1. Generations in the Workplace
Different Motivations
Different Perspectives

2. Workplace Trends
Incentives other than salary are motivators (Herzberg)
Different concepts of career and success
Global economy and potential outsourcing
Virtual workplace and technological revolution
Return of the retired worker
Decline in unionized workforce
Entering a workforce that is more demographically diverse
Women
Minorities
Immigrants
Workers with disabilities

3. Various Generations in the United States
Generation Category
Birth Years
Population in the USA
Common Characteristic
Traditionalists
1900s-1945
75 million
Stability and security
Baby Boomers
80 million
Teamwork and human rights
Generation X
46 million
Empowerment and social responsibility
Generation Y
70 million
Technology and personal growth
Cyberspace Gen.
1995-Present
20 million
Globalization and internet
Total
290 million

4. Generational Exercise / Icebreaker
Exercise: Team up in generational groups, and discuss the question below: What key national and international events, trends, and people do you remember from your first 15 to 20 years?
Complaints What We Appreciate
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers:
Gen Xers
Generation Y: .

5. Four Different Generations
Traditionalists ( )
Boomers ( )
Xers (1965 – 1979)
Gen Y - Millennials ( )

6. Traditionalists Values (1909 – 1945)
Duty
Sacrifice

7. Formative Events
The Great Depression
Pearl Harbor
WW II
Hiroshima

8. Traditionalists
Traditionalists were born between the turn of last century and the end of World War II and they make up about 75 million individuals in the United States.
Traditionalists, because of their experience, have learned to do without technology; and the management style they learned mostly originated from the military.
They expect career security of life-long employment and do not appreciate job-hoping or downsizing jobs.
This generation prefers a learning environment that offers predictability, stability and security.

9. Boomers
Individuality, "Me" Generation

10. Boomer Formative Events
The Civil Rights Movement
John F. Kennedy assassination
Robert Kennedy assassination
Martin Luther King assassination
Vietnam War
Woodstock
The Cold War
Roe vs. Wade

11. Baby Boomers
The baby boomers were born around and make about 80 million individuals in the United States.
They grew up in suburbs, had educational opportunities above their parents, saw lots of consumer products hit the market and the television had a significant impact on their views of the world regarding equal opportunities and other human rights.
Many members of this generation served in the military throughout the United States and around the globe.
The preferred learning environment of the Boomers is interactive and team activities.

12. Xers 1965-1979 Skeptical Reluctant Self Sufficient
the most loyal consumer
the most loyal employees

13. Xer Events
Watergate Fall of the Berlin Wall Challenger explosion The Gulf War The PC boom The Reagan Presidency

14. Generation X
The Generation X, making up about 46 million individuals in the Unites States, transitioned into work environment during 1990s.
They are technology-savvy.
They detest micro-management in the work environment and want constant feedback on how they are performing.
They are making a difference in society by expecting firms to be socially responsible.
This generation believes as long as the job gets done, it isn’t important where or when it occurs.

15. Understanding the Generation X Population
Gen X employees are self-reliant, they want a balance, they do not like to commit, they are skeptical, and they embrace diversity in the culture.
GenX employees are said to be the “work to live” generation, whereas the baby boomers are considered to be the “live to work” population.
The Gen Xers are usually not motivated by long term rewards or the use of fear.
GenX workers do not want to be micromanaged and don’t want managers to waste their time with lectures and boring meetings.

16. Generation X Workers
One reason for understanding the expectations of workers is to effectively maximize recruiting and retention efforts of qualified employees.
The Gen X workers expect managers to:
Invest in their employees
Be able and willing to provide effective feedback
Understand work issues and be able to respond to their needs and concerns
Provide them empowerment and access to the needed information and resources.

17. Gen Y - Millenials (1980-2000) Well Cared For Idealistic
Group Oriented
Sheltered
Confident
Team Oriented
Conventional
Pressured
Achieving

18. Gen Y - Millenial Events
Oklahoma City Bombing
9/11 Terrorist Attack
The Internet boom

19. Gen Y – Millenials Generation Y makes up about 70 million individuals.
They are technology savvy, generally good at multi-tasking and have had access to cell phones, personal pagers, computers and concern for personal safety most of their life.
It is predicted that this generation will be more loyal to organizations than the Gen Xers provided they are stimulated and have learning opportunities.
They are likely to challenge ‘why’ systems and how things operate, and futurists feel this generation will make the greatest contributions.

