Managing Generational Change - Part 3 of 4

Section 2: Generations in the Workforce

This section seeks to understand and compare the workstyles and workplace expectations of each generation. Like the previous section, each generation will be analyzed through a consistent set of criteria.

• Core work-related values

• Communication style

• Knowledge retention / learning

• Recruiting/retention

• Preferred managerial style (how they would like to be managed)

• Personal managerial style (how they act as managers)

Baby Boomers

Core work-related values

• Equal opportunities: Shaped by their teenage years during the Civil Rights movement, Boomers value equal opportunities for all. They believe in the “American Dream” and feel that hard work and perseverance means that anyone can achieve their goals as long as you pay your dues and sacrifice.[i]

• Workaholic: Boomers relish long hours and working overtime. They are deeply committed to their companies and teams, and are not shy about working long hours at the expense of personal life.[ii] They are motivated by position and prestige, and tend to define themselves on the basis of their career achievements.

• Competitive: Due to their value of self-actualization through career achievements, Boomers tend to be competitive. They believe in traditional hierarchical structures and respecting those who have higher position/ranking.[iii]

Communication style

Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face communication more than the other generations in this study.[iv] They have a lifetime of experience of communicating with people either directly or over the phone. This is compounded by their lack of digital comfortability. Communicating with a Boomer using only emails and texts would create issues.

This also explains their preference for in-office work as compared to remote work. A recent Conference Board survey showed that only 36% of Boomers questioned a full return to in-office work, the lowest of the four generations.[v]

Knowledge retention / learning

Boomers prefer to learn by seeing and doing. They are in the later stages of their career, so they are proud and assured of the skills that they currently have. For this reason, they may be more reluctant than other generations to engage in personal development unless they truly see the value in the new skill.[vi]

Due to their seniority and experience, Boomers make excellent mentors for younger generations. This also presents a learning opportunity. By pairing Boomers with Millennials or Gen Z members, it allows for a learning feedback loop where each generation can teach and learn from each other.

Pointing back to their inherent discomfort with the latest technologies, newer e-learning tools like learning management systems, recorded videos, or interactive videos are not as effective for Boomers.

Recruiting/retention

To recruit Boomers, look to take advantage of traditional recruiting processes like face-to-face interviews, referrals and print-based job advertisements.

Boomers value loyalty and commitment to one company, preferring to rise up the ranks and earn seniority, higher pay and prestige. From a retention standpoint, this makes things somewhat simpler than the other generations who do not see themselves as “company-lifers”.

Boomers appreciate recognition, so another retention strategy is to recognize and reward longstanding commitment or achievements.[vii]

Preferred managerial style (how they would like to be managed)

Boomers are hardworking, dedicated and loyal. They have an abundance of experience and a deep understanding of the industries they work in due to their long career tenure. For that reason, managers should look to recognize their skills and commitment.

Boomers like to share their knowledge and insight, which means that managers can both leverage these skills and motivate Boomers by pairing them up with younger generations in mentor positions.

Personal managerial style (how they act as managers)

Baby Boomers have the deepest managerial experience of the four generations studied as a result of their tenure and time spent in the workforce.

As managers, their inherent value in hard work and dedication, and their long-held experience with the traditional 9 to 5 job structure can sometimes put them at odds with younger generations who value flexibility and work/life balance.[viii]

Boomers are far more accepting and reliant on chain of command and hierarchical structures, so they view the role of the manager as a task-manager, someone who directs, oversees and leads. This contrasts with a relationship-oriented manager who focuses on collaboration and building bridges for their team. As the next few sections will explain, this is the style of manager that younger generations prefer, which presents an opportunity area for Boomers to adapt their approach.

Generation X

Core work-related values

• Work/life balance: Generation X saw the results of the workaholic nature of Baby Boomers and decided that they wanted more from life. They are committed to family and life obligations and are unwilling to devote more time than they deem necessary to work.[ix]

• Individualism / Entrepreneurship: From their early days as latchkey kids, Generation X knows how to get something done on their own. Generation X is more likely to start a new business, as a recent study by Sage Group found that Generation X is leading the way compared to the other generations, acting as CEO/founders 29% of all new startups.[x]

• Flexibility: Generation X knows how to get the job done, but they want to do it on their own terms. This means that they value flexibility in both time and space, being more receptive to remote and hybrid work options. This also relates to their desire for work/life balance.[xi]

Communication style

Generation X is comfortable with both face to face and digital interactions. They look to communicate in whichever style is most efficient for that message.

