In the new economy, we all are challenged by an aging workforce that is not retiring anytime soon. They may have planned to have financial and personal independence by now, but the economy has gotten in the way. The challenge now is to work a complex workforce, with a core of baby boomers that are grumpy and disaffected. This course will offers knowledge and understanding of the core motivational theories that work on boomers in particular and the modern workforce in general.

1. 1
Fresh Data & Scary Facts
The Art of Engaging Multiple Generations
www.bizlearning.net
Karl J. Ahlrichs, SPHR.
Expertspeaks.com
September 26, 2014
you mustTAKE
CONTROL
of the
generations in the workplace
what should you
know?

2. 2
You need
to know:
Marketing
Motivation
Communication
Objectives
• Identify characteristics and gain a better
understanding of the generations, with a
particular focus on Millennials
• Accept personal responsibility in engaging
each other in meaningful work and
communication
• Provide tactics for overcoming
generational differences

3. 3
“Each generation imagines itself to be more
intelligent than the one that went before it,
and wiser than the one that comes after it.”
George Orwell, Author
5
What does A CLIENT
care about?
Great Outcomes
Great
Customer
Service
Engaged Culture,
Job Fit,
High Performing
Total Compensation
Employees
Managing
Smart

4. 4
Important Facts
about the generations
• The accounting function is at risk
• Baby boomers are not retiring. As of 2014,
some will be (gasp) 68.
• On average, 10,000 Boomers will turn 65
today. Succession planning is key.
• A new generation is about to arrive.
Q: If WM is 10% better
than your competition
at keeping your high performers
no matter their age…
Is this a competitive
advantage?

5. 5
So,
What’s
New??
Two surprises!
Generations Birth Years Age - 2014
Veterans 1925 - 1945 69 – 89
Old Boomers 1946 – 1954 60 - 68
Young Boomers 1955 - 1964 50 – 59
Generation X 1965 - 1976 38 – 49
Millennials/Y 1977- 1993 21 - 37
Gen Wireless 1992 - ? 20 -

6. 6
Most Indifferent?
Boomers
Most Important?
Gen X

7. 7
Most Talked About?
Millennials
Most Scary?
Gen Wi-Fi

8. 8
On-the-Job Strengths
Trads Boomers Xers Millennial
Job Strength Stable
Service
Oriented/Team
Players
Adaptable and
Techno-
Literate
Multitaskers
and Techno-
Savvy
Outlook Practical Optimistic Skeptical Hopeful
View of
Unimpressed
Authority Respectful Love/Hate
and
Unintimidated
Polite
Leadership By Hierarchy By Consensus By
Competence
By Pulling
Together
Relationships Personal
Sacrifice
Personal
Gratification
Reluctant to
Commit Inclusive
On-the-Job Strengths
Trads Boomers Xers Millennial
Time on the
job
Punched the
clock
Visibility is key
“Face Time”
As long as I
get the job
done, who
cares
It’s quitting
time – I have a
real life to live
Diversity Ethnically
segregated
Integration
began Integrated No majority
race
Feedback No news is
good news
Once a year
with
documentation
Interrupts and
asks how they
are doing
Wants
feedback at
the push of a
button
Work/Life
Balance
Needs help
shifting
Balances
everyone else
and
themselves
Wants balance
now
Need flexibility
to balance
activities

9. 9
Generational Challenges
We Face in the Workplace
• Poor communication
• Decreased productivity, quality, &
innovation
• Misunderstood attitudes, relationships
& working environments
• Less engaged volunteers & coworkers
• Lack of motivation, initiative, and team
work
On-the-Job Challenges
Traditionalists
and Boomers
generally do not
question or
challenge authority.
Xers and
Millennials have
been taught to
speak up.

10. 10
On-the-Job Challenges
• Xers and Millennials
– Prefer electronic communication.
– Do not like meetings.
– Many have not developed listening skills.
• Traditionalists and Boomers
– Prefer face-to-face communication.
– Boomer bosses like to have at least one
meeting each week with employees.
2 Simple Truths
1. All generations value belonging
to a group, high integrity
leadership, and being rewarded
for getting it right
2. The best thing you can do to
engage any employee at any
level is appear to listen to them

11. 11
Boomer Facts
Boomers feel flexibility is “earned”
They separate time at work from family time, social
activities and hobbies, etc. – “compartmentalizing”
There is an expectation of “face time” that tells
others whether you’re working or not
Boomers believe in structured feedback
They grew up working for the Silent Generation where
“no news is good news”
Feedback is formal, annual reviews are normal
Gen X Facts
Gen Xers are committed to balance
They like the concept of flex-time but struggle with prioritizing
Like “One Minute Manager” structure
Lots of little meetings, casual interactions, work alone
and meet as needed, for as short as possible

12. 12
Millennial Facts
Gen Y expects flexibility immediately
as a cultural norm
They integrate working with play and
social activities
They’d rather focus on results and
efficiency while having more fun doing it
Millennial Facts
Hotels report 50% of business travel
are now Millennials
36% are living with their parents
17% Unemployment rate
If employed, often dissatisfied with job
They often say they are unhappy
in general.