20. Understanding Generation Y Workers
Generation Y individuals are more technologically savvy and more interactive than any other generations prior to them.
Generation Y employees tend to be open to diversity of ideas, cultures, music, and points of view.
They are able to adapt quickly to new life styles and cultures compared to their parents.
They tend to be very interactive and they value learning, flexibility, and mutual trust.
They follow the rules of their organizations and professions and they tend to be good team players with challenging assignments.
In order to be successful, it is essential that leaders make effective connections with all generations.

21. Generational Perspectives
Traditionalists (& Veterans)
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Work
Right thing to do
Creative self-expression
Pays the bills
Boss
To be respected
To be corrected
To learn from
Leisure
Reward for hard work
“Improves my karma”
Relief from stress
Education
A dream
The point of life
A means to an end
Future
Rainy day to work for
“Now” is more important
Uncertain at best
Money
Save
A birthright
Invest
Future Work Institute 2004: Boom vs. Bust: Managing Generational Diversity

22. Traditionalists (& Veterans)
Generational Issues
Traditionalists (& Veterans)
Baby Boomers
Xers
Gen Ys
Work Ethic
Dedicated
Driven
Balanced
Determined
Leadership by…
Hierarchy
Consensus
Competence
Pulling together
Outlook
Practical
Optimistic
Skeptical
Hopeful
Company Loyalty
Loyal to the company
Loyal to the work
Loyal to themselves
Always have a resume ready
Attitude to work
Just do it!
Work should be meaningful
Work pay the bills
Work must be fun
Work style
Formal; chain of command
Team-oriented
Casual
Practical whatever works
Future Work Institute 2004: Boom vs. Bust: Managing Generational Diversity

23. Generational Issues (cont’d)
Traditionalists (& Veterans)
Baby Boomers
Xers
Gen Ys
Listening to managers
Listen respectfully
Listen for the hidden meaning
Listen while composing an
Asking a pointed question
Working with others
Quietly, in a supportive role
Enjoys team interactions
OK, if people are compatible
Enjoy it as long as I’m learning
Attitude toward authority
“He’s the boss”
“I wish she’d listen more to our ideas”
“He’s OK as long as he knows what he’s doing”
“How do you spell ‘authority’”?
“What I like most”
Clear, defined expectations
Important work vital to the company’s success
Being left alone to get my work done
Having fun; chance to learn
“What I’d like to be appreciated for
My experience
My creativity
My technical skills
All I know
“The best manager is a …”
Person with long-range plan
Person who listens to us
Someone who trust me and leaves me alone
A mentor and coach
Future Work Institute 2004: Boom vs. Bust: Managing Generational Diversity

24. Organizational Commitment
more than just a passive loyalty to an organization.
entails active involvement within the organization whereby one wants to achieve goals.
Previous research has linked organizational commitment to work behaviors such as turnover, absenteeism, and job performance (Mowday, et al., 1982).
The process through which an individual enters the organization through the recruitment process may shape his/her commitment to the organization.

25. Organizational Commitment
Tulgan (1996) concluded that GenX employees look for organizations that recognize employees for the daily value they bring in return for the reward.
Porter, et al., (1974), considered to be core theorists defined organizational commitment as: The relative strength of an individual’s identification with an involvement in a particular organization. Such commitment can generally be characterized by at least three factors:
A strong belief in and acceptance of the organization’s goals and values
A willingness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization
A definite desire to maintain organizational membership

26. Organizational Commitment
Meyer and Allen (1991) combined the behavioral and attitudinal approaches, and the concept of three-component model of organizational commitment was born:
“Affective” commitment reflects a desire to maintain membership in an organization.
“Continuance” commitment reflects a need to remain with an organization.“
“Normative” commitment reflects an obligation to remain with an organization
One of the greatest needs a good Leader or Mentor can benefit from is having an employee who is committed and such commitment is in terms of behavior and attitude.
These employees are individuals who forgo alternative courses of action and choose to connect with the organization.

