Managing the generations part 4: Generation Y

Generation Y (Gen Y or Generation Why) have been born since about 1980, which makes them 30 and under in 2010. They may just remember the Cold War, but probably feel at ease with all the new European countries and ‘Stans’ that fell out of the end of the USSR, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

These people have no direct memories of how life was lived without new technologies. They are ‘digital natives’ and ‘media impartial’: they expect to work, communicate, shop and be entertained anywhere and everywhere, using cheap, replaceable technology that connects them to the internet. They don’t expect to work on company premises or during ‘office hours’ all the time, they don’t expect to have to remember facts (that’s what Google and Wikipedia are for), they don’t expect movies to be in cinemas or on DVDs or music to be on CDs. They don’t believe that intellectual property – when delivered by the internet – should need to be paid for.

This group grew up with the TV as ‘a friend in the corner of the room’: for them, it is natural for technology to be left on, even if they are not concentrating on it. Indeed, many Gen Ys can easily multi-task with technology: watching TV, surfing the net, talking on a mobile phone and playing a computer game simultaneously and in any combination. But the downside of this seems to be shorter attention spans and some difficulty in engaging with people face-to-face rather than by machine. Statements like ‘I prefer the adverts over the programmes, as they tell me what I can buy’ are common from Gen Ys. Many wear headphones as much as they can, so that their lives have a soundtrack like a movie.

In the UK, new designer drugs and ‘legal highs’ are popular among some Gen Ys. They are definitely the post-AIDS generation, where although condom use is understood, sexually-transmitted infections are on the increase. This generation were the recipients of a new National Curriculum in all state schools. They seemed to cover more subjects, in more depth, in shorter timescales then their predecessors. But they don’t always remember or carry forward much of this learning. More of this generation go to university than ever before. But they – or their Baby Boomer and Generation X parents – also pay more for that university education than previous generations. Meanwhile, employment prospects for Gen Ys – at least for the short term following the worldwide recession – are worse than for the people who have gone before them.

The Gen Ys in your organisation are probably more technologically savvy than their older colleagues. They can amaze previous generations with the speed and depth of their work. But they may flounder, and need additional support, if they are not given easy access to technology. They may surprise their colleagues as much with what they do not know as what they do know. They may find traditional structures, cultures, policies and practices (set working hours, uniforms, reporting lines etc.) both stifling and threatening. And they may have real difficulties in holding face to face detailed conversations.

It is likely that, for the moment, your Gen Ys are in junior positions, reporting to Baby Boomers and Gen Xs. These line managers are likely trying to remake them, through coaching and delegation, more like themselves. However, although this will work in places, rest assured that the Gen Y’s way of working looks like the model for the future.

Managing the generations part 3: Generation X

Generation X (Gen X) were born between about 1965 and 1980, which means that in 2010 their ages range from 30 to 45. Unlike their parents, they were born into a world of stable financial growth accompanied by some background fear of the ongoing Cold War between the USA and the USSR, messy ‘local’ wars such as those in Vietnam and Korea, and nuclear weapons. They have adopted new technologies, while remembering what went before and what has been superseded. Some Gen Xs remember a world before email, the internet and mobile phones. They remember when television could not be recorded, when the only way to watch a new movie was to sit in a cinema, when music was only available on the radio, on black vinyl disks or on tape. But they have grown familiar with personal computers, handheld communication devices, hard-disks, cds and DVDs, and personal stereos – from Walkmans to iPods. They are the first generation to have played home computer games. They are sometimes labelled ‘digital adopters’.

In the UK, Baby Boomers talked about Gen X as ‘Thatcher’s Children’: people who grew up under the leadership of the implacable British Prime Minister. Like their parents, Gen X can be hardworking, but they are often seen as less creative, less confrontational and more conservative than the generation before them. Fewer Gen X people smoke than Baby Boomers, although drug taking may be a little more widespread. Their ethos seems to be ‘get your head down and don’t make a fuss’. Both partners work in many Gen X couples.

Gen X can be found throughout most organisations, from top to bottom. Women Gen Xs are often working mothers, and can be looking for non-traditional (often hi-tech) ways of working to improve their Work-life Balance: part-time, job sharing, teleworking, seasonal working etc. Male Gen Xs may be compensating for the lower salaries of their partners by pushing for more responsibility and higher rewards. Although family life leaves many Gen Xs sleep-deprived and wanting short commutes and flexibility at work, the experience they get running their homes and raising their families can make them effective managers.

