Generations Across the Workplace: Millennials If the trend toward work-life balance first emerged with Generation X, Millennials are the generation taking it to a new level. Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials have experienced both a major recession and a global pandemic—two events that significantly shaped their careers and perspectives on work. Add parenting and raising children into the mix, and this generation has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability. Lost your job because of the recession? Okay, I’ll move back home. Faced with choosing between attending your child’s ball game or staying late at work? Okay, I’ll call out and update my LinkedIn profile. Millennials place a high value on well-being. Most were raised by Baby Boomers—the generation with the greatest accumulated wealth—who worked hard to give their children more opportunities. As a result, Millennials are motivated by flexibility, purpose, and consistent feedback. Unlike Boomers, who averaged over eight years in one role, or Gen Xers, who averaged around five, Millennials stay less than three years in a position on average. Longevity isn’t their measure of loyalty; growth and alignment are. Two additional hallmarks of this generation are their expectation of feedback and demand for leadership transparency. So, what can employers and managers do to effectively motivate and retain talented Millennials?
Reference for more insight: IACC 
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Generations Across the Workplace: Gen X
The value of independence may be a result of growing up as a "latch key" kid. It was not uncommon to wear a house key as a necklace so that they could unlock the door of their empty homes after walking home from school. This independent nature may be a contributor to why 55% of startups are by Gen Xer's. Gen Xer's expect and favor diversity. The Civil Rights movements during the 1960's created pathways for Gen X to experience integration and social norms of diversity. Think about the 1980's. This was the emergence of the AIDS epidemic and also when we saw representations of celebrities and entertainers who were expressing their own identities and pushing societal norms. MTV, Star Wars and CNN all emerged in the 1980's. The Berlin Wall also came down. Gen Xer's also expect balance between work and life. In fact, it is notable that Gen Xer's can be resistant to change at work if the change causes any detriment to their personal lives. Additionally, Gen Xer's are motivated by professional and personal interests, and less so by the company interests. Giving time to a Gen Xer to prepare for change as well as be part of the decision-making, can help retain an employee who may otherwise see the change as a reason to leave. Workplace shifts to reducing or eliminating hybrid/flexible work schedules may impact the ability to have work-life balance. What are some guidelines for effectively retaining and motivating the Generation that will outnumber the Baby Boomers by 2028? As with any generation, recognize and adapt to the communication style that Gen X prefers. Long paragraphs or communicating after hours may lead to miscommunication. Like with Gen Z, providing the What and the Why of a decision, and letting the Gen Xer decide the How, will support the employee value of independence and autonomy. Consider leveraging the flexibility trait by inviting a Gen X employee to help you problem-solve or take the lead on a project. And also respect their decision if they decline to assist. As for technology, Gen Xer's had computers in their classrooms and cable tv in their homes. Remember Atari? This has helped to support adaptability to changing technology. Given that Gen Xer's are skeptical and efficient in their communication, leverage technology in a manner that overcomes resistance by demonstrating its efficiency. As I write this, I am painfully aware that I am biased as a Gen Xer. Ageism is real and influences our values and the lens that we look through. Of all the "ism's" we face, ageism is a leading cause of miscommunication and conflict. Taking time to appreciate and understand the differences requires putting aside our own biases. Focusing on the workplace mission, not the individual needs, helps us to see that we have more in common as members of an organization. Taking time to listen to each other with curiosity supports a more collaborative work experience.  Generations Across the Workplace: Gen ZIt begins with the organizations on-boarding process and continues with an ongoing commitment to training. That is, if you want to retain and motivate the talents of the Generation Z workforce. Gallup reports that 54% of Gen Z employees feel "ambivalent or disengaged" at work. We have heard the term "quiet quitting", where employees just put in the basic amount of effort needed to keep their job. The impact to organizations is that they fail to grow and leverage the talents of their employees. If you are reading this and do not identify as Gen Z (born between 1996-2010), consider the impact that COVID would have had on you as you emerged from high school and college during a worldwide shut down? Or the values instilled by your Gen X parents to feel safe and secure, which has translated to expressing feelings as well as needs for balance in the workplace? Or being motivated by understanding the WHAT and the WHY of a decision AND given the autonomy to decide HOW? Or growing up with a 100% access to and reliance on mobile devices? If you felt a gut reaction to any of the above or see gaps in your organization that reveals disconnection or lack of understanding, don't despair. Management has always been about leading people. While we are becoming more AI reliant, the robots haven't replaced empathy, connection and motivation that only human interactions can create. In addition to offering a robust on-boarding process, providing regular feedback to all employees builds value for the team and supports commitment to the organization. Franklin Covey has curated a list of Open Ended Questions for Better 1:1's with Direct Reports. Use the page link below or see #5: Hold Regular Check-ins. Feedback that may be meaningful to you may not be the same type of Feedback that your direct report expects and needs. So learning how to be a fluid and flexible communicator is now part of your responsibility as a manager. To build your skills in giving and receiving feedback, consider working with a coach. ADR Group NW collaborates with Nancy Pionk who is a certified Professional Coach. For more information, please visit www.nancypionk.com. To support ongoing soft skills training, consider offering Lunch & Learns. These short, focused workshops are designed to build skills in a consistent manner. For a current list of ready to go training, please visit the Training Menu. For an organization to thrive, it starts internally by creating space for all generations to show up each day and thrive. Thriving is based on transparency, clarity and the ability to accomplish goals based on each persons unique motivators. Our Gen Z employees are balancing optimism with pragmatism. How can you help them thrive? 100__questions_for_better_1-on-1s.pdf  |
Sunny Sassaman
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