13. 13
The Formula:
Happiness =
Reality - Expectation
Success
Boomer
Expectations
Years
Reality
Happy!

14. 14
Success
Millennial
Expectations
Years
Reality
Not
Happy!
The Echo Chamber

15. 15
Why did is Gen Wi-Fi
scary?
What are
high school students
saying about ethics?
Let’s ask the
Josephson Institute of Ethics
in Los Angeles, CA
Have you cheated on an exam at least
once in the past year?
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2012 2011 2010 2009
Yes!

16. 16
In the real world, successful people do what
they have to do to win, even if others consider
it cheating.
62%
61%
61%
60%
60%
59%
59%
58%
58%
57%
57%
2012 2011 2010 2009
Yes!
These will be your new hires.
Note to self:
Schedule ethics classes, build
Integrity and ethics into every possible
interaction with new hires

17. 17
Work on Feedback And
Communication
33
Pop Quiz
Which generation matches each style of
feedback?
– I want it once a year, with lots of documentation
– Feedback whenever I want it, at the push of a button
– Sorry to interrupt, but how am I doing?
“When Generations Collide at Work Quiz” at
humanresources.about.com/od/conflictresolution/a/
generationquiz.htm
34

18. 18
Where did this
come from?
Facebook
Video Games

19. 19

20. 20

21. 21
Motivating
Millennials
• Give them information and lots of it
• Tell them why. “Because I said so” won’t work.
• Don’t micromanage them
• Surround them with Talented co-workers
• Give them the latest technology…and….
• Teach them social skills
• BE FLEXIBLE
tools do not give you
wisdom

22. 22
Your organization will only be
productive you are if
you’re working on the
right things
What are the right
things?
Know your people
Motivate by who they are
Communicate in their language
Most important: listening skills
Make integrity and ethics the baseline

23. 23
Key
Leadership
Issue:
Understanding
Millennial
Motivators
Feedback
• Boomers believe feedback should
be structured and only “when
warranted” Imagine a basketball
game…
• Time to re-read “The One Minute
Manager”
46

24. 24
Differing Feedback
• Gen Xers want feedback more
often
– Their hands-off and independent approach may
leave others seeking feedback, too
• Millennials want instant feedback
using multiple channels
– They expect specific, timely feedback so
expectations are set and can be adhered to
47
Differing
Methods
• Baby Boomers are all about face-time
–They may make decisions or proceed
with action and worry about
communicating or explaining later
–They want time in person with clients
and peers and will substitute phone
calls but are not sure if e-mail is as
effective…
48

25. 25
Differing
Methods
• Gen Xers are looking to be in the
know
– Likely to use e-mail as a primary
communication medium and prefer working
with their door closed (independendent)
• Millennials want to hear from the
top and to hear it when it happens
– They want direct access to leadership and
they want you to text them the news the
49 minute it hits!
New skills needed:
• Behavioral Psychology
• Strategic planning
• Communication
• Conflict Management

26. 26
Fact: Conflict Management is a
key life skill
What do we need?
• A plan to guide us

27. 27
What do we need?
• Logic Model to evaluate progress
What do we need?
• A crisis to add a sense of urgency

28. 28
What are the answers?
• Manage for values alignment
Culture
• High Performers want an
entrepreneurial culture

29. 29
Motivation to build and
keep high performers
• How you treat your staff is how
they treat your clients.
• High performing teams are the best
answer, but are tough to build and
maintain
58
Secrets That Will Make a
Difference
• Align with Operations and Lean
Theory
• Forward Thinking Metrics
• Performance Management
Improvement
• Get ready for migration of high
performers

30. 30
Active Listening
• The “Silver Bullet” for the new world
What makes one
generation different
from another?
Shared life experiences

31. 31
Events and Experiences that
Shaped Generations
• Generation X
– Fall of the Berlin Wall
– Challenger disaster
– Desert Storm
– Personal computers
– Working mothers
– MTV
– Divorce
– Energy crisis
• Millennials
– Child-focused world
– School shootings
– 9/11
– Boston Marathon
– Internet
– Social networking
– Continual feedback
– Enron/WorldCom
– Iraq/Afghanistan
Traditionalists
• Born 1925 to 1945
• 49 million people
• Grew up with many rules and pressure to conform
• Increased prosperity over their lifetime; however,
they remember the Depression
• “Work First!”
• Children should be seen and not heard
• Expected lifetime career with one employer
• Prefer communication in writing
• Desire to leave a lasting legacy

