For anyone working in an established corporate or charitable organization today, be it large or small, it’s almost impossible not to notice that one’s colleagues range in age anywhere from 18 to 78 (and sometimes beyond). This multi-generational aspect to workplaces has led to a lot of hand-wringing by EDs and across all management levels, when trying to account for what motivates an employee and/or a volunteer.

While ages have ranged in the workforce before, traditional modes of advancement and rewards used to be much more stable. The old paradigm of paying ones dues and “climbing the ladder” of advancement in a clear, linear fashion for instance, is becoming an outdated model as a confluence of four generations take up residence in the nation’s employee mosaic.

Changing generational aspirations, combined with a new appreciation for work-life balance, is relegating traditional patterns of workforce behaviour to the dustbin of history.

Segmenting the young and old

Most human resource experts generally agree on the following breakdown and terminology of today’s workforce age groups and their workplace views and expectations:

  • Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born between 1922-1945, they take a long term view of their legacy in an organization.
  • Baby Boomers: Born between 1946-1964, they view market leadership and how they might play a role in increasing/maintaining that leadership.
  • Gen Xers: Born between 1965-1980, they envision the results that their work will achieve.
  • Gen Ys: Born between 1981-2000, they think about the cross-functional teams they’ll work on and the investment in new technology an organization should consider.

 

A January 2009 Adecco white paper titled Managing today’s multi-generational workforce (PDF) summed up the multi-generational “big picture” this way:

“Together, Generation X and Generation Y now make up 49% of Canadian workers. Over 50% of Canada’s workforce is over 40 years of age. As these Boomers begin to turn 60, the majority will forgo traditional retirement and continue working in some manner. At the same time – the Silent Generation – the oldest, most experienced workers who have great institutional knowledge, traditional work values and ethics, have already left the workforce in droves.”

[Author’s note: The Adecco paper contains a thorough profile breakdown of all four generations and their corresponding psychographics, lifestyles and work styles, for those interested.]

According to the 2006 Passport to Prosperity, a report on the Ontario Ministry of Education website dealing with this subject, in order for an organization to grow successfully today, “it is critical that you understand each cohort…To recruit successfully, you must understand what your organization has to offer that appeals to each generation. Then, you must weave these features into your recruitment messages.”

Furthermore, the government report suggests that directors and managers, particularly ones of a certain vintage, need to adapt to the incoming generation’s zeitgeist with respect to their career motivations.

“Many managers are finding today that the younger generations – mainly Gen Ys – are more direct in the recruitment process,” the report states. “They ask questions that previous generations would not have dared – such as career paths, overtime pay, management style. That’s because GenXers and Gen Ys insist on finding employment that is a win-win relationship. During the recruitment process, younger employees are trying to figure out what return they will get if they invest their knowledge, skills and time with you.”

The report adds: “To successfully recruit all four generations, your process, and the people involved, should demonstrate transparency, partnering and responsiveness. Layering on a generational approach allows you to create an integrated recruitment strategy that will tap into the motivations of all four generations. This enhances your chances of getting the right people, for the right job, at the right time.”

While this strategy might work for some larger organizations, many smaller ones in the voluntary sector have chosen a modified, flexible, more holistic engagement approach.

Staying relevant

At the Edmonton-based charity Inside Education Society of Alberta – a 23-year-old nonprofit specializing in the provision of natural resources and environmental education – the watchword for multi-generational workforce harmony seems to be “adaptability.” Karin Tye, the society’s director of business and human resources, tells CharityVillage that it’s all about keeping an open mind and not prejudging employees based on generational workforce stereotypes.

“We do experience minor generational tensions from time to time [but] we generally consider ourselves more like a ‘work family.’ Just like a family unit might have three generations, our workforce also spans the three working generations,” she says, adding, “Most of our society’s recent changes in human resources policies and practices have arisen from the influence of our youngest employees. Not so long ago, we used to manage ourselves intuitively with a very minimalist group of policies; now we are challenged by our younger staff to provide more information and to clarify our unspoken but collectively understood modes of operation.”

Though the society has just 15 staff members and the average age is 33, Tye says that regardless of generation, the most important lesson an organization should learn is to “understand what it means to be an engaged employee.”

