1. Generational Diversity:
Bridging A Critical
Employee Engagement “Crosswind”
Leigh Branham, SPHR
Mark Hirschfeld
www.re-engagebook.com
2. Engaged Employees……
Give more discretionary effort
Receive better customer service ratings
Speak well of the organization
Are more likely to stay
Voice more ideas
Adapt to and facilitate change
Engage other employees
3.
4. Yearly competitions 44 U.S. Cities
10,000 employers of all sizes have applied since 2004
2.1 million employees surveyed
Data from 37-question engagement survey and 200,000+
comments analyzed
5. For the first time we have four unique generations in the
workplace, with a fifth on the way
In the current economy older and younger employees are
competing for jobs
For the first time a majority of older employees now have
younger bosses
7. “Growing up in different eras
causes people
to see things differently.”
8. Generational Labor Force Composition
(Between Ages of 16-64)
250
200 Generation ZZ
Generation
Millineums
Millennials Y
150
Generation XX
Generation
100 Baby Boomers
Boomers
Traditionalist
50 Traditionalists
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
9.
10. 26-45 year-olds don’t feel as close to other
associates in their work groups.
26-45 year-olds are the least likely to say that
company benefits meet their(or their family)
needs.
26-55 year-olds don’t believe that company
benefits offered are not typically available in
the market.
* Tenure is controlled for in these results.
11. The results of our analysis—after controlling
for other company characteristics such as
age, position type, company size, and
tenure—showed us that greater variation in
age within a company actually has a
negative impact on engagement.
12. For two companies that have roughly the same employee
count but different age diversity:
Company A : less age diversity
More likely to have higher
employee engagement.
Company B: more age diversity
Less likely to have higher
employee engagement.
13. ENGAGING DISENGAGING
“As part of the executive level “I believe the executive levels
management I am inspired by should gain a better
the new generation of understanding of the
leadership at the company. generational diversity within
The second generation has the workforce and the
taken over the management motivators for each group. The
of the company and has company has a lot of
maintained and enhanced the 'unspoken rules' that are old
strong culture of the company, fashioned and based off of old
a culture with a focus on ideas of what the ideal
mutual respect and offering business person should work
leadership opportunities to and look like.”
younger professionals.”
14. Evident in all highly
engaged “Best Places to
Work.”
Top quartile employers
have half the “generation
gap” than bottom quartile
employers.
We offer over 100 tips and
best practices related to
managing generational
diversity.
15. Recruit a diverse workforce
Provide training and opportunities for open dialogue
about generational differences
Create continuous opportunities for different generations to:
• work together on projects
• share work spaces
• mentor each other
• socialize together
• seek to meet one another halfway with regard to differing expectations
Identify and develop diverse mix of emerging leaders
16. Understand and treat each employee as an individual, not
based on generational stereotypes
Become a student of generational and individual differences
Put yourself “in their shoes”
Let go of “Us vs. Them” thinking
Ask about their goals, needs and preferences
Rethink your assumptions /management style
Meet those in other generations halfway
Challenge them to meet you halfway
17. Staff teams with members of different generations
Orchestrate inter-generational understanding through
assigned activities/interactions
Arrange office space and workstations to facilitate
teamwork and relationship building
Provide training in generational differences and
teambuilding, then build diversity into project teams
Promote balance of face-to-face and e-communication
18. Traditionalists:
Tap their experience
Place them in mentoring roles
Allow flex-time/part-time options
Challenge to learn new technologies
Boomers:
Reduce stress /workload, allow flex-scheduling and phased retirement
Encourage them to delegate and empower younger generations, keep
involved with younger workers on project teams and task forces
Challenge them with tasks and projects where they can have an
impact and keep learning
19. Gen Xers:
Keep them challenged and constantly learning (using a variety of
media and learning methods) in lieu of limited advancement
opportunities
Allow time off for personal /family life
Don’t micromanage them
Bend the rules and go to bat for them when you can
Millennials:
Provide lots of feedback and coaching, learning opportunities and
teamwork
Challenge them to communicate face-to-face, take the initiative and
make decisions independently/on the fly
Pair them with mentors, take a personal interest in their career goals
and help them develop needed competencies
20. Traditionalists:
Acknowledge their loyalty, hard work and sacrifice
Praise them for adapting to hard realities and change
Appreciate them for mentoring younger workers
Thank them face-to-face and with handwritten notes
Boomers:
Recognize them for making a difference and going the extra mile
Appreciate them for being good team players
Challenge them to give more recognition and feedback
21. Gen Xers:
▪ Autonomy to do the job their own way — when/where
▪ Time off
▪ The latest technology
▪ Healthcare coverage and convenience benefits
Millennials:
▪ Meaningful/challenging work
▪ Opportunity to develop social relationships
▪ Time off and appreciation for sacrificing time off
▪ Opportunities to be mentored and learn new things
22. Traditionalists and Boomers:
Bolster pre-retirement benefits
Allow phased retirement, part-time work, flex-time and consulting
opportunities
Focus them on preventative health and wellness practices, such as
better diet and more exercise
Consider providing new benefits, such as grandchild care
Don’t make assumptions, such as “They won’t care about tuition
reimbursement”
23. Gen Xers:
Provide benefits for those building new families — home loan
assistance, childcare subsidies, vacation and time off
Offer tuition reimbursement to promote continuous learning
Allow flexible schedules and a telecommuting option when possible
Provide elder and childcare
Allow opportunities for fun at work
Millennials:
Same as above, plus:
Create opportunities for internal social activities and social networking
Encourage community involvement and volunteer activities
24.
25. Next Webinar:
Wednesday, April 14th
Employee Engagement in Difficult Times
Join us in San Diego at SHRM for
“Navigating the Crosswinds of Employee
Engagement” in June!
