Mind the Gap
Building Policies that Bridge the Generations
Moderator: Ann Stafford, Brookfield GRS
The Panelists
Isabelle Provencher
Jeff Houck
Russ Haynie
Agenda

Overview of Generations and Changing Workplace

Corporate Experience – Ubisoft, Suncor and Case Studies

Policy Considerations

Future of International Assignment Mobility

Q&A
Overview
We are facing a new future in
terms of demographics at
work: we will soon have five
generations in the workplace
at once.
Today people are living and
working longer leading to this
new reality. What’s more, this
phenomenon goes beyond
the US into China, Brazil,
Russia and elsewhere.
This mixed, multi-generational
environment is a new diversity
challenge for HR organizations
everywhere.
SOURCE: The 2020 Workplace
By Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd
The Generations Defined
Traditionalist
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Millennials
Major Trait
Loyalty
Competition
Self-reliance
Immediacy
Broad Traits
Sacrifice, loyalty,
discipline, respect
for authority
Competitive,
sandwiched
generation, hard
work, long hours
Eclecticism, selfreliance, free agents,
work/life balance,
independence
Community
service, cyber
literacy,
tolerance,
diversity,
confidence
Major
Influences
World War II, Cold
War, Korean War,
rise of suburbs
Watergate,
women’s rights,
Woodstock, JFK
assassination
MTV, AIDS, Gulf War,
1987 stock market
crash, fall of Berlin
Wall
Google,
Facebook, 9/11
terrorist attack
Defining
Invention
Fax machine
Personal computer
Mobile phone
Google and
Facebook
SOURCE: The 2020 Workplace
By Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd
5
Communication Style
Traditionalist
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Millennials
Style
Formal
Semiformal
Not so serious;
irreverent
Eye-catching; fun
Content
Detail; prose-style
writing
Chunk it down but
give me everything
Get to the point –
what do I need to
know?
If and when I
need it, I’ll find it
online
Context
Relevance to my
security; historical
perspective
Relevance to the
bottom line and my
rewards
Relevance to what
matters to me
Relevance to
now, today, and
my role
Attitude
Accepting and
trusting of
authority and
hierarchy
Accept the “rules”
as created by the
Traditionalists
Openly question
authority; often
branded as cynics
and skeptics
OK with authority
that earns their
respect
Speed
Attainable within
reasonable time
frame
Available; handy
Immediate; what I
need it
Five minutes ago
SOURCE: The 2020 Workplace
By Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd
6
Mobility Characteristics
Traditionalist
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Millennials
Mobility
Reasons
Start Ups
Acquisitions
Sales / Marketing
Start ups
Acquisitions
Sales / Marketing
Skill Transfer
Projects
Start ups
Acquisitions
Sales / Marketing
Projects
Management
Development
Start ups
Acquisitions
Sales / Marketing
Career
development
Employee choice
Assignment
Traits
Few resources
Little focus on
career impact
Balance sheet
Earned privilege
Mid-Late career
More assignment
types
Assignees have more
expectations
Career development
Personal impact
Global
experience as
part of talent
management
SOURCE: The 2020 Workplace
By Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd
7
Mobility Policy Expectations
Traditionalist
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Millennials
Policy
access
Review written
policy on own first
Discuss policy in
person, by phone
Will question
everything in policy
Use technology
to access policy
Policy
expectation
Company will take
care of all aspects
of relocation
Equitable treatment
in policy
Likely to ask for
exceptions
Will be open to
alternative policy
types
SOURCE: The 2020 Workplace
By Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd
8
Millennials – A Growing Workforce
15
40
15 companies were interviewed
to learn how Millennials are
influencing their companies’
international employee mobility
strategies, policies, recruiting and
management styles
40 million
Millennials
are already in
the workforce
By 2025, Millennials will
make up three out of
every four workers
worldwide
2025
9
Expectations of Millennials
Boundary-less





Work locations
Roles
Functional areas
Economies
Work-personal time
Value experiences





More than money
80% want to work abroad
70% expect to use non-native language
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility); 80% will leave their employer
whose sustainability values do not match theirs
Expect to be entertained while being informed
Organizations are Changing
Companies will:





Be larger and more spread out
Have more contingent workers
Have greater diversity but more uniform corporate culture
Look for local knowledge with a global mindset
Value soft skills, personal attributes and experience
Employees will





