CEE Executive Briefing on Harnessing Potential of Multigenerational Workforce - 13 June 2013 revised

© 2013 Centre for Executive Education Pte Ltd
www.ipma.com.sg/cee.php
Harnessing the Potential of
Multigenerational Workforce
Prof Sattar Bawany
CEO, Centre for Executive Education
Strategic Advisor, IPMA Asia Pacific
Senior Advisor, Eduquest International Institute
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Eduquestindia Institute, Pvt Ltd Chennai, India

2
Every morning in Asia, a tiger
wakes up. It knows it must
outrun the slowest deer or it
will starve to death.
Every morning in Asia, a deer
wakes up. It knows it must run
faster than the fastest tiger or it
will be killed.
It doesn‟t matter whether you are a tiger or a deer: when the
sun comes up, you‟d better be running…..
Are You A Tiger Or Deer?

3
Knowing Yourself - Assessment

4
 The Centre for Executive Education (CEE) is the Executive
Development Division of The International Professional Managers
Association (IPMA).
 IPMA is a global „not-for-profit‟ (NPO) members organisation
headquartered in Kent, UK with Regional Offices in Europe, Africa and
Asia Pacific
 CEE‟s mission is to assist client organisation to secure a leading
position in their respective market place and developing a sustainable
competitive advantage through developing their key asset, intellectual
capital of the people.
 CEE offers talent management solutions including executive coaching
and custom-designed leadership development programs to accelerate
individual performance and succession planning for organisations.
 Eduquest offer training programmes for a wide spectrum of capabilities,
knowledge and attitudes that help every individual to become more
proficient and professional in carrying out the tasks assigned to them so
as to enhance their employability skills.
Who We Are

5
 CEO, Centre for Executive Education
 Strategic Advisor & C-Suite Coach with IPMA / EDA Asia Pacific
 Senior Advisor, Eduquest International Institute, Singapore/India
 Co-Chair of the Human Capital Committee of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Singapore (AmCham Singapore).
 Member of Frontier Strategy Group‟s Expert Advisory Network (EAN) for
Talent Management issues in Asia Pacific advising CEOs and CHROs of
global and regional organisations.
 Over 25 years‟ international business management in executive coaching,
facilitation, leadership development and training
 Adjunct Professor of Strategy at Paris Graduate School of Management
teaching international business strategies, leadership development and
human resource courses
 Previously assumed senior leadership roles with global management &
HR consulting firms: DBM Asia Pacific, Mercer Human Resource
Consulting, The Hay Group and Forum Corp
About Your Speaker

6
Danger or Opportunity?
Our multigenerational work environment can be a
source of positive challenge, opportunity and
significant growth if managed effectively and
leveraged to meet the business goals of our
organization.

7
Shifting Demographics
 By 2017, workers in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Japan,
Singapore., Italy and the U.K. aged 50 and over will make up
more than 40% of the workforce (AARP Profit from Experience,
2007) and will be poised to retire in large numbers within the
next ten years.
 Gen X represents a much smaller pool of available workers and
will not be able to fill the positions left vacant by retirements
(Institute for the Future, 2003).
 In light of this predicted labor and skills shortage, it is imperative
for forward-thinking companies to focus on retaining older
workers and increasing their ability to recruit and engage
younger workers.

8
Most employees are:
Working in multi-generational teams
View that multi-generational teams improve
organizational performance
No Authoritative Published Data for Malaysia.
Key findings from survey commissioned by TAFEP:
Together, Gen X and Gen Y make up 60% of the
workforce
Means that 40% of the workforce is over 45 years of age
Source: Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) www.fairemployment.sg
Present Day Workforce

9
The 5 Generations
i-Generation /
Linksters
Generation Y /
Millenials
Generation XBaby BoomersTraditionalists
68 and over 50-67 33-49 19-32 18 and under
Leaders
yesterday
Leaders
today
Next
Leaders
50% Global
workforce
5 years to
workforce
“Aging workforce population”
1922-1945 1946-1964 1965-1980 1981-1994 1995-2010

10
i-Generation /
Linksters
Generation Y /
Millenials
Generation XBaby BoomersTraditionalists
68 and over 50-67 33-49 19-32 18 and under
1922-1945 1946-1964 1965-1980 1981-1994 1995-2010
Value logic and
discipline, stabili
ty, want a
legacy
Idealistic,
competitive,
questions
authority,
dislikes change,
recognition,
stellar career
Work/life
balance,
career
portability,
flexible, some
anxiety, dislike
micro
management
Value diversity,
technologically
superior,
change, want
meaningful
work, embrace
selected
technologies
and don‟t let go
Technology a
part of life,
never lost,
multi-profiled,
multi
collaborators,
multi personality
multi locations
The 5 Generational Traits to look out for

