1. Talent and the Generations
Michael Jenkins and Alex Swarbrick
Roffey Park Institute

2. Welcome to the Roffey Park
Talent and the Generations Webinar
Michael Jenkins Alex Swarbrick
Chief Executive Senior Consultant
Talent Webinar

3. Roadmap for today’s webinar
 Getting on the same page
about the generations
 The generations at work
around the world
 Sourcing talent
 Retaining talent
 Developing talent
 Taking action
 Questions
Talent Webinar

4. Data sources for the webinar
 Roffey Park research
including focus groups
 Research by generational
specialists around the world
 Global information from HR
directors and programme
participants – UK, China,
Japan, Singapore, Europe
(western, central and
eastern), the United States
and Africa
 Gen Y interviews with
youngsters in the UK and
Singapore
Talent Webinar

5. Intergenerational issues – media hype?
Yes, but …
 Clear strategic issues for
organisations across the
world
 Talent
– Sourcing
– Retention - expectations
differ
– Development into the
future (10-15 years out)
– Generational expectations
and development
strategies for HR
Talent Webinar

6. The Generations
Traditionals/Silents born 1909 -1945
Boomers born 1946 -1964
Traditional Boomers (1946-1954)*
Generation Jones (1955-1964)*
Generation X born 1965 – 1979
Generation Y born 1980 – 1999
Linksters/Millenials born after 2000
*sub-division suggested in the Knoll report 2010: Generational Preferences
Talent Webinar

7. Impact of differences at work
 How do generational
differences play out at
work?
 How will we source talent
from different generations?
 How do we retain talent
across the generations,
given their different
expectations of the
workplace?
 What can organisations do
to meet the development
needs of talent into the
future?
Talent Webinar

8. Impact of differences at work
Generational
differences impact
working styles
and the
psychological
contract
Talent Webinar

9. Working styles
Generation Working style
Traditionals Directive, simple, clear
Hierarchical, collective mindset, sharing wisdom,
Boomers
conservative, measured
Fair, competent, straightforward, collaborative,
Xers experimental within boundaries, reluctant respect for
authority
Challenging of authority, innovative, individualistic, fast-
Gen Y
paced, short-term focus, ambitious, narcissistic
Talent Webinar

10. Psychological contract
Factor Boomers Gen X Gen Y
Decision making Cautious Less risk averse
Authority vested in hierarchy “I’ll express my view”
Authority vested in competence
Development Privilege Expected Expected
Didactic style Organisation focus Personal focus
Experimental style
Career Progress with Progress with Progress against “my plan”
seniority capability
Engagement Loyalty to organisation Engagement earned by organisation
Need purpose and opportunities
Leadership Visionary Inspiring Trusted, Pace-setting,
Authoritative Pace-setting Charismatic, Driven,
© Roffey Park 2012
Measured Decisive, Coach
Talent Webinar

11. A global
phenomenon ?
Talent Webinar

12. Talent Webinar

13. Key points from the Shanghai General
Motors sample – Gen Y on Gen Y
 Enhancing personal expertise and
realising one’s own self-worth (45%)
 Linking closely promotion, pay rise and
organisational growth (22%)
 New challenges, continuous
improvement (15%)
 Taking on responsibility to work towards
shaping the organisation’s future (14%)
 Managing work-life balance (7%)
Generation 80/90 – even though they
love money and love their freedom,
they love their future even more!
Talent Webinar

14. How will we source talent from different
generations?
Talent Webinar

15. What attracts Boomers?
 Salary
 Title
 Status
Talent Webinar

16. What attracts Gen X?
 Entire package – not just
money
– Time off
– Growth and
development
opportunities
– Work-life balance/family
priorities
Talent Webinar

17. What attracts Gen Y?
 They won’t settle for any
job, or any package
– Friendships
– Making a valued
contribution
– Meaningful, challenging
work – not mundane
– Development prospects
Talent Webinar

18. What matters to me
 Family
 Friends
 Making a difference
Talent Webinar

19. Talent Dilemmas
 For the few or the many?
 Transparent or secret?
 Self-nominated or manager-
nominated?
 Individually tailored or
generic?
 Self-managed or organisation-
managed?
 Overlaid by generational
considerations
Talent Webinar

20. Retention - Boomers
 Like being respected, especially
for demonstrating their
competence, and for
experience
 Career advancement doesn’t
have to be linear and vertical
– Sideways moves, and
challenging projects can also
be attractive
 Flexible working arrangements
– Sandwich generation;
supporting both
‘boomerangers’ and aging
parents
Talent Webinar

