Survey of generational communications differences around the globe

Table of Contents
TOPIC PAGE
Methodology 3
Executive Summary 6
Literature Review 10
Detailed Results 15
Differences in Employee Engagement by Age Cohort 16
Employee Communication by Age Cohort 24
Ratings of Employer Communications by Age Cohort 41
Frequent/Infrequent Users of Technology by Age Cohort 47
Usage of Communication Channels by Age Cohort 57
Suggestions for Improvement by Age Cohort 62
Respondent Profiles by Age Cohort 65
Industrialized vs. Non-Industrialized Country Results by Age Cohort 73
Country-Specific Results by Age Cohort 87
Industry Results by Age Cohort 95
Recommendations 102
Appendix A: Diagnostic Tool 105
Appendix B: Questionnaire 107
Report by Mathew Greenwald & Associates Inc. of online survey using a stratified random sample of employees ages 20–26 and 50–59 in six countries 2

Methodology
The survey was conducted online using Greenfield Online’s panel to administer a questionnaire developed by Mathew
Greenwald & Associates in collaboration with IABC and Deloitte.
Eligibility: Individuals ages 20–26 or 50–59 in six countries (Brazil, Canada, China, India, the U.K.
and the U.S.) who work for employers with 26+ employees.
Sample Groups: Country Age 20–26 Age 50–59
Brazil n=50 n=50
Canada n=50 n=50
China n=52 n=48
India n=50 n=50
U.K. n=50 n=50
U.S. n=50 n=50
TOTAL 300 300
The countries were selected to represent both industrialized nations and non-industrialized
nations across multiple continents.
Sampling Error: Age group results have a sampling error of +/-5.8 percent at the 95 percent confidence
level.
Survey Dates: 17 March – 17 April 2008 (Fielding dates were staggered, with each country’s surveys
fielded over four to nine days, except in China where the field period lasted 16 days.)
Languages: In each country outside of the U.S. and the U.K., respondents were offered the option to
complete the survey in English or in their native language, i.e., Portuguese, French,
Mandarin or Hindi.
As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal
structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

Methodology: Generations
In each country, we surveyed fifty 20- to 26-year-olds and fifty 50- to 59-year-olds. These age groups were
deliberately chosen to correspond to portions of younger and older generational cohorts in the U.S.
Respondents ages 20 to 26 are members of America’s Generation Y, also known as Gen Y or the Millennial
generation, which encompasses those born in 1982 or later. Surveying people under 20 years of age poses
unique methodological challenges, and in several cultures, those under 20 are less likely to be part of the
workforce; hence, the youngest portion of “Gen Y” was excluded. The older age group, those ages 50–59,
are considered part of the Baby Boom generation in the U.S. Baby Boomers are typically thought to include
those born between 1946 and 1964, though the survey focused on workers currently in their 50s, since
those in their 60s are approaching retirement at different ages in different countries.
“Not all countries do in fact have [generational] cohorts as found in the U.S.…The existence of cohorts has
been found in other developed countries. Yet it is the nature of the [generation-]defining moments within
these other cultures that defines the topography of the cohort terrain. Different defining moments create
cohorts with different dates, different lengths, and different values.”1 Consequently, throughout this report,
we will refer to these groups by a more universal term, “age cohorts,” since generational birth years,
experiences and characteristics do not necessarily translate cross-culturally.
1Meredith, G., & Schewe, D. US: Segmenting global markets by generational cohorts. Accessed at theMatureMarket.com.

Methodology: Use of Online Panel
Our decision to use an online panel for this research was driven by cost and time considerations.
It is clear that there are differences in Internet access in different countries, particularly in the non-industrialized
nations.
In industrialized countries (the U.S., Canada and the U.K. in this study), a broad cross-section of the population
has access to the Internet, whereas in the non-industrialized countries (China, India and Brazil in this study),
access is limited to a more highly educated, wealthy and urbanized population. Therefore, responses from those
countries should not be considered representative of the entire working population there. For an employer that
hires this upper echelon type of worker, this may not be a major consideration.
Because we understand the implications of the online methodology on the representation of the broader
populations, the study was designed to identify less frequent users of technology as a way to provide some insights
about the groups that are not well-represented.
The reader should assume that our overall results overstate the attitudes and behaviors of those who are frequent
users of technology and understate those of the less frequent and non-users. By examining the technology usage
levels of respondents, one can get a more balanced view of this diverse global workforce.

Executive Summary

Executive Summary
• This study was conducted to compare two age cohorts (ages 20–26 and ages 50–59) in today’s global workforce
in order to understand their preferences, needs, attitudes and habits regarding workplace communications.
Employee Engagement:
• Both age cohorts are willing to go above and beyond their normal job requirements, and they feel they are doing
interesting work. Nevertheless, only half of the employees in each cohort feel a sense of belonging with their
employer.
• The younger cohort is more positive than the older cohort about their opportunities to learn and advance, and
about being proud to work for their employer. The difference in learning opportunities is most pronounced in larger
organizations (1,000 or more employees).
• The younger cohort is more positive about their salaries, having flexible scheduling options, being rewarded for
their contributions and having a fun workplace culture. They are also more likely to enjoy employer-sponsored
events.
• In addition, the younger age group has a more positive view of their employer’s ethical standards and social
responsibility; they feel they report to good managers, and that their employer takes full advantage of their
generation’s skills and values their opinions. They also are more trusting that the employer will consider the best
interests of the employees when making decisions.
• Overall job satisfaction is similar for the two age cohorts. For both age groups, being proud to work for their
employer is a leading driver of overall satisfaction. For the younger group, feeling a sense of belonging is also a
key driver, whereas for the older group, trusting leaders to consider employees’ interests is one of the top two
drivers.
• Despite their more positive view of many aspects of their employers, the younger cohort is less likely to stay with
their current employer through the next two years.
Importance and Effectiveness of Employer Communications:
• The most important types of employer communications for both cohorts are: job performance feedback, employee
recognition for contributions and opportunities to interact with co-workers.
• The younger cohort places more importance on unofficial and interactive types of communication, while the older
cohort is more likely to want to hear about their organization’s goals.

Executive Summary (continued)
Importance and Effectiveness of Employer Communications (continued):
• Neither cohort gives high ratings for the effectiveness of their employer’s communications.
• For both cohorts, there are six types of communication with the largest gaps between their importance and the
employers’ effectiveness. Five are common to both cohorts and include:
– Performance recognition.
– Feedback about job performance.
– Interaction with colleagues.
– How work advances company goals.
– Communication with a mentor.
The sixth type for the younger cohort is “Fun ways to build teamwork”; for the older cohort, it is “Information about
policies.”
Communication Channel Preferences:
• Employee preferences regarding communication channels understandably vary by type of communication, but
there are no sweeping generalizations that fit each age cohort. This suggests that multiple channels must be
activated for most employer communication.
• A more useful way than age cohorts to think about employee channel preferences is to compare their use of
communication technology. Those who frequently use such tools as e-mail, the company intranet, instant
messaging, text messaging, message boards, blogs, and/or podcasts have different preferences than others their
same age who are not frequent users of these sorts of technology.
• The type of communication with the clearest channel preference is “Interacting with co-workers to build good
working relationships.” More than half in each age cohort see this as something that should be done in person.
Nevertheless, there are some among the younger workers who are high users of technology and who prefer
electronic messaging for this type of communication.
• Employees of each age group tend to prefer to use electronic messaging or the intranet to learn about company
events and to get business news. The combination of electronic messaging and in-person discussions meet the
needs of most employees for getting project updates and exchanging routine information with supervisors.