11
Generational Work Perspectives
Generation Years Born Work Perspectives
Traditionalists 1922 - 1945 “Company loyalty” - Believed they'd work for the same
company their entire career.
Boomers 1946 - 1964 “Live to work” - Believe in putting in face time at the office.
Women enter the workforce in large numbers.
Gen Xers 1965 - 1980 “Work to live” - Believe that work should not define their
lives. Dual-earner couples become the norm.
Gen Yers
(Millennials)
1981 - 1994 “Work my way” - Devoted to their own careers, not to their
companies. Desire meaningful work.
Gen Zers
(Linksters)
1995 to present “Living and Working their way” - Their struggles in the work
environment are tied to their youth and inexperience.
Desire for change, stimulation, learning and promotion that
will conflict with traditional organisational hierarchies.
Sattar Bawany, „Unlocking unlocking the benefits of a multi-generational workforce in Singapore‟,
http://sbr.com.sg/hr-education/commentary/unlocking-benefits-multi-generational-workforce-in-singapore,
published in Singapore Business Review on 24 January 2013

12
Traditionalists
(Born before 1946)
Baby Boomers
(Born 1946-1964)
Gen X
(Born 1965-1980)
Gen Y
(Born after 1980)
Potential
Challenges
• Reluctant to buck
the system and
speak up when they
disagree
• Uncomfortable with
conflict
• Uncomfortable with
conflict
• Sometimes put
process ahead of
results
• Skeptical
• Distrust authority
• May not be
attracted to
leadership
positions
• View changing jobs
as a natural process
• Likes to instill a
sense of play and fun
in the work
Perception • Despise workers
who appear to jump
ladder rungs without
„paying their dues‟
• Might not be as
conscious to issues
on cross culture
• Might believe that
employees who fail to
put in „extra time‟ lack
commitment, focus
and loyalty
• Might not recognize
the off-site
contribution of
employees
• Need to be
reminded to
delegate
tasks and
responsibilities
• Multi-tasking abilities
can be construed as
rude
Communication • Feedback is not
necessary, but they
want to know that
they have made a
difference
• Documented
feedback on a yearly
basis is sufficient
• Frequent, honest
feedback to know
they are on the
right track
• Immediate feedback
that tells them what
they are doing right
or wrong
Source: Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman „When Generations Collide: How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work’, 2002.

13
Source: The Straits Times, Singapore 8 April 2010

14
Group Exercise
Generational Themes
 List five social events/trends from the first 20 years
of your life.
 In small groups, discuss the following:
 How do you think these events shape your thinking and behavior,
especially at work?
 With which generation do you experience the most conflict? Why?
 What is the most important thing for other generations to know
about your generation?

15
Differences

16
Virtually fun and new languages
www.urbandictionary.com

17
Bringing a New Type of Language
to the Workplace
 Your gf is getto lol
 Rofl nah she‟s cool
 Lol coolies ttyl gtg pos
Your girlfriend is lower class
laugh out loud
Rolling on the floor…
Laugh out loud, stay cool,
talk to you later, got to go,
parents over (my) shoulder

18
Multigenerational Communication
 Keeping these generational
differences in mind can make
dealing with co-workers, less of a
challenge.
 Remember to discard biases and
preconceived notions and enjoy
the generational differences

19
 More flexible in changing
demographics
 Broader insight into your customer
base
 Wider pool of Talent
 Diverse perspectives leading to
stronger decision-making
 Greater innovation and creativity
 Meet the needs of diverse stakeholders
Multigenerational workplaces can be a source of positive challenge,
opportunity, and significant growth if managed effectively.
Benefits of Multigenerational Teams

20
How Does the Multi-Generational
Workforce Impact Employers?
HR professionals can play a strategic role by partnering with
their Business Leaders in meeting the needs of their
employees.
 Are there specific business units that have a higher percentage of baby
boomers set to retire in the next 10 years?
 What are some possible flexible work options that will simultaneously
attract all generations while encouraging Traditionalists and Boomers to
remain employed and play key roles in knowledge transfer, leadership
development, and mentoring of younger workers?
 How can Human Resources professionals coach managers to maximize
the performance of each generation?
 What specific tactics are HR professionals using to attract the „best and
brightest‟ of the Gen Y employees that might differ from strategies used
for other generations?

21
 Baby Boomers are retiring at
the rate of one every eight
seconds
 The vast majority of
organizational leaders are Baby
Boomers with the most typical
age being 58 years old.
 There are 11% fewer Gen Xers
than Baby Boomers
 Generation Y (twenty-five and
under) will not be
management/leadership
material for years to come
EDA Research: The New Realities

22
Source: “’Y’ Are They Different” – A Study of Gen Y at Work, Their Views and How They are Viewed,
Published by GMP & Temasek Polytechnic, 2009
Leadership Characteristics
That Gen Y-ers Want Their
Leaders To Demonstrate
Leadership Characteristics
That Managers From The
Other Generations Believe In
Demonstrating To Gen Y-ers
1. Caring (54%) 1. Competent (54%)
2. Inspiring (45%) 2. Honest (32%)
3. Competent (44%) 3. Forward-looking (31%)
*Numbers in parentheses reflect percentage of respondents who selected this as a preferred strategy.
http://www.gmprecruit.com/resource_hub/..%5Cpdf%5CResourceHub%5Cgeny_press.pdf
Leading Gen Y Employees