They are most comfortable with email as their primary communication tool, given that they have been using it for the bulk of their lives. This preference for short, informal, asynchronous messaging helps them maintain their flexibility, because they can receive information and answer at a time that works best for their schedule, rather than needing to sync up schedules to speak directly.[xii]

Knowledge retention / learning

Related to their independent nature, Generation X prefers self-directed learning that they can access on their own schedule. They are comfortable with recorded and self-guided lectures, given their exposure to the earliest CD-ROM based learning software during their younger years. They prefer to learn in real-life circumstances where they are finding actual solutions to problems that they might face in their roles.[xiii]

Recruiting/retention

Referrals, company websites and job boards are the three most popular resources used by Generation X when they are looking for a new job.[xiv] To retain members of Generation X, you can tap into their motivation of work/life balance by offering perks that can enhance that balance, including flexible work arrangements or on-site day care.

Preferred managerial style (how they would like to be managed)

Generation X unsurprisingly prefers less supervision and autonomy from their managers. They are in the middle stage of their careers so they need less direct guidance on completing job related tasks and activities.

The managerial help they are looking for includes immediate feedback and helping identify opportunities for personal development.[xv] They prefer more informal relationships rather than the hierarchical, rank-based relationships of their Baby Boomer predecessors.

Personal managerial style (how they act as managers)

As managers, Gen X does not place the same emphasis on the traditional work structure of “9 to 5 in an office in sight of your manager” that Baby Boomers do. They are more apt to put hybrid or remote structures in place that enable their own preference for flexibility, and enable flexibility for their staff.

Gen X leaders focus more on the result than the process of getting there. They prioritize adaptability and getting the job done efficiently rather than spending longer hours on something than is necessary. They are also less likely to equate facetime with the boss as hard work, instead focusing on the end product.[xvi]

Millennials

Core work-related values

• Strong corporate culture: Millennials are passionate about their actions and do not define themselves by traditional measures of rank. Instead, Millennials’ value working for an organization with a mission and culture that they connect with and find meaningful. They want to understand how their role contributes to the success of the company, and more broadly, how their efforts make the world a better place. “According to a study by Fidelity, millennials are willing to take a $7,600 pay cut in exchange for moving to a company with a better company culture”[xvii

• Ethics / social responsibility: Millennials place a higher emphasis on corporate social responsibility and the ethical actions of the companies that they work for. Having grown up during the Enron and WorldCom scandals and witnessing the greed of the financial industry create a devastating recession, Millennials are deeply focused on a company’s ethical decisions and sustainable impacts. “According to Deloitte, seventy-six percent of millennials view business as a source of powerful and positive social impact. Millennial job candidates want to join an organization that sees a social role for itself.”[xviii]

• Flexibility and work/life balance: Similar to their Generation X predecessors, Millennials have a preference for flexible work schedules in terms of place and time, allowing them to pursue their personal passions and non-professional goals.[xix]

• Collaboration: Millennials learned in a collaborative environment, and experienced an abundance of team-based activities growing up. They also value an array of diverse ideas and perspectives. For all of these reasons, Millennials are natural collaborators who are comfortable working in teams or matrix style organizations where they are a part of several teams.[xx]

Communication style

Millennials are comfortable with a wide range of communication styles and platforms. They have utilized email and text messaging since childhood, and were some of the earliest adopters of instant messaging and social media platforms.

Millennials are somewhat averse to phone conversations. They prefer instant messages and emails that provide them with the ability to carefully consider their responses. Their comfortability with asynchronous forms of communication means that they prefer to answer messages at a time that works best for them. Phone calls are considered an “interruption” because someone is asking for their attention right away.[xxi]

They value a diversity of thought and experience, so are more apt to communicate collaboratively and try to bring in as many ideas and perspectives as possible.

