|
|
THE GEN-X FILES: HOW
TO MANAGE AND MOTIVATE TODAY’S WORKFORCE
By Robert B. Tucker
Move over “Boomers”. Generation
X is a force that is rapidly changing the workplace. This wave of young
people is continuing to shake up and redefine workplace trends. They are
saying “NO” to traditional management approaches and questioning the work
values of the previous generation. This shift in attitudes and trends is
speeding up as Gen Xers are now moving into positions of leadership and
management. Today’s reality is if you are managing a business where a majority
of employees are Gen Xers, your business will not success unless you manage
them well.
What does Generation X
want? Here are eight ways to manage and motivate Generation X:
#1 MONEY
Let’s be honest. This
generation wants money. They want tangible rewards. With the emergence
of dot-coms, up until recently, many were making a lot of money. Xers were
raised in a materialistic and affluent society. They care about how much
they are paid, although they are not as money oriented as often perceived.
Money is great, but it is just part of the total picture. Xers are savvy
about what competitive wages are for the type of work being offered, and
know that skilled young workers are in demand. They know what they want.
#2 FEEDBACK
Xers need, they crave
feedback. They want feedback that provides acknowledgment of their progress
and confirmation of their value. Let them know when they are doing a good
job – regularly. Why do Xers seem to need more feedback than perhaps you
did? Most Xers are raised in technologically intensive feedback environments.
They expect the world to responds quickly to their input and want feedback
to help measure their success and adjust their approach accordingly. They
adapt quickly to the accelerating pace of change. Because most were raised
as latchkey children (Father and Mother both worked), a majority of their
time was spent without human interaction, so they need more reinforcement
and human contact.
John Nesbitt coined the
phrase, “High tech, high touch”, from the book “Megatrends”. This generation
needs high touch. Tell them about the job they are going to be doing, give
them more instant feedback. Five minutes after they are on the job, they
want to know how they are doing. The yearly performance review with a few
paragraphs or delivered in 15 minutes just won’t cut it today. You’ve got
to give Xers more feedback per square inch, per day, to really satisfy
them.
#3 INTERESTING WORK
Xers want to be stimulated
and challenged by interesting work. They want to feel that they are making
a difference. They plan to work for employers as long as they are getting
what they need – marketable skills, decision-making opportunities, tangible
results and performance-based rewards. Create a great environment. Build
a supportive and challenging workplace in which communication is encouraged,
initiative rewarded and development is provided. Create the kind of place
that employees want to return to each and every day.
#4 CAREER PATH
The old model, dues paying
for job security, is dead. Growing up without security, Gen X is searching
for secure ground in an insecure world. What matters to them is the ability
to add value and sell that value. Xers are trading stability for mobility.
They want a career path. They want to know where they are going to be going.
With no promise of job security, Gen Xers are investing in themselves and
finding managers willing to invest in their careers.
#5 ONGOING TRAINING
This is key to keeping
Gen X employees and keeping them enthusiastic. This generation wants and
expects ongoing training. Gen Xers want to learn, grow and develop new
skills. Develop Gen Xers through mentoring programs. Provide learning opportunities
at every level of the organization in the form of seminars, educational
opportunities or training programs. Armed with new skills and motivated
by the learning process, they will gladly assume new responsibilities and
meet challenges with greater initiative. As long as Xers are learning and
stretching, they will keep adding value in the form of tangible end results
and will stick around.
#6 LIFE BALANCE
Work is important to
Generation X, but it is not the #1 priority. Xers have strong outside interests
including school, hobbies, family and social activities. They want balance
in their lives. Boomers talked about it, as they worked 40, 50, 60, 70
hours a week, sacrificing their personal lives, sacrificing time with their
kids. Generation X stands in reaction to the generation before it. They
say, “We don’t necessarily buy into that.” Xers do want to work, they want
to be trained, but they also want some semblance of balance, things outside
of work that interest them.
#7 INVOLVEMENT
Gen Xers want to be able
to make suggestions to you on how you should run your company. That’s a
radical concept, isn’t it? They want to know why things are being done
this way when it would be so much smarter to do it that way. This is a
generation that wants to know what is innovative about how you do your
business? What are the new ideas? What is your approach? How progressive
is it? Xers are much more likely to do a great job when they feel that
their opinions count. When they are involved in a decision, they have “ownership”
in it. As a result, the bottom line increases when employees have ownership.
#8 INDEPENDENCE
They want a sense of
independence. Many Xers were latchkey kids. Their parents most likely were
divorced, or both worked. As a result, Gen Xers were used to being on their
own at an early age and have confidence in their ability to fend for themselves.
On one hand they need guidance, training, direction. On the other hand
they want independence. “Leave me alone, don’t micro-manage me. Give me
parameters, give me ropes, teach me how to do it, but then let me design
how I want to get it done for you.” Why is that? They are used to being
autonomous, they are used to being independent, and they would like that
from their employer as well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert
B. Tucker, President of The Innovation Resource, a consulting firm based
in Santa Barbara, California, provides customized keynotes and seminars,
facilitates panel discussions and leads his TIR team in consulting projects
in a wide variety of industries. Visit his web site at www.innovationresource.com
or call 805-682-1012 for more information.
END
View
Past "Eye On The Industry" Articles
|
|
