This document discusses generational differences and their implications for leadership and management. It outlines the core values and characteristics of four generations currently in the workforce: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. Key differences discussed include work-life balance, views of authority, attitudes towards technology, and preferences regarding work responsibilities and feedback. Managing a multigenerational workforce effectively requires understanding these generational differences in values and priorities.

1. Explore generational differences Implications for leadership & management Managing the Generation Jumble in Today's Workforce ICE Conference November 7, 2007 This presentation is presented with my compliments; please feel free to use; but kindly be mindful of copyright issues.

2. Boomerangs Gen Jones (1954-1965) Approx 80 million Approx 46 million Approx 76 million Adapted from CNC Global Internet, Cell phones, Computers, VCRs, Instant messaging, Google, video games TV, CDs Personal computer Pong, Pac Man Telephone TV Radio, Vinyl Records Telephone Radio Defining Technology To find work and create a life that has meaning To maintain independence in all areas of their lives To put their stamp on things To build a legacy Goal Digital age, reality TV, attacks of 9/11, OK bombing, corporate & government scandals, Columbine , Berlin Wall, Clinton/Lewinsky Watergate, Personal computers, AIDS, corporate downsizing, fall of communism Civil rights movement, Cold war, Quebec crisis, Trudeau & Kennedy era, Vietnam Great Depression, WWII, Korean War, rise of labour unions Life-Defining Events Millennials Born after 1981 (1978-1985) Generation X Born 1965 – 1980 (1961-1977) Baby Boomers Born 1946 - 1964 Traditionalists Born 1922 - 1945 Generation The Four Generations

3. Looming Labour Force Shortage In Canada : Labour force grew by approximately 226,000 per year for last 25 years This decade will grow by 123,000 per year By 2010 … this will have dropped to 42,000 per year By 2016 annual growth will be near zero Within the next decade, for every two people who are retiring there will be less than one person to take their place Duxbury, 2006

4. Why do Generations Matter? Generational differences are rooted in shared values Values are deeply held beliefs that are shaped by the social context in which we grow up Values affect our perceptions, attitudes, morals and behaviour Values are often unconscious and go unnoticed until they are violated

5. What’s the problem? What we’re seeing in academia In the classroom In general Code of conduct Assignments requirements assessment criteria Perception of excellence quality of writing perceptions of cheating Reaction to criticism negative is really bad!

6. What’s the problem? What we’re hearing from business people There is a problem… There isn’t a problem… “ To keep up with the twenty-somethings, I’ve had to learn to talk fast and listen fast.” … a 53-year old manager

7. What’s been said… Generation profiles & Work Values Webber’s study of new employees

8. A Recent Study: An Empirical Assessment of Generational Differences in Work Related Values Sean Lyons – St. Francis Xavier University Linda Duxbury – Carleton University Chris Higgins – University of Western Ontario

9. 5 Work Value Factors Intrinsic : Work that provides mental stimulation and is psychologically rewarding Extrinsic : Work that provides good levels of tangible rewards such as salary, benefits and job security. Altruism : Work that benefits people and society Social : Work that allows for social interaction with other people. Prestige : Work that is highly esteemed and recognized by others.

10. Mean Work Value Scores 5 4 3 2 1 Prestige 4.36 Altruistic 4.89 Intrinsic 4.93 Extrinsic 5.32 Social 5.34 Millennial Prestige 3.44 Social 4.41 Intrinsic 5.09 Extrinsic 5.26 Altruistic 5.35 Boomers Prestige 3.66 Social 4.24 Intrinsic 5.10 Extrinsic 5.11 Altruistic 5.79 Matures Prestige 4.01 Social 4.98 Altruistic 5.30 Extrinsic 5.38 Intrinsic 5.43 Gen X

11. Mean Work Value Scores 2 3 3 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 4 4 3 4 1 4 5 5 5

12. More on generational differences…

13. Core Values of Traditionalists Pragmatism and Rationality Loyalty and tradition Dependability Persistence Hard work and long hours Wisdom and experience are better than ‘book smarts’ Work-life balance is a personal responsibility Authoritarian leadership style

14. Core Values of the Baby Boomers Work as a means to personal fulfillment Workaholism Acceptance of stress Team-oriented Title is important symbol of achievement Psychology of Entitlement Demanding of respect and sacrifice from subordinates

15. Core Values of Generation Xers Scepticism Transactional approach to work Distrustful of authority & hierarchy No ‘dues paying’ Comfortable with technology Fun and communal workplace

16. Generation X Individualistic , assertive, independent. Hate to be stereotyped. Ambitious – want to advance & make good salary, but follow their hearts and quality of life concerns. Enjoy work, but consider work/life balance important Take responsibility for developing their skills and employability; shaping their own work environment View each job as chance to learn; willing to change jobs, be entrepreneurs – “free agent” Even when act like Boomers, their motivations are usually different… How to manage: Provide challenging, interesting work Set goals, give requirements, and deadline  leave alone, don’t nag!