Knowledge retention / learning

Similar to Gen Z, Millennials are receptive to a blended learning style. They are familiar and comfortable with online videos and recorded learning due to their longstanding use of YouTube and other technology-based learning tools. Combining these digital learning methods with group-based learning is empowering to Millennials who value both technology and collaboration.[xxii]

Millennials like to understand the rationale behind their actions, so it is imperative that any new skills/rules that are being implemented also include an explanation of the importance and reasoning behind this requested change.[xxiii]

Recruiting/retention

Millennials are apt to job hop between companies and positions every few years. They do not share the same value of loyalty as their Baby Boomer parents, as a recent Gallup report showed that “21% of Millennials say they've changed jobs within the past year, which is more than three times the number of non-Millennials who report the same.”[xxiv] The reason for this could be the lack of reward that Millennials associate with tenure. They’ve seen their parents display loyalty to one company, only to be shown the door once that company reaches a precarious financial position (see the Great Recession and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic). Also, Millennials’ value for diverse experiences means that they’d prefer to try a variety of positions rather than be “pigeon-holed” into one narrow role.

As a result of their value for culture and social responsibility, recruiters should seek to highlight the company’s positive impact in any job posting. These posts should be authentic and honest, as Millennials are skeptical of “corporate speak” or hollow messaging.[xxv] Millennials prefer digital recruitment tools, such as LinkedIn posts and online job posting boards like Indeed.

Preferred managerial style (how they would like to be managed)

Millennials seek a manager who acts as a mentor, giving them instructive feedback and constructive criticism to improve their performance. They are looking for an open and honest dialogue with managers, seeking frank and non-sugarcoated feedback on a regular and consistent basis.[xxvi]

They want to be involved in decision making process and have their voices heard. Having grown up in an educational style that relied on their active participation and decision making, Millennials are uncomfortable just “going with the flow”.

Personal managerial style (how they act as managers)

Millennials love of feedback has impacted their managerial style as well. Not only do they want to receive feedback themselves, they are also apt to provide more feedback to their staff and conduct more frequent check-ins.

Millennial managers are comfortable with remote or hybrid work arrangements. A recent Upwork survey found that “Almost 70 percent of younger managers allow their staff to work remotely, and of those that did so, three-fourths managed employees who spent most of their time working outside the office.”[xxvii]

Millennials are team-oriented managers, rejecting the command-and-control style in favor of a collaborative approach where they are empowering their staffs and helping them to succeed rather than dictating their actions.[xxviii]

Gen Z

Core work-related values

• Security-driven: Gen Z grew up in a more uncertain time than their Millennial predecessors, which is why they are more inclined to value money and job security rather than corporate culture.[xxix]

• Social / Environmental causes: Similar to Millennials, Gen Z is deeply committed to social causes and environmental sustainability. They genuinely care about making a personal impact on the world, and they have already seen some of their fellow generational members create meaningful change through their determination and commitment to these causes (i.e. Greta Thunberg, David Hogg)

• Physical/mental wellbeing: Gen Z has grown up in a stressful time and have internalized this conflict. A recent Gallup survey found that the number one thing that employees look for in their employer is caring about their wellbeing.[xxx]

Communication style

Gen Z is a digital-first generation that is similar to Millennials in terms of their comfortability with text and digital messaging. Unlike Millennials, Gen Z prefers to communicate with video and images rather than text. They are more visual communicators who use memes and bite size videos to communicate their thoughts and ideas.[xxxi]

Gen Z values authenticity and honesty, which carries into their communication style. “They prefer frank, to-the-point communication, ‘in-person’ interactions (according to the BBC, researchers point out that they consider web-based calls like Zoom to be ‘in-person’), and alignment between their values and those of their employer.”[xxxii] This also contributes to their communication being more casual and less buttoned up.

Knowledge retention / learning

Gen Z prefers to learn through videos and blended learning approaches, which matches their educational learning style that they recently experienced in school. They want to learn on the go, so mobile learning experiences are recommended.[xxxiii]

They are proactive learners who prefer to learn at their own pace and schedule. According to a LinkedIn survey, 43% prefer self-directed, independent learning.[xxxiv]

Recruiting/retention

Gen Z values flexibility, which is why they are attracted to hybrid work options. However, due to their inherent lack of professional experience, Gen Z does not want a fully remote setup. They are looking to establish themselves, develop relationships and understand the working world. A July 2021 study found that 40% of Gen Z workers prefer fully in person work, as compared to 39% for hybrid, and 19% for remote, 3% no preference).[xxxv]

Similar to Millennials, they are looking for positions online, so employers need to ensure that they have online job postings, a robust website that highlights the important aspects of the company, and a social media presence that allows Gen Z to research the specifics of the company.[xxxvi]