Work longer, different hours
Retire older
Need to change skill sets quickly
Move around laterally
Have more responsibility at an earlier stage in careers
THE UBISOFT GROUP
Ubisoft is a worldwide producer, publisher and distributor
of interactive entertainment products.
Ubisoft’s mission is to enrich players’ lives by creating original
and memorable gaming experiences.
2nd largest in-house development staff in the world
with 29 studios in 19 countries
+9200
team members
worldwide,
including 7800
dedicated to
production.
UBISOFT MONTREAL
Founded in 1997, Ubisoft Montréal is the biggest game development
studio in the world and Ubisoft’s most important in terms of workforce.
Ubisoft Montréal is a leader in the Montreal industry, having shipped over
80 games from internationally-renowned franchises such as:
Assassin’s Creed ™
Child of Light
Far Cry ™
Just Dance ™
Prince of Persia ®
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six ®
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell ®
The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot
Watch_Dogs
UBISOFT MONTREAL
WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHIC
employees
Millennials - 66,6%
Generation X - 32,5%
Baby boomers - 0,9%
34 years old : average
age of employees.
85% Men
15% Women
UBISOFT MONTREAL
WHO ARE WE MOVING?
 Over a 100 relocations per year
•
75% Long-term International (France, US, UK, Asia, etc.)
•
25% Long-term Domestic
 Average of 80 short term assignments per year
 15% increase of Millennials relocated over the past ten years
 Seeing more couples and families with young children
SUNCOR ENERGY INC
Canada's largest integrated energy company
•
•
•
Leader in oil sands development
•
•
•
Retailer with more than 1,450 Petro Canada Stations
Conventional and offshore production
Refining 462,000 barrels per day
Fifth largest North American energy company
We employ over 13,000 employees located across 7 countries
SUNCOR ENERGY INC.
WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHICS
Our Demographics
Non-Oil Sands
Employee count
Oil Sands
Grand Total
6,754
6,594
13,348
Traditionalists
0%
0%
0%
Baby Boomers
16%
13%
29%
Generation X
18%
18%
36%
Millennials (Gen Y)
16%
18%
35%
Grand Total
51%
49%
100%
 As an integrated company with diversified assets, operations and lines of
business, the demographic of Suncor’s workforce is distributed evenly
through segmentations with the exception of Traditionalists where the
number is so low it does not register as a percentage
 Oil Sands sees a small increase in the Millennial population which can be
attributed to the physical and hands-on business being performed
SUNCOR ENERGY INC.
WHO ARE WE MOVING?
 New Hires
 Current Employees
 Short Term Domestic
 Unionized
 Domestic Commuter
 Long Term International
 International Rotational
1,100+
on Active
Assignments
 Rental Assistance
 Mortgage subsidy Program through four financial
institutions
 Co-Op Students
Relocation
Services
125 EE’s
18
 New Grads/Geographical Rotational
5,500 +
Eligible EE’s
in the Wood
Buffalo Housing
Programs
Moderator Q&A
for Ubisoft and Suncor
Consulting Case Study 1
Company Profile / Issues:







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Multinational media industry firm
Company operates in more than 100 countries, and has more than 60,000
employees around the world
Manages 500+ international assignments per annum
Global mobility supports critical business needs and gives most talented
employees a truly global mindset
Mixed assignee generational profiles but average assignee profile: 40s, midcareer, married with family, not as mobile.
Assignees tend to go unaccompanied; take assignment due to loyalty but
may have to incent them since they’re not developing
Varied motivations for mobility
Fluctuating assignment volume from business to business
Consulting Case Study 1
• Policy Solution: Flexible Structure Adopted for Varied Needs

Short and long term assignment policies

Separate international transfer policy

Core and flex benefits
• Flex Policy Allows Company to Accommodate

Business budget variances

Individual employee circumstances and generational
differences/concerns

Different assignment motivators

Fluctuating assignment volume from business to business
• Flex Policy Ensures Consistency

Fewer policy rewrites

Easy to administer worldwide

Limits exception management
Consulting Case Study 2
Company Profile / Issues:

Large U.S-based Automotive Company

Manages 450+ permanent homeowner relocations per annum
(Canada and U.S.)

Common transferee profile: 50s, established-career, married, not
as mobile.

Resistance to relocation offers due to proximity to retirement,
concerns about home disposition and equity losses
Consulting Case Study 2
• Policy Solution: Home Retention Program

Replaced permanent relocation offers with long-term domestic
assignments (2-4 years)

Employee retains departure location home; agrees to not
purchase a home in the destination location

Employee receive monthly allowance to maintain departure
home and to offset rental expenses at destination for term of
assignment

Assistance not designed to cover all home maintenance and
renting expenses; only a contribution to costs
• Home Retention Program Allows Company to:

Alleviate employee stress of owning two homes or selling a
home near retirement (potentially at a loss)

Ensure employee willingness to relocate

Save expenses related to home sale, equity loss protection and
home purchase

Accommodate broader issues applicable to younger employees
(deficit equity, dual career, family resistance)
Audience Q&A
Future of Mobility
1. Travel-ready
 Eager for experience means less incentive required but more
focus on long term value
 Not as invested in returning home
 More open to less traditional locations
 More open to transfers
 Personal world is expanded
2. Different recruiting and retention norms
 Companies need to ‘catch up’ to where these employees are
vis-à-vis talent management
 Strategies need to address this generation’s drivers
o Goal-oriented
o Collaborative
o Long-term view
Future of Mobility
3. International experience is highly valued and sought after
 Will not wait to be asked
 Temporary assignments not necessary: transfers are okay
 Less reliance on traditional expatriate compensation approaches
4. “Entitled” means negotiation, not spoiled
 Confident in their value
 Less reliance on traditional expatriate compensation approaches
 Comfortable asking for what they want
Future of Mobility
5. Technology – influences everything
 Connectivity
 Responsiveness
 Access to information
o Real-time access assumed (based on their experience)
6. Good service is expected
 Used to getting needs met quickly
 Confident to request and expect