17. Core Values of the Millennials Confident Idealistic Multitasking / multi-careers Comfortable w/ technology Dedicated to goal achievement Many will sacrifice personal life for career Materialistic Eagerness to ‘find a better way to do things’ Want “fair play” Uncomfortable with formality

18. Wants Immediate respect Has Diminished Respect for Authority or Seniority Disagree w/ concept of tenure/seniority  promotion and rewards based on merit & ability  Has Less Reliance on Job Security Millennials Expects high involvement / engagement Wants participatory decision-making Lots of positive, frequent feedback, lots of guidance Coaching & mentoring – not supervision Wants Teamwork Demands more emphasis on Opportunity & Interest Wants interesting, challenging and meaningful work Wants a Variety of work Life-long learning – but just-in-time Lifestyle is currency by which they live

19. Desirable skill sets from their perspective: Most desirable: Working patiently, diligently, and independently* Multi-tasking Developing personal connections * Several paradoxes! Least important: Mathematics Speaking foreign language Public speaking Selling items or ideas Writing & editing Millennials

20. Millennials Will put in extra time for worthy and necessary cause as an exception – not as a rule. “ I will work hard for something that will reward me financially or with personal satisfaction, but I will not tolerate being bullied into doing extra for someone else’s benefit.” Impatient with anything that doesn’t lead to learning and advancement “ Nothing infuriates us more than busywork [grunt work]… I don’t have time to be intimidated. … It’s not that I’m disrespectful, it’s just a waste of energy to be fearful.”

21. “ The company needs to provide me with the chance to move up and take on more responsibility…. It’s all about getting more responsibilities which are given as you prove yourself to be capable. The managers have to give me opportunities to prove myself. If they do not listen to what I want to achieve and how I want to develop myself, then I will lose interest and my loyalty will naturally wear thin.” Millennials

22. Webber (1976)* Early career issues confronted by new employees: Being frustrated and dissatisfied with organizational “realities” – e.g. poor supervision & incomplete understanding of time horizons in careers Being insensitive to the organization’s political process Being unable to understand, and adjust to, the evaluative criteria used in an organization Natural tension between older and younger employees * Summarized in Buckley, et al (2001)

23. Want to be taken seriously as contributors Need to be challenged and always keep learning Need to find meaning and balance in their work Want to stay relevant and leave behind a legacy Theme Work-Life Balance Interesting Work A Good Salary Benefits Flexible Hours of Work 5 of the top 10 priorities across all Millennials Gen Xer’s Boomers Traditionalists

24. Part of life Relief The point of life Reward for hard work Leisure is… Team player Entre-preneurial Self-absorbed Team player Their Style tends to be… Tenacity Have two jobs Born and should have it Fought hard & won They have success because… Optimism Diversity Individuality Duty Defining idea… Millennials Gen X’ers Boomers Traditionalists

25. The way the see the world: Pulling together Competence Consensus Hierarchy Leadership by Intolerance Cliché, hype Political incorrectness Vulgarity Turnoffs Polite Unimpressed Love/Hate Respectful View of authority Determined Balanced Driven Dedicated Work ethic Hopeful Skeptical Optimistic Practical Outlook Millennials Gen X’ers Boomers Traditionalists

26. The way they see the world: The world sees them as: The means to maintain their lifestyle Freedom and independence Recognition and status The deserved rewards of hard work View Money as: Spending parent’s $ Hedging Spending Saving Manage Money by: Millennials Gen X’ers Boomers Traditionalists Lacking substance Pessimistic slackers Self-absorbed workaholics Rigid, authoritarian past-obsessed

27. What do they think about IT?

28. Users First Use technology loonnnggg before learn about design and implementation Fixing things is easier than building Iterative tasks come more naturally Pace of progress is important to them Self training is common Millennials (& Gen X) Technophiles Expect good understanding of technology Frustration common if other IT professionals are not familiar with bleeding edge technologies Frustration compounded if end-users resist newest technologies (or even newish technologies)

29. Want to be recognized primarily for their technical knowledge Happiest when solving tough technical problems Expect rewards for technical solutions Frustrated with having to prepare professional communications Think technology is the solution What About Young IT Types? Millennials (& Gen X)

30. Have no fear of technology Insist on administrative access to production See lack of access as mistrust Comfortable with iterative processes Confused by technophobia Generation Y + X Millennials (& Gen X)

