The document discusses generational differences in the workplace and strategies for effective communication across generations. It provides an overview of the four main generations (Matures, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y) and how their defining life experiences shaped their values and work styles. The document then offers tips for training, motivating, and communicating with each generation. It emphasizes understanding generational diversity, being flexible, and creating trust to promote intergenerational communication.

1. COMMUNICATING ACROSS
THE GENERATIONS
Presented by
Teri Zuege-Halvorsen, MS
Assistant Professor
Family Living Educator
UW-Cooperative Extension

2. Program Outline
 Introduction and Overview
 Background of the Generations
 How Do Generational Differences
Affect You?
 Communicating Across the
Generations

3. Workshop Goals
 Increase knowledge and understanding of
the four generations
 Enhance comprehension of how
generational differences affect
working styles
 Promote skills for effective
intergenerational communication

4. Generational Diversity
 Generational differences represent a
critical aspect to workplace diversity.
 How you view generational differences
is based on your generational
perspective.

5. Are you a mature, one of the many loyal
“company people” most comfortable with a
top-down management approach?
Do you work for a driven and dedicated Baby
Boomer willing to work late to prove
themselves?
Do you have team members who are Gen
X’ers, most comfortable with casual dress and
flexible hours, resentful of traditional power
and politics?
Is your organization prepared to recruit and
retain Gen Y’s, a group of idealistic, multi-
tasking web-surfers?

6. Generations Brainstorming

7. The Matures
 Born between 1925-1945
 Almost 6% of them are still in the
workforce, although many are part-
time
 Also known as the: veterans,
seniors, traditionalists, silent
generation

8. The Baby Boomers
 Born between 1945-1963 or (1940 –
1960)
 Over 72 million strong
 Also known as:
Boomers

9. The Generation X’ers
 Born between 1964-1980
 58 Million
 Also known as: X’ers, Baby
Busters, Post-Boomers,

10. The Generation Y’s
 Born between 1981 and 2000
 80 Million Strong
 Also known as the:
millennials, nexters,
Nintendo Generation,
Internet Generation

11. Cuspers
those born close to the dividing line
between two generations. Are often able
to straddle both generational defining
moments/signposts. Sometimes identify
with one or the other

12. Matures: Defining Events
 The Great Depression & Dust Bowl
 The New Deal
 Social Security Established
 Golden Age of Radio
 Pearl Harbor Attacked
 WW II and Korean War
 Rise of Labor Unions

13. Boomers: Defining Events
 Economic Prosperity
 Bay of Pigs
 Expansion of Suburbia
 Focus on Children
 Television/Rock & Roll
 Vietnam
 Assassinations
 Civil Rights Movement
 Cold War/McCarthy Hearings
 Space Race/Moon Landing

14. Gen X’ers: Defining Events
 Watergate, Nixon resigns
 Roe vs. Wade
 Challenger Disaster
 Computers
 Single-parent homes
 Latchkey Kids
 MTV
 AIDS
 Harsh economic conditions/energy crisis

15. Gen Y’s: Defining Events
 Technology -Internet
 Reality TV
 Multiculturalism
 Desert Shield/Storm
 Clinton Scandal
 Columbine & others
 Oklahoma City Bombing
 9/11 – War
 Political Landscape

16. What Berlin Wall?

17. How Their Times
Shaped Them

18. Generational Descriptors
Matures Boomers Gen X’ers Gen Y’s
Defining Duty/ Individuality Diversity/ Optimism
idea… Sacrifice /Work Independence Collaborate
Success Fought Born and Have two jobs Tenacity
because hard & should
won have it
Style… Team Self- Entrepreneur Team
player absorbed player
Leisure Reward The point of Relief Part of life
is… for hard life
work

19. Generational Descriptors
Matures Boomers Gen X’ers Gen Y’s
Education A dream A birthright A way to get Life-long
is… ahead
Surprises in Some All good Avoid them – Can be
life are… good, they are good
some bad usually bad
Future is… Rainy day Now is Uncertain, Can be
to work for more but planned
important manageable for
Managing Save Spend Hedge Spend
money… parent’s $

20. Generational Descriptors
Matures Boomers Gen Gen Y’s
Xers
Program Social Cult Software Sophisticated
means… program deprogrammers software
They Victory Youth Savvy Knowledge
celebrate…
The Mom and Mom and Dad Mom or Mom or Dad
family… Dad Dad
Grandpa,
Grandma

21. Generational Descriptors
Matures Boomers Gen X’ers
Gen Y’s
Sex… On your In your car Over the
Back to
honeymoon Internet
basics
The phone Rotary Touch tone Cellular
Wireless/
is… Texting
Technology Slide rules Calculators Spreadsheets Game
Systems
Source: Rocking the Ages, Smith, J. Walker and Ann Clurman

22. Generational Clash
in the Workplace
 Worldwide economy
 Rapid change in the workplace
 Mergers, acquisitions, consolidations
- Downsizing of organizations
- Elimination of middle management
 Less union activity/changes in public
unions - Seniority is only one element
of promotion
 Technology

23. The Result:
 No job is safe, and no career assured.
 Causes employees to identify more with
their generation and blame other
generations for workplace problems and
issues.
 The real generational workplace conflict
is based on differences in values,
ambitions, views, and mindsets.

