Motivating Generations X, Y, and Baby Boomers in the Workplace

Today's multi-generational workplace poses a challenge for managers leading age-diverse teams. Generational differences in values and job expectations can be a cause of conflict hindering productivity in the workplace. Managers must recognize the generational differences so that individualized approaches can be made with motivation, recruitment, and retention.

Generational Values and Personality

When an intergenerational conflict occurs, it is easy to focus on negative stereotypes such as: "Baby Boomers are stuck to their ways..."; "Gen X'ers are difficult to manage..."; and "Gen Y's are selfish and lazy...". It is critical to avoid negative stereotyping and appreciate the differences in each generation's values and personality so as to understand what motivates their behaviour.

Generational Values and Personality Comparative ⁽¹⁾

	Generation Baby Boomers (1943-1960)	Generation X (1960-1981)	Generation Y (1982-2001)
Company Loyalty	Committed to their employers and do not change jobs frequently	Change employers frequently and will leave if their rate of career growth or company culture is not to their satisfaction	Change employers often and will continually look for a workplace that provides them with what they want.
Workplace Environment	Focus on relationships, outcomes, their rights and skills.	Flexible work schedule and location. Telecommuting is very popular with this generation and supports their aim for a balanced work-life.	Casual and supportive environment Very flexible working hours and location.
What They Look For in a Company	Stable employment, career progression potentials	Company that promotes social stimulus, including social events. Company that is involved with their community and encourages their employees to give back.	Avoids bureaucratic companies and a company that has a strong viable social culture and code of ethics.
Management Style	Comfortable with directive command and control management style and values feedback.	Need a mentor or supervisor to encourage and facilitate their career development	Requires instant gratification constant encouragement through rewards, entitlements and promotions. Uncomfortable with directive style of management.
Personality Type	Resourceful, individualistic, self reliant and skeptical of authority	Optimistic, confident, sociable, and have strong morals and sense of civic duty. They put great value on their free time away from work	Have been taught the value of individuality and independent thinking.

Generational Workplace Characteristics

The underlying values and personal characteristics of each generation can translate into distinct workplace characteristics. Each generation has their own set of work ethics, attitudes, and communication style that need to be handled differently.

Workplace Characteristics Comparative⁽²⁾

	Generation Baby Boomers (1943-1960)	Generation X (1960-1981)	Generation Y (1982-2001)
Work Ethic & Values	Workaholics, work efficiently, personal fulfillment, desire quality, question authority	Eliminate the task, self-reliance, want structure and direction, skeptical	What's next, multitasking, tenacity, entrepreneurial, tolerant, goal-oriented
Work Is...	An exciting adventure	A diffiult challenge, a contract	A means to an end, fulfillment
Leadership Style	Consensual, collegial	Everyone is the same, challenge others, ask why	Not yet determined
Interactive Style	Team player, loves meetings	Entrepreneur	Participative
Communications	In person	Direct, Immediate	E-mail, Voice mail
Feedback	Don't appreciate it	Sorry to interrupt, but how am I doing?	Whenever I want it at the push of a button
Rewards	Money, title, recognition	Freedom is the best reward	Meaningful work
Messages That Motivate	You are valued, you are needed	Do it your way, forget the rules	You will work with other bright creative people
Work & Family Life	No balance, work to live	Balance	Balance

Motivation Across Generations

• Baby Boomers: Money is an important motivational factor, along with a strong title, recognition and respect.
• Gen X: They seek a work-life balance and is motivated by a job that fulfills them personally as well as financially. For them, money is a reward for a job well done, yet it does not add value to the job. Rewarding them with a membership to a golf club or a vacation will enable them to work towards the work-life balance.
• Gen Y: Friendship is such a strong motivator for them that Gen Y workers will choose a job just to be with their friends. Mixed with their sense of ethics, they are more likely to participate in activities to support a cause. Similar to Gen X, money is an important factor, but it is not a standalone.

Recruitment and Retention Across Generations

Having one company-wide policy on recruitment and retention may become a thing of the past as each generation has its own job expectations and desires.

Gen Y Examples:

A generation Y employee response to her dream work environment: "I think it would look a lot like Google. People coming in at 11:00, dressed in shorts and flip flops simultaneously holding onto a Starbuck's latte and their dog's leash. There'd be a company gym, shower, restaurant and bar."⁽³⁾

Big companies like Deliotte has been having problems retaining and attracting young talent. "Two-thirds of the people who left Deloitte left to do something they could have done with us, but we made it difficult for them to transition", says Stan Smith.⁽⁴⁾) "Creating programs at Deloitte that focuses on helping people figure out their next career move, betting that in many cases, the best place for a restless young person is simply another spot in Deloitte."⁽⁵⁾

Gen X Example:

Anne Fisher, writer at Fortune magazine, writes on how Fortune 100 companies attract and retain Gen Xers. Autodesk, a software company, defies the Silicon Valley norm of workaholism: The company gives its employees six-week sabbaticals every four years and paid time off every month to do volunteer work. According to her article, "Gen Xers love this, because they want to make a difference".⁽⁶⁾

Baby-Boomer Example:

A Generation X manager tells a Boomer he has been working too hard and should take time off to take the family on vacation. Instead of saying thanks, the Boomer replies, "I work to get ahead, to get a promotion, not for a vacation." The next time that situation comes up, the manager might elect to give this particular employee a bonus, rather than suggest a vacation.⁽⁷⁾

Summary

Being able to successfully attract, retain, and motivate individuals within different generations is the key to a healthy and productive workplace. The comparative charts and examples in this article is only a starting point to understanding and managing generational diversity. If you wish to share your experiences on this topic, submit them to "AskHenry, Online HR Advice"

Sources:
[1] The Laurier Institution, BC Government Stats, Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z: Understanding the Different Generations and Their Characteristics: Suite101 Jo Jackson, Workplace warfare: baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Y by Elissa Collier, How to Motivate Generation X byTodd Dunlap
[2] FDU Magazine, http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
[3] Gen X, Gen Y, and Boomers in the Workplace: Exclusive Panel Tells All: Business Pundit by Drea Knufken
[4] What Gen Y Really Wants:Time Magazine by Penelope Trunk
[5] What Gen Y Really Wants:Time Magazine by Penelope Trunk
[6] What Do Gen Xers Want, Article by Anne Fisher, Fortune Magazine
[7] http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm

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