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The Millennial Generation:

A Blessing or Curse for the


Workforce

Terri Manning
Bobbie Everett
Cheryl Roberts
A Study Funded by the Workforce Development Board

It May Take a Village to Raise a


Child, but it Takes a Society to
Raise a Generation

Economic Conditions
Societal Norms
Political Events
Major Crises

Each Generation
Consists of approximately a 20-year span
(not all demographers and generation
researchers agree on the exact start/stop
dates)
Has a unique set of values
Reacts to the generation before them
Looks at their generation as the standard of
comparison
Looks at the next generation skeptically
these kids today
Those born on the cusp may have a
blended set of characteristics
They are either idealistic, reactive, civic or
adaptive

Business Today
Lives in a world created
by generations who are
(mostly, 95%) no longer
working.
They were influenced by the military and
created a workplace reflecting a hierarchy
with a clear chain of command.
Employees worked hard to receive raises,
bonuses and higher ranks. Higher rank
(with the higher salary) was valued and
envied by employees on their way up and
held in high esteem by those at the top.

How Generational Births Will


Impact Retirements

(Millennials)

(Boomers)
(Xers)

Changes in that Workforce

Who Is Working Today?


1,000 die per day
Youngest are 5 years old

Half the size of the


generations on either side
of them

7,198 turned 60 every day in


2006

Who Are Those Generations


How have their early experiences
impacted the workforce?
What values did they bring to
work?
As generations change does the
workforce keep pace?
Lets look at them..

The Veterans (also known as the Silent


Generation or the Greatest Generation)
19251943 (adaptive)
Children of the Great Depression and WWII,
this generation decided not to attack the
institutions created by the generation
before them, but instead, as global
thinkers, they chose to focus on improving
and refining them so that they could be
good for everyone, not just a select few.
The overall goal was not to change the
system, but to work within it.
While economically very successful, they
were also the inventors of "the midlife
crises" probably because they didn't get a
chance to enjoy the freedoms of their
youth.

The Veteran Generation Childhood


Raised by the GI Generation (civic)
Large families (3-5 children)
Strong sense of extended family
(same town or home)
Grandparents in the home
Core Values
Average 10-year-old spent 4-6
Dedication
hours daily with a significant adult
Hard Work
role model
Conformity
Law and Order
Rural society
Patience
Apprenticeship businesses and
Delayed Reward
farming
Duty before Pleasure
Perception of the world as safe
Adherence to Rules
Honor

Work Values
Loyal to employer (company man) and
expect the same in return
Believe they should be rewarded for
tenure
Work ethic = efficiency and hard work
Stable, thorough and detail oriented
Dont buck the system
but work within it
Uncomfortable with
conflict and
disagreements
Not change oriented

Marketing to Them
Faith in the government and
national institutions
Want quality but believe standard
options are fine (not luxury)
Loyal customers that
follow the rules

The Baby Boomers 19431964


(the largest generation, idealist)
Divorce reached a low in 1960 of
9%
Families moved due to GI Bill, GI
housing
Core Values
and industrialization
First generation to live miles from Optimism
Team Orientation
extended family
Personal Gratification
Family size smaller (2-3 children) Health and Wellness
Personal Growth
Few grandparents in the home
Youth
Moms stayed home, dads carpooledWork
Children spent significant time with Involvement
adult role models

Boomers at Work
Value stability and respect
Like to see their successes
Tend to workaholism and have
difficulty balancing their lives
Are competitive
See themselves as
the standard of
comparison

Boomers at Work
Ethic = long hours show
commitment
Team oriented and relationship
builders (dont like conflict cant
we all just get along)
Not budget minded
Sensitive to feedback

Marketing to Boomers
Are individualistic so
they like customized
and custom-made
products
Want to look successful (lots of stuff)
Seek self-improvement
Products/services that help them
reach a balanced life (work/home)
Like technology but see the
problems that come with it

The Gen Xers 19651982


A Lost Generation A Nomadic Generation..
Half the Size of the Baby Boom (reactive)
Core Values
Dedication
Hard Work
Conformity
Law and Order
Patience
Delayed reward
Duty before pleasure
Adherence to rules
Honor

Generation X
This is the conscientious, extremely
pragmatic, self-sufficient generation
that has a ruthless focus on the bottomline.
Born and raised at a time when children
were at the bottom of our social
priorities, Gen Xers learned that they
could only count on one thing themselves. As a result, they are very
"me" oriented.
They are not active voters, nor are they
deeply involved in politics in general.