Executive Summary (continued)
Ratings of Employer Communications:
• Although the majority of each cohort gives positive ratings for all five of the communication attributes tested, the
older cohort is more likely to rate each of them negatively.
– This includes higher ratings of Not credible, Not relevant, Difficult to understand, Not timely and Not
explaining why information is important.
– These differences are often greatest in two industry sectors: Consumer/Industrial Products and Services,
and the Public Sector.
– The relevance of communications is a bigger problem in large organizations (1,000+ employees).
Employee Suggestions for Improvement:
• Both age cohorts feel improved communications and better facilities would improve their work environment for
people their age.
• Younger employees are more likely to suggest that the work environment should be more fun and that there
should be a greater emphasis on employee development.
• Older employees are more likely to suggest greater employee appreciation efforts.
• The younger cohort also places more emphasis on improving technology in the workplace as a way to improve
communication.
• Another leading suggestion for improved communication from both age groups is to have more events or
meetings.

Literature Review

Literature Review
Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance
The importance of an engaged workforce to any organization cannot be overstated. Effective employee
communication is a central tool to employees’ understanding and appreciation of the values of the company and their
alignment with the organization’s goals.
One recent study making this point is a global employee engagement study by ISR, which found dramatically better
financial performance in companies with highly engaged employees compared to those with low employer
engagement. All three financial performance measures (operating income, net income and earnings per share [EPS])
showed this difference, including a 28 percent improvement in EPS growth for high employee engagement companies
compared to an 11 percent decline in EPS over the same period for those with low employee engagement.2
Other research supports the strong connection between a company’s corporate citizenship activities and its
employees’ satisfaction and loyalty. A U.S. study found that employees involved in company-sponsored community
events were 30 percent more likely to want to continue working for that company and to help it succeed. Another study
of 25,000 workers in 25 countries found that 80 percent of the employees of large organizations felt greater motivation
and loyalty to their jobs as their employers became more socially responsible. A third study of European employees
found that almost 90 percent expressed greater loyalty to employees who were socially responsible.3
IABC’s Best Practices in Employee Communication: A Study of Global Challenges and Approaches makes this point
very well. It identifies motivating employees to align with the business strategy as the most critical issue for business
communicators. At the same time, only 37 percent feel organizations handle this issue effectively.4
These results raise important questions that are relevant to our research study. If a younger generation is more or
less engaged than the older workers they replace over the years, there can be important implications for
organizational performance.
Report by Mathew Greenwald Associates Inc. of online survey using a stratified random sample of employees ages 20–26 and 50–59 in six countries 11

Literature Review (continued)
Employee Engagement/Satisfaction Levels Today
In today’s global markets, it is more important than ever for organizations to understand the cultural differences among
their potential and current workforces.
Recent research conducted by Towers Perrin suggests that 24 percent of global workers are disengaged, with a range
of 7 percent in Brazil to 56 percent in India, looking exclusively at the six countries included in this study. They also
found that Canada and the U.S. had similar and relatively low rates of disengaged workers (17 percent and 16 percent
respectively), while the U.K.’s and China’s rates were higher, at 23 percent and 25 percent respectively. On the
positive side, 62 percent of global workers are moderately engaged, and another 14 percent are highly engaged.5
A study of the 10 largest economies in the world found that employee satisfaction is highest in Brazil and Canada,
(both at 65 percent of employees satisfied) and lowest in Japan, (with 45 percent employee satisfaction.) Several
Western European countries were near the bottom, including the U.K. at 56 percent , and France and Italy both at 55
percent. This study put the U.S. right behind the leaders (62 percent ) and China not much further behind at 59
percent.6 These satisfaction scores were composite measures that included how well trained, organized, rewarded,
involved, and managed the employees were, as well as the company’s employment security, emphasis on quality,
customer service, and corporate ethics.
Companies with global operations must be aware of the differences in workforce satisfaction across different
countries. The implications become more complicated as one adds in the generational component, with the possibility
of different drivers of job satisfaction and employee engagement levels for each age group.

Literature Review (continued)
Generational Differences
As mentioned in our methodological note about generations, the definition of a generation is difficult to translate across
the world. For that reason, there is little research about global generations in the workforce. However, there are studies
focusing on individual countries that suggest some differences among the generations can be tested in terms of how well
they apply globally in this and, hopefully, in future research.
In the U.S., the Millennials (the younger age cohort in this study) are said to be confident, hopeful, goal-oriented, civic-minded
and inclusive. They want to work with positive people, be challenged, be treated respectfully, learn new skills and
knowledge, work in friendly environments, have flexible schedules, and be paid well. Therefore, this generation prefers
communication that is positive, respectful, motivational, electronic and goal-focused.7
Millennials want continuous feedback to know what they’re doing right and wrong. Being used to praise, they may mistake
silence for disapproval. By comparison, the U.S. Baby Boomer generation would like well-documented performance
feedback; once a year is sufficient.8
In China, the new generation is described as being poor team players with unrealistic expectations about their futures and
a tendency to job-hop in order to keep up with their peers. Older workers in China do not have the entrepreneurial flair of
the younger generation, but they do have more mature judgment and people management skills.9
Canadian recruiters report that Baby Boomers in that country are attracted to family-friendly work environments and good
benefits, including health, wellness and retirement packages. Millennials are described as wanting work-life balance, as
well as work that is fun, exciting, new and that means something in the grander scheme of life.10
In the U.K., Baby Boomers want to work past the normal pension age but find it difficult to find fulfilling jobs as employers
tend to “put employees age 50+ out to pasture.”11 In the U.S., efforts to retain Baby Boomer employees are effective,
particularly when offering wellness programs, mentoring programs, meaningful work, flexibility, and rewards for those who
stay (meaning they do not have to wait until retirement for recognition). 12
These generational results are country-specific, and companies with a global workforce need to understand the
similarities and differences between the age groups that extend beyond any country’s borders.

Literature Review: Sources
Footnote Sources
2 Watson Wyatt Worldwide. (2004). Connecting organizational communication to financial performance.
3 Zappalà, Orfeus Research University of Sydney, Australia. (2004). Corporate citizenship and human resource
management: A new tool or a missed opportunity. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42 (2), 185–201.
4 Gay, C., Mahony, M., Graves, J. (2005). Best practices in employee communication: A study of global challenges
and approaches. San Francisco: IABC.
5 Towers Perrin Global Workforce Study. (2005). Winning strategies for a global workforce: Attracting, retaining and
engaging employees for competitive advantage.
6 ISR (International Survey Research). Employee satisfaction in the world’s 10 largest economies: Globalisation or
diversity?
7 Raines, C. (2003). Connecting generations: The sourcebook. Menlo Park, California: Crisp Learning.
8 Office of Institutional Equity, Duke University. Cross generational communication: Implications in the work
environment.
9 Gundling, E., Zanchettin, A. (2006). Global diversity: Winning customers and engaging employees within world
markets. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
10 Hodges Humble. (2007). Recruitment tactics: Recruiting from a multi-generational labour pool.
11 Management-Issues.com. (2006). Baby Boomer Britons reject traditional retirement.
12 AARP.org. (2007). Retention strategies.

Detailed Results

Differences in Employee Engagement by
Age Cohort
In this section, we explore the following questions:
• What differences exist in how each age cohort thinks about their job, benefits, and work
environment and their organization’s management?
• How are the age cohorts different in three job loyalty measures: overall job satisfaction, intention
to remain with current employer and willingness to recommend employer to others?
• What are the key drivers of job loyalty?

