© 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Each office is independently owned and operated. ENGAGING GEN X AND Y EMPLOYEES IN TODAY’S MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE Erica Perry Briody, Director, MRI China Group

2 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Leadership and Engagement It takes perceptive leaders to juggle the competing demands of today’s multigenerational, multicultural workforce and keep them motivated, focused and engaged!! SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

3 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. MRI China Group One of the largest and fastest growing executive search firms in China with thousands of assignments completed annually in the last 2 years 11 Offices in Asia/Head office in Hong Kong. Research and Data mining centers in Manila and Chengdu Over 200 staff across the group covering most major industry sectors such as Banking, IT, Telecoms, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Property, etc Major Services: Executive Search, Recruitment Process Management, Talent Mapping Analysis and Data mining “Recruitment Firm of the Year, China” in 2003, 2005 – 2007 Established Tal-os Asia with Barkers Resourcing to support clients with volume hiring projects, Talent Market Analysis and Recruitment Process Management/RPO SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

4 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Trends that are causing challenges in employee engagement Full employment (white collar) Multigenerational mix in the workforce!!! Only child society in China Employment tenure (no more iron rice bowl) Booming Asia Pacific Region War for Talent Continued acceleration of technology (coverage/usage/Web 2.0) SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

5 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Challenges in employee engagement today SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Employees taking control of their lives Employees have multiple job opportunities Employers have to do everything to keep good employees Employers finding it more difficult to influence decisions Attrition

6 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Challenges in employee engagement today SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Understanding your employees needs will ensure their engagement!

7 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. The generational stereotype SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Traditionalists >67 Boomers Gen X Gen Y 6-27

8 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. The generational mix SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Traditionalists (>67) Job for Life Loyalty to Employer Family Values Hierarchy Prudent Rules / Authority Boomers (44-67) Largest Generation Rebellious Youth Conservative After Competitive Can’t afford to retire Relationship Builders Gen X (27-43) No Job Security Rapid Tech Change Balance Goal Orientated Need Dual Income Gen Y (6-27) Divorced Parents Multitasking 2 Working Parents Global Awareness Always Contactable Praise and Pandering

9 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. The generation game Do you have your own personal web page? – 1pt Have you created a personal web site for someone else? – 2pts Do you IM your friends? – 2pts Do you SMS your friends? – 1pts Do you watch videos on YouTube? – 1pt Do you share videos on YouTube with friends? – 2pts Have you paid for downloaded music from the internet? – 2pts Have you downloaded free (illegal) music from the internet? – 2pts Do you Blog for professional reasons? – 2pts Have you visited MySpace or Facebook at least 5 times? – 1pt Do you SMS your parents? – 2pts Do your parents respond by SMS using LOL, ROFL, L8R e.t.c? -2pts Do you take photos with your phone? – 1pt Do you share photos on a public web site? – 2pts SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

10 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. The generation game - results Baby Boomer (0 – 4 pts) GenerationX (5-10 pts) GenerationY (11 and above) SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

11 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Generational View Points (Boomers) SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Boomers (44-67) Viewed by Gen X (27-43) Political/gossips No work/life balance Set in their ways Workaholics Bogged down in process Viewed by Gen Y (6-27) Plodders Technophobes Rule makers Don’t understand us Slow us down

12 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Generational View Points (GenX) SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Viewed by Boomers (44-67) Aggressive Queue jumpers Disrespectful Brash, rash and too much flash No work ethic – too focused on their personal lives Gen X (27-43) Viewed by Gen Y (6-27) Slow to catch on Don’t know their rights Frightened of the future Cynical Can do their job better than them Resent our interactions with Boomers (Leapfrog)

13 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Generational View Points (GenY) SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Viewed by Boomers (44-67) “Wonder kids” if you can get them and keep them Worse than Xer’s in queue jumping Ransoming employers using knowledge as power Easily bored Viewed by Gen X (27-43) Think they can turn up and be CEO tomorrow Over confident Flashy – spend faster than they earn Rebellious Entitlement focused Technology distracted Gen Y (6-27)

14 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. How to engage……. SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 GenY Multitask them Open work environment Open culture, reduce hierarchy Mentor Life is Work and Work is Life Blend personal with company goals Highly title conscious

15 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. How to engage… SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 GenX What’s in it for them? How the position can help their next step in their career Training and Development they will receive Work Life Balance Manage by results Invest in technology Coach don’t tell

16 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. How to engage… SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008 Boomers What impact they will have on their team The Vision of the company and how they will participate Their word is still important to them Respect their experience and accomplishments Respect their work ethic Manage by process, the process is important Ensure process leads to results

17 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Generation Engage! Respect the different values held by different age groups Encourage generational collaboration Honestly address concerns and ensure open communication Be flexible and patient! SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

18 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Each generation may have different values and needs… Commonalities do exist…. Everyone wants to succeed No one likes conflict We all need clear communication All arrows must be moving in the same direction People want to feel valued Everyone wants to have fun!!! SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

19 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Remember – For those joining the workforce today The expression “You sound like a broken record” means nothing “Virgin” is associated more with flying or credit cards rather than sex Bottle caps have always been plastic and screw off They have never played “pacman” or “space invaders” They have always had an answering machine or mobile phone Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave They don’t know who Mork is… Leg warmers and headbands have never looked cool HTML & Java (not French or German) are preferred languages to learn Michael Jackson has always been WHITE! SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008

20 © 2006 Management Recruiters International, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Leadership and Engagement Thank you SCMP/Hewitt HR Conference 2008