The Gen X Childhood

Divorce reached an all-time high


Single-parent families became the norm
Latch-key kids were a major issue of the time
Children not as valued looked at as a hardship
Families spread out (miles apart)
Family size = 1.7 children (many only-children)
Perception of the world as unsafe
Average 10 year old spent 14 minutes a day
with a significant adult role model
Parents looked around and said we need to do
this better

Gen Xers at Work

Cynical and pessimistic


Want work-life balance
Think globally and seek independence
Like technology and want an informal work
environment
Dont want the boomers work ethic
Communication is important and talk to adults as
friends/peers (not impressed with authority)
Believe reward should be based on productivity not
hours worked
Want control of self, time and future
Loyalty to people not a company
Impatient with poorer people skills

Marketing to Xers
Can spot a phony
Peer to peer referral
Like technology
Like products and services with
options

Generation Next (civic)

The Echo Boom/Millennials


The Millennials are almost as large as the baby boom-some
say larger - depending on how you measure them (approx.
81M).
The Millennials are the children born between 1982 and
2002 (peaked in 1990), a cohort called by various names:

Echo Boom

Generation Y

Millennials

Net Generation

Millennial Values
This generation is civic-minded
They are collectively optimistic, long-term
planners, high achievers with lower rates of
violent crime, teen pregnancy, smoking and
alcohol use
This generation believes that they have the
potential to be great
Will provide us with a new definition of citizenship.
Individualistic but like groups/teams
Hate drudgery too boring
Ambitious yet aimless
Looking for a mentor (like mom and dad) not a
boss

The Millennial Childhood


The most monumental financial
boom in history.
Steady income growth through the
1990s.
Still great disparity between races.
Saw their parents lose all their
stocks and mutual funds (college
funds) during the early 2000s.

Demographic Trends
Boomers decided to
become older parents.
Xers gave birth at traditional ages
More parental education: 1 in 4 has at
least one parent with a college degree.
Kids born in the late 90s are the first in
American history whose mothers are
better educated than their fathers by a
small margin.

Demographic Trends Changing


Diversity
Increase in Latino immigration

- Latino women tend to have a


higher fertility rates than nonLatino women.

Nearly 35% of Millennials are


nonwhite or Latino.
Twenty percent of this
generation has at least one
parent who is an immigrant.
Millennials have become the
most racially and ethnically
diverse generation in US
History.

Safety Issues
The Safest Generation
This generation was buckled up
in car seats, wore bike helmets,
elbow and knee pads when skating, and
were the inspiration for Baby on Board signs.

The Well-Being of U.S. Teens


Mortality Rate for US teens aged 1519
declined from 1960 to 1997.
-Teens are having fewer accidents than
Boomers

Major Influencing
Factors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Their parents
The self-esteem movement
The customer service movement
Gaming and technology
Casual communication

Parenting Millennials
This generation is being parented by welleducated, over-involved adults who
participate in deliberate
parenting. They have
outcomes in mind.
Boomers were the first
generation to be thrown
out in to an unsafe world
as adolescents.
The 60s and 70s were very scary and many
of us felt unprepared for it.
We were nave and didnt have enough tools
in our tool box to deal with it.

Baby Boomers as Parents


Boomers rebelled against the parenting
practices of their parents.
Strict discipline was the order
of the day for boomers.
They made conscious decisions
not to say because I told you
so or because Im the parent
and youre the child.
Boomers became more
friendly with their children.
They wanted to have open lines of
communication and a relationship with them.

Baby Boomers as Parents


They explained things to their children, (actions,
consequences, options, etc.) they wanted
them to learn to make informed decisions.
They allowed their children to have input into
family
decisions, educational options
and
discipline issues.
We told them just because it is on
television doesnt mean its true
or you cant believe everything
you read.
We wanted them to question
authority.

The Result
Millennials have become
a master set of
negotiators who are
capable of rational thought
and decision-making
skills at young ages.
They will negotiate with anyone
including their parents, teachers
and school administrators.
Some call this arguing.