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the
following statements regarding general feelings about your work.
80%
82%
78%
Employee Engagement: General Feelings About Work
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
71%
69%
69%
72%
65%
Percentage Strongly Agree/Agree
63%
54%
54%
53%
78%
51%
Willing to go beyond
normal
responsibilities
Work I do is
interesting
Support employer's
goals
Feel I am an
important part of the
organization
Have opportunities
to grow, learn
Proud to work for
employer
Feel sense of
belonging with
employer
• For both age cohorts, there is similar and widespread
agreement that employees are willing to go beyond
normal job responsibilities if needed and that the work
they do is interesting.
• However, the younger age cohort is much more likely
to agree that they have opportunities to grow and
learn in their job, and that they are proud to work for
their employer.
•The gap between the age cohorts for having
learning and growth opportunities is widest among
employees of larger organizations (1,000 or more
employees), where 74 percent of the younger age
cohort agrees and just 49 percent of the older age
cohort agrees.
•The difference is found among both males and
females, and in the industrialized as well as non-industrialized
nations.
• Just slightly over half of each age cohort feels a sense
of belonging with their employers.
• College-educated employees, regardless of age
cohort, are more likely than those without a college
degree to:
•Find work interesting (younger: 82 percent versus 68
percent; older: 83 percent versus 70 percent).
•Feel they are an important part of the organization (younger:
73 percent versus 60 percent; older: 69 percent versus 59
percent).
•Have opportunities to grow and learn (younger: 77 percent
versus 61 percent; older: 61 percent versus 42 percent).
Result for ages 20–26 is significantly higher than for ages 50–59 (90%+ confidence level).
Bottom line: Older workers need more development opportunities and reasons to feel proud to work for their employer. Younger workers, despite having
interesting work and feeling important in their organizations, often do not feel that they belong.

66%
70%
62%
Employee Engagement: Benefits and Environment
following statements about employee benefits.
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
56%
59%
57%
49%
51%
53%
54%
40%
46%
41%
40%
Happy with work
space provided
Provides scheduling
flexibility when
needed
Enjoy attending
employer-sponsored
events
Employees
rewarded for
contributions
Offers excellent
benefits
Workplace culture
is creative and fun
Offers competitive
salaries
• The younger age cohort is more positive about
the benefits of working for their employer than
the older age cohort is.
• They are more likely to:
•Feel they are offered flexible scheduling
options.
•Enjoy employer-sponsored events.
•Feel employees are rewarded for their
contributions.
•Find their workplace culture to be
creative and fun.
•Feel the employer offers competitive
salaries.
• College-educated employees are more likely
than those without a college degree to:
•Be happy with their work space.
•Enjoy attending employer events.
•Feel their workplace is creative and fun.
Bottom line: Workers in each age group are less positive about their benefits and work environment than about their work in general. Although more
positive than the older age group, only half of younger workers find their workplace culture to be creative and fun.

following statements about your organization’s management.
69%
70%
69%
Employee Engagement: Attitudes About Management
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
61%
59%
64%
65%
57%
52%
49%
52%
38%
Organization
maintains high
ethical standards
Employer fulfills its
social responsibilities
Person I report to is a
good manager
Takes full advantage
of the skills of my
generation
Values my opinion,
encourages open
discussion
Trusts leaders to
consider employees'
best interests
• The younger age cohort is also more positive about
their employer’s management team and how their
organization is run. Each of the attributes tested were
rated significantly higher by the younger age cohort
than the older one.
• For each of these attributes, the gaps are primarily
found among employees of large organizations and in
developed economies.
• For four issues, the generation gap occurs among
both men and women. These issues include:
employer valuing employees’ opinions, trusting
leaders to consider employees’ best interests,
employer fulfilling its social responsibilities, and
employer taking full advantage of the generation’s
skills.
• One issue, organization maintains high ethical
standards, creates a generational gap primarily
among men.
• The generational divide for one other issue is found
among women—reporting to a good manager.
• For both age groups, the higher educated employees
are more likely to feel their employer fulfills its social
responsibilities and that the employer values their
opinion.
• Managers within both age cohorts are more likely to
say the employer takes full advantage of their
generation’s skills.
Bottom line: Employers should address the older workers’ reservations about the management of their organizations. Workers in both age groups are
somewhat reluctant to trust their organization’s leaders. Communicators should pay special attention to informing workers about how their interests were
considered in key decisions.

Employee Engagement: Overall Satisfaction
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
Overall, how satisfied are you with your current job?
11%
40%
25%
9%
9%
8%
5%
5%
2%
15%
36%
22%
8%
5%
Extremely satisfied
Satisfied
Somewhat
satisfied
Neither satisfied
nor dissatisfied
Somewhat
dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Extremely
dissatisfied
• Overall job satisfaction is similar for the two
age cohorts.
• For the younger age cohort, the four best
predictors of overall satisfaction* are:
•Feeling a sense of belonging.
•Being proud to work for employer.
•Reporting to a good manager.
•Employer offering competitive salaries.
• For the older age cohort, the four best
predictors of overall satisfaction* are:
•Trusting leaders to consider employees’
best interests.
•Being happy with work space.
•Employer offering excellent benefits.
Net satisfied (Extremely
satisfied + satisfied)
Younger cohort: 51%
Older cohort: 51%
Result for ages 20–26 is significantly lower than for ages 50–59 (90%+ confidence
level).
* Based on multiple regression analysis. For the younger
age cohort, the Adjusted R2 for the four variable model is
0.61; for the older cohort, the Adjusted R2 is 0.60.
Bottom line: Increasing younger workers’ sense of belonging is key to improving their overall job satisfaction. For older workers, helping them to
appreciate the contributions and values of their employer will help to bolster their satisfaction.

Employee Engagement: Recommending Employer
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
Would you recommend your employer to someone looking for employment?
40%
46%
33%
42%
Net recommend (Definitely +
Probably would recommend)
Younger cohort: 86%
Older cohort: 75%
11%
3%
17%
8%
Definitely would
Probably would
Probably would not
Definitely would not
• The younger age cohort is more likely to be
willing to recommend their employer to
someone seeking a job.
• This difference exists in both developing and
developed countries, and in both smaller and
larger organizations.
• For the younger employees, the best
predictors* of recommending are:
•Being proud to work for their employer.
•Reporting to a good manager.
•Employer rewards employee
contributions.
•Employer offers competitive salaries.
• For the older employees, the best predictors*
of recommending are:
•Trusting organizational leaders to
consider employees’ best interests.
•Workplace culture is creative and fun.
•Having opportunities to grow and learn.
* Based on multiple regression analysis. For the younger
age cohort, the Adjusted R2 for the four variable model is
0.552; for the older cohort, the Adjusted R2 is 0.558.
Bottom line: In companies of all sizes, older workers are less likely to be ambassadors for their employers. By increasing the older workers’ trust in their
employer, organizations can increase their willingness to recommend the organization.

The younger generation feels better about many aspects of their jobs,
their benefits and work environment, and the organizations’ leadership.
They are more likely to recommend their employer to others.
Do all these positive feelings translate into loyal younger workers?

Ages 20–26 (n=274) * Ages 50–59 (n=242) *
Employee Engagement: Retention
How likely are you to be working for your current employer in 2010?
21%
46%
24%
9%
34%
45%
19%
3%
Definitely will
Probably will
Probably will not
Definitely will not
• Despite their tendency to be more positive
about their employers in many aspects, the
younger cohort is less likely to stay with their
current employer.
• Attitudes about the employer and the job are
weak predictors of retention. Through
regression analysis, we are only able to
explain 25 percent of the variance in retention
among the younger cohort and only 29 percent
for the older cohort.
•The best predictors of retention for the
younger cohort are: being proud to work
for the employer and employer offering
excellent benefits.
•The best predictors of retention for the
older cohort are: employer offering
excellent benefits and being proud to
work for the employer.
/
* This question was not asked of those who
do not plan to be working full-time in 2010—
9 percent of the younger cohort and 19
percent of the older cohort.
Result for ages 20–26 is significantly higher/lower than for ages 50–59 (90%+ confidence level).
Bottom line: For both age groups, being proud to work for an employer is a key driver of retention. Offering a strong benefits package is also key.

Employee Communication by Age Cohort
• What are the most important types of communication for each age cohort?
• How effectively are employers performing in each type of communication?
• Are managers and supervisors different in their views about communication types?
• Where are the biggest gaps between communication importance and effectiveness for each age
cohort?
• What communication channels are preferred for specific types of communication?

