes that matched our ad were the words 'and' and 'the'!"
“Can you beat that? I offered her a 15% raise and instead of thanking me, she got angry. She said she had expected the raise AND a promotion.”
“Did you hear the one about the staffer who emailed a friend—and, by accident, the entire company—complaining how boring it was to play games on the Internet at work?”
"Since when did it become okay for the candidate to tell me how much they need the job to pay?"
"I specifically covered that in orientation. Why did she feel like she could just…"
“Unbelievable. I just met with the new employee to discuss our profit-sharing and 401(k) plans…You know what he said? Thanks, but he’d rather have the cash.”
About Jill Evans Silman, SPHR
Jill Evans Silman, SPHR
Vice President Meador Staffing Services
A textbook Baby Boomer, Jill’s current assignment finds her hiring, managing and working with staff across the generational divide—from Traditionalists to the EchoBoomers. And, like you, sometimes she wants to smack them, sometimes she wants to save them and sometimes she just has to scratch her head and say “hmmm.” An avid student of people and culture, Silman has studied and presented this topic to HR practitioners, associations, corporations, municipalities, government agencies, company work teams and student groups.
Jill Silman, SPHR, Vice President, Meador Staffing, has more than 20 years employment management experience. She currently holds an appointment on the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Staffing Management Special Expertise Panel. Jill has initiated and developed a variety of business ventures in the workforce industry including partnering with clients to recruit and train staff with an emphasis on productivity and performance. Additionally, her passion for consulting and training has benefited clients with diverse employment issues ensuring effective business operations. Jill holds a BJ from The University of Texas at Austin.
What is going on here?
Certainly the overheated economy of the 90’s created some ridiculous employee expectations. In a competitive market where demand for good workers far outpaced the supply, employees were behaving like spoiled children. But the greed of the times began amplifying something much more enduring: the generation gap is back, bringing its familiar clash in styles, values and expectations. Only this time, the battles are taking place at work.
There are four very active generations working side-by-side in today’s marketplace. Ten percent of those in the workforce today belong to the Traditionalist generation—those born before 1946. The Baby Boomers, born from about 1946-1964, have the greatest impact on today’s workforce because of their incredible numbers. Nearly half of the workforce, some 78 million people, are Baby Boomers. Born in the late 60s and 70s, Generation X makes up about 29% of the workforce. Additionally, the EchoBoomers have now entered the workforce with numbers estimated at more than 20% as of this year.
Out of this generational soup bubbles a common source of misunderstanding: While workers of different ages want basically the same things—meaningful contribution, opportunities to grow and a fair reward for a job well done—they can have vastly different ideas about what those mean.
As we begin to talk about each of these generations, we run the risk of stereotyping millions of people. Generational analysis tends to paint large groups of people with a very broad brush. Making generalizations always raises the question of the exception to the rule—and there are plenty of exceptions in your workplace. While many members of each generation may display several of the traits we’ll discuss, not every generational member displays all of them, and in each of them, it is definitely a matter of degrees.
However, making observations about the behavior of a generation—good or bad—is a powerful tool for understanding them…because each generation is different and these differences are causing friction in the workplace.
Those who study the generations say that each is shaped by the sociological, political and economic conditions of the times. Each generation is motivated quite differently, aspires to different personal and professional goals, and interprets accepted business practices and business etiquette in a drastically different fashion. Examining them can lead to, if not harmony, then at least understanding.
EMPLOYING THE GENERATIONS
The Great Depression and WWII were critical events shaping the mindset of the Greatest Generation/The Traditionalists. These workers place a high premium on formality and top-down chain of command. A Traditionalist, for example, is more likely to write a memo than shout across the room, and he might be offended by the more direct, immediate approach of Gen X.
Respect is also important—a survey in 2001 shows that respect is the traditionalists’ top psychological need. Younger workers might be accustomed to a flat corporate structure, but they can earn points with these colleagues by using formal titles instead of first names or scheduling a meeting rather than dropping in.
Putting things in historical perspective can also help sell traditionalists on your idea, because they prefer to make decisions based on what worked in the past.
Boomers are people who work to live. Growing up with nearly 80 million peers has made this generation a highly competitive one, and they are usually willing to sacrifice for success. Recognition is important for Boomers and they favor a personable style of communication that aims to build rapport.
Like the Traditionalists, Boomers tend to favor a top-down approach and value respect. But they can also be credited with reshaping the corporate culture with casual dress codes, flexible schedules and the move toward team-centered management.
A higher divorce rate combined with an increase in working mothers meant that many Xers grew up as latchkey kids, frequently left to their own devices. They had the control then and they very much value control in the workplace, as well.
They saw how much their parents gave up for their careers; then they saw many of them laid off in the recessionary times. As a result, Xers tend to be skeptical, highly individual workers who value a work/life balance. They want the time to catch the kid’s Tball practice and the dance recitals. To that end, most would rather be rewarded with extra time off than a step up the corporate ladder. If they need to work extra hours, they want to know why.
Gen X was shaped by a culture of instant results—from remote controls to the birth of the internet—so they value efficiency and directness. When they’ve wanted information—boom—they’ve been able to get it. Expectations are immediate and instantaneous. Older workers can communicate best with Gen Xers by cutting to the chase and avoiding unnecessary meetings.
A lot of people have thought that the EchoBoomers are just like Gen X only younger, but they’re not. Unlike the Xers they are highly collaborative and optimistic. They do, however, share the Xers emphasis on work/life balance and comfort with technology.
They’ve been taught to “put their feelings on the table.” And have had significant influence in how their families are run. These youngsters, for example, make 74% of their families’ leisure decisions. It will be important to allow them a voice in the office and to present messages from a positive standpoint for these can-do young people.
All of these dramatic trends are already in motion and should force us to rethink our relationships with our candidates and our employees…impacting critical staffing policies and programs. Ever increasing life and work-life expectancy; attitudinal changes about diversity; and employee demands for greater emphasis on spirituality and ethics and social responsibility in the workplace, will force us to revisit ideas and action steps taken to improve your organization’s employment experience.
Looking at generational trends is one way of anticipating preferences. Organizations which acknowledge and account for generational attitudes will be in a better position to connect with their candidates and employees in recruiting to management, recognition to retention.
END
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