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Managing Gen X and Y: Common FAQ’s

May 24, 2009 It’s amazing how much debate goes on about the challenges of managing Generations X and Y in the workplace.  Usually, the questions start because organizations are trying to figure out how best to communicate with, and engage the post baby-boomers who have been raised on facebook, text messaging and im’s, and who operate according to a language all their own as a result. 

I hear and see questions like the ones below all the time and offer the following answers:

Q: “How do we get them to hear us?”
A:  Speak their language.  It’s not hard to learn.  (a.k.a. LOL) Everything is condensed, which isn’t bad in my opinion since life in corporate has become laden with too many words that go round and round regurgitating the same thing that often ends up missing the point in the process. The younger generations rely more on fragments - tight, direct and less circular.  In many ways, it makes them more efficient.  

Q:  “How can we engage them (in their work) when traditional methods of communication fail?”
A:  Don’t impose your way or the old way of doing things on them.  Ask them what they want and how you can most effectively bring out the best in them.  They’ll tell you.

Q:  “How should we handle their compulsive need to text, twitter, im and check facebook status updates constantly while at work?”
A:   Set policy that says they can’t.  If they do it during a meeting or conversation with another person, it has nothing to do with technology or age.  It’s flat out rude and should not be accepted as permissible behavior any more than standing up and walking away from someone while he or she is talking would be. 

Q:  “How do we handle their ADD/ADHD attention spans?”
A:  Speed things up.  Add more variety.  They’ll be fine.  Oh, and make it fun.  

Q:  “How do we train them?”
A:  Make training more interesting.  Make it relevant to their jobs.  Don’t bog them down with theories and don’t drone on.  Have them speak more than the trainer does and use slides that move, have sound, color and numbers in addition to the words.

Q:  “How should we manage them?”
A:  Be very clear about what is acceptable and what isn’t in your organization.  Values, goals and priorities shouldn’t be all that different because a younger generation is suddenly present. 

The thing to remember is that communicating effectively and managing for results are not necessarily the same things.  To communicate with employees you generally need to reach them, which usually happens through some degree of affect.  Yet to manage people you need to establish a structure that supports and shapes the behaviors necessary to fuel a business that thrives.  The common ground for both however, is that you need to be clear, clear, clear in how you articulate and convey your messages. 
 
In terms of whether social media should be “allowed” in the workplace at all, it’s really very simple.  If it’s work related then it is totally appropriate, and if it’s personal then it should be treated as such – not forbidden, but kept to a minimum.  If employees abuse it, then it’s time for the firewalls to go up.  Meanwhile, take the best of what the pre and post-information ages bring and make the most out of the opportunity to stretch as you attempt to meet somewhere in the middle.  It's the only way to find balance in that space we call the "generation gap."

Posted by Donna Flagg on May 24, 2009 | Comments (5)