24. Mature Values
 Dedication/sacrifice  Patience
 Law and order  Delayed reward
 Strong work ethic  Duty, honor, country
 Risk averse  Loyalty to the
 Respect for organization
authority

25. Boomer Values
 Optimism  Promotion and
 Team work recognition
 Personal  Youth
gratification  Work
 Health and wellness  Volunteerism

26. Gen X Values
 Diversity  Fun
 Thinking globally  Informality
 Balance in life  Independence
 Computer literacy  Initiative
 Personal
development

27. Gen Y Values
 Optimism  Education
 Civic duty  Idealism
 Confidence  Fun
 Ambition/  Diversity
achievement  Personal
 Tradition development

28. Matures at Work
Assets Limitations
 Stable  Uncomfortable with
 Detail oriented ambiguity and change
 Work experience  Reluctant to buck the
 Loyal system
 Customer service  Uncomfortable with
conflict
 “We’ve always done it
that way” response

29. Boomers at Work
Assets Limitations
 Service oriented  Not naturally “budget
 Driven/dedicated minded”
 Willing to “go the  Uncomfortable with
extra mile” conflict
 Good at  Put process ahead of
relationships results
 Want to please  Sensitive to feedback
 Good team  Judgmental of those who
players see things differently

30. Gen X’ers at Work
Assets Limitations
 Adaptable/flexible  Impatient
 Techno-literate  May have poorer
 Independent people skills
 Not intimidated by  Not as much
authority experience
 Creative  Skeptical, some are
cynical

31. Gen Y’s at Work
Assets Limitations
 Loyalty  Need for supervision
and structure
 Optimism tempered
with realism  Inexperience, partic
ularly with handling
 Tolerant different people
 Multi-tasking issues
 Technological savvy  Customer service
levels are low

32. Matures: Training & Development
Training Developing
 Take plenty of time  Technology
 Give them the “big  Don’t stereotype as
picture” technophobes
 Share the company/  Use formality and
organizational history order
 Let them share their  Don’t rush it
experiences

33. Boomers:
Training & Development
Training Development
 Focus on the future  Meetings and team
building
 Focus on challenges
 Provide developmental
experiences
 Focus on their role
 Use business books
and training videos

34. Gen X’ers:
Training & Development
Training Development
 Offer them access to  Help them train for
computer-based another job
information
and resources  Self-study online
courses
 Provide resource lists
 Keep materials brief –
 Focus on balance bullets/checklists
 Have some fun

35. Gen Y’s: Training & Development
Development
Training
 Take plenty of time
 Focus on customer
service and
 Model the behavior
interpersonal skills
you want to see
 Provide a mentor;
 Communicate preferably a mature
expectations
 Large teams with
 Have some fun strong leadership

36. Messages that Motivate
Matures
 “Your experience is respected here.”
 “It’s important for the rest of us to
hear what has, and hasn’t, worked
in the past.”
 “Your perseverance is valued and will
be rewarded.”

37. Messages that Motivate
Boomers
 “You are important to our success.”
 “Your unique contributions will be
recognized and rewarded.”
 “What is your vision for this project?”

38. Messages that Motivate
Gen X’ers
 “Do it your way.”
 “We’ve got the newest technology and
a lot of professional development.”
 “There aren’t a lot of rules here.”
 “We’re not very corporate/rigid.”

39. Messages that Motivate
Gen Y’s
 “We provide equal opportunities
here.”
 “Your mentor is in his/her sixties.”
 “You are making a positive difference
to our company.”
 “You handled that situation well.”

40. Communication:
Levels of Response
 Level 1
Acknowledge and let it go.
 Level 2
Change your behavior.
 Level 3
Use a generational
template to talk it over.
Source:The Xers & The Boomers, Claire Raines, Jim Hunt

41. Acknowledge and let it go
 Learn to “pick your battles”
 Acknowledge that generational
differences exist
 Identify the generational factor involved
with a co-workers behavior or response
 Let your annoyance go and move on

42. Change your behavior
 React by altering your response based
on the generational principles you have
learned
 Make a conscious decision as to what
you are going to say, or not say, what
are the most appropriate words to use
in your response, what is the most
appropriate way to respond

43. Use a generational template
 All involved recognize and acknowledge
that each generation has a preferred
communication style.
 They go a step further and discuss how
these preferences are affecting their situation.
 They come to a mutual agreement about
more effective ways to communicate with
each other.

44. Case Studies

45. USING THE ABC APPROACH
 Accommodate differences
 Be flexible
 Create an atmosphere of trust

46. ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENCES
 A diversity of perspectives enriches an
organization
 Understand and appreciate generational
differences
 Recognize and reward in ways
appropriate to generationally diverse
needs and desires

47. BE FLEXIBLE
 Step “out of the box”
 Focus on the end result rather than
the process
 Stay open to all possibilities

48. CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE
OF TRUST
 DO NOT micromanage!
 Involve staff and volunteers in planning
and decision making
 Provide clear, specific goals, the
resources need and then step out of the
way!