23
Top Factors That Motivate Gen
Y To Stay In Organizations
Retention Strategies Most
Utilized By Organizations
1. Opportunities for Career
Advancement (63%)
1. Opportunities for Career
Advancement (43%)
2. Good Work-Life Harmony (41%) 2. Emphasis on Learning &
Development (37%)
3. Good Relationships (40%) 3. Good Compensation (24%)
*Numbers in parentheses reflect percentage of respondents who selected this as a preferred strategy.
Engaging Gen Y Employees

24
 Calculate Your Current (and Future)
Investment in Gen Y:
 How many Gen Y employees does your
organisation currently have?
 What is the average compensation for
Gen Y employee at your organisation?
 Multiply the number of Gen Y employees x
Your average compensation.
 Can be seen as the risk your organisation
takes in assuming Gen Y will meet your
employment needs.
 The better managed this investment, the
lower the risk and the better return for all
involved.
Exercise: Managing the ROI on Gen Y?

25
Generation Z: The digital natives
Students today are all
“native speakers” of
the digital language of
computers, video games,
instantaneous
communication, and the
Internet.
Source: Marc Prensky, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” (2001)

26
 The Linkster Generation (those born after 1995) is the one
just entering the workforce now. Like any other generation,
it brings its own mindset into the workforce.
 Linksters primarily work part-time while attending school.
 They are called Linksters because no other generation has
ever been so linked to each other and to the world through
technology. Their struggles in the work environment are
tied to their youth and inexperience.
 They are complete digital natives and cannot function
without communicating through social media.
 Desire for change, stimulation, learning and promotion that
will conflict with traditional organisational hierarchies.
Source: Generations, Inc., by Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson. 2010, AMACOM.
Gen Z or The Linksters

27
 Get them into a routine that they can master.
 Generation Z will be unlike Baby Boomers, who are often
loyal to a firm. They don‟t expect jobs for life and will move
onto the next job, similar to Generation Y.
 Managers of Generation Z employees will have to be
prepared to give regular feedback that tells them they are
making a difference to the organisation
 Development and work/life balance are more important than
financial reward, with both Gen Y & Z being committed to
their own personal learning and development.
Source: Edge Online Future of work - Employees 3.0: Managing Generation Z published on 28 August 2012
http://www.i-l-m.com/edge/managing_generation_Z.aspx
Managing Gen Z

28

29
• Profitability/ROI
• Cost Optimisation
• Employee Turnover /
Retention
• Employee Satisfaction
• Employee Loyalty
• Policy on CSR, Sabbatical
• Rewards and Flexibility
• Culture, Espirit De Corps
• EQ Level & EI Competencies
• Servant Leadership/Level 5
• Leadership Styles
Organisational Results
Talent Engagement
Organisational Climate
Leadership Effectiveness
Customer Loyalty
• Customer Satisfaction
• Service Value/
Relationship
Bawany, S. (2011) “Ways to achieve Organisational Success: Role of Leaders in Engaging the Multi-Generational Workforce” published by
Singapore Business Review, 1st November 2011. http://sbr.com.sg/hreducation/commentary/ways-achieve-incredible-organizational-success-0
Engaging Your Multi-Gen Talent

30
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDAdaaupMno

31
Conclusion: Strategic Tips
 Build team spirit by talking about the
generational issues to depersonalize the
conflict that arises due to the differences.
 Recognize and celebrate the differences.
 Over communicate. Seek to understand
and only then to be understood.
 Engage through Managerial Coaching
 Encourage constant feedback and show
recognition for Y-er‟s & Z-er‟s contribution
 “Opportunities for Career Advancement”
and “Good Relationships” are key factors
 Learn to use technology – it is here to
stay!

32
If you do tomorrow what you did yesterday
Your Future is History……………
If you do tomorrow what we’ve covered today
Your Future is Historic!!!
Final Thoughts

33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03o1JZ7c7gI
Video: Leading Multigenerational Team

34
Prof Sattar Bawany
CEO, Centre for Executive Education &
Strategic Advisor, IPMA Asia Pacific
Email: sattar.bawany@ipma.com.sg
Website: www.ipma.com.sg/cee.php
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bawany
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipma.singapore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sattarbawany
Skype: sattar.bawany
Keeping in Touch on Social Media

CEE Executive Briefing on Harnessing Potential of Multigenerational Workforce - 13 June 2013 revised

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Más de Centre for Executive Education

Más de Centre for Executive Education (20)

Último

Último (20)

CEE Executive Briefing on Harnessing Potential of Multigenerational Workforce - 13 June 2013 revised

Notas del editor