Presentation on Generation Y in the

1. Presented by Crystal Olig
& Dave Baldwin
for MT Business
Technologies
June 4, 2012

2. HELLO THERE!
Crystal Olig
Account Services Manager, Oxiem Interactive
Blogger, Digital Marketer, Dog Lover, Husker Fan, Wife & Mom-to-Be
colig@oxiem.com
@whYgenY on Twitter
whYgenY.wordpress.com
More:
Professional digital marketing resume and portfolio: http://visualcv.com/crystalolig
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalaolig
Brazen Careerist: http://www.brazencareerist.com/profile/crystal-olig
Find this presentation online at: slideshare.net/crystalaolig

3. BACKGROUND
Past Speaking Engagements:
• Panelist, Phoenix Public Relations Society of America, Seminar on “What’s Next for 2009” (January 2009)
• Selected as featured blog author, Brazen Careerist Blog, Multiple topics & posts (2009/2010)
• Speaker, Denison University, Presentation on “Gen Y-ers Who Get It” (April 2010)
• Speaker & Panelist, Columbus Young Professionals Conference, “Personal Branding for Gen-Y” (April 2010)
• Speaker, 28th Annual Entrepreneurship Education FORUM with Rick Coplin, “Teaching Entrepreneurship to a
Digital Generation” (November 2010)
• Panelist, Ohio Growth Summit, “Understanding the Natives, Looking at the Web from a Gen Y Lens” (June
2011)
Other appearances on the topic of changing technology and marketing:
• Education Marketing Online: Social Media, Search Marketing & Websites
• Online Education and Marketing in Schools
• Does Your Website Stink?
• Search Engine Marketing Workshop: The Basics of SEO & SEM
• Basics of Web Marketing for Small & Local Businesses – Reynoldsburg Chamber

4. HELLO THERE!
Agenda
• Who are the Millenials? Breakouts:
• Gen Y Facts & Figures • Virtual panel
• Organizational Change is • Quiz & Assessments
in the Water • Discussion
• Office of the Future • Mind Map
• Human Resources
• Managerial Skills

5. “Gotta keep learning. Gotta keep moving. All
the stuff you’ve forgotten, I’ll never have to
know. Half the stuff you remember, I’ll never
have to know. That just means I’m way past
halfway to catching up to you.
It’s the obsolescence cure getting steeper and
steeper. It makes it a whole lot easier for a guy
my age to catch up to the more experienced
people.”
Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage Gen Y by Bruce
Tulgan

6. Q. How Millenial
Are You?
Take the quiz.

7. HOW MILLENNIAL ARE YOU?
Credit: Pew Research Center, 2010

8. HOW MILLENNIAL ARE YOU?
Credit: Pew Research Center, 2010

9. GEN Y PERSPECTIVES
I am…
• connected professionally to more than 500 people on Linked In
• more likely to have your e-mail than your phone number
• friends with more than 900 people on Facebook
• a second language-speaker
• a college graduate
• six jobs into my career
• a laid-off worker
• a digital native
• a DIYer

11. GEN Y PERSPECTIVES
• 38% have tattoos
• 75% have a social profile
• 50% favor gay marriage
• 64% believe in God
• 37% are unemployed or out of the labor force
• 41% have a full time job
• 1/3 are receiving finanical assistance from their families
• 13% of 22- to 29-year-olds have moved in with their parents after living on their own
Study of the 50 million Millenials 18 or older by the Pew Research Center, 2010

13. GEN Y TRANSLATOR
WORD DEFINITION DEFINITION EXAMPLE USAGE
!!!!!
@
*action*
#fail
Aight
b4
brb
BTW
LOL
LMAO
TTYL

14. GEN Y TRANSLATOR
WORD DEFINITION EXAMPLE USAGE
!!!!! So amazing! Wow Puppies!!!
@ At I’m @ the pool.
*action* Right now I’m doing
this *hug*
#fail That did not go well. Fell down stairs. #fail
Aight Alight “Do you want to go?”/ “Aight”
b4 Before Call you b4 I leave
brb Be Right Back Got a call. BRB.
BTW By The Way BTW, she was late today.
LOL Laugh Out Lout
He did what?! LOL!
LMAO Laughing My @$$ off
I can’t believe he said that. LMAO.
TTYL Talk to You Later
Gotta go, TTYL.
OMG Oh My Gosh/God!
OMG, what happened?
ZOMG, WOOT, ROTFLCOPTER,
TOMOZ, REDONKULOUS

15. GENERATIONS TODAY
• Greatest Generation pre-1928
• Silent Generation children of the Depression
• Baby Boomers the hippie kids
• Gen X the latchkey kids
• Gen Y or Millenials the trophy kids: 60 – 70
• Gen Z or Tweens the alpha kids

16. GENERATIONS TODAY
Credit: Iconoculture, Generations At Work,
Robinson & Elfering

17. Millenials are the most socially and
diversely tolerant generation ever,
the most educated and
technologically savvy generation
ever, and also the most sheltered &
structured generation in our
country’s history.
Managing the Millenials

18. NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS
Millenials…
• are entitled
• are needy
• are disrespectful
• are unmotivated
• are disloyal
• have short attention spans
• have helicopter parents
• want a trophy just for showing up

19. 1 in 3 is not Causasian. 1 in 4
comes from a single-parent home.
3 in 4 have working mothers; and
in two parent homes, children get
more time with their parents than
they did 25 years ago.
Managing the Millenials

20. GEN Y PERSPECTIVES
Credit: Pew Research Center, 2010

21. GEN Y EXPECTATIONS
Credit: “Chasing the American Dream: Recent
College Graduates and the Great Recession,”
Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. via
NYTimes.com, Economix blog

22. RECESSION IMPACT
The next pay gap? Generation, not gender.
• 40% of Millenials have been at their jobs less than 12
months
• Pay increases dropped from 3.5% in 2009 to 1/9% in 2010
• 20% of Millenials have seen at least one pay cut since 2008.
• 14% suffered a layoff (compared to 8% of Boomers)
Credit: Forbes, January 5, 2011

25. Millenials move in.
Gen Xers move up.
Boomers move beyond (a little later
than planned)
The collision of generations creates tension, and opportunity…
and everyone has to adjust

26. REVERSE AGEISM
What is it?
Ageism, or age discrimination is stereotyping and discriminating against individuals
or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values
used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination.
What to avoid:
• Asking someone his or her age
• Questions like, “Do you even know what a fax machine is?”
• How long have you been doing this? I need to talk to someone experienced.
• “You probably don’t remember this but…”
• Outdated cultural references. i.e. Laugh-in = Saturday Night Live, American
Bandstand = American Idol, The Johnny Carson Show = Jay, Letterman or Conan

27. GENERATIONS AT WORK
Key Points of Tension:
• Technology
• Communication
• Definitions of success
• Space and (my) place
“When managers properly identify the points of
tension, disconnects can be reframes as
opportunities to connect and build trust.”
Managing the Millenials, Espinoza et al

28. GENERATIONS AT WORK
Gen Y Gen X Boomers

30. TECHNOLOGY BY GENERATION
• GEN Y: Technology is everything
• GEN X: Technology keeps work & personal separate
• BOOMERS: Technology is work

31. TECHNOLOGY BY GENERATION

32. TECHNOLOGY BY GENERATION
BOOMERS
GEN X
GEN Y

33. Two-thirds of all Boomers agree that PDA and mobile
phones contribute to the decline of proper workplace
etiquette. Less than half of Gen Y workers agree.
Only 17% of Boomers believe using laptops or PDAs
during in-person meetings is “efficient” while more
than one-third of Gen Y do.
Only 28% of Boomers think blogging about work-
related issues is acceptable, while 40% of Millenial
workers do.
LexisNexis survey, ReadWriteWeb, April 24, 2009

34. TECHNOLOGY POINTERS
• Recognize and encourage experimenting with new tools when the situation allows
• Locking down social media rarely succeeds and can backfire – using it well at a
corporate level is more effective
• Don’t deflate by complimenting technology instead of the person
• Utilize modern technology like smart phones, tablet computers, useful systems
• Check out:
• Google products – chat, drive, Google +
• Yammer – internal network
• Skype

35. TECHNOLOGY EXPECTATIONS
A recent Accenture survey indicates that Millennials:
• Increasingly choose their employer based on access to leading technology.
• Prefer to choose the computer, mobile device and applications they use at
work.
• Express disappointment with the quality of employer-provided emerging
technologies.
• Favor text messaging or instant messaging over e-mail.
• Routinely bypass corporate approval procedures when using devices and
applications.
• Regularly download nonstandard technologies not available at work.
• Exhibit different notions of online privacy than older workers.
Global Research on Millennials’ Use of
Technology, Accenture, Link

36. TECHNOLOGY EXPECTATIONS
• Company cell phone
• “I can get to everything I need online” – cloud computing, virtual networks
• Laptop or up-to-date computer (within 5 years)
• Ability to install & try programs
• Instant tools like IM, chat
• Latest programs to accomplish the job
• Up-to-date versions of Microsoft products
• Open & flexible work/project spaces

37. TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES
• How to organize and manage information, including:
• Email
• Files
• Data
• Supplements to the on-paper world:
• Cloud drives
• Virtual networks
• Print-to-file
• Virtual signatures
• Document collaboration

39. “At least 50% of executives in the
U.S. will be eligible to retire in the
next 5 years. You might think, ‘Well,
that’s ok, we’ll just let the people in
the next positions take their place.’
The problem is that the people in
the 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions are
also Baby Boomers, and they are
going to be retiring too,”
Managing the Millenials