Importance of Employer Communication Types
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
How important is each of the following types of employer
communications to you? 10=Extremely important, 0=Not at all important
76%
75%
71%
73%
69%
72%
64%
67%
62%
59%
61%
63%
56%
48%
55%
59%
54%
62%
54%
Percentage rating 8–10
36%
57%
30%
Feedback about your job performance
Recognition for exceptional
contributions
Opportunities to interact, build working
relationships
Information about company policies
Communication with mentor about
career, advancement
Explaining how work advances
company's goals
Interesting, fun ways to build teamwork
Updates from senior management about
company performance
Explanations of organization's goals
Online resources for employees
Information shared through unofficial
sources
• The two age groups generally agree about the
importance of most types of employer
communication.
• The differences appear when looking at
communications that are either formal, top-down
types or informal, interactive types.
• The older workers place more importance on
the employer’s formal communication.
•The older age cohort is more likely to
place high importance on getting
explanations of the organization’s goals.
•In addition, the older employees are
more likely to rate getting information
about company policies as highly
important, as 67 percent rate this a 9 or
10, compared to just 64 percent of
younger employees.
• At the same time, the younger workers place
more importance on informal communication.
•The younger cohort finds it more
important to have interesting
teambuilding activities and information
sharing through unofficial sources.
/ Result for ages 20–26 is significantly higher/lower than for ages 50–59 (90%+ confidence level).
Bottom line: Both age groups need performance feedback and recognition. Younger workers need fun teambuilding activities and informal information
sharing, while older workers focus more on understanding the organization’s goals.

Effectiveness of Employer Communications
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
Rate how effectively your employer communicates to you in each of the
following areas? 10=Extremely effective, 0=Not at all effective
72%
73%
63%
66%
71%
61%
69%
65%
72%
62%
69%
59%
64%
66%
67%
52%
57%
60%
61%
48%
51%
40%
Feedback about your job performance
Information about company policies
Explanations of organization's goals
Opportunities to interact, build working
relationships
Updates from senior management
about company performance
Recognition for exceptional
contributions
Communication with mentor about
career, advancement
Explaining how work advances
company's goals
Online resources for employees
Interesting, fun ways to build teamwork
Information shared through unofficial
sources
• Younger workers rate employer
communication as more effective than older
workers do.
•Looking at those that gave at least a
somewhat positive rating (6 or higher on
a 0 –10 scale), the younger cohort has
significantly higher positives than the
older cohort for all but one type of
communication (opportunities to interact
with colleagues).
• However, looking exclusively at those giving
high scores (ratings of 8, 9 or 10—shown to
the right of the chart), the age group
differences largely disappear. In fact, less than
half in each age group give a high
effectiveness rating for most items.
•Nevertheless, the younger employees
are more likely to give high ratings for
effective job performance feedback, as
well as for effective unofficial information
sharing.
% 8–10
50%
41%
48%
46%
46%
43%
46%
44%
44%
41%
41%
41%
41%
35%
39%
38%
39%
38%
36%
31%
32%
23%
/ Result for ages 20–26 is significantly higher/lower than for ages 50–59 (90%+ confidence level).
Bottom line: Neither age group feels employers are highly effective at most types of communication.

Importance of Communication by Management Roles
• Those with a supervision or management role in both age cohorts are usually more likely than their counterparts to feel each type of
communication is highly important (ratings of 9 or 10).
• In addition, managers within the older cohort are more likely than their younger counterparts to place a high importance on company
policy information and explanations of the organization’s goals.
How important is each of the following types of employer communications to you? 10=Extremely important, 0=Not at all important
Younger, Manager (n=147) Older, Manager (n=152) Younger, Nonmanager (n=155) Older, Nonmanager (n=146)
64% 63%
63% 63%
61%
53%
63%
48%
53%
52%
51% 50%
48%
56%
53%
58%
47%
47%
44%
30%
45% 45%
44%
34% 34% 34%
22%
43%
17%
30% 30%
27%
39%
37% 37%
60%
57%
51%
49%
13%
30%
34%
36%
42%
Performance
feedback
Recognition for
contributions
Opportunities to
interact
Company
policies
Communication
w ith mentor
How w ork
advances
company's
goals
Interesting
w ays to build
teamw ork
Updates about
company
performance
Explains
organization's
goals
Online
employee
resources
Unofficial
information
sharing
Bottom line: Although performance feedback is universally important, those with supervisory or management roles often need more communication.

Effectiveness of Communication by Management Roles
• Managers in the younger cohort rate all types of communication as more effective than nonmanagers in the same age group.
• The same holds true among the older age cohort.
• Younger managers are more likely than their older counterparts to rate performance feedback and unofficial information sharing as
highly effective.
43%
Rate how effectively your employer communicates to you in each of the following areas?
10=Extremely effective, 0=Not at all effective
Younger, Manager (n=147) Older, Manager (n=152) Younger, Nonmanager (n=155) Older, Nonmanager (n=146)
40% 39% 39%
32%
35%
33%
37% 38%
33%
30%
36%
34%
36%
34%
31% 32%
30% 28%
24%
21%
28%
25%
37%
39%
18%
27%
17%
21%
27%
20%
17%
27%
28%
25% 25%
17%
27%
25%
20%
24%
14%
16%
19%
Performance
feedback
Recognition for
contributions
Opportunities to
interact
Company
policies
Communication
w ith mentor
How w ork
advances
company's
goals
Interesting
w ays to build
teamw ork
Updates about
company
performance
Explains
organization's
goals
Online
employee
resources
Unofficial
information
sharing
Bottom line: Employer communications are rarely considered highly effective, especially among the nonmanagement staff.

Importance by Effectiveness: A Method to Determine Priorities
• By plotting the percentage of employees who think a type of
communication is important by the percentage who believe
their employer is effective in that area, communication
priorities become visually apparent. The chart to the right
shows hypothetical items displayed in this way.
• Those items that fall in the upper right quadrant of the chart
(Items A and B) are both important to employees and being
delivered effectively.
• The items that appear in the lower right quadrant (Items C
and F) are also important to employees, but a smaller share
of employees believe they are being effectively provided.
Item D is an example of an item that is of relatively low
importance and low success, and Item E is of low
importance and high success.
• Ideally, the level of success achieved by employers in any
type of communication would at least equal the level of
importance; when success matches importance in this way,
an item will appear along the diagonal line in the graph—as
Item B does.
• If an item appears below the diagonal line, success is not
keeping pace with importance. Conversely, when success
exceeds importance, an item appears above the line. The
farther away any given point lies from the diagonal, the
greater the gap between success and importance. In this
example, Items A, C and F are all below the line, but Item C
has the largest importance-effectiveness gap.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
High Priority
Item D
Low Priority
Item E
Strengths
Item A
Item B
Item F Item C
Needs Improvement
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Importance (percentage rating 8–10)
Success (percentage rating 8–10)

Importance vs. Effectiveness: Younger Age Cohort
80%
50%
20%
Feedback about
job performance
High Priority Strengths
Information through
unofficial sources
Items in this quadrant include: explaining
organization’s goals, interacting with colleagues,
recognition for contributions, how work advances
company goals, updates on company
performance, online employee resources,
communication with mentor about career
advancement, interesting ways to build
teamwork, and information about company
policies.
Low Priority for Improvement Needs Improvement
20% 50% 80%
Importance (percentage rating 8, 9 or 10)
Effectiveness (percentage rating 8, 9 or 10)
• Comparing the importance and effectiveness
ratings for the younger cohort, it appears that
employers are not performing at a high level of
effectiveness for virtually all types of
communication.
• This chart uses the same standard to identify
high importance and high effectiveness, i.e., at
least 50 percent rating the item as an 8, 9 or
10 on the 0–10 scale.
• The following page shows a close-up view of
the lower right part of this chart.