31. Characteristics of IS Professionals Creative, problem solvers Get absorbed in work / projects – like to be left alone when working Put extraordinary effort into the creative solution of a technical or business problem - take it personally if that solution is criticized. Don’t have much patience for those who don’t “get” technology – esp if this person is their leader. Hate being micromanaged Can’t be bothered with organizational politics. Hate wasting time in meetings, esp status meetings Glenn, P. Leading Geeks, 2003 High growth needs, low social needs (Couger, et al, 1980) The engagement of knowledge, creativity, and logic is a lifelong pursuit

32. Characteristics of IS Professionals Creative, problem solvers Get absorbed in work / projects – like to be left alone when working Put extraordinary effort into the creative solution of a technical or business problem - take it personally if that solution is criticized. Don’t have much patience for those who don’t “get” technology – esp if this person is their leader. Hate being micromanaged Can’t be bothered with organizational politics. Hate wasting time in meetings, esp status meetings Glenn, P. Leading Geeks, 2003

33. Observations The Gen X’rs have the independence and focus, plus technical savvy, but don’t necessarily want to work in teams and many lack good interpersonal skills. The Millennials have focus, energy, technical savvy AND the social skills – but they don’t have the domain (business) knowledge, patience and/or respect for experience and organizational realities (Webber’s stuff)…..  All generations have different reasons for working, ways of working, and assets and liabilities…

34. Other cross-generational issues present critical challenges… Employees evolving into “consumers of work experience” and developing more transactional attitude towards work  challenge for recruitment and retention Fewer college-educated employees – of both genders and across all three generations – want to move into management  challenge for succession planning, Business Continuity Planning Noticeable gap between skills students believe they will need and those employers think are necessary to succeed… Decreased enrollments in key fields; decreased interest (and competency) in key knowledge areas  Challenge for knowledge development & transfer, business continuity Values / attitudes of Gen X in relation to Gen Y  challenge for mgt Culture of entitlement – Now!  challenge for rewards & motivation

35. Consumers of work From Tulgan: In order to remain viable, employers moving away from long-term employment relationships, and adopt flexible & efficiency staffing practices… In turn, employees have less confidence in long-term rewards and have adjusted by being more aggressive/assertive in their attitudes, expectations, & behaviors. Employer-employee relationships less hierarchical, more transactional. Instead of defining “success” in relation to rank or seniority, employees define it in highly personal terms. “ Free agency” attitude (job hopping) has intensified and spread across all generations.

36. Assets Stable Detail oriented Thorough Loyal Hard working Liabilities Inept with ambiguity and change Reluctant to buck the system Uncomfortable with conflict Reticent when they disagree Traditionalists Assets Service oriented Driven Willing to “go the extra mile” Good at relationships Want to please Good team players Liabilities Not naturally “budget minded” Uncomfortable with conflict Reluctant to go against peers Put process ahead of results Sensitive to feedback Judgmental of those who see things differently Boomers Assets Adaptable Techno-literate Independent Not intimidated by authority Creative Liabilities Impatient Poor people skills Inexperienced in managing people Cynical Gen X’ers Millennials Assets Optimism Tolerant Multi-tasking Fast-thinking Challenging existing ways Technological savvy Liabilities Desire for supervision, structure, and feedback Inexperienced, particularly with handling different people issues Service levels are low

37. Our challenge – Part 1: How do we motivate Gen X to improve their social skills to become better managers? What social skill development do they need? How / when do we teach it? How do we keep them? How do we attract and keep Gen Y’s in our organization? How do we keep them challenged and interested? How do we address their impatience in fairness to older employees? How do we keep them? How do we lure them into management?

38. Our challenge – Part 2: How do we: Lead & Manage Retain Communicate Across generations?

39. Implications for Leading & Managing: Feed workers’ passionate pursuits  challenge and truly engage them Organizational structures and procedures will need to adapt to demands of workers Leadership styles & management practices will have to adapt

40. Require soft skills development be part of professional development communication skills, understanding of personality differences, and being an effective team member Learn how to give clear goals, guidelines, and reasonable deadlines . Provide frequent, constructive, effective feedback Frequently monitor performance – reward success and deal with failure -- immediately Provide training in this! Provide coaching, mentoring (pair w/ older workers), and frequent feedback  Develop coaching skills competency and reward mentoring Provide adequate time / resources to get job done Provide flex time and telework options as much as possible Tips for Management Practices

41. Behaviours that result in disloyalty: Being rigid in expectations Treating all staff the same Communication is 1-way, and mainly in the form of instructions Creating culture of physical presence Encouraging culture of excessive hours & work as the primary focus of life “ Use and abuse” employees – implicitly or explicitly Dictatorial and unilateral behaviour, or false consultation with lip-service to staff input Adapted from Kerslake, Management , June 2005

42. Good article with list of “best practices”: Tulgan, B. “The Under-Management Epidemic,” Rainmaker Thinking, June 2004 www.rainmakerthinking.com/undermgm.doc

43. When Generations Fail To Communicate May impact turnover rates May impact tangible costs (i.e. recruitment, hiring, training, retention) May impact intangible costs (i.e. morale) May impact grievances and complaints May impact perceptions of fairness & equity

44. Generational Implications for Communication: The differences in values and perspectives, make it harder for various generations to communicate Craft different communications to convey the same message Use different communication mediums effectively.