27. Xers: Myth Vs Fact PERCEPTION REALITY Xers are lazy Xers are disloyal
In a Readers Digest survey of 1,050 Americans, 74 percent of Xers agreed with the statement: “Hard work is the key to getting ahead.” Just 66 percent of respondents age 49 to 62 felt that way
Xers are disloyal
Their seeming restlessness and disloyalty indicate an ability to adapt to change. “Paying one’s dues” means little to Xers, who value “self-building” jobs that contribute to their marketability
Xers are arrogant
They aren’t arrogant; they’re self-reliant. With working moms, they learned early on how to solve problems on their own
Xers have short attention spans
Their way of learning was shaped by computer technology. That engendered a knack for innovation and ability to connect seemingly unrelated pieces of information. They prefer to jump around, assimilating data from multiple sources
Future Work Institute 2004: Boom vs. Bust: Managing Generational Diversity

28. Interesting, Fulfilling Work
Employee of the Future
From To
Job
Security
Interesting, Fulfilling Work
Authority
Acceptance
Challenge
Participation
Appropriate
A Right
Work
Primary Activity
A Component of Life
Family
Second to Work
Equal to Work
Leisure
Luxury
Entitlement
Source: U.S. Department of Labor

29. Systemic Impact of Disparate Generations
In the Twenty First Century, organizations need to embrace change as a constant motivating force that provides both opportunities as well as challenges.
The major thoughts of organization theory do change overtime and through ages because of new paradigms and new knowledge.
It is important that managers study their workforce and understand the impact of having a multi-generation workforce in the organization.

30. Decision Making
Decision making is one of the most interesting and pervasive concept in all organizations.
Today, the ability to learn faster than one’s competitors for making effective decisions might be the only true competitive advantage for twenty first century managers and organizations.
One can always think and reflect upon the importance of decision making and the consequence of making both good and bad decisions.

31. Learning Organization
In order to create a learning organization, senior leaders and managers must integrate creativity and brainstorming in the organization and allow every person in the organization to develop a personal mastery (Senge, 1990).
Peter Senge stated that such organizations also need to encourage employees of all generations to develop and use complex mental models.
Leaders and managers must do everything they can to promote group creativity and team learning.
Leaders and managers must emphasize the importance of building a shared vision.

32. Organizational Culture
Most organizational leaders understand that their firms need to stay efficient, effective, and sensitive to their environments in order to remain successful and socially responsible.
Because of cultural and technological changes, organizations are required to make internal changes periodically in order to continue to be sustainable.
Organizational leaders should understand the needs, desires and work habits of various generations in the workforce before planning or implementing major changes.

33. Employee Motivation and Satisfaction
Employee motivation and satisfaction are important elements in the effective management of employees from different cultures and generations.
Motivational strategies can differ with each generation; it can also differ according to one’s culture.
In some cultures and generations, non-monetary rewards and recognition can be appropriate strategies to motivate employees. In other cultures and generations monetary bonuses can be very motivational.
When international managers decide to appreciate their employees with rewards and recognition; they need to assure that the appreciation will motivate employees.

34. Training Programs
Corporate training programs are one of the main methods to bring international employees to come together and share the knowledge and practices and to gain knowledge regarding the company.
In training programs, it is beneficial for employees from all generations to attend. This provides an opportunity for employees and employers to understand each other and their cultural and generational differences.
When companies conduct ethical training, they need to ensure that the content of the training is not only appropriate for a specific generation or culture but also for other cultures and generations.
Overall, managers should act according to the cultural and generational norms of the group or country where they are conducting business.

35. Recommendations / Conclusions
The findings establish that a relationship exist between leadership style and the GenX employee affective commitment.
This finding is consistent with the framework provided in path-goal theory, which indicates that leaders should choose an appropriate leadership style based on the various demands of the task and type of subordinate.
The Situational Leadership model clearly states that it is useful to keep in mind that there is no “one best way” to influence others.
The challenge leaders have is to use leadership style or mentoring that best meets subordinates’ motivational needs. Nonetheless, employees tend to be committed when their immediate boss demonstrates concern and empathy.
The overarching purpose of leadership or mentoring is to guide and coach subordinates as they move along the path to achieve a goal, which may eventually lead to commitment in the workplace.