The American workplace is rapidly changing, with four distinct generations interacting in the workforce, each with significantly different aspirations and expectations. Helping those groups work together in harmony has become a focus area for Versant, a strategic marketing and communications firm with offices in Milwaukee, New York City and Burbank, Calif.,
Versant has developed a specialty practice in recruitment marketing and internal communications called VersantWorks.
“To align the interests of all generational groups, employers must strive to understand the motivations and skills each brings and what makes them feel rewarded,” said Versant chief executive officer Will Ruch.
Ruch recently shared Versant’s learning and recommendations with approximately 150 members of the corporate human resources team at Kohl’s Department Stores on how to create a workplace where all generations can work well together. He also spoke about what drives millennials, the largest consumer group in U.S. history. Other national clients utilizing Versant’s workforce expertise include Xerox and The Thomson Corp.
Millennials, gen xers, baby boomers and mature employees often work
side by side, and creating an atmosphere where they can all work harmoniously can be a challenge for employers, Ruch said.
“How you finish a sentence that begins ‘Work is …’ says a lot about you,” Ruch said. “For mature employees, work comes first. Baby boomers live to work, while gen xers and millennials have other ideas. And, with four generations in today’s workplace, there are bound to be differences that affect working relationships.”
In its executive brief about employee communication titled “Aligning a Multigenerational Work Force With Your Business Goals,” Versant observed:
“When a 60-year-old employee says, ‘I need a steady income to help support my elderly parents,’ and her 20-year-old co-worker responds, ‘I’m only going to be in this job for a year, so I want opportunities to learn,’ neither will come away feeling a connection. If a baby boomer is working long hours, hoping for a promotion, and his gen x manager often leaves at 4 p.m. to coach his son’s tee-ball team, there is bound to be some friction. The generation gap can cause subtle mistrust and communication breakdowns between co-workers, preventing effective teamwork and collaboration.”
In its work with Fortune 500 companies, Versant advises clients to: develop a clear, appropriate and deliverable employer brand; adopt demographic and generational marketing, learning and teaching practices; and align key human resources programs focused on recruitment and retention.
“Employees 27 and younger are the fastest-growing segment of the work force, so it’s critical for employers to understand how this group views work,” Ruch said. “Millennials – those born after 1978 – represent about one-fifth of the population. Savvy employers know it’s in their interest to understand what motivates this group.”
The Versant team described some of the notable facts that set the millennial generation apart from their older colleagues – the matures (ages 63 to 83), baby boomers (ages 44 to 62) and generation x (ages 31 to 43). Millennials, who are 30 or younger:
• Are independent and confident.
• Are tech savvy; they grew up with computers.
• Are heavily influenced by social networks.
• Have close, open relationships with their parents.
• Want opportunities to make an impact at work.
• Want continual feedback, flexible work schedules and work that is meaningful or purposeful.
• Change jobs frequently; it’s predicted they will hold nine jobs by age 32.
What qualities do millennials look for in a job? Above all, the Versant team said, they want enjoyment and satisfaction. Compensation came in second, closely followed by experience. Co-workers and the work atmosphere was cited fourth.
Versant’s analysis showed that millennials often believe employers didn’t understand them, citing that their supervisors: didn’t understand their career goals; spent too much time in meetings; didn’t respect what millennials could contribute; and required them to come to work at the same time every day.
How should managers respond so they can attract and retain millennial employees? Versant advised the Kohl’s HR team to:
• Eliminate ambiguity – set clear goals and timelines, and resist modifying them.
• Focus on results – tell them when a project is due, not when to do it.
• Allow millennials to form their own teams when possible.
• Assign them tough problems, not just the ones you think they can handle.
• Encourage them to unleash their creativity, technical skills and brainpower.
• Implement reverse mentoring – Partner millennials with other generations in one-on-one sessions to share their insights with their older colleagues.
Versant has been serving clients in a wide range of industries for more than 40 years. Versant has a strong foundation in brand development and management, and was a pioneer in the employer branding field. Versant’s knowledge, combined with our range of services including interactive technology, provides a decided advantage for our clients.
