Generations at Work in your workplace! Who are those that were born between 1922 and 2000AD? Cynthia A. Jennings WBL Coordinator

The Generations The Veterans – Born The Veterans – Born Baby Boomers – Born Baby Boomers – Born Gen Xers – Born Gen Xers – Born Nexters – Born Nexters – Born and now the Millennials!!!! and now the Millennials!!!!

The Veterans Core Values: Dedication/Sacrifice Dedication/Sacrifice Hard Work Hard Work Conformity Conformity Law and Order Law and Order Respect for Authority Respect for Authority Adherence to rules Adherence to rules Patience Patience

The Baby Boomers Core Values: Optimism Optimism Team Orientation Team Orientation Health and Wellness Health and Wellness Personal Gratification Personal Gratification Work Work Involvement Involvement

The Gen Xers Core Values: Diversity Diversity Thinking Globally Thinking Globally Balance Balance Technoliteracy Technoliteracy Fun Fun Self-reliance Self-reliance Pragmatism Pragmatism

The Nexters Core Values: Optimism Optimism Civic Duty Civic Duty Confidence Confidence Achievement Achievement Sociability Sociability Morality Morality Diversity Diversity

Generational Mind Set The Veterans: Like consistency and uniformity Like consistency and uniformity Like things on a grand scale Like things on a grand scale Are conformers Are conformers Believe in logic, not magic Believe in logic, not magic Are disciplined Are disciplined Are past oriented and history absorbed Are past oriented and history absorbed Have always believed in law and order Have always believed in law and order Spending style is conservative Spending style is conservative The Baby Boomers: They believe in growth and expansion They believe in growth and expansion They think of themselves as stars in the show They think of themselves as stars in the show They tend to be optimistic They tend to be optimistic In school and at home, the boomers learned about teamwork In school and at home, the boomers learned about teamwork The Boomers have always been cool! The Boomers have always been cool! They have pursued their own personal gratification, uncompromisingly at a high price to themselves and others They have pursued their own personal gratification, uncompromisingly at a high price to themselves and others

Generational Mind Set The Gen Xers: Are self-reliant Are self-reliant Seeking a sense of family Seeking a sense of family They want balance They want balance They have a nontraditional orientation about time and space They have a nontraditional orientation about time and space They like informality They like informality Their approach to authority is casual Their approach to authority is casual They are skeptical They are skeptical They are attracted to the edge They are attracted to the edge They are technologically savvy They are technologically savvy The Nexters: On the go On the go Passion and personality to take on a cause Passion and personality to take on a cause They think Mom and/or Dad They think Mom and/or Dad is cool! More dependant on Mom More dependant on Mom and Dad Technology is natural Technology is natural Eager to subscribe to a stricter moral code Eager to subscribe to a stricter moral code Manners have been reborn Manners have been reborn Realistic about the present Realistic about the present

Generations On the Job! On the Job-Assets The Veterans: Stable Stable Detail oriented Detail oriented Thorough Thorough Loyal Loyal Hardworking Hardworking The Baby Boomers: Service Oriented Service Oriented Driven Driven Willing to go the extra mile Willing to go the extra mile Good at relationships Good at relationships Want to please Want to please The Gen Xers: Adaptable Adaptable Technoliterate Technoliterate Independent Independent Creative Creative Unintimidated by authority Unintimidated by authority The Nexters: Collective action Collective action Tenacity Tenacity Heroic Spirit Heroic Spirit Technological savvy Technological savvy Multitasking abilities Multitasking abilities

Generations at work On the Job - Liabilities The Veterans: Inept with ambiguity and change Inept with ambiguity and change Reluctant to buck the system Reluctant to buck the system Uncomfortable with conflict Uncomfortable with conflict Reliant when they disagree Reliant when they disagree The Baby Boomers: The Baby Boomers: Not normally budget minded Not normally budget minded Uncomfortable with conflict Uncomfortable with conflict Reluctant to go against peers Reluctant to go against peers May put process ahead of result May put process ahead of result Overly sensitive to feedback Overly sensitive to feedback Self-centered Self-centered Judgmental of those who see things differently Judgmental of those who see things differently The Gen xers: Poor people skills Poor people skills Inexperienced Inexperienced Impatient Impatient Cynical Cynical The Nexters: Need for supervision and structure Need for supervision and structure Inexperience, particularly with handling difficult people issues Inexperience, particularly with handling difficult people issues

Leadership Style Veterans: Direct Direct Command and Control Leadership Command and Control Leadership Baby Boomers: Collegial Consensual Gen Xers: Thrive on change Challenge others thinking Nexters: Nexters: Resilient Resilient

Who were the Heros? The Veterans The Veterans Superman, Winston Churchill, Babe Ruth, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Patton The Baby Boomers Gandhi, Martin Luther King, John and Jacqueline Kennedy, John Glenn The Gen Xers None The Nexters Michael Jordon, Princess Diana, Mother Theresa, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods

Understanding the Team idea! The Veteran: Teams with strong leaders who told them exactly what to do, how and when. The Baby Boomers: Have difficulty speaking up within teams, avoiding any difficulties at any cost, creating a community team where everyone gets along The Gen Xers: Teams are less frequently brought together. Communication to the team is done on , over chat rooms, and by joining listservs The Nexters: Teams that are similar to the Boomers possess the can do of the Veterans and the technological savvy of the Gen Xers.

The ACORN Idea Five major operating ideas which can get Generations to work together! A ccommodate employee differences C reate workplace choices O perate from a sophisticated management style R espect competence and initiative N ourish retention

A ccommodate Employee Differences Learn all they can about employees Learn all they can about employees Work to meet specific needs of each employee Work to meet specific needs of each employee Serve them according to their unique preferences Serve them according to their unique preferences Effort to accommodate: Personal schedules Personal schedules Work-Life balance issues Work-Life balance issues Nontraditional lifestyles Nontraditional lifestyles

Create workplace choices Create workplace choices The workplace is shaped by the work The workplace is shaped by the work being done An atmosphere that is relaxed and informal An atmosphere that is relaxed and informal A casual dress code A casual dress code Height and width of the chain of command tends to be foreshortened Height and width of the chain of command tends to be foreshortened

Operate from a sophisticated management style Managers are more polished Managers are more polished Managers are more direct Managers are more direct Managers display their flexibility by: Managers display their flexibility by: the supervisory style not being fixed the supervisory style not being fixed the leadership style being situationally varied the leadership style being situationally varied depending more on positional power depending more on positional power knowing when to make policy exceptions knowing when to make policy exceptions being thoughtful when matching individuals to a being thoughtful when matching individuals to a team or a team or individual to an assignment

Respect competence and initiative Treat your employees with respect Treat your employees with respect Involve people that are interested in doing Involve people that are interested in doing their best Hire the best employees and give them the best job opportunities Hire the best employees and give them the best job opportunities

Nourish retention Offer lots of training Offer lots of training Encourage and support lateral movement Encourage and support lateral movement Provide variety and new challenges for employees Provide variety and new challenges for employees Encourage employees to obtain new skills Encourage employees to obtain new skills

Sell the Benefits In order to retain the very best employees!!!!

The Next Generation of Workers are already being born and working…together! Power point designed by Cynthia A. Jennings Information for this power point was supported by the book titled: Generations at Work by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak