Susan Darring, CPP
Sue.darring@xerox.Com
Susan Darring, CPP
Director of Payroll Tax Compliance, Xerox Business
Services
sue.darring@xerox.com
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Past-President, Chicago APA Chapter
Past-President, American Payroll Association
Board Member of APA (Current Board role is
Corporate Member Advisor)
APA Speaker for 30 Years
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Trends in the Workplace
Inclusion
Generational Influences/Differences
Millennials at Work
Team Dynamics
Building Positive Relationships within your
cross-generational team
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The Time is NOW………………………..
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Enhanced…
Recruiting
Retention
Engagement
Productivity
Customer Satisfaction
Client Retention
Team member relations
Trends…
Changes in Technology
Differing team member
skill sets, knowledge &
experience
Baby Boomers retiring
Shrinking Labor Market
Changing demographics
Globalization
Recruiting older workers
Benefits
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Intercultural competence is the “how”
• Is the “mix” of
differences
Diversity*
Inclusion*
• Is “making the
mix work”
• Is the “how” to
achieve diversity
& inclusion goals
Intercultural
Competence
Intercultural Competence is recognizing and
understanding differences; adapting our thinking
and behavior; communicating and effectively
interacting with people across all differences and
generations.
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Generation
Time frame
Traditionalists/
Born before 1946
Veterans/Pre-Boomers
59 million people
Baby Boomers
Born between 1946–1964
76 million people
Generation X
Born between 1965–1979
Gen X
50 million people
Millennials
Born between 1980–1999
Gen Y
75 million people
Age
<70
52-70
36-51
15-35
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GENERATION
INFLUENCES
TRADITIONALISTS: The Great Depression, the New Deal,
World War II, the GI Bill, the Cold
Born prior to 1946 War, Pearl Harbor
BABY BOOMERS:
Born 1946–1964
TRAITS
Patriotic, loyal, desiring to
leave a legacy, fiscally
conservative, faith in
institutions
Booming birthrate, economic prosperity, Competitive, questioners of
recession, Vietnam, expansion of
authority, eager to put their
suburbia, anti-war protests, Watergate, own stamp on institutions,
women’s and civil rights movements,
sandwiched, optimistic
sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, oil embargo,
political assassination
GENERATION XERS: Sesame Street, MTV, personal computer, Eclectic, resourceful, selfBorn 1965–1979
MILLENNIALS:
Born 1980–1999
divorce, Title IX, AIDS, crack cocaine,
missing children on milk cartons
and subtitles
reliant, skeptical of
institutions, highly adaptive,
independent
Terrorism, expansion of technology and Diverse, cyber-literate, media
the media, mixed economy, violence,
savvy, realistic,
global climate change
environmentally conscious,
collaborative
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Wants
◦ Want others to respect them and
value their expertise, which was
gained over time and through
experience
Preferences
◦ Hierarchy—respect authority,
even sometimes when it
frustrates them
◦ More formal communications
◦ Spelled out roles and
responsibilities
◦ Clear directions; discipline
◦ Conformity; follow rules
Workplace Behaviors
◦ Avoid challenging the system
◦ Maintain dedication to a job,
once they take it; stable
◦ Can lack technological savvy
◦ Engage in face to face
communications
◦ Disciplined and hard working
◦ Dressed for success
◦ Don’t mind receiving
information on a need to know
basis
◦ Detail oriented
◦ Reluctant to buck the system
◦ Uncomfortable with conflict
◦ Consistency & uniformity
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9
Wants
◦ Want to change the world and
the workplace to suit their
needs—including government
policy and consumer products
◦ Want to please everyone
Preferences
◦ Prefer the process of getting
things done, sometimes to the
detriment of achieving results
◦ Prefer convenience and
immediate gratification versus
delayed gratification
Workplace Behaviors
◦ Work is their life
◦ Live to work—put in long work hours
(invented 60hr work week)
◦ Driven—willing to “go the extra mile”
◦ Teamwork, want to please
◦ Good at Relationships (but not necessarily
across difference)
◦ Huge sacrifices to succeed
◦ Recognition: Motivated by a corner office
and a good title
◦ Challenge authority; want to change the
establishment
◦ May put process ahead of result
◦ Judgmental of those who see things
differently
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Wants
◦ Want to be independent and
self-reliant
Preferences
◦ Prefer not to make long term
commitments to companies
◦ Prefer full package of workplace
benefits that allow for balance—
not just more money
◦ What needs to be done versus
“how to” do it
◦ Freedom to make decisions
◦ Work to live, not live to work
Workplace Behaviors
◦ Work/Life balance
◦ Informality
◦ Adaptable; creative
◦ Techno-literate
◦ Independent
◦ Not intimidated by Authority—
don’t automatically give respect to
authority in the workplace
◦ Will speak up for themselves
◦ Comparison shop during
interviews—looking for best
salary, benefits, work/life balance,
and raises
◦ Skeptical of the “establishment”
◦ Dislike being micro-managed
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Wants
◦ Want to live in the moment
Preferences
◦ Prefer to be optimistic about life
◦ Prefer to earn money and
consume it immediately
◦ Collective Action
◦ Flexibility
◦ Diversity
◦ Technological solutions
Workplace Behaviors
◦ Technologically Savvy
◦ Multi-taskers
◦ Inexperienced with handling
difficult people and issues
◦ Demonstrate respect only after
they are treated with respect
◦ Skeptical—question everything;
that’s how they grew up
◦ Have a need for supervision and
structure
◦ Work is a means to support social
life
◦ Mobile – can work anywhere
◦ Loyal to people – not to companies
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 Song/Song
Group
 Movie
 Fashion
 Cool
Phrase
 Dance
 TV Hero
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Born between 1980 to 1999
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Millennial generation
as large as the Baby Boom
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Charged with potential
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Current and FUTURE LEADERS
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Vicariously called:
◦ Internet Generation
◦ Echo Boomers
◦ Boomlet
◦ Nexters
◦ Generation Y
◦ Nintendo Generation
◦ Digital Generation
◦ In Canada: the Sunshine Generation
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Never known life without the
Internet
◦ 97% own a computer
◦ 94% own a cell phone
◦ 76% use Instant Messaging and social networking
sites.
◦ 15% of IM users are logged on 24 hours a day/7
days a week
◦ 34% use websites as their primary source of
news
Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa found that in a survey of 7,705
college students in the US
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28% author a blog and 44% read blogs
97% have downloaded music and other
media using peer-to-peer file sharing
49% regularly download music and other
media using peer-to-peer file sharing
75% of college students have a Facebook
account
60% own some type of portable music
and/or video device such as an iPod.
Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa found that in a survey of 7,705
college students in the US
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Generation X
Millennials
Born 1965-1976
51 million
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Born 1977 – 1998
75 million
Accept diversity
Pragmatic/practical
Self-reliant/individualistic
Reject rules
Killer life
Mistrust institutions
PC
Use technology
Multitask
Latch-key kids
Friend-not family
Celebrate diversity
Optimistic/realistic
Self-inventive/individualistic
Rewrite the rules
Killer lifestyle
Irrelevance of institutions
Internet
Assume technology
Multitask fast
Nurtured
Friends = family
Mentoring Do’s
· Casual, friendly work
environment
· Involvement
· Flexibility and freedom
· A place to learn
Mentoring Do’s
· Structured, supportive work
environment
· Personalized work
· Interactive relationship
· Be prepared for demands, high
expectations
Diane Thielfoldt and Devon Scheef
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Events that happened during their formative
ages:
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Women’s lib
Energy crisis
Watergate Scandal
Challenge disaster
John Lennon shot
Rodney King beating
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Events that happened during their formative
ages:
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Terrorism
OJ Simpson verdict
Columbine
Globalism
Clinton scandals
Y2K
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From: Susan M. Heathfield
Generations
Career Goals
Balance
Traditionalist
Build a legacy
Support me in
No news is good
shifting the balance news
Build a stellar
career
Help me balance
everyone else and
find meaning
myself.
Once a year, with
lots of
documentation
Build a portable
career
Give me balance
now, not when I'm
sixty-five.
