This document discusses managing a multigenerational workforce. It identifies four generations currently in the federal workforce: Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Each generation has distinct formative experiences and characteristics that affect their work styles and needs. A survey found managing Baby Boomers and understanding different needs as the most difficult challenges. To be effective, managers must build cohesive teams, recognize each generation's diverse requirements, and apply flexible leadership and communication styles. The document recommends HR strategies like cultivating multigenerational teams, expanding work-life programs, and clearly defining success for all generations.

1. Emerging Leaders in HR
Tom Wyche
2/21/2013

2. Agenda
 Statement of the Issue
 Identifying the Generations
 Demographic Data
 Personal and Lifestyle Characteristics
 Workplace Characteristics
 Survey Results
 Interactive Exercise
 Agency Goals
 HR Strategies

3. Currently federal managers are dealing with four
distinct generations in the workforce . These
include the following:
1. Traditionals/Veterans
2. Baby Boomers
3. Generation Xers
4. Generation Yers/Millennials
The manager faces the challenge of relating to
each generation and building cohesive, effective
teams. To do so, the manager must recognize the
diverse requirements of each group.

4. Traditionalists
 Style and preferences clearly affected by WWII.
 Grew up in an environment of instability, personal sacrifice and significant
change in the roles of women.
Baby Boomers
 By far the largest demographic group today.
 Born into an abundant, healthy economy.
 Formative events: Development of the computer, personal computer,
internet and the birth control pill.
 Environment where women were able to enter more non traditional roles.
Generation X
 Grew up in the shadow of the Baby Boomers and is more focused on
work/life balance.
 Formative events: The internet and cellular technology as an integral part of
their life.
 Fully networked, utilizing all forms of communication technology to keep
in touch.

5. Generation Y
 Heavily influenced by the behavior of their Boomer parents.
 Formative events: Introduction of smartphone technology; grew up
with the IPhone and the Blackberry.
 Communicate, almost exclusively, through these devices; texting rather
than talking.
 Loyalty is to their colleagues - those within their cohort - and they
believe everyone is equal.

9. Survey "Challenges of Managing a Generationally Diverse
Workforce"
Question
Respondent
1
Respondent
2
Respondent
3
Respondent
4
Respondent
5
Respondent
6
Respondent
7 Average
Please rate the degree of difficulty you have in
managing each of the following groups:
Baby Boomers - age 45 to 64 1 4 2 3 4 4 3.00
Generation Xers - age 30 to 45 1 3 3 3 3 2 2.50
Generation Yers/Millennials - under age 30 1 2 3 4 1 2 2.17
Traditionals/Veterans - age 65+ 1 2 1 2 4 2.00
Comment 1: In this case Baby Boomers have been more challenging for me to deal with. This age group in my experience did not have a need to actually work or have a profession.
They only decided to work because they would be able to socialize and be outside the house. I've seen lack of motivation and dedication in some cases I've been dealing with,
however there are always exceptions.
Comment 2: Boomers - Hard workers yet resistant to change; Gen Y mix of hard workers, easy to manage with some who are lazy/entitled.
Please rate the skills and capabilities most important
to you in managing a generationally diverse
workforce
Building the Team 5 5 5 5 5 5 5.00
Flexible Communications Styles 5 5 4 5 5 5 4.83
Understanding needs 5 5 5 4 5 5 4.83
Flexible Leadership Styles 5 5 3 4.5 5 4 4.42
Conflict Resolution Skills 5 5 4 4 5 3 4.33
Motivation 5 5 5 3 4 4 4.33
Recognizing Work/Life Balance Requirements 5 5 4 3 4 4 4.17
Providing appropriate methods of recognition 5 5 3 4 3 4 4.00
Overcoming personal biases (generation based) 5 5 2 2 5 2 3.50
Other (Comment required) * *
Comment 1: I believe as a leader, you have to be flexible no matter the generation or any other factor. Each generation has its own needs/preferences and it is important
to work with that. To me, it is no different than working with people with varying Myers Briggs/MBTI preferences.
Comment 2: I believe that high combination of skills mentioned above are very important for an effective and active management.
Legend: Scale is from 1 to 5 in ascending order (5
most agreement or highest level)

10. Interactive Exercise
Question:
What has been your experience in working with,
managing or reporting to someone of another
generational group? How did it compare to the
survey results?

11. Agency Goals
 Traditionals
Keep them around as long as they are willing to be active in the
workplace
 Baby Boomers
Focus on their expertise, recognize it and harvest it for others
 Gen Xers
Find ways to integrate them more firmly into the organization
Utilize their accepting and implementing organizational change
Use their desire for work/life balance to advocate to other generations
 Gen Yers
Recognize their demand for reward and recognition for effort
Provide them face to face coaching and feedback

12. HR Strategies
 Utilize Hiring Flexibilities
 Focus on cultivating a multigenerational workforce, not just hiring Gen Yers
 Develop robust succession planning strategies
 Propose expanded work/life balance programs
 Expand methods of recognition, performance evaluation, growth opportunities
 Clearly define success
 Propose agency talent solutions that effectively recruit, attract and manage
diverse and sometimes competing generational interest s