21. Retention – Gen X
 A good boss
– Approachable
– Listens to their needs
– Integrity
– Gives feedback &
encourages development
 Gen X will work
diligently for a boss they
respect
Talent Webinar

22. Retention – Gen Y
 Value given to their ideas
 Opportunities to develop
their skills
– Coaching and mentoring
 Want responsibility
 Flexibility
– Work isn’t the only thing in
their life
 Recognition – even for
their potential
Talent Webinar

23. Talent Webinar

24. Shanghai General Motors HR view
on Gen Y
A. Like being respected
B. Leaders need to be trusted and charismatic
C. Like learning, exploring meaningful jobs
D. Promote open communication and get timely feedback and
approval
E. Like autonomy, flexibility and interesting working
environment
F. Look forward to mentorship and coaching developments
(career development)
Talent Webinar

25. Implications for developing
Gen Y talent
 Visionary and
engaging leadership
 Coaching skills
 Followership and
managing upwards
Talent Webinar

26. What’s expected from Leaders
 An interest in people
 Able to listen to other
people and their views
 Direction (alongside me)
 Inspiration
 Great facilitation and
communication skills
 Decisiveness and control
Talent Webinar

27. Implications for leadership
development
 Moral dimension of
leadership
 Self awareness
 Coaching behaviour
change
 Respect, value and
inclusion
 Leaders who develop
leaders
Talent Webinar

28. The next generation
 Narcissistic
 Unique
 Highly intelligent
 If I ruled the world …
Talent Webinar

29. Talent Webinar

30. Productive “narcissists”-
just what we need?
 Bring passion
 Challenge the status quo
 Dare to break new
ground
 Boldly innovate
 Provide vision
 Inspire others
 Drive organisations in
new directions
Talent Webinar

31. East-West similarities and differences:
Narcissism in China too?
Talent Webinar

32. Characteristics of the 80/90s (Gen Y) in China – a shared
understanding by those working with the 80s/90s
 Positives: Independence, strives for
success, individuality, full of ideas,
jubilant, full of vigour, expressing
individuality, innovative, willing to
take responsibility for their actions,
fervour
 Negatives: Misanthropic (lacking in
emotional intelligence – EQ),
rebellious, puzzled/impetuous,
frivolous/irritable, demonstrates
helplessness, is a slave to
housing/loan issues, wilful,
(complains about a) perceived lack
of opportunity (triggers job-
hopping)
Talent Webinar

33. Positive attributes of your generation
 Technological
awareness/communication
 Creativity
 Acceptance/embracing
diversity
 Community (on-line)
 Close as a generation
 Driven to succeed
Talent Webinar

34. Negative attributes of your generation
 A degree of arrogance
 Indecisiveness
 Being easily distracted
 Impatient
 Concern with weight and
fashion
 Materialistic
 Technology (double-
edged sword)
Talent Webinar

35. Changing and adapting policies –
examples from global organisations
 An American IT company
launching a diversity and
inclusion programme (which
includes generational
diversity) and then pushing it
out globally using new
technology
 A global financial services
sector company which uses
“high touch” contact through
social chat rooms and
information sessions
Talent Webinar

36. Changing and adapting policies –
examples from global organisations
 An international bank that
advertises employment
benefits to older workforce
stakeholders (like parents!) –
relatively “low-tech”
 A Chinese company taking
the initiative to examine
generational differences and
adjust or refine its HR
strategy accordingly
Talent Webinar

37. Actions to consider
 Have I undertaken a generational
audit?
 Have I thought about the overall
psychological contract from a
generational perspective?
 Do I involve followers from
across the generations in
designing development initiatives?
 Do I look for opportunities for
cross-generational learning?
 Am I supporting Gen Y’s first
steps as managers?
 Have I ensured that our leaders
are generationally in tune with
Talent Webinar
their followers?

38. Time for discussion and questions
Talent Webinar

39. Thank you to the students from
Tanbridge House School and
Christ’s Hospital School as well as volunteers
from the Halogen Foundation, Singapore
Olivia Hardy Alex Godsmark Bethany Dickson-Cave
Tof Odusolu Gus Streeting YunQing Alex Bland YenSiu Tash King
Talent Webinar

40. For more information on Roffey Park
contact
Melissa Green
Marketing & Business
Development Manager
tailored@roffeypark.com
+44 (0)293 851644
+44 (0)7825 616281
Talent Webinar