Sorry to interrupt,
but how am I
doing?
Build parallel
careers
Work isn't
everything;
flexibility to
balance my
activities is.
Feedback
whenever I want
it at the push of a
button
Born 1900-1945
Baby Boomers
Born 1946-1964
Generation Xers
Born 1965-1980
Millennials
Born 1981-1998
Feedback
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Common birth range
Shared place in history
Common experience
Features cross gender, racial, ethnic lines
Retain attitudes independently of their
biological age
Generations DO NOT define individuals.
Rather they are a public reference point for
individuals within the generation.
Dr. Pete Markiewicz
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Chronological Age
Generational Age
Life Events Age
Organizational Age
Occupational Age
Relative Age
Social Age
Physical Age
Source: Sloan Center on Aging & Work, Boston College
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 Which generation
(other than your
own) do you most
relate to and why?
Traditionalists
Boomers
Gen X
Millennials
 Which generation do you have the most difficult
time communicating with, and why?
 What do you think is most misunderstood about
your generation, and why?
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Goal of Understanding:
“Focus on the strengths of
each generation so you can
work better together!!”
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Communication Style
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ADIP
LOL
BI5
AEAP
TTYL
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or PAL
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P911
WYBMAD
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TTYL – Talk to You Later
BI5 – Back in Five
ADIP – Another Day in Paradise
AEAP – As Early As Possible
P911 – Parent Alert
9 - Parent is Watching
PAL – Parents are Listening
99 - Parents no longer Watching
LOL – Laughing Out Loud
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AAAA –
◦ American Association Against Acronym Abuse
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http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php
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The majority of the expressions you see above are not
acronyms, but rather shorthand used while text messaging or
IMing.
BTW: If you ever see someone TYPING AN ENTIRE SENTENCE
IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS that means SHOUTING! It is not
proper netiquette to TYPE IN ALL CAPS (even in email), in fact,
it's annoying. People with limited eyesight may use all caps to
see the words better, but otherwise, TURN THE CAPS LOCK
OFF, unless you're using an acronym or shorthand.
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The longer and harder I work, the more successful I
will be. I try to beat my boss to the office and try to
be the one walking out last every evening. It puzzles
me to hear someone is “working from home” or from
an “alternate location.” It’s hard to team up with
these folks when they are not there. How can we go
the extra mile if they aren’t around to figure that out?
Which generation would be most likely to make this statement?
a) Traditionalist
b) Gen X
b) Boomer
d) Millennial
Adapted from Motivating the ‘What’s in it for me’ Workforce by Cam Marston. Copyright 2007.
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Sometimes I get tired of hearing the word
loyalty. I think people who have a lot of power
like to throw that word down on the people
who don’t. Look at the record. Look at the
people who were supposed to have long
careers and big pensions – and got
unemployment and Social Security instead.
Which generation would be most likely to make this statement?
a) Traditionalist
b) Gen X
b) Boomer
d) Millennial
Adapted from Motivating the ‘What’s in it for me’ Workforce by Cam Marston. Copyright 2007.
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Yeah, I’m back living with Mom & Dad while I
figure out if I like this company and my new
job. They both tell me “Go out and find a good
job that makes you happy.” I’m really good at
what I do and have a general idea of what
makes me happy. I hope my boss is a good
coach. Otherwise, I may have to quit on her.
Which generation would be most likely to make this statement?
a) Traditionalist
b) Gen X
b) Boomer
d) Millennial
Adapted from Motivating the ‘What’s in it for me’ Workforce by Cam Marston. Copyright 2007.
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Congratulations! You have a job here. The
Company thinks you will be a good fit. We
hope you will do well and make this
organization proud. You’ll need to follow the
rules, learn to fit in, and stay in line. Good
luck.
Which generation would be most likely to make this statement?
a) Traditionalist
b) Gen X
b) Boomer
d) Millennial
Adapted from Motivating the ‘What’s in it for me’ Workforce by Cam Marston. Copyright 2007.
