The Changing Landscape of Organizations

Generational Differences

• Baby Boomers – Individuals born between 1945 - 1962
• Generation X – Individuals born between 1963 - 1981
• Millennials – Individuals born between 1982 – 2000
  • Sometimes, this group is referred to as Generation Y
    
    

Generational Characteristics

• The Boomers
  • Strong work ethic (their job defines them –
  • workaholics)
  • Driven (focused)
  • Consensus builders
  • Optimistic
  • Strong relationship skills
  • Excellent team players (understand roles)
  • Buy now, pay later

• The X-ers
  • Strong work/life balance (they might say, life/work
  • balance)
  • Versatile (flexible)
  • Techno-literate
  • Skeptical/cynical
  • Multi-taskers
  • Value individual contributions
  • Save, save, save

• The Millennials
  • Self-confident/believe they can do anything (use to
  • praise)
  • Determined (focused)
  • Techno-dependent
  • Hopeful
  • Conditioned towards an entitlement mentality
  • Team oriented (everyone is a winner)
  • Earn to spend
    

• The Boomers

  • Hours = Badge of Honor
  • Loyal to the firm (if the firm is loyal to them)
  • Respect authority (within reason)
  • Love meetings, analysis and reports
  • Look for role models and mentors
  • Prefer face-to-face communication
    
  • Task/process focused
  • Uncomfortable with a challenge/question to their authority
  • Prefer to avoid conflict
  • Will not openly challenge/disagree with peers
  • Feedback only required once a year
  • Do not handle criticism well

Generations in the Workplace

• The X-ers

  • Hourly mentality difficult to accept
    • Their credo is: hours are unimportant, results/outcome are important.
  • Tell them what to do, not how to do it
  • Want autonomy they have not earned
  • Flexibility/freedom is integral to their productivity
  • View work, employment and the firm as a "contract"
    • It is the firm's responsibility to keep them engaged
  • Highly efficient
  • Embrace paperless and the use of technology
  • Have difficulty with authority
  • (rulebreakers/stretchers)
  • Challenge everything (routinely ask why)
  • Impatient when change is not immediately
  • implemented
  • Want to be managers/partners now
  • Mentors should be "advocates"
  • Poor people skills
  • Openly critical/confrontational
  • Believe their skill set will protect them (and define them)
  • Understand the staffing dilemma (leverage this to their advantage)
  • Need positive feedback on a regular basis
    • Welcome "constructive" criticism

• The Millennials

  • Tracking hours makes no sense to them
    • Willing to work if they are told why and/or if they make the commitment to the task or project
    • Very receptive to the concept of value billing for services provided
  • They expect their work environment to be fun, stimulating and collegial
  • They wonder why more of the mundane tasks (entry level tasks they are asked to do) are not done through technology
  • Generally, they have unrealistic expectations related to their careers and the timeline for their career advancement
  • Mentors must be proactive and involved (they are essential for their success)
  • They expect and demand training
  • They have poor communication skills
    • Except with each other
    • Too dependent on e-mail and frustrated with face-to-face
  • Want to feel that they are contributing and thrive in a team approach/environment
  • Want feedback constantly and need to know what they are doing right and what needs to be corrected They are more like boomers in terms of work ethic and attitude towards work
  • They are more like X-ers in terms of technology utilization and career expectations

Hiring the Current Generation

• Website/Internet
• Colleges/Universities (Liberal Arts/Smaller)
  • Alumni
  • Current employees
  • Faculty and programs
  • Internships
• Electronic newsletters
• Young professional organizations
• Large regional

What They Want

• Interesting Work
• Variety
• Flexibility
• A teamwork approach to engagements
• Training (especially on "soft skills")
• Involved mentor programs
• Clear career paths and options
• An understanding of the firm's differentiation

What They Don't Want

• Pigeonholing (no evaluation of the best fit for them)
• No explanation of the firm's work/life balance
• Working for a workaholic
• Partners not being consistent
• Not learning from mistakes
• Too much emphasis on "busy season"
• To end up like their parents
  
  

Keeping/Motivating Them

• Rotate assignments (industries)
• Provide a training calendar (with course descriptions)
• Involve them in Practice Development early
• Ensure a team approach/concept
• Involve them in planning meetings
• Communicate career paths and options
• Utilize employee recognition programs
• Provide a mentor/advocate program

Recommendations

• Establish and utilize an alumni program
• Involve seniors and supervisors in your efforts
• Establish both formal training programs and a rainmaker academy
• Overhaul your current mentor program
• Revisit your website (from a recruiting perspective and have new employees critique it)
• Explore flexible schedules