Importance vs. Effectiveness: Younger Age Cohort
50%
20%
Feedback about
job performance
Leave Alone Strengths
Fun ways to build
teamwork
Mentor
How work
advances
goals
Interact w ith
colleagues
Performance
recognition
Low Priority Needs Improvement
40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
• Focusing on the lower quadrant reveals six
items with the greatest gaps between
importance and effectiveness (shown to the
right of the dotted line). These are (listed in
descending order by the size of the gap):
•Performance recognition (30).
•Feedback about job performance (26).
•Interact with colleagues (23).
•How work advances goals (22).
•Mentor (21).
•Fun ways to build teamwork (20).
Bottom line: To reach younger workers, communicators must do more to recognize and reward their performance. This age group wants to hear more
about how they are performing and how they can help their organizations succeed. At the same time, they want to interact with their colleagues and take
part in fun and interesting teambuilding activities.

Importance vs. Effectiveness: Older Age Cohort
80%
60%
40%
20%
High Priority Strengths
Interesting, fun
ways to build
teamwork
Information through
unofficial sources
20% 50% 80%
• As with the younger cohort, the older cohort
indicated that for most types of
communication, employers are not performing
at a high level of effectiveness for virtually all
important types of communication.
• This chart uses the same standard to identify
high importance and high effectiveness, i.e., at
least 50 percent rating the item as an 8, 9 or
10 on the 0–10 scale.
• The following page shows a close-up view of
the lower right part of this chart.

Importance vs. Effectiveness: Older Age Cohort
60%
40%
20%
Leave Alone Strengths
Information
about policies
Interact with
colleagues
Recognition for
contributions
Feedback about
Explaining how job performance
work advances
company goals
Mentor
40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
• Compared to the younger cohort, the gaps
between importance and effectiveness are
wider and more pervasive. None of the items
to the left of the dotted line are very close to
the diagonal parity line.
• Focusing in on the lower quadrant reveals six
items with the greatest gaps between
importance and effectiveness (shown to the
right of the dotted line). These are (listed in
descending order by the size of the gap):
•Feedback about job performance (34).
•Performance recognition (32).
•Interact with colleagues (28).
•How work advances goals (25).
•Mentor (24).
•Information about policies (21).
Bottom line: Like their younger co-workers, the older cohort needs more performance recognition and feedback, and wants to be able to interact more
with co-workers.

Preferred Channel for Information Concerning Employee Benefits
Which one of the following communication methods would you prefer
to use to find information concerning employee benefits?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
23%
19%
24%
20%
21%
23%
5%
3%
5%
23%
29%
5%
Electronic Messaging
(E-Mail, Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
In-Person Meetings or
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Overall, there are no significant differences
between the age groups concerning the
preferred way to gain information about
employee benefits.
• Within each age group, about half prefer an
electronic mode (messaging or intranet), and
about half prefer a traditional mode (in-person
or print).
• Regardless of age, those in larger companies
(1,000 or more employees) are more likely to
prefer the company’s intranet and are less
likely to prefer in-person meetings than those
in smaller organizations.
NOTE: For this series of questions, respondents were told:
“For the following questions, please assume that each type
of communication method is available in your organization.”
Bottom line: Information about benefits needs to be communicated through multiple channels, including e-mail, intranet, in-person and print.

Preferred Channel for Learning About Company’s Goals and
Performance
Which one of the following communication methods would you prefer to
use to learn about your company’s goals and performance?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
21%
32%
21%
16%
17%
3%
7%
24%
21%
31%
1%
8%
Electronic Messaging (E-Mail,
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Overall, there are no significant differences
between the age groups for the preferred way
to gain information about the company’s goals
and performance.
• The company’s intranet or web site is the most
preferred method to learn about organizational
goals and performance.
• For the younger cohort, electronic messaging
is also a preferred method.
• For the older cohort, in-person discussions
and printed materials are the preferred choice
for many.
Bottom line: For both age groups, company intranet/web site and in-person meetings or discussions are the leading channels to share information about
goals and company performance. In addition, the younger workers would like to receive this information through e-messaging, while older employees
would prefer to read printed materials.

Preferred Channel for Finding Out About Company Events
to use to find out about company events?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
39%
26%
13%
16%
14%
4%
5%
14%
37%
24%
1%
8%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• The two age groups agree that electronic
messaging and the company intranet or web
site are their preferred methods for learning
about company events.
• Despite the majority preference, it is important
to remember that nearly one in three
employees prefers another method.
• Electronic messaging is the most preferred
communication channel for all education/age
groups.
•However, college grads in each cohort
are more likely to prefer using the
intranet, while the less educated tend to
prefer printed materials.
Bottom line: Electronic messaging and the company web site/intranet are the two places organizations should start communicating about company
events. Nevertheless, to be sure everyone can be included in these important morale and team-building opportunities, the traditional channels are also
important.

Preferred Channel for Learning About News Regarding Your
Business and Industry
Which one of the following communication methods would you
prefer to use to learn about news regarding your business and your
industry?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
30%
35%
12%
15%
2%
6%
18%
26%
36%
10%
2%
9%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Both age groups prefer to receive business
news via the company web site/intranet or
electronic messaging.
• About three in 10 of each age cohort prefer
traditional communication channels, i.e.,
printed materials, in-person
meetings/discussions or telephone
conversations.
Bottom line: You can provide business news to most employees by using either the company intranet/web site or electronic messaging. Keep in mind,
however, that about one-third of your employees may prefer a more traditional media channel.

Preferred Channel for Getting Project or Team Updates
38%
prefer to use to get project or team updates?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
11%
34%
7%
3%
6%
10%
29%
16%
33%
2%
9%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Overall, younger employees are more likely to
prefer electronic messaging to get project
updates, whereas older workers are more
likely to prefer the company intranet or web
site.
• About one-third of each age group wants to
get project updates through in-person
meetings.
• Young employees of large organizations are
not only more likely to prefer electronic
messaging than older workers (regardless of
company size), they are also more likely to
prefer electronic messaging than those in their
same age group who work for smaller
companies.
“For the following questions, please assume that each type of
communication method is available in your organization.”
Bottom line: In large organizations, be prepared to use electronic messaging along with in-person channels to share project updates, particularly with
young workers. In smaller organizations, in-person communication works well for many in each age group.

Preferred Channel for Interacting with Co-Workers As a Way to
Build Good Working Relationships
to use to interact with your co-workers as a way to build good working
relationships?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
22%
6%
59%
5%
7%
8%
6%
17%
63%
7%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• The majority in each age group prefer in-person
interactions as the best way to build
good working relationships with their co-workers.
Bottom line: Organizations should continue to facilitate in-person interactions among co-workers. At the same time, it would also be smart to facilitate
(i.e., not discourage) the use of electronic messaging for this purpose, in order to meet the expectations of one in five workers.

Preferred Channel for Routine Exchanges of Information with
Supervisor
use for routine exchanges of information with your supervisor?
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
37%
45%
12%
6%
8%
30%
50%
13%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Discussions
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• In each age group, more employees prefer
in-person discussions with their supervisors
over other communication modes.
• Young workers, however, are more likely
than older ones to prefer electronic
messaging when exchanging routine
information with their supervisors.
Bottom line: Supervisors should certainly be accessible for in-person discussions with their staffs, but they should also expect to exchange information via
e-mail or other electronic messaging, especially with employees in their 20s.

Ratings of Employer Communications by
Age Cohort
How do the age cohorts rate employer communications to employees in terms of credibility, relevance,
understandability, timeliness, and explanations of the information’s importance?

Employer Communications: Credibility
Please indicate which word or phrase best describes your employer’s
communications to employees.
(Scale of 0–10, 10=Credible, 0=Not credible)
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
33%
33%
23%
27%
7%
24%
21%
32%
Rated 9–10
(Credible)
Rated 7–8
Rated 4–6
Rated 0–3
(Not credible)
• The older age cohort is much more likely to
rate their employers’ communications as
being low on credibility.
•This is true for both males and
females, for those in developed as well
as developing economies, and for
those working in smaller and larger
organizations.
• Conversely, the young workers are more
likely to give their employers very high
ratings for credibility.
• The credibility gap between the age groups
is greatest for public sector employees.
•One in four older employees gives
their public sector employer a low
credibility rating (25 percent),
compared to just 4 percent of younger
workers.
•This gap is also found in the
consumer/industrial products and
items category, where older workers
are twice as likely to rate
communications as not credible (21
percent versus 10 percent).
Bottom line: Communicators, especially those in the public sector or consumer/industrial products industry, should examine their communications to
ensure that their older employees will find them believable.