Engaged employees “have a desire to improve their performance for the benefit of the organization, not just for themselves,” Tye says. Additionally, these employees often have an emotional connection and thus “care about the future” of the organization.

“In other words,” she says, “they have a sense of stewardship for the organization’s well-being and future success, beyond the length of their employment. I believe this is one strength of the nonprofit sector, in that we tend to attract workers who are motivated by a shared sense of purpose – a key element of engagement.”

Tye counsels that it’s also important to remember that people “only support what they participate in. To engage all generations of your workforce, you need to invite all generations to be involved in a meaningful way – for example, in decision-making – and to provide opportunities for them to grow in their jobs.”

Asked when obstacles are most likely to occur with a multi-generational staff, she answers: “If one particular generation dominates the decision-making, or is perceived to have more opportunities for training and advancement.”

“In our organization, we are experiencing a trend where our younger staff are looking for shorter, more meaningful career experiences but still desire fully supported external training and management opportunities, even though they do not intend to make a long-term employment commitment with us,” Tye says. “This challenges our traditional view of professional development as a mutual investment toward their specific employment future with us. Perhaps it is more important to work toward an overall culture of engagement, no matter how long or short the individual employment relationship may be.”

Multi-generational management 101

Though many professionals and experts suggest managing individuals based on generational impetuses – similar to Ontario’s Ministry of Education advice above – Tye wades in once again with a different point of view.

“We cannot live in another person’s generation, but we can appreciate and respect the place in time where they have had their experiences. I would try to welcome the diversity, acknowledge the opportunities to broaden your own perspective, and above all, try not to make your generation’s values everyone’s values,” Tye advises. “It’s important to remember that people are complex beings. A ‘generation’ simply refers to an age demographic, not an individual’s personality or behaviour. We have some Gen X workers with career behaviours and values associated more with Boomers, and some Boomers behave more like Gen Y workers. I’m sure this is true with most organizations.”

As such, her organization has tailored its managerial style to fit this psychological approach to employees. (Though Tye jokingly admits, “We also recognize, we are not trained psychologists!”)

Going back to the Adecco report, it suggests ways organizations can make the best use of each generation and keep them engaged. Briefly put:

  • Silent Generation: Keep them “plugged in” and available to call upon for their vast, institutional knowledge. Perhaps giving them “emeritus” status in the organization.
  • Boomers: Find ways to retain them as long as possible to avoid a massive managerial brain drain. Best way to do this is provide extra work-life flexibility as incentive.
  • Gen X-ers: Push them to become tomorrow’s leaders as quick as possible to mitigate the Boomer drain. Perhaps challenge them to move outside a “comfort zone” to achieve more with personalized guidance and coaching.
  • Gen Y: They share many traits with Gen X, but also value more independence. Additionally, this cohort values volunteerism more than others. Organizations would do well to foster their altruistic tendencies for greater loyalty.

 

One of Tye’s suggestions to other sector HR managers for how best to navigate multi-generational undercurrents, and one that has been put into practice at her organization, is to conduct an anonymous employee survey. Have your staff “rank what they value, need or desire, in terms of extrinsic motivators like compensation and benefits, or intrinsic motivators like the opportunity to make a difference in their work, have flexibility in their day, or be appreciated for their contributions.”

This gives her organization a sense of the overall satisfaction and engagement of employees, “which helps us gauge if we are moving in a positive direction; and if not, how we might change our management style and expectations to work more effectively with the ‘collective personality,'” she says.

The folly of age and the wisdom of youth

As a final bit of advice, Tye urges sector directors and managers to remember why it’s important for those in the voluntary sector to engage a multi-generational workforce.

“Quite simply, [it’s] for their own sustainability,” she says. “The shift in the Boomer demographic, increasing cultural diversity, and the tremendous changes occurring with technology and the new Information Age are already transforming the way charities operate. We have to adapt to change, and challenge our thinking, or we won’t realize our vision. The most successful charities to navigate and evolve will be the ones that have engaged their staff and stakeholders to participate in this vision.”

Those who don’t may risk permanent organizational retirement.

Andy Levy-Ajzenkopf is president of WordLaunch professional writing services in Toronto. He can be reached at andy@wordlaunch.com.

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