Managing Change in the Workplace

Workplace Supply & Demand Trends By 2010, 52% of the U.S. work force will be between the ages of 55 and 64 From 2010 to 2030, the portion of the U.S. population over age 65 will grow 4 times as much as it did in the last 80 years As of 2005, Gen X and Y outnumbered the baby boomers when they made up 51% of the U.S. workforce Starting in 2012, nearly 10,000 Americans will turn 65 every day

Be Prepared for changes in the workplace within the next 3-5 years What key staff will be retiring & how will it effect the efficiency of your organization? Step 1: Start assessing how the changing age demographic is going to affect your workplace culture and strategies for hiring, training & development, and employee satisfaction Step 2:Take action and start training, developing, and coaching your future leaders now to ensure a smooth transition as senior management retires

Things to keep in mind Generational context is not about age, but common experiences Different is neither right or wrong, just different Different generations care about different approaches to the same problem

Who Are These Generations?

Baby Boomers Born (78 Million) Idealistic, competitive, the “Me” generation T.V., suburbia, Vietnam, Woodstock, women’s lib, civil rights, drugs & rock‘n roll

Generation X Born (46 Million) Techno savvy, skeptical, self-sufficient MTV, AIDS, Computers, divorce rate tripled, fall of the Berlin wall, Challenger

Generation Y Born (80 Million) Cyber literate, confident, efficient multi-taskers Internet chatting, O.J. trial, Lewinsky, Columbine, Ok. City bombing, Enron, 9/11, Gulf wars & Iraq

Why is this Important? To attract and retain young talent Maximize the effectiveness of your employee pool while minimizing potential turnover costs & conflicts To remain competitive, adaptive, and resilient in a changing workplace Gen X can only replace 60% of the retiring boomer workforce, Gen Y needs to fill the gap

Generation Y’s Attitudes and Expectations in the Workplace Born (80 Million)

Impact on the Workforce Fastest growing segment of the workforce Today, they account for approximately 21% of the overall U.S. workforce By 2012, they will be the labor age group Potential intergenerational conflict

Why do you have to manage them differently? Grew up in the age of “active parenting” Praised & indulged Digital upbringing and info saturation Accustomed to digital learning Gen Y’s digital upbringing facilitates multitasking

Characteristics of Gen Y PROS Adaptability Technologically savvy Ability to grasp new concepts Efficient multi-taskers

Characteristics of Gen Y CONS Impatient Skeptical Blunt & expressive They’re still young

Attitudes toward Work Behavior-driven position selection Performance and results should drive compensation/promotion Competitive Life-work balance

What do they want out of a job? Career growth, learning and development Desire for immediate responsibility Meaningful work Marketability Facilitation vs. Training

Steps to Recruiting a Gen Y Employee Online job posting, career fairs, personal networking Partner with local high schools, community colleges, trade schools & associations Emphasize the opportunities, technology, and satisfaction to be found in a HVAC/building controls career Defined roles within the organization

How do I reach them during training? Make it relevant Use a variety of approaches Keep it fast-paced & interactive Provide immediacy Focus on outcomes

Steps to Retain a Gen Y Employee Encourage their values Train them Mentor them Show them how their work will contribute to the organization Provide full disclosure Provide access to technology

Myths to Watch Out for Younger generations have no work ethic They have no respect for authority Lack of attention Difficult personalities

The Bottom Line The workplace is getting older, faster than we can replace them with experienced workers. Organizations MUST work to recruit, develop, and retain young workers.

Workforce Planning & Development Succession planning & knowledge transfer strategy Assign mentors to new employees Phased or partial retirement May have to restructure internal training programs and hiring systems Partner with local high schools, community colleges, & trade schools