45. Traditionalists Boomers Gen X’ers Millennials Use inclusive language Words are promises  focus more on words , not body language Don’t waste their time Don’t expect them to share their innermost thoughts immediately Use more formal language Face-to-face or written communications best Avoid controlling, manipulative language Use body language to help communicate Answer questions thoroughly, and expect to be pressed for details Present options to demonstrate flexibility Speak in open, direct style Use face-to-face or electronic communication to reach out to them Use e-mail as your primary communication tool Use an informal communication style Learn their language and speak it Talk in short sound bytes Present the facts, use straight talk Ask for feedback Share information immediately and often Use e-mail and voicemail as primary communication tools Use language to paint visual pictures Use visual communication to motivate them & keep focused Use action verbs to challenge them Don’t talk down to them, they’ll resent it Use humour .

46. The nature of work has changed… The nature of organizations has changed… The nature of workers has changed…  The nature of management has to change We need to become better managers of PEOPLE … not just managers of processes, projects, costs and bottom-lines. Summary:

47. Find the time (and the resources) to manage individuals;  Get to truly know and understand each individual  Actively manage the relationship (frequently communicate about all sorts of things) with each individual. You can’t afford to ignore these issues hoping they will go away… Get your people discussing these issues.  Develop an action plan for moving forward… BUT…

48. Find the time (and the resources) to manage individuals;  Get to truly know and understand each individual  Actively manage the relationship (frequently communicate about all sorts of things) with each individual. You can’t afford to ignore these issues hoping they will go away… Get your people discussing these issues.  Develop an action plan for moving forward… BUT… Employees will leave anyway… Make them boomerangs and they’ll come back later!

49. Pro-actively, enthusiastically promote IS as a vibrant, dynamic, people-oriented career for young people!!!

50. Q&A For more information, please contact: Mimi Hurt [email_address] (403) 932-1672

51. References Anonymous, How HR Can Build a Cohesive Workforce Out of ‘Squares,’ ‘Hippies,’ and ‘Slackers,’” Human Resource Department Management Report , ioma, www.ioma.com , March 2005. Buckley, Beu, Novicevic, Sigerstad, “Managing Generation NeXt: Individual and Organizational Perspectives,” Review of Business , Vol 22, Issue 1/2, Spring/Summer 2001. Celtron and Davies, “Trends Now Shaping the Future: Technological, Workplace, Management and Institutional Trends,” The Futurist , May-June, 2005. Center for Generational Studies, http://www.gentrends.com/index.html Duke University, Office of Institutional Equity, “Cross Generational Communication: Implications in the Work Environment,” http//: www.duke.edu/web/equity.html , accessed on 06/11/2007. Chester, E., Generation Why?,, http://www.generationwhy.com/index.php Glen, P., Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead People who Deliver Technology , Josey – Bass, 2003. Grossman, L., “Grow up? Not so Fast,” Time Magazine , Vol. 165, No. 4, January 24, 2005. Hamilton, C. and J. Norrie, The A to Z Guide to Soul-Inspiring Leadership, Essence Publishing (Canada), 2003 . Kerslake, P. “Words from the Y’s: Leading the demanding dot-coms,” Management , www.management.co.nz, May 2005. Kerslake, P. “The Death of Loyalty and 10 steps for Winning it Back,” Management , www.management.co.nz, June 2005, pgs 35-37. Kersten, D., “Today’s Generations Face New Communication Gaps,” USAToday.com, 2002-11-15, accessed on O6/11/2007. Lyons, S., L. Duxbury, and C. Higgins, “A n Empirical Assessment of Generational Differences in Work Related Values,” Proceedings of Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Annual Conference, 2005. Sacks, Danielle, “Scenes from the Culture Clash,” Fast Company , Jan/Feb 2006, Issue 102, pgs 72-77. Stencel, B. & H. Hanson, “Communications Across the Generations,” Univ of Wisconsin-Extension Dept of Community Resource Development, accessed on 06/11/07 Tulgan, B. “Generational Shift: What we Saw at the Workplace Revolution,” Rainmaker Thinking, Sep 2003 Tulgan, B. “The Under-Management Epidemic,” Rainmaker Thinking, June 2004 Zust, K. “Baby Boomer Leaders Face Challenges Communicating Across Generations,” HAR Management Central, www.mcentral.har.com, 2002, accessed on 06/11/2007.