Different generations require different feedback, motivation
Jacksonville Business Journal - by Mark Szakonyi Staff Writer
Friday, January 4, 2008
JACKSONVILLE -- So a traditionalist, a baby boomer, a Generation X'-er, and
Generation Y'-er walk into the workplace.
There is no punchline, except that four different generations in the workforce means
bosses often need to change the way they motivate and give feedback to workers.
Understanding the differences amongst traditionalists, baby boomers, Generation X-'ers
and Generation Y'-ers can lead to a more energetic and focussed workforce.
For many employers, like Miller Electric Co., the biggest challenge is keeping members
of the younger generation on for more than five years.
The company has reduced its apprenticeship from five to four years, said Senior Vice
President David Long, who serves on the Jacksonville Academy of Electric Technology
board.
Providing a new type of feedback and motivation can keep those employees on longer.
"You can see it in sports. The rigid, military-type and employers have gone by the
wayside," Long said.
"People want to feel good about what they're doing and have instant gratification."
Experts caution, however, against assuming that an employee is motivated and needs
feedback the same ways as the majority of members of their generation.
The issue is a hot one in the human resources industry.
Many employers are bracing for the loss of the baby boomer generation work force and
are concerned about Gen X'-er and Gen Y'-ers' work ethic, said Kathy Wentworth,
director of human resources for ICS Logistics Inc., a provider of stevedoring,
transportation and warehousing services for perishable and dry cargo in the Southeast.
"I suspect our parents said the same things about us, and their parents went through the
same thing and thought [their children] had it easy."
Generation Y
The generation composed of people born between 1981 and 1995 is informally known as
the "plugged in" generation because of their familiarity with computers and the Internet.
Because they are used to getting results at a touch of a button, they also require the most
feedback of any of the previous generations, said Michelle Pargman, account manager for
Corporate Care Works Inc., an employee assistance program and people development
firm.
This need for constant feedback is also driven by their interest in bettering themselves
and getting ready for their next position in or out of the company.
Jamie Porcheddu, transactional group leader for Craig/is Ltd., has found that members of
the younger generation are more in tune with how the company is performing and are
curious about how they can grow with the company.
Porcheddu, who oversees more than 70 people, said she motivates these people by
making sure they get the feedback and tools they need.
Their relative newness to the business world also makes them question their performance,
said Genny Mitchell, human resources director for Craig/is, an outsourcing and
professional services provider for the property and casualty insurance industry.
Generation X
Gen X-ers -- people born between 1967 and 1980 -- are similar to Gen Y'-ers in that they
both require more feedback than baby boomers and traditionalists.
Like Gen Y'-ers, Gen X'-ers are keyed into technology and see their job as a career step
instead of a destination, Wentworth said.
Pargman said part of the reason Gen X'-ers require constant feedback is because of the
attention they received from their baby boomer parents, who were encouraged by peers
and child rearing books to give their children constant feedback.
"What is motivating for Gen X'-ers is a family-friendly environment," she said.
"Flexibility is important."
They also place a higher priority on relationships with colleagues than with their
employer, Wentworth said.
Baby boomers
The baby boomer generation -- people born between 1946 and 1964 -- are typically
considered more conventional than their younger counterparts.
The conventional types of feedback, such as annual or quarterly reviews, usually suffice,
said Pargman.
The so-called "me" generation are more willing to stay at a job longer than Gen X'-ers or
Gen Y'-ers, but they don't want to be slaves to their job like their parents. They are more
motivated by the opportunities to shine within the company, and their interest in
business-self-help books and tapes reflect this.
Having to pay for their children's' college, inability to retire comfortably or unwillingness
to have a conventional retirement has baby boomers staying in the work force. Miller
Electric's Long has noticed that younger baby boomers have adopted some of the
signature characteristics of Gen X'-ers and Gen Y'-ers, such as technology savvy and
openness to change.
Traditionalists
The generation composed of people born between 1900 to 1945 is the smallest slice of
the work force. Their loyalty to the company is largely driven by their experience during
the Depression and World War II.
When it comes to feedback, they believe in the mantra of "no news is good news,"
Pargman said.
Wentworth said, "They get their feedback from stock prices and are generally
uncomfortable with giving feedback."
mszakonyi@bizjournals.com | 265-2239