1. Generations in the Workforce
Four generations working together
Communication
Technology
Work Effort
For the first time ever there are four generations working together. The differences between generations have always been misunderstood, but the success of your teams can be strengthen by understanding generational differences and working with them to strengthen your team – no matter what generation you are hail from.
There are three primary areas that challenge generational relationships
Communications
Hand written notes in cursive vs. text message
Good Morning Mr. Sanderson, Hi Mike!
Direct communication vs. chain of command
Generations have different experience with technology. The range of abilities range from being technology adverse, knowing how technology works vs. being technology dependent
And the number one reason that drives co-workers apart is the perception of work effort or work ethic.
I am going to quickly highlight some characteristics of each generation, bring up a couple topics for each of you to think about. During the roundtable discussion we can discuss how to channel these differences into building strong diverse teams.
What do you think was the greatest generation ever? A recent study of recent study of college graduates think Gen Y is the greatest generation.
Immature people expect life to meet their demands and mature people meet the demands of life.
All the traditional markers are off -

2. Generations in the Workforce
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Gen X
Gen Y
Gen Z
First, Does everybody here know their Generation? Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y Millennial.
As few words as possible I have asked Google to help define each generation.
Traditionalists – committed to employer, single income families, formal
Boomers – Hardworking, motivated by perks and prestige, long work hours, expect others to put in their dues. Believe they can change the world with hard work. Competitive, Goal Oriented.
Gen X – Better educated, independent (latch-key kids), resourceful, technology adept, ambitious, less committed to employer, value work life balance.
Gen Y – technology dependant, plugged in, challenge seekers, team oriented, need feedback, feel entitled because they were raised expecting to have success, stronger desire for life-work balance. Loyal. Wants a solid learning curve or path success.
Gen Z is not in the work forces. But what will Gen Z bring to the work place??? Knowledge of X-box? Independent Thinking?

3. Traditionalists Career with Single employer Hardworking
Respect for Authority
Technology challenged
Traditionalists – committed to employer, most have come single income families and have a more formal opinion of the work place. They came from a generation that grew up through the depression and saw their government win WWII thus remain vary patriotic.
Traditionalists are challenged by technology.

4. Baby Boomers Hardworking Motivated by perks and prestige
Long work hours
Expect others to put in their dues
Believe they can change the world with hard work. They are competitive, Goal Oriented.
Boomers expect that because they worked long hours that other generations should do the same.

5. Gen X Better Educated Independent Resourceful Technology Adept
Less committed to employer
Value Work Life Balance
Gen X – Better educated – 60% of us have a formal secondary education
We are Independent and resourceful, mostly because we grew up as latch-key kids,
Gen X is very technology adept – but are criticized because we use punctuation in our text messages.
Gen X is less committed to employer and values work life balance.

6. Gen Y Technology dependant Challenge seekers Team oriented
Need feedback
Sense of Entitlement
Committed to Employer
Newest to the office are Gen Y
They are technology dependant and always plugged in,
They are challenge seekers, and are team oriented from all the team sports that they were part of, but due to some very hands-on parenting they need lots of feedback,
Probably the biggest criticism is that Gen Y feels entitled because they were raised expecting to have success, wants a solid learning curve or path success.
Gen Y has stronger desire for life-work balance.
It may too early to tell, but several article I read preparing for this presentation think that Gen Y will be more committed to an employer than Gen X.

7. Generations in the Workforce
Diverse Multigenerational Teams are valuable
Employees from each generation have something to learn from other generations
Being a leader of a four generation team it is important to realize that generations are not a box. Yes, they are great indicator of some of the characteristics of the background of your team.
As we start our roundtable discussion later, I will accept a little bit of constructive generation bashing, but we are really hear to learn more from each other how to we can use our diverse upbringings to build strong teams.