Employer Communications: Relevance
Please indicate which word or phrase best describes your employer’s
communications to employees.
(Scale of 0–10, 10=Relevant to me, 0=Not relevant to me)
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
25%
36%
29%
31%
8%
15%
24%
32%
Rated 9–10
(Relevant)
Rated 7–8
Rated 4–6
Rated 0–3
(Not relevant)
• The older age cohort is more likely to rate
their employers’ communications as being
not relevant to them.
females, and for those in developed as
well as developing economies.
•However, this is more of an issue for
those in larger organizations (1,000+
employees) than in smaller ones.
• Conversely, young workers are more likely
to give their employers somewhat high
ratings for communicating information that is
relevant to them.
• The industry category with the largest age
cohort gap is the public sector; more than
twice as many older workers than younger
workers find the communications irrelevant
(15 percent versus 6 percent).
Bottom line: Larger organizations in particular should be careful to “push” to employees only information that is relevant to them. This will require systems
to target different employee audiences. Messages also need to include context that helps employees understand why they should pay attention. In
addition, employers should make it easy for their workers to sift through information in order to find what interests them.

Employer Communications: Easy to Understand
Please indicate which word or phrase best describes your
employer’s communications to employees.
(Scale of 0–10, 10=Easy to understand, 0=Difficult to understand)
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
29%
37%
26%
31%
29%
5%
13%
30%
Rated 9–10
(Easy to
understand)
Rated 7–8
Rated 4–6
Rated 0–3
(Difficult to
understand)
• The older age cohort is more likely to rate
their employers’ communications as being
difficult to understand.
females, for those in developed as well
as developing economies, and those
in small as well as large organizations.
• Conversely, the young workers are more
likely to give their employers somewhat high
ratings for communications that are easy to
understand.
• As with other aspects of employer
communications, the gap between the
cohorts in negative ratings is greatest for
public sector employees (18 percent versus
2 percent).
Bottom line: Ensure that employer communications use language that is accessible to all workers. Employers should also be educating their workers
about the important terminology in their industry. Finally, communications should be concise to make it easy for employees to quickly grasp the message.

Employer Communications: Timely
(Scale of 0–10, 10=Received in timely manner,
0=Takes a long time to receive)
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
30%
31%
28%
29%
9%
18%
20%
34%
Rated 9–10
(Timely)
Rated 7–8
Rated 4–6
Rated 0–3
(Not timely)
• The younger age cohort is more likely to rate
their employer communications as timely (rated
7–10).
•This is true for both males and females.
•The gap in timely ratings is most
pronounced for employees in
industrialized nations and in larger
companies.
• The difference between the age cohorts in
positive ratings (ratings of 7–10) is greatest for
the technology, media and telecommunications
sectors, where nearly seven in 10 younger
employees consider communications to be
timely (68 percent) compared to less than half
of the older workers (45 percent).
Bottom line: In technology, media and telecommunications companies, communicators may face high expectations from their workers in terms of timely
(i.e., nearly instantaneous) information sharing. Nevertheless, by delivering very timely communication, employers have an opening to strengthen their ties
to their workers.

Employer Communications: Importance Explained
(Scale of 0–10, 10=Explains why information is important,
0=Does not explain importance)
Ages 20–26 (n=302) Ages 50–59 (n=298)
27%
32%
34%
7%
20%
20%
27%
33%
Rated 9–10
(Explains
importance)
Rated 7–8
Rated 4–6
Rated 0–3
(Does not
explain
importance)
• As with other attributes, the older age cohort is
much more likely to give their employers poor
marks for explaining why information is
important.
•This is true for both males and females,
for those in industrialized as well as non-industrialized
countries, and for those in
small as well as large organizations.
• The age gap for poor ratings (ratings of 0–3) is
greatest in two industry sectors:
consumer/industrial products and services (21
percent versus 5 percent), and public sector
(23 percent versus 8 percent).
Bottom line: All communications should have a clear purpose, with cues to help employees grasp why they are important to them.

Frequent/Infrequent Users of
Technology by Age Cohort
• How are those who use technology infrequently different from frequent users in terms
of communications considered most important and most effectively communicated?
• How differently do these people rate communications on five important dimensions?
• Are preferences for communication channels different depending on the frequency of
technology usage and age cohort?

Importance of Communication by Frequency/Infrequency of
Technology Use
• Frequent users of technology, regardless of age, place a high importance on all types of communication.
How important is each of the following types of employer communications to you? 10=Extremely important, 0=Not at all important
Younger, Infrequent Users (n=74) Older, Infrequent Users (n=78) Younger, Frequent Users (n=74) Older, Frequent Users (n=49)
69%
68%
58%
46%
70%
53%
39%
57%
40%
37%
62%
47%
69%
35%
61%
69%
57%
55%
57% 57%
54%
68%
53%
65% 65%
30% 31% 31% 32%
62%
33%
28% 27% 28%
24%
26%
20%
15%
76%
41%
10%
27%
33%
65%
Performance
feedback
Recognition for
contributions
Opportunities
to interact w ith
co-w orkers
Company
policies
Communication
w ith mentor
How w ork
advances
company's
goals
Interesting
w ays to build
teamw ork
Updates about
company
performance
Explains
organization's
goals
Online
employee
resources
Unofficial
information
sharing
Bottom line: Workers of any age that are technologically savvy are much more interested in the full range of communication types. If you make it
available, they’ll use it. On the other hand, employers should also expect to work harder to reach the less frequent technology users.

Ratings of Communication by Frequency/Infrequency of Technology
Use
• Frequent users of technology also give more positive ratings to their employers’ communications than do those in their age group
who are less frequent users of technology.
Indicate which word or phrase best describes employers’ communications to employees. You may use any number
between zero and 10. (10 = word shown, 0 = opposite of word shown)
Younger, Infrequent Users (n=74) Older, Infrequent Users (n=78) Younger, Frequent Users (n=74) Older, Frequent Users (n=49)
50%
42%
55%
49%
67%
72%
80%
69%
45% 45%
31%
30%
41%
39%
80%
74%
68%
74%
65%
74%
Credible Relevant Easy to understand Received in a timely manner Explains why information is
important
Bottom line: Technology users are generally being reached effectively. Less frequent users feel that employer communications are missing the mark.
Don’t fall in love with technology at the expense of other more traditional channel types.

Preferred Channel for Communicating Employee Benefits by
Frequency/Infrequency of Technology Use
to use to find information concerning employee benefits?
Infrequent Users, Ages 20–26 (n=74) Infrequent Users, Ages 50–59 (n=78)
Frequent Users, Ages 20–26 (n=74) Frequent Users, Ages 50–59 (n=49)
18%
16%
19%
17%
15%
29%
34%
31%
32%
9%
7%
7%
8%
12%
10%
26%
39%
1%
9%
14%
3%
2%
22%
23%
Electronic Messaging
(E-Mail, Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Not surprisingly, infrequent users of
technology express a preference for printed
information about benefits, whereas frequent
users tend to prefer electronic messaging or
intranet channels.
• Although there are some differences between
the age cohorts, in many cases, employees
are more like those with the same technology
usage levels than those in their same age
group.
Bottom line: Printed materials about employee benefits are especially important for workers who are infrequent users of technology.