Managing the generations part 2: Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers (BBs) were born roughly between 1945 and 1965, which means in 2010 they are between 45 and 65 years of age. Their label comes from how the birth rate increased after World War 2 in most of the countries involved in the war. These people have seen many changes in society and technology through their lives. In the West, the war initiated massive upheaval: the traditional roles of men and women were turned over (although, once peace resumed, the idea of the men working in organisations and women working as ‘homemakers’ was still the usual expectation in many couples); information technology was beginning to replace familiar older technologies, means of communicating and working; average personal wealth across these societies increased.

In the UK for example, the number of universities and university places increased to cope with the BBs. Students were given grants that covered their fees and expenses. At the same time, the UK government established other national tax-funded projects, such as: the National Health Service, offering health care that was ‘free at the point of use’; and the BBC, a radio and television service with a remit to inform and entertain, that was broadcast without any advertisements.

Anything seemed possible and in response, BBs themselves initiated more change in business and beyond. Entrepreneurs flourished. The whole generation became richer – on average – than their ancestors. There’s some evidence that they may also be richer than their descendents will become. They made decisions about their preferred beliefs and ideologies, clothes, music and lifestyle which seemed shocking to their parents and grandparents: this generation included Hippies, Punks, Feminists and many other new groupings. They loved vinyl LPs and compact cassettes. Many smoked and some experimented with drugs. Their expectations and attitudes about romance, relationships and marriage changed with the increasing availability of contraception and risk of sexually transmitted infections.

The BBs in your organisations are now among the oldest employees. It is likely that they occupy Chief Officer, Director and Senior Management roles and there will be others in more specialised or junior roles too. Many are starting to think about retiring or ‘downshifting’, while some are at last free of commitments to their children – who have grown up – and are looking for new challenges.

You’ve probably got up to about another 20 years of dealing with BBs. In general, they are committed people who have learned that discipline, creativity and intelligence pays rewards. They won’t accept whatever you give them, without discussion and negotiation. They may not see the point in some new technology. But their loyalty and commitment are worth winning.

Managing the generations

Ageism – treating people differently just because of their age – is illegal in many countries and actively discouraged in others. Respect is due to all, and those who have done more and seen more, as a result of being around for longer, may also deserve more respect. But as HR professionals, we know that our ‘senior’ employees are not always the ones who demonstrate maturity or best practice, and that our ‘junior’ employees are not always the most energetic or dynamic. We know that specialist skills, common sense and a positive attitude come in a package without a ‘sell by’ date. All ages can contribute. And the easy assumptions – such as younger people being impatient or older people being less willing to learn or change – are not always supported by objective research.

But it can be useful to classify people broadly in terms of the ‘generation’ they belong to. The three generational labels in the news at the moment are Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. These generational distinctions overlap at the edges but seem to be real and meaningful, at least in the West. In the next few weeks we’ll put some definitions up on the blog for you to discuss. But it’s up to you to decide if they are useful to apply to your corporate or national culture.

(This is the third post to the Oakwood Club and Alumni Network blog. Please look at the first post for why we're doing it and how we intend to run it. Please leave your comments or questions. We're eager to know what you think. Thank you for reading and getting involved.)

Work-life balance

In many parts of the world, people work long hours. Many say – and some complain – that they spend more time with their work-colleagues than with their family and friends. Some also say that the time and energy they put into work eats into other activities that they want – indeed need – to do, like sleeping, exercising, observing religious practices, reflecting and contemplating, etc.

It is best practice for organisations to support their employees seeking a healthy balance between work and life outside of work. But what is a healthy balance?

For many it seems to be about 35 to 45 hours work and no more than five hours commuting per week, combined with between seven and nine hours sleep in every 24, and time every day by themselves and with family and friends. It also means taking regular short breaks and longer holidays where work can be temporarily forgotten, or at least put aside.

But we need to remember that – just like people’s physical sense of balance – Work-life balance can vary a lot in the population. Driven people may seek and be happy with a balance that puts more resources and time into work; people with less family commitments maybe look for opportunities to work and travel more; people with close families may be happy to work longer hours for local organisations which give them short commutes.

And there are other possibilities than simply commuting each day to a place of work. Home-working and tele-working can increase individual productivity while eliminating the 'dead time' and wasted energy of a daily commute. Part-time working and job-sharing were originally introduced in many organisations to help their employees stay in work while raising a young family; they are now used by other workers who need a shorter working week but have skills to use. The benefits of retaining good people often outweigh the additional administration costs of running non-standard contracts.

The important thing is to enter into a discussion with the people in your organisation – individually and as a group – about what Work-life balance means to them. If you can give them what they want, while still meeting the organisation’s objectives, what’s stopping you?

(This is the second post to the Oakwood Club and Alumni Network blog. Please look at the first post for why we're doing it and how we intend to run it. Please leave your comments or questions. We're eager to know what you think. Thank you for reading and getting involved.)