To retain Gen Z, demonstrate your long-term commitment to their growth and development. Gen Z is eager to learn and emphasizes career stability, indicating that pay level transparency and demonstrating a commitment to their career path will increase retention levels for this cohort.[xxxvii]

Preferred managerial style (how they would like to be managed)

Gen Z’s value for flexibility means that managers should empower them to complete their work independently at a schedule that works best for them (within reason). “They prefer to work for companies that give them the chance to create their schedule. Gen Z likes to work around projects instead of wasting time around the water cooler.”[xxxviii]

Gen Z wants to be heard. They have strong opinions and want to speak their mind, so managers need to empower them by providing them with the opportunity to offer their perspective.[xxxix]

Personal managerial style (how they act as managers)

Gen Z is still very early in their careers, so most are not yet at the level of reaching managerial status.

[i] https://managementhelp.org/interpersonal/understand-generational-differences.htm [ii] https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/know-your-generationals/ [iii] https://www.thebalancecareers.com/baby-boomers-2164681 [iv] https://online.ndm.edu/news/communication/evolution-of-communication/ [v] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/business/economy/return-office-young-workers.html?smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&amp [vi] https://www.kallidus.com/teaching-a-baby-boomer-new-tricks-baby-boomer-learning-styles/ [vii] https://www.paychex.com/articles/human-resources/how-to-manage-multiple-generations-in-the-workplace [viii]https://www.thebalancecareers.com/baby-boomers-2164681 [ix] https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/know-your-generationals/ [x] https://www.sage.com/na/~/media/site/sagena/responsive/docs/startup/report [xi] https://www.paychex.com/articles/human-resources/how-to-manage-multiple-generations-in-the-workplace [xii] https://www.myplainview.com/news/article/Communication-styles-differ-with-each-generation-12220967.php [xiii]https://www.orgwide.com/blog/learning-styles-revealed-the-overlooked-gen-xers [xiv] https://yello.co/blog/the-generation-x-files-what-you-should-know-about-recruiting-gen-x-in-2019/ [xv] https://www.purdueglobal.edu/education-partnerships/generational-workforce-differences-infographic/ [xvi] https://coraggiogroup.com/five-generation-x-leadership-traits/ [xvii]https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-workplace/ [xviii]https://www.benchmarkone.com/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-workplace/ [xix] https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-in-the-workplace-in-2021-as-told-by-millennials [xx] https://www.dummies.com/business/management/understanding-millennial-mindset-collaboration/ [xxi] https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2017/05/11/how-do-millennials-prefer-to-communicate/?sh=5abdb02b6d6f [xxii]https://elearningindustry.com/how-millennials-learn-challenges-ld-managers-face-when-training-employees [xxiii]https://elearningindustry.com/how-millennials-learn-challenges-ld-managers-face-when-training-employees [xxiv]https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231587/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx [xxv] https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0417/pages/retool-recruiting-to-attract-millennials.aspx [xxvi]https://axerosolutions.com/blog/how-to-communicate-with-millennials-at-work-23-surefire-tips-to-retire-the-stereotypes [xxvii]https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/05/5-ways-millennial-managers-are-changing-the-office.html [xxviii]https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2020/08/11/under-new-management-millennials-as-successful-managers/?sh=4e6df8ea2248 [xxix]https://empxtrack.com/blog/generation-z-characteristics-and-work-ethics-in-the-workplace/ [xxx] https://www.gallup.com/workplace/336275/things-gen-millennials-expect-workplace.aspx [xxxi]https://www.keystoneacademic.com/news/communicating-with-generation-z-everything-you-need-to-know [xxxii]https://www.inc.com/may-habib/how-gen-z-may-change-workplace-communication-for-good.html [xxxiii]https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/gen-z-learning [xxxiv]https://www.linkedin.com/business/learning/blog/learning-and-development/gen-z-is-shaping-a-new-era-of-learning-heres-what-you-should-kn [xxxv]https://www.axios.com/gen-z-remote-work-eb2bb532-1dc9-4cdc-b542-01de2c780f55.html. [xxxvi]https://www.allegisgroup.com/en/insights/millennials-and-genz [xxxvii]https://www.ceridian.com/blog/strategies-to-retain-millennial-genz-employees [xxxviii]https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/382684 [xxxix]https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/382684