Multinational companies are struggling to attract and retain senior Chinese managers. Younger generations of workers in China and Asia have different characteristics that influence how companies manage talent. The document discusses the traits of Generations X and Y, noting that Gen Y expects speed, stimulation, technology access, and relevance to their lives and roles. It provides comparisons between the two generations in areas like style, content preferences, attitudes towards work, and expectations of communication.

1. Life Cycle of Talent
Managing Across Generations
Michael Netzley, PhD

2. Identifying Talent

3. Nurturing Talent

4. Competing for Talent

5. FT: Changing Employee Preferences
Multinational companies are losing their image as
China’s best employers and are increasingly
struggling to compete for local staff with mainland
Chinese groups…. Management and human
relations professionals in China say it is harder for
foreign companies to attract and retain senior
managers who are Chinese.

6. Retaining
Talent

8. Meet Gen Y
http://www.genythinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/esfacebook.jpg

9. Socializing a Digital Native
• The average college grad starting work
– 5,000 hours of video games on average
– 250,000 email, instant, and text messages
– 10,000 hours of hand phone use
– 3,500 hours of time on-line
• ―Today’s younger workers are not
little us-es.‖
Pew Research, Digital Natives Invade the Workplace, 2006

10. Asia’s Gen X Characteristics
• Not as different from their parents as Gen
Xers in other parts of the world
– High expectations for career progression, pay,
and material possessions (Singapore dream)
– They are less job-loyal
– They as brand-loyal as their parents
– They are more receptive to media than other
Gen X populations (e.g., North America)

11. Asia’s Gen Y Characteristics
• Singapore’s Gen Y population does differ
from Gen X and Baby Boomers
– Speed: grown-up with compressed time (2
minute noodles, Internet, and text messages
– Stimulation: Xbox, World of Warcraft,
multimedia presentations, instant choice
– Gen Y means that they, ―ask why?‖
– Control: custom computers, latte to order, etc
– Constant technology and access

12. Gen X Gen Y
Style Similar to parents Eye-catching; fun
Content Get to the point—what do
I need to know?
If and when I need, I
will look it up online
Context Relevance to what
matters to me
Relevance to now,
today, and my role
Attitude Less job-loyal than
parents; cut-above-the-
rest mentality
OK with authority that
earns their respect
Tactics Media; some face-to-face
meetings, games, online
Online; wired;
seamlessly connected
Speed Immediate; when I need it Five minutes ago
Frequency Whenever Constant

13. Gen Y Wave
Coming at You

14. Three
Questions

15. Assignments
and Giving
Feedback

16. Employee Communication

17. Management
Style

18. My Business Card