40. GETTING GEN Y THROUGH THE DOOR
Hiring & Recruiting
• Share the “soft” stuff – tell future employees what the real day-to-day is life
• Remember, you are being interviewed too
• Bring some salesmanship to the table – why do you love to work here?
• Allow for trial periods or testing during hiring process
• But, never ever B.S. Gen Y sees straight through it.
• Don’t overpromise.
• Create a few key Gen Y friendly talking points:
• Flex time
• Cool office space
• Freedom to pursue personal projects
• Ability to volunteer on company time – CSR is important

41. KEEPING GEN Y
Training & Retaining
• Building a Millenial-friendly culture
• Identify your all-star managers and give them a platform
• Involve your managers in the conversation
• Ask the Millenials
• Create a mentorship program
• Actively participate in career-growth planning
• Commit to regular and fair performance assesments
• Create a full circle of feedback
• Make sure your website and other elements of online presence are up-to-date and
reflective of corporate mission & culture

42. WHAT MILLENIALS WANT AT WORK
• Flexibility: Schedule, process, expectations
• Freedom: To negotiate job description, management’s recognition that they
have a life outside of work
• Incenting: Create incentives 20somethings value, clearly and thoroughly state
desired outcomes and expectations and provide timely and fair assessment of
their performance
• Rewards: Incremental & long-term
• Relationships: Be empathetic, get closer in proximity, be curious about each
other, grow them

44. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of
hiring managers said managing
mutigenerational work teams
poses a challenge.
But more than one-third of workers
polled felt having a group of
employees at different experience
levels increases productivity.
Robert Half study, July 14, 2010

45. GENERATIONS AT WORK: MOTIVATION
Incenting that Millenials Like:
• Performance-based compensation
• Praise– personal, written, electronic, public
• Support & involvement
• Autonomy & authority
• Flexible working hours
• Learning & development opportunities
• Manager availability & time
Credit: The Management Bible, Bob Nelson &
Peter Economy

46. GENERATIONS AT WORK: MOTIVATION
Non-Monetary Considerations
• Performance-based compensation
• Flexible schedules, location
• Marketable skills – both formal and information training
• Access to decisions makers
• Personal credit for results achieved
• Clear area of responsibility
• Chance for creative expression
ON COMPANY LOYALTY:
“In this way, you are searching for a company
that deserves your loyalty. It’s brand will be in
line with the image you have of yourself.”

47. GENERATIONS AT WORK: FEEDBACK
Dealing with Gen Y’s Preoccupation with Feedback:
• Clearly state the process for decision making
• Ask them what they expect to receive for participating
• Communicate what you expect from them
• Use “what if” scenarios
• What if I don’t take your advice
• What if I make a decision you don’t like?
• When you are close to a decision, increase communication
• Always have a debriefing meeting to discuss the decision that was made
• Identify the contribution of each team member
• Ask them what they learned from the process
• Tell them what you learned from the process
• Explain how you came to a final decision
Credit: Managing the Millenials

48. “Suspend the bias of your own
experience”
Managing the Millenials

49. MANAGERIAL ADAPTATION & GROWTH
Perspective The Effective Managers The Challenged
Managers
Adaptability Talked about their own Others need to change
need to manage in to make it in the real
today’s world world
Self-Efficacy Believed they could do Believed there was
something nothing to do about it
Confidence Allowed subordinates to Sanctioned or punished
challenge challengers
Power Used the power of Only power felt was
relationship positional authority
Energy Working with Working with
20somethings made to 20somethings made to
feel younger feel older
Success Saw themselves as key Saw the 20somethings
to 20somethings as an impediment to
success own success

50. “Quite frankly, there is an
unrealized expectation that
experience and position should
count for something in the eyes of
their subordinates,”
Managing the Millenials

51. MANAGERIAL ADAPTATION & GROWTH
Perceived Orientation Millenial Intrinsic Value Required Managerial
Competency
Autonomous Work-life balance Flexing
Entitled Reward Incenting
Imaginative Self-expression Cultivating
Self-absorbed Attention Engaging
Defensive Achievement Disarming
Abrasive Informality Self-differentiating
Myopic Simplicity Broadening
Unfocused Multitasking Directing
Indifferent Meaning Motivating

53. DISCUSSION
§ What facts of information surprised you the most or contradicted your current
thinking?
§ Do you think MT as an organization is attractive to young people as a potential
employer?
§ Do you see any connection between this information and MT's productivity,
employee relations, and performance assessments?
§ Do you see any connection between this information and MT's opportunity to attract
new younger customers?
§ What information do you still need to guide changes at MT (re: staff and customers)
re: Millenials?

54. FILL YOUR MIND
• Not Everyone Gets a Trophy by Bruce Tulgan
• The Trophy Kids Grow Up by Ron Alsop
• Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today's
Workforce
• Brazen Careerist.com
• GenNext Free Study (registration required)
• http://www.redtreeleadership.com/millennials/FreeGRI.php
• http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/series/the-millennial-generation/