Helicopter Parents
Helicopter Parent (n) A
parent who hovers over his
or her children.
Or Snowplow parent: Parents who
clear the way for their children
these (echo) boomers are confident,
achievement-oriented and used to
hovering "helicopter" parents keeping
tabs on their every move. (Anthony
DeBarros, "New baby boom swamps
colleges," USA Today, January 2, 2003)

Baby Boomer Parents have been


their Biggest Cheerleaders
Millennials expect and
need praise.
Will mistake silence
for disapproval.
Millennials expect
feedback.

Focus on Self-esteem
This generation was the center
of
the self-esteem movement.
9,068 books were written about
self-esteem and children during
the 80s and 90s (there were 485 in the 70s).
The state of California spent millions studying
the construct and published a document
entitled Toward a State of Self-esteem.
Yet they cant escape the angst of adolescence
they still feel disconnected, question their
existence, purpose and the meaning of life.
They want to feel valued and cared about.

Focus on Customer Service


Expect access (24/7)
Expect things to work like
they are supposed to
If they dont that is your
problem
They want what they have paid for
Everything comes with a toll-free
number or web address
Want Gateway Go Back
in classes

Add the Impact of Gaming


Gaming has impacted children
The game endings changed based
on the decisions
children made
(Role Playing Games [Legend of
Zelda, Final
Fantasy, Chronotrigger])
impacting locus of control.
Involves a complex set of decisionmaking skills.
Teaches them to take multiple
pieces of data and
make decisions quickly.
Learning more closely resembles
Nintendo, a trial and error approach to
solving problems.

We navigated our way through..

They navigated their way through..

Technology
This generation has been plugged in
since they were babies.
They grew up with educational software
and computer games.
They think technology should be free.
They want and expect
services 24/7.
They do not live in an
85 world.
They function in an
international world.

Cell Phone Technology


They all have cell phones and expect
to be in contact 24/7.
Not a phone a lifestyle management
tool
Staying connected is essential.
Communication is a safety issue for
parents.
Communication has become
casual for students (IM, email
and cell phones.

Salary Expectations
Realistically, what do you expect your
starting salary will be when you begin
working?
Millennials
$15-20K
7.7%
$21-30K
29.3%
$31-40K
27.0%
$41-50K
15.9%
$50K+ 7.0%
Not sure
12.5%

Approximately 65% felt they would earn $40K or less

Importance of Career Components


Items thought to be very important :
Respected on the Job
Opportunity for Professional
Development
Ability to Have an Impact on the
World

Importance of Career Components


Items thought to be somewhat important:

Access to Information and Expression of Personal Opinion


Having High Job Prestige
Working with Inspiring Colleagues
Geographic Location of Job
Receive Guidance and Direction from Supervisor
Participating in Company Decisions
Independence/Professional Autonomy
Using Creativity on the Job
Lots of Responsibility
Flexible Work Hours
Dress Code Appropriate to Work Environment

Importance of Job Benefits


Benefits thought to be very important:
Health Insurance
Salary Growth
Plans like 401K
Life Insurance
Bonuses
Employer-paid Retirement

Benefits thought to be unimportant:


Stock Options
Profit Sharing

Jobs in Lifetime
How many jobs do you
think you will hold in
your lifetime?
1-3
35.7%
4-6
41.5%
7-10
16.5%
Over 10
6.2%
64% expect to have 4 or more jobs

Will We Have a Workforce


Shortage?
Will the Boomers retire in droves?
Could see a 4-10 million worker shortage
by 2010.
We dont have enough well-prepared
young workers.
Greatest needs in fields with advanced
education such as nursing and education.
Also industries with mostly older workers
such as the oil and gas industry.

Older Generations Make Assumptions


That younger generations will
measure success just as we have.
Young worker must pay their dues
and follow the same paths to
success as previous generations.
The company ladder will remain
intact.
Workers go where the jobs are.

Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

What Millennials Want


Ability to work whenever
and wherever they want.
Variation on the job
Continual feedback from supervisors
Opportunities to learn, retool and
reinvent themselves
Challenge, new problems to solve
To be in charge of their lives and
future
Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

Millennials Were Asked.


What are the top five things
that make you respect a
company?