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and subtitles
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Global Event; Sample from India
Presentation
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How to
motivate
them
How to
communicate
with them
How to
develop them
How to
leverage
their
strengths
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
EXPERIENCE: Tell
them their
experience is
respected & valued.
Acknowledge their
tacit and historical
knowledge.
QUALITY: Show
appreciation for the
quality of their work –
letting them know its
valued and needed.
SELF RELIANCE and
FLEXIBILITY: Empower
them. Encourage
innovation. Provide
challenges/opportunity.
FLEXIBILITY and
NETWORKING: Provide
opportunities to
network and work with
people outside your
team.
USE FORMALITY:
BE DIPLOMATIC:
Build consensus. Be
balanced in feedback
to them. (e.g. Use
the 3+/3- approach)
BE CANDID and
EFFICIENT.
BE POSITIVE: Use
technology.
Communicate
frequently. Provide the
big picture. They utilize
their networks for info,
so send consistent
messages.
FORMAL
DIRECTION: Show
them, Tell them.
Provide written
materials and
lecture.
INTERACTION:
INDEPENDENCE:
Provide big picture and
allow them to work
independently.
Challenge them.
EXPERIENTIAL: Allow
leaderless teams. Use
multimedia. Encourage
mobility, collaboration
and networking.
Focus on their
Loyalty,
trustworthiness.
Focus on their
corporate savvy and
willingness to go the
extra mile.
Focus on their efficiency
and adaptability.
Leverage their Global
mindedness,
multitasking,
technological savvy.
Schedule meetings,
send memos.
Provide feedback in
writing. Be direct.
Engage them in
consensus building
and collaboration.
Generation X
Millennials
Informal feedback is
welcomed, but be
efficient and candid in
your delivery. (e.g. use
the 3+/3- approach)
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How to
address
potential
derailers
How to
retain
them
How to
recruit
them
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
They can be
perceived as rigid.
Help them to
increase flexibility
(in approach,
thought) and be
less hierarchical
(e.g. assign them
to multilevel
teams).
They can be
perceived as
workaholics
(negatively). Be a
positive role model.
Emphasize multidimensional
performance
metrics.
They can be perceived as
stressed or negative.
Demonstrate and
communicate your
support of work life
management to reduce
stress. Provide mentors.
They can be perceived
as lacking respect for
“protocol” (e.g.
expecting quick
success) Coach and
mentor around the
“unwritten rules” of
corporate life. (e.g.
corporate protocol)
Consider flexible
work options (e.g.
part-time, reduced
hours, etc.)
Relative to other
generations,
retention is less of
an issue. Provide
stability and
security.
Provide them with
flexible work options
(informal and formal)
and opportunities to
work on projects and
assignments.
Ensure they have
mobility/opportunity
every 2 yrs or so and
provide for informal
flexibility.
Use sources that
tap into this
generation (e.g.
alumni networks,
veterans). Provide
flexible work
options.
Promote/market
culture of
excellence, quality
and commitment.
Be prepared and willing
to discuss potential
career paths and
opportunities for
development. Be
prepared and willing to
discuss flexible work
options.
They will have
researched company
thoroughly. Show them
you know something
about them as well.
Check out MySpace or
YouTube. (See Gen X
as well.)