Preferred Channel for Communicating Company’s Goals and
Performance by Frequency/Infrequency of Technology Use
use to learn about your company’s goals and performance?
24%
19%
14%
18%
16%
23%
24%
5%
4%
12%
14%
12%
28%
34%
19%
3%
4%
3%
37%
33%
0%
2%
33%
18%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Regardless of age cohort, frequent technology
users prefer the company intranet or web site,
whereas infrequent users prefer printed
materials.
• There is also a difference among frequent
users, as those in the younger cohort prefer
electronic messaging to get this type of
information, and the older cohort is more likely
to prefer in-person channels.
Bottom line: Don’t assume all young workers want to use the intranet or e-messaging, or that older workers all want to use low-tech channels. Given the
importance of having all employees aligned with company goals and aware of how the company is performing, it is essential to use all available channels.

Preferred Channel for Communicating Company Events by
to use to find out about company events?
38%
15%
15%
12%
23%
4%
4%
8%
42%
35%
17%
18%
16%
1%
4%
3%
3%
29%
33%
29%
0%
6%
31%
15%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Infrequent technology users are more likely to
prefer to learn about company events through
printed materials, while frequent users are
more likely to prefer the intranet or company
web site.
• However, among the younger generation,
infrequent users are similar to the frequent
users in their preference for electronic
messaging.
Bottom line: Despite the popularity of the high-tech channels, there are still some employees who prefer to have something in writing or to hear about
company events in person.

Preferred Channel for Communicating News Regarding Your
Business and Industry by Frequency of Technology Use
prefer to use to learn about news regarding your business and your
industry?
24%
24%
15%
27%
24%
1%
9%
11%
15%
14%
11%
31%
37%
16%
3%
3%
4%
3%
31%
41%
8%
2%
33%
13%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• The frequent technology users within each
age cohort prefer intranet or electronic
messaging channels to get business news.
• The infrequent users in the older cohort
prefer print or intranet channels, while their
younger counterparts are split among three
channels: electronic messaging, intranet and
printed materials.
Bottom line: High-tech communication channels should be supplemented with printed materials (e.g., newsletter, bulletin board postings, etc.) to update
employees regarding business news.

Preferred Channel for Project or Team Updates by
prefer to use to get project or team updates?
35%
5%
31%
32%
10%
12%
11%
8%
10%
8%
8%
49%
31%
3%
3%
4%
2%
1%
25%
29%
4%
22%
41%
17%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Printed Materials
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Regardless of the frequency of their
technology usage, the younger cohort is more
likely to prefer electronic messaging to get
project updates.
• Among the frequent users, the older cohort
prefers intranet or in-person channels over
electronic messaging, while the younger
cohort strongly prefers electronic messaging.
• In-person channels are among the top two
preferred channels for each segment.
• Printed materials are also an important
channel for the infrequent users in the older
cohort.
Bottom line: Many young employees are interested in using electronic messaging for updates, even if they are not frequent technology users.
Nevertheless, in-person communication is a popular channel for all age and technology usage groups.

Preferred Channel for Interacting with Co-Workers by
to use to interact with your co-workers as a way to build good working
relationships?
23%
3%
54%
9%
10%
8%
16%
12%
8%
11%
12%
12%
32%
46%
3%
1%
59%
0%
73%
8%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
Company Intranet or
Web Site
Discussions
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• The majority of all segments prefer in-person
channels to build good working
relationships with their colleagues.
• For the younger, frequent user, the in-person
channel is the most preferred one,
although about one in three prefers
electronic messaging.
Bottom line: In-person interaction is still the preferred way to build good relationships with co-workers. If you employ a lot of young people who use
technology frequently, expect that many of them will want to interact via electronic messaging.

Preferred Channel for Routine Exchanges with Supervisor by
use for routine exchanges of information with your supervisor?
Infrequent Users, Age 20–26 (n=74) Infrequent Users, Age 50–59 (n=78)
Frequent Users, Age 20–26 (n=74) Frequent Users, Age 50–59 (n=49)
26%
46%
47%
13%
16%
15%
11%
14%
11%
43%
0%
37%
45%
4%
12%
60%
Instant or Text
Messaging)
In-Person Meetings Or
Discussions
Telephone
Conversations
No Preference
• Among infrequent users, in-person
discussions are clearly the preferred
channel for routine exchanges with a
supervisor.
• Frequent users of technology are more
divided, as many in each age cohort prefer
electronic messaging, while similar numbers
prefer in-person channels.
Bottom line: Younger workers are more likely to want to use electronic messaging to exchange information with a supervisor. Employers may want to
provide training to all parties to ensure that these exchanges are performed professionally in order to avoid misunderstandings and projecting a poor
image.

Usage of Communication Channels
by Age Cohort
• How frequently are the major types of workplace communication used by the different age
cohorts?
• How much time per day do the age cohorts spend using e-mail, the Internet and mobile phones,
both for work and nonwork-related issues?

Most Frequently Used High-Tech Communication Channels
• Overall, the two age cohorts have a similar and high usage level for e-mail in their jobs.
• However, the younger employees are more likely to be regular users of their organization’s intranet, as well as instant and text
messaging.
• More highly educated employees and those who are managers/supervisors are more likely to use each channel.
• Among nonmanagers, there is no difference between the age cohorts in usage of e-mail and text messaging; however, the younger
nonmanagers are more likely than their older counterparts to use the intranet and instant messaging.
In the past 12 months, how often, if at all, have you used the following communication methods for
work-related information? (ages 20–26: n=302; ages 50–59: n=298)
Regularly Occasionally Rarely/Not Used Not Available/Not Familiar
Ages 20–26 16%
Ages 50–59
39%
39%
16%
13%
17%
12%
4%
5%
8%
13%
8%
13%
8%
24%
30%
49%
64%
68%
20%
15%
16%
31%
42%
14%
46%
48%
24%
24% 16%
49%
11%
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
E-mail
Intranet
Instant
Messaging
Text
Messaging
Respondents were given the following definitions: regular = at least once a day, occasionally = at least once a month, rarely = less than once a month.
Bottom line: When communicating to a young and highly educated workforce, as well as to supervisors, expect a strong propensity to use high-tech
channels. However, the older and less educated workers are, the less likely they are to use these channels.

Most Frequently Used Traditional Communication Channels
• The younger age cohort is more likely to be regular or occasional users of the traditional modes of communication, including
printed materials, in-person team meetings, one-on-one meetings with a supervisor and company staff meetings.
Regularly Occasionally Rarely/Not used Not Available/Not Familiar
28%
19%
22%
17%
25%
15%
9%
14%
8%
6%
3%
39%
37%
49%
43%
28%
23%
19%
24%
15%
9%
55%
52%
62%
63%
69%
3%
4%
2%
5%
1%
3%
5%
8%
11%
11%
17%
19%
42%
34%
34%
32%
27%
30%
38%
45%
36%
39%
Printed
Materials
In-person
Meetings
One-on-one
Meetings
Company Staff
Meetings
Conference
Calls
Video-conferences
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Bottom line: Young workers are using all types of communication channels more than their older co-workers; therefore, communicators should expect
that most channels will reach the young staff members, who are hungry for information. Older workers are less frequent communicators, so they must be
carefully targeted.

Less Frequently Used High-Tech Communication Channels
• The younger age cohort is more likely to be regular or occasional users of the other high-tech communication modes, including
webcasts, blogs and podcasts.
•The higher usage of blogs by the younger cohort is due primarily to the differences among managers; there is no difference
between the nonmanager age cohorts in usage of this channel.
• However, the majority of each age group rarely, or never, uses these types of communication.
Regularly Occasionally Rarely/Not used Not Available/Not Familiar
Ages 20–26 16%
54%
Ages 50–59
11%
8%
5%
9%
21%
16%
13%
10%
15%
14%
16%
14%
19%
24%
6%
5%
20%
10%
10%
11%
62%
64%
53%
69%
65%
60%
3% 6%
66%
25%
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Message
Boards
Webcasts/
Online
Meetings
Blogs
Podcasts
Bottom line: If your organization uses electronic message boards, webcasts, blogs or podcasts, expect that younger workers will be most likely to take
advantage of these channels.