Top Five
1. Give back to their community.
2. Have fair labor practices.
3. Have products and services that
do what they promise to do.
4. Having products and services that
truly help people in need.
5. Being green or eco-friendly.
(Just Kid Inc. KID Formation Series, July 2008, Meet the Millennial
Generation: An Explosive New Consumer Force.)

What They Are Not Interested In


Time-honored traditions
Doing things the way they
have always been done
Paying their dues
How their managers got to where they
are (rank)
A work ethic that requires a 10 hour day
Unquestioning loyalty to a company
Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

Change in Values
Two youngest generations:
Define success differently
Their time is equal in value
to money
Will pursue other rewards for their work
The company/corporate ladder has
become irrelevant
View their predecessors experience as a
warning, not a road map
Dont value the rules of management,
motivation and reward
Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across
the Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

Skepticism
The two younger generations:
Have been given ample reason to
question authority
Dont believe their leaders tell the
truth
Question the motives and truthfulness
of institutions across the board
Invest their loyalty and trust in
individuals and therefore, the right
boss is critical (otherwise they change
jobs, #1 reason they quit)

Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

What Will It Take for All


Generations to Work Well Together
A new understanding of what employees
want from their jobs, bosses and
workplace experience
A new understanding of loyalty and how
to develop it (not through pay,
promotions and benefits)
A new definition of self young
employees define themselves by what
they do outside the job, not what they do
for a living

Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

What Will It Take


New behavior from leaders who realize
younger workers enter the workforce
seeking self-fulfillment and arent
interested in paying their dues for an
unspecified amount of time for a vague
reward
Because young people are doing
everything later staying in school, living
at home, getting married, having kids
this impacts their commitment to work

Marston, Cam, Motivating the Whats In It for Me Workforce: Managing Across the
Generational Divide and Increasing Profits, 2007

Reasons US Workers Change Jobs


In 2006, 21% of US workers made voluntary
job changes for the following reasons:

Growth and earnings potential (30%)


Time and flexibility (23%)
Financial compensation (22%)
Culture and work environment (22%)
Benefits (12%)
Supervisor relationship (10%)
Travel and development (9%)
Management climate (9%)
Benefit News

Changing Workforce
Workers are demanding the ability to balance
their work and personal responsibilities.
Workers are not afraid of changing jobs.
The idea that the best way to grow financially
and otherwise is to stay with one employer has
been eroding to the point of extinction.
Younger workers and those earning $15,000 or
less were the most likely to change jobs.
The cost of turnovers range from $7,000 for
hourly employees to $30,000 for mid-level
managers and $80,000 for technical or senior
level management (Center for Workforce
Learning).
Charlotte Biz, March 2007

How They Will Push Us


More independence in the workforce
Consumer-based fairness
Better technology
Enhanced professional development
Get rid of thats the way weve
always done it
Have more life balance
Re-establish priorities

What We Know
Times are changing in business and
society
So leadership must change
The younger generations are working
in a different economy and business
world
They have different values and goals
THEY WILL NEVER BE LIKE US!

What can managers do?


1. Mentor their employees
About how the company runs, what makes
people of different generations work well
together. Teach people skills not just business
processes.
Great leaders can motivate all people by
balancing processes and peoples needs for the
good of the company

Messages that Motivate


Veterans
Your experience is respected here
What has and hasnt worked in the
past is relevant
Perseverance is valued

Boomers
You are important to our success
Your contribution is unique and
important
We need you

Messages that Motivate


Gen Xers
Do it your way
There arent a lot of rules here
Were not very corporate

Millennials

You will work with other bright, creative people


You can help turn this company around
You can be a hero here
We value independent workers
Your boss will help you succeed

2. Communicate with employees


Encourage them to develop trust with others and
empower people to do their jobs. Ask for input
rather than telling them what to do. Open
communication reduces resistance.

3. Value their values


Want work-life balance. They value family and
friends and want to work their eight hour day and
go home. Older workers think long hours show
your loyalty and productivity. Younger workers
often get things done faster. They value
efficiency and effectiveness and doing things
faster.

4. Focus on Retention
People leave for several reasons: older
workers retire but younger workers often
leave feeling unvalued.
Have strategies to retain both groups.
Older generations like monetary rewards,
younger generations like time off work.

For a copy of this presentation:


http//www1.cpcc.edu/millennial
Click on: presentations and workshops
Contact:

terri.manning@cpcc.edu

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