32. 32
Common Values
• Traditionalists
– Hard work
– Dedication and sacrifice
– Respect for rules
– Duty before pleasure
– Honor
– Conformity
– Loyalty
– Frugality
Baby Boomers
• Born 1946 to 1964
• 79 million
• “Live to Work!”
• Grew up with fewer rules and a more nurturing
environment
• Lived in generally prosperous times, but
experienced layoffs
• Women entered workforce in record numbers
• Spend “quality time” with children
• Excelling in their career is important
• Prefer telephone or face-to-face communication
• Desire challenge and opportunity

33. 33
Common Values
• Baby Boomers
– Optimism
– Team orientation
– Personal gratification
– Involvement
– Personal growth
– Workaholics
– Competitors
Generation X
• Born 1965 to 1981
• 49 million
• Grew up as latchkey or day care children
• Turbulent economic times – downturn in 80s,
upswing in 90s
• “Work to Live!”
• Friends with their child, want to spend quantity time
• Expect their career to keep moving forward or they
will leave
• Prefer electronic communications
• Change from job security to career security

34. 34
Common Values
• Generation X
– Diversity
– Techno-literacy
– Fun and informality
– Self-reliance
– Pragmatism – realists
– Results oriented
– Individualism
– Challenge the system
Millennials
• Born 1982 to 2000
• 75 million
• Attended day care, very involved “helicopter”
parents
• Prosperity has increased over their lifetime
• “Live, then Work!”
• Achievement oriented
• Prefer instant or text messaging
• Want to build parallel careers – experts in
multitasking

35. 35
Common Values
• Millennials
– Optimistic
– Civic duty
– Confident
– Achievement oriented
– Respect for diversity
– Informal
– Tenacious
– Social consciousness
On-the-Job Strengths
Trads Boomers Xers Millennial
Job Strength Stable
Service
Oriented/Team
Players
Adaptable and
Techno-
Literate
Multitaskers
and Techno-
Savvy
Outlook Practical Optimistic Skeptical Hopeful
View of
Unimpressed
Authority Respectful Love/Hate
and
Unintimidated
Polite
Leadership By Hierarchy By Consensus By
Competence
By Pulling
Together
Relationships Personal
Sacrifice
Personal
Gratification
Reluctant to
Commit Inclusive

36. 36
On-the-Job Strengths
Trads Boomers Xers Millennial
Time on the
job
Punched the
clock
Visibility is key
“Face Time”
As long as I
get the job
done, who
cares
It’s quitting
time – I have a
real life to live
Diversity Ethnically
segregated
Integration
began Integrated No majority
race
Feedback No news is
good news
Once a year
with
documentation
Interrupts and
asks how they
are doing
Wants
feedback at
the push of a
button
Work/Life
Balance
Needs help
shifting
Balances
everyone else
and
themselves
Wants balance
now
Need flexibility
to balance
activities
Generational Challenges
We Face in the Workplace
• Poor communication
• Decreased productivity, quality, &
innovation
• Misunderstood attitudes, relationships
& working environments
• Less engaged volunteers & coworkers
• Lack of motivation, initiative, and team
work

37. 37
On-the-Job Challenges
Traditionalists
and Boomers
generally do not
question or
challenge authority.
Xers and
Millennials have
been taught to
speak up.
On-the-Job Challenges
• Xers and Millennials
– Prefer electronic communication.
– Do not like meetings.
– Many have not developed listening skills.
• Traditionalists and Boomers
– Prefer face-to-face communication.
– Boomer bosses like to have at least one
meeting each week with employees.

38. 38
Bridging the Generation Gaps
“We have absolutely
nothing in common!”
What bugs you?
Drives you crazy?
Bridging the Generation Gaps
• For Managers
–Focus on goals
–Make everyone feel included
–Break the bonds of tradition
–Show employees the future
–Encourage balance

39. 39
Bridging the Generation Gaps
Getting along with Boomers
–Show respect
–Choose face-to-face
conversations
–Give people your full attention
– Learn the corporate history
Bridging the Generation Gaps
• Getting along with Xers
–Get to the point
–Use email
–Give them space
–Get over the notion of dues paying
– Lighten up

40. 40
Bridging the Generation Gaps
• Remember that all generations want:
– To be treated fairly
– Work that provides personal satisfaction
– Employers who understand personal lives
are important
– Work that is valued by employers and
customers
– A clear sense of purpose from employers
Bridging the Generation Gaps
Remember the Golden Rule?
“Treat others as you would like to
be treated.”
Change it to the Platinum Rule
“Treat others as they would like to
be treated”

41. 41
Action Plan
• What changes will you make based upon
what you have learned today?
–Relationships
–Work environment
–Rules
vs.
Growing
Organizations
Aging Organizations

42. 42
The greatest gift
you can ever give another
is the example of your own life working,
and working well.