Technology Usage for Work- and Nonwork-Related Matters
• The age groups are most different in their usage of cell or smart phones, as more than half of the younger workers use their mobile
phone at least 30 minutes a day, whereas just over one-third of older workers have the same usage level.
During a typical day, how many hours do you spend using the following
communication media? (ages 20–26: n=302; ages 50–59: n=298)
Four or More Hours Two to Three Hours 30 Minutes to One Hour Less Than 30 Minutes Per Day Do Not Use
29%
27%
15%
26% 2%
17%
24%
14%
19%
23%
23%
33%
33%
20%
45%
3%
11%
8%
18%
20%
16%
12%
8%
3%
23%
25%
26%
35%
21%
17%
22%
20%
8%
32%
26%
31%
24%
42%
1%
1%
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Ages 20–26
Ages 50–59
Internet
(nonwork-related)
Internet
(work-related)
E-mail
Cell/Smart
Phone
Bottom line: The two age groups are similar in their usage of e-mail and the Internet for work and nonwork matters. Expect that younger workers will be
using their cell/smart phones much more than older workers. Be sure policies regarding cell phone usage are aligned to balance employer needs and
young workers’ expectations.

Suggestions for Improvement by Age Cohort
This section answers the following question:
• What suggestions does each age cohort offer as ways to improve the work environment and
communications for people in their age group?

Suggestions to Improve Work Environment
• The younger cohort is more likely to suggest more fun activities and more employee development programs; the older cohort is
more likely to suggest greater employee appreciation as a way to improve the work environment for people their age.
What could your employer do to improve the work environment for people in your age group?
Younger cohort
Improve communications 16%
More fun 16%
Employee development 14%
Better facilities 14%
Improved compensation package 10%
Communications suggestions include listening to employees,
providing information to everyone, having more meetings and
using technology more for communications.
Fun suggestions include more fun; more team building events; a
comfortable, less boring environment; and more social events
outside of work.
Employee development suggestions include more
learning/advancement opportunities, giving workers more
responsibility, more feedback on performance and designating
a mentor.
Better facilities suggestions include updated equipment;
environmental issues such as light, temperature and noise;
provide a break room—food, coffee, music system; and better
furniture.
Compensation package suggestions include higher pay and better
benefits/incentives.
Older cohort
Improve communications 17%
Better facilities 17%
Improved compensation package 10%
Employee development 10%
Greater employee appreciation 9%
Communications suggestions include listening to employees,
providing information to everyone, improving communication
and having more meetings.
Better facilities suggestions include better furniture/office layout;
environmental issues such as light, temperature and noise;
better equipment; and better facilities.
Compensation package suggestions include higher pay and better
benefits/incentives.
Employee development suggestions include more
learning/advancement opportunities, giving workers more
responsibility and more feedback on performance.
Employee appreciation suggestions include recognizing good
employees and valuing the experience of employees.
Results in green are significantly higher than for the older age cohort.
Results in blue are significantly higher than for the younger age
cohort.
Bottom line: All workers suggest that their workplaces need improved communications. To engage young workers in particular, offer fun, team building
activities, and training and development opportunities. Be sure to recognize the contributions of older workers who feel unappreciated and overlooked.

Suggestions to Improve Communication
• The two age cohorts give similar patterns of responses to the question about how to improve communication.
• One difference is that younger employees are more likely to suggest an improvement in the organization’s use of technology.
What could your employer do to improve communication in the workplace for people in your age group?
Response category Younger cohort Older cohort
Technology 22% 15%
More events/meetings 20% 15%
More communication/interaction 8% 11%
More respect/honesty 6% 7%
Dialogue 4% 5%
Technology suggestions include use web site/intranet/e-mail/text or instant messaging, provide access to the company intranet, use the latest
technology, provide more computers, and provide mobile phones/pagers.
Events/meetings suggestions include more activities, having more/regular meetings, more team building events and arranging events for those
my age.
Communication/interaction suggestions include better/more communication, set up a communication system and more interaction with
employees.
Respect/honesty suggestions include treat employees with respect, consider employees’ point of view and be honest with employees.
Dialogue suggestions include listen to employees more, be accessible, ask for our ideas and encourage employees to speak up.
Results in green are significantly higher than for the older age cohort.
Bottom line: Both age groups, especially the young workers, want their employers to make better use of technology in their workplace communications.
For employees that have grown up using high-tech communications, it may be hard to connect strongly to an environment with minimal access to these
channels.

Respondent Profiles by Age Cohort
This section answers the following question:
• How does each age cohort compare in terms of basic demographics and employment
characteristics?

Respondent Profile by Gender/Education/Children
• The older age cohort has a more diverse education history, with higher percentages at both the low and high end of education
levels.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
Gender Male 56% 57%
Female 44 43
Education Did not complete secondary school 1% 2%
Completed secondary school 17 21
Some university 16 16
Completed university 57 40
Post-graduate degree completed 11 22
Have Children Yes 14% 37%
Under 21
No 86 63

Respondent Profile by Union/Employment Type
• The older age cohort is more likely to be labor union employees and to have a salaried, rather than hourly position.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
Union Member Union member 24% 38%
Not union member 76 62
Employment Type Salaried 68% 75%
Hourly 29 20
Commission 3 5

Respondent Profile by Employment History
• As expected, the younger cohort has a shorter tenure with their employer and is more likely to have worked for other employers
since 2002.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=300)
Length of Employment Less than 1 year 25% 7%
1 to 2 years 41 12
3 to 5 years 27 17
6 to 9 years 7 14
10 to 19 years 1 17
20+ years – 33
(n=302) (n=298)
Number of Employers One 26% 57%
Since 2002
Two 38 27
Three or four 29 13
Five or more 7 3

Respondent Profile by Income
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
• The older age cohort is more likely to be among the top wage earners in their countries.
2007 employment Lowest income quintile within country 28% 14%
income
Second lowest quintile within country 31 18
Middle income quintile within country 20 22
Second highest quintile within country 9 19
Top income quintile within country 8 22
Decline to answer 5 6

Respondent Profile by Type of Work
• The older age cohort is more likely to be executives, managers or teachers, while the younger cohort is more likely to have clerical,
retail or service jobs.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
Type of Work Professional 18% 16%
Executive, Manager, Supervisor 23 28
Technical 16 14
Clerical, Retail, Service worker 29 22
Government 6 8
Teacher 3 8
Production, Manufacturing, Labor 4 4
Other (Craftsperson, Farmer/Rancher/Miner) 1 1

Respondent Profile by Industry and Supervisory Role
• The younger cohort is more likely to work in the financial services and technology/media/telecommunications sectors, while the
older cohort is more likely to be employed in the public sector.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
Industry Energy 4% 7%
Financial Services 13 8
Health Care and Life Sciences 13 10
Consumer and Industrial Products/ 31 30
Services
Public Sector 17 31
Technology, Media and 22 14
Telecommunications
Supervise or Yes 49% 51%
manage any
employees
No 51 49

Respondent Profile by Hours and Employer Size
• Strong majorities in each age cohort work full-time.
• Employer sizes differ, with younger workers more likely to be employed by the largest organizations and older workers by the
smallest.
Older
cohort
(n=298)
Younger
cohort
(n=302)
Work Hours 30+ hours per week 88% 91%
Less than 30 hours per week 12 9
Employer Size 26 to 299 employees 25% 33%
300 to 999 employees 26 15
1,000 to 9,999 employees 21 30
10,000 or more employees 29 22

Industrialized vs. Non-Industrialized Country
Results by Age Cohort
This section deals with the following question:
• How do the industrialized and non-industrialized countries compare when it comes to age cohort
differences in attitudes about their jobs/employers and communication channel preferences?

Survey of generational communications differences around the globe

Survey of generational communications differences around the globe

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (17)

Similar to Survey of generational communications differences around the globe

Similar to Survey of generational communications differences around the globe (20)

More from International Association of Business Communicators UK

More from International Association of Business Communicators UK (16)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Survey of generational communications differences around the globe