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Traditionalists
 Acknowledge
experience and
expertise
 Ask them to
mentor
 Discuss how their
contributions affect
the organization
 Develop long-term
goals &
relationships
 Focus on the
personal touch
Baby Boomers
 Emphasize service
orientation
 Encourage risktaking
 Bring optimism,
heart, and humanity
to work
 Show how they are
making significant
contributions
 Assign challenging
projects including
process
improvements
 Communicate in
person
 Help them find
fulfillment and
purpose
Generation X
 Do not micromanage
 Give candid, timely
feedback
 Encourage informal,
open communication
 Use technology to
communicate
 Provide learning
opportunities,
particularly leadership
development
Millennials
 Communicate clear
objectives/expectations
 Emphasize team work &
goals
 Use technology to
deliver information
 Assign work that is
interesting, meaningful
and important
 Provide ongoing
feedback
 Encourage an
entrepreneurial spirit
 Create a diverse &
inclusive environment
 Encourage creative
problem-solving,
innovation
 Flexible work
 Value critical thinking
 Provide ongoing
feedback
 Focus on development
opportunities,
mentoring, & coaching
 Provide stretch
assignments & new
projects
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Traditionalists
 Recognize in front of
their peers
 Recognize them for
their loyalty, hard
work, experience
and wisdom
 Use a personal touch
for recognizing –
hand written thank
you notes
 Feedback can be
minimal and very
formal; subtle
 Feedback not
expected, “No news
is good news”
 Need to hear
positive feedback or
they may feel
forgotten
Baby Boomers
 Give them feedback
in front of others –
recognition
 Let them know they
are important in the
process, valued and
make a difference
 Give them perks
 Reward their work
ethic and long hours
 Formal feedback
once a year
 “Important to our
success”
 “We need you”
 “You’re valued here”
Generation X
 Incorporate more
onetime bonuses, noncash awards, and longterm salary increases
 Give them new
challenges/projects –
often
 Teach them new skills
– often
 Performance
evaluations must be
frequent, accurate,
specific, and timely –
constant feedback
 Value their work-to-life
balance – time off,
flex-time, and have a
more flexible
workplace
 “Do it your way”
Millennials
 Allow for flexible work
schedules
 Performance evaluations
must be frequent,
accurate, specific, and
timely
 Provide positive
reinforcement
 Incorporate more
onetime bonuses, noncash awards, and longterm salary increases
 Recognize more often –
value their presence
 Appreciate their creativity
 Give them quick and easy
tangible rewards (gift
certificates)
 Keep them challenged
and learning new skills –
often/training
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1.Not
meeting their high expectations
2.Discounting
experience
3.Allowing
their ideas or lack of
negativity
4.Feeling
threatened by their technical
know-how
5.Not
listening to their thoughts and ideas
6.Boring
them
Generations at Work: Managing Millenials.com
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Clear goals
Operate in an informal environment
Each member has a role
Disagreements are civilized
Team consensus or unity on decisions
Open communication
Diversity within the team
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DON’T
◦ Underestimate
◦ Dampen enthusiasm
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DO
◦ Encourage
◦ Mentor
◦ Learn from them
Generations at Work: Managing Millenials.com
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Get ready…
we now are approaching having five generations in the workplace and
every generation has unique traits that they bring to work. In order to get
along, be productive and avoid conflict we need to respect and understand
all the generations we spend time at work with.
The youngest generation – GenEdge/Generation 9/11 (born prior to 1990 –
24 years old) has only seen the world through the prism of the 9/11 tragedy.
They have grown up with war and uncertainty and tend to view the world
through that lens. They see the world with less optimism then many of the
other generations.
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71%
of teens would consider giving up their dream job for one that paid a
higher salary
Nearly half of children between the ages of 8-12 are on Facebook even though
the LEGAL age to sign up for Facebook is 13
Half of teenagers say they are more comfortable talking to people online than in
real life
The biggest concern for teenagers about their future is if there will be jobs for
them when they graduate
Talking on social networks has surpassed talking on the phone or via email
Teens between the ages of 13-19 wield about $200 billion in spending power
87% of teens are “friends” with their parents on Facebook
Sources: “Gen Z Digital in Their DNA: JWTintelligence”, Junior Achievement and
the ING Foundation
Susan Darring, CPP
Sue.darring@xerox.Com
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Books
◦ “The 2020 Workplace” by Jeanne C. Meister & Karie Willyerd
◦ “Generations at Work” by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, & Bob Filipczak
◦ “The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw
◦ “When Generations Collide” by C. Lynne Lancaster & David Stillman
◦ “Managing Generation X” by Bruce Tulgan
◦ “Motivating the ‘What's In It For Me’ Workforce: Manage Across the
Generational Divide and Increase Profits” by Cam Marston
Websites
◦ www.generationsatwork.com
◦ http://www.radiolovers.com/pages/gunsmoke.htm
Other
◦ 2012. BridgeWorks. Lynne Lancaster, David Stillman and Kim Lear.
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