Managing across generations

By NANCY PROFFITT, Certified Business Coach, Proffitt Management Solutions

Younger generations — the so-called Gen Xers and New Millennials — comprise half the U.S. work force. The other half consists of 45 percent Baby Boomers and 5 percent veterans, many of whom are charged with motivating newer employees. What happens when generations don’t share the same values and beliefs about workplace success?

Workers born after 1965 have different workplace values and definitions of success. Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1965, occupy most positions of power and responsibility on organizational charts. Most of today’s corporate management practices still reflect the systems and values of their predecessors, the veterans.

Gen Xers and Millennials therefore present unique challenges for Boomer managers. Gen Xers and Millennials single-mindedly focused on what it takes to get ahead and reach their perceived career destination.

This group shuns past definitions of success: climbing the company ladder and earning the rewards that come with greater responsibility. The company ladder, in their view, is irrelevant.

Mature workers and Boomers in managerial and leadership positions struggle with these differing values and beliefs, wondering how to motivate their younger colleagues.

The new generation of workers has:

• A work ethic that no longer respects or values 10-hour workdays.
• An easily attained competence in new technologies and a facility to master even newer ones with little discomfort.
• Tenuous to nonexistent loyalty to any organization.
• Changed perspectives for lifetime goals achievable by employment.

The most significant changes in perspective involve time, technology and loyalty.

Time. For Boomers, time has always been something to invest in the future. They work hard and pride themselves on putting in 55+ hours a week, but they count on future rewards for their efforts. This payout hasn’t always materialized as expected. Just think of the number of Boomers who no longer have retirement funds that were promised and worked for, but dissolved due to corporate greed or management incompetence.

Gen Xers and Millennials regard time as something to control, just like money. In fact, to them, time has equal value. Some employers are realizing that time off is a satisfactory trade-off when they can’t pay their younger employees higher salaries.

For younger workers, time itself is a currency, and they aren’t willing to invest it in a career or job with uncertain dividends. In today’s climate of job insecurity, layoffs and changing industries, any employment is potentially unstable. “Why put in long hours?” they wonder.

Technology. Gen Xers and Millenials eagerly embrace technology. After all, they grew up using computers, beginning in preschool. When they interact with older colleagues who are confused and somewhat fearful of technology, a real role reversal often occurs.

It’s critical for leaders to combine the wisdom of experience and the technological savvy of youth to benefit all employees — and the bottom line.

Loyalty. Gen Xers and Millenials have many reasons to question authority, rather than bow to it. They don’t automatically believe their leaders tell the truth. They have seen plenty of lies from presidents, CEOs, legislators and even religious institutions, which bred skepticism. Younger generations invest their loyalty and trust in individuals, not companies. They want to work for the right boss, and they’ll change jobs if they can’t.

Loyalty to an individual is now the No. 1 reason Gen Xers and Millenials stay at a job, especially during the first three years of employment. Dissatisfaction with a boss is the No. 1 reason they quit. This upheaval in values is creating new priorities and business practices, and it puts pressure on managers to lead with both head and heart.

Most people are managed by someone older with the exception of technology fields possibly. Most managers assume their direct reports will be motivated by the same values and rewards they hold dear. But as someone once said, “This is not your father’s workplace.” How can leaders harness a multigenerational work force’s skills? What is required to lead young people who believe Boomers are outdated and out of touch?

Leaders should ask themselves the following questions:

• What do my employees want from their jobs, bosses and work experience?
• How do salary, benefits and promotion opportunities affect loyalty?
• How do my direct reports define themselves? How do one’s job and the company enter into this equation?
• Do my newer workers believe in paying their dues for a given time period, or are they motivated by challenges and self- fulfillment right from the very beginning?
• How self-sufficient are my younger workers? Are they still living at home? How much are they committed to their jobs as their only means of support?

Then leaders should ask their employees similar questions to understand their value system and work motivation. Don’t assume you know!

For younger generations, the job future has never been more precarious and uncertain. As a leader, one of your primary responsibilities is attracting and retaining employees, especially talented ones. You must learn to put yourself in the younger generations’ shoes, without prejudice or judgment, even though it’s human nature to view them as inexperienced and naive.

The gap can, and must, be bridged. If you’re in the older managerial group, you must learn to make adjustments to get the most from — and give the most to — the vast population of younger employees.Your challenge is straightforward, yet complex: You must determine which personal differences are superficial and which convictions are deeply held. Then, reconcile the valid convictions with the traditional work-force hierarchy model. Each group must make a concerted effort to understand the other so teams can discover the best ways to define workplace success.

 

Nancy Proffitt, MBA, Certified Business Coach is the president of Proffitt Management Solutions and Proffitt Management Leadership Institute, an internationally recognized Leadership coaching firm dedicated to unleashing the full potential of individuals and organizations. She may be reached at 561-682-6060 or email: Nancy@proffittmanagement.com . Visit her website at www.proffittmanagement.com