OEC Consultant's Corner
Managing Multiple Generations
by Jenny Brown
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Not since baby boomers swept into the
workplace has there been more friction related to generational differences.
The fact that most companies are not ready to go on record with their
strategies for dealing with it says something about the magnitude
of the issue – and the stakes.
Underlying intergenerational workplace friction is a lack of understanding,
which leads to emotional reactions that shut down communication and
cloud vision.
In generational-difference workshops, I counsel each group to educate
about the others’ generational identities, the differences,
and how those cause friction. In particular, I counsel boomer-age
managers to get beyond resentment
and focus on what their successors bring to the table: energy, enthusiasm,
a fresh perspective, incredible multitasking skills, an almost innate
facility with technology, and the ability to integrate it into different
areas.
Gen X, sandwiched between the enormous boomer and Y generations,
has been
challenging the system, to some extent, but also has learned to work
within it. Xers are awaiting their turn for promotion while boomers
take their time in senior positions.
Gen Y is poised to create as much change as their boomer parents
once did, completing what Gen X began. The offspring of two-wage-earner
families that spared nothing in raising them, Yers grew up at the
center of their parents’
universe. Accustomed to coddling, recognition, and hearing they have
unlimited options, they may display an attitude of entitlement resented
by boomers and Xers alike. I often hear comments such as “Where
is their work ethic? Commitment? Loyalty? Understanding that you
have to pay your dues?”
Gen X and Y share entrepreneurial tendencies and a craving for fast
growth, visibility, variety, and challenge. Both want to know how
you’re going to help them do meaningful work and build portable
skills. Not known for patience, they simply leave when they aren’t
getting what they want from their jobs.
Rethink workflow
Intergenerational mentoring is a valuable tool, but it takes time
to bear fruit. Gen Y, in particular, demands fast delivery of everything.
The employer’s challenge is how to “hyper-onboard,”
helping them feel comfortable, valued, and engaged from Day One.
Rapid integration also makes sense from an organizational planning
viewpoint because of the looming demographic shift, but it requires
a new way to look at workflow. In management-training courses, I
counsel man agers to reverse their thinking about delegation.
The attitude traditionally has been, “Because my work is important,
you get whatever I want to remove from my plate. Someday, you’ll
have earned the right to do the important work.”
That won’t cut it with Gen X and Y, who expect to plug in right
away. Give them challenging projects that take advantage of their
skills: problems to solve, messes to clean up, and anything that
will benefit from a new perspective. Don’t assume “if
it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Sometimes you need
to take a risk and break something to fix it in a new way. Cross
train them so they feel they’ve gotten a rich experience and
portable skills, even if there’s limited opportunity for promotion.
During a recent training course, a manager who supervised three young
engineers said he worked to relieve them of mundane tasks that didn’t
play to their strengths. “I see my job as enabling them to
turn out the great products that are within their capability. That
keeps me motivated.”
Invest in guidance and teaching
Guiding and teaching do require an investment of your time. The most
effective approach is to declare a partnership: “We care about
and value you, and we’ll work with you to ensure your success.
In exchange, we expect you to work within the organization and its
systems.”
Work-Age Generational
Breakdown |
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Gen Y, in particular, needs help in developing interpersonal effectiveness
and organizational awareness skills. Mentors can help them understand
how to be more successful by avoiding stepping on toes and presenting
ideas in a way that will generate buy-in. It’s crucial to position
these “soft” skills as being as portable and critical
to their success as technical skills. Provide plenty of feedback.
Yers are accustomed to receiving it from their parents, and they’ve
transferred that to the workplace. Sometimes it’s simply a
matter of creating a clear understanding of expectations –
the usual performance management things. Explain what going above
and beyond looks like in a nonthreatening way, and use plenty of
examples.
For more information about Ayers' coaching and
other OEC services, contact Managing Director Joan Caruso at joan.caruso@ayers.com
or 212.889.7788.
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