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BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAPMWEA Northern Michigan Operators Seminar
September 25, 2018
Rhonda Oyer
Department of Environmental Quality
Waste Management and Radiological Protection Division
400 B. C.
“[Our Youth] have contempt for authority; they show disrespect
for their elders.”
Key terms and concepts
• Generation: a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously who have common knowledge and experiences that affect their thoughts, attitudes, values, and behaviors
• Cusper: people born close to the dividing line between generations
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
Four Generations(soon to be Five!)
• Matures/Traditionalists/Silent Generation: born before 1946
• Baby Boomers: 1946 - 1964
• Generation X: 1965 - 1980
• Generation Y/Millennials: 1980 – 2000
• Generation Z: born after 2000
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Signposts• Generational signpost: an event or
cultural phenomenon that is specific to one generation
• Personal signposts: experiences in our lives that significantly contribute to who we are
• Group signposts: experiences of the group to which we belong and the society in which we live
• Life laws: events that have social, political, or economic influence on our lives but occurred before we were old enough to remember any difference
Stereotypes
• What are some of the characteristics of each generation and prevailing stereotypes?
– Traditionalists: unwilling to change and unable to adapt to technology
– Boomers: driven workaholics
– Gen X: slacker attitude and disregard for authority
– Millennials: spoiled, self-centered, and entitled
– Gen Z: the “reality-check” generation
Critical Factors that shape a generation
• Parenting trends
– How we are raised is the greatest influence of how we will behave in the workplace
• Economics
– Our beliefs about money are forged early in life and impact our workplace decisions
• Life Span
– How long we think we have left to live affects what we do with the time we believe we have left
More about Generation Z
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
TechnologyAll of us have a different relationship with technology
that is primarily driven by our age
I remember when cut and paste involved a glue stick.
What’s a
browser?
We’re Friends on Facebook.
What do we all have in common??
• All generations have similar values
• We all want respect
• We all want leaders we can trust
• We are all resistant to change
• Loyalty depends on context
• We all want to learn
• We all want feedback
What can we do to bridge the Generation Gap?
• Encourage everyone to compromise, trust, and commit to make things work
• Address three main issues (take into account the needs of different generations separately)
– Technology
– Feedback
– Work/Life Balance
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Bridging the Gap…
• Make sure communications are effective for all– Different styles
– Different media
– Start listening—stop assuming
– Ask questions rather than make statements
– Paraphrase before answering
– Be careful when using cultural or historical references
What else can we do…
• Value, recognize, and appreciate each person’s unique contribution to the team– We all want R-E-S-P-E-C-T
– Our differences compliment each other
– Focus on similarities rather than differences
– If the other person was right after all—say so!
• Take advantage of the fresh perspective of younger staff and the wisdom of the more experienced
What you can do… • Give people the benefit of
the doubt
• Approach interactions by walking a mile in someone else’s shoes
• Be open
• Recognize change happens
• Recognize the values and perils of the tried and true
• Develop insatiable curiosity