Leveraging Flexibility in a Multi-Generational Workplace. October 10, 2016

Transcription

1 Leveraging Flexibility in a Multi-Generational Workplace October 10, 2016

2 Presentation Overview Introductions What does Johnson Lambert Know? Generational Generalizations Why NOW is Different & Requires a New Approach Ideas and Strategies for Consideration Time for Questions

3 Introductions Sara Huddleston, Director of Human Resources Vanderbilt University B.A. in German & Communications M.Ed. in Human Resource Development Joined Johnson Lambert in July 2006 Gen X Allan Autry, Tax Senior Manager Catawba College B.A. in Business Administration with focus on Accounting North Carolina State M.A.C Joined Johnson Lambert in September 2009 Millennial

4 What Does Johnson Lambert Know? Public accounting firm found in 1986 Over 70% Millennials Approximately 85% of new hires come through campus recruitment Strong internship and pre-internship programs There is an expectation for flexibility in the workplace!

5 This is What the Future Looks Like

6 WIIFM? Why are YOU here? To be the employer of choice To build credibility with clients & strengthen trust To have a high client retention percentage To be able to provide superior customer service

7 If You Weren t Already Convinced According to 2007 AARP report Leading a Multigenerational Workforce (Murphy, 2007), these are some of the benefits for organizations that proactively address multigenerational workplace issues: Strengthen corporate culture Improve competitiveness (alleviate brain drain ) Better recruitment outcomes Higher levels of employee engagement Increased retention

8 Flexibility in the Broadest Sense

9 Generation Generalizations Stats Traditionalist Baby Boomer Gen X Millennial Birth Years Age years years years years Numbers 20 million 75 million 65 million 83 million Diversity?? 28% 49% 43% Influences WW II, Great Depression Civil Rights, Vietnam War, Cold War/Russia Watergate, energy crisis, latchkey kids 9/11, Internet, school shootings

10 Why Generalizations Don t Serve You or Your Organization Did you know that 18 generations have been tracked in the US since the 1600s? Did you ever feel like the adjectives used to describe your generation don t match up so neatly with you or other fellow members of your generation?

11 Learning from the Past Linear progression of history vs. concept of Fourth Turning (book by William Strauss & Neil Howe) Each generation comes of age every 20 years High Crisis Awakening Unraveling

12 Turning Points Consider the year cycle Revolutionary War (1770s) American Civil War (1860s) WWII & Great Depression (1930s/1940s)??? ( )

13 Why NOW is Different (and Requires a New Approach)

14 Management Model Significant changes in management U.S. was primarily agricultural and entrepreneurial workforce (prior to 1900) Industrial Revolution (1800s) increased need for management 1911 Principles of Scientific Management Concepts of job descriptions, strategic planning, delegation of duties through hierarchy, and Human Resources

15 Henry Ford Assembly Line

16 Engage the Machine? How do you engage a machine? What s the difference between the Model T assembly line and your organization? Gallop Corporation Poll (tracking stats since 2000) 3 in 10 employees are actually engaged 2 out of 10 employees are DISENGAGED (actively/intentionally making workplace worse)

17 Abundance Material AND information abundance Resources are available in ways they never were before

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19 Diversity Not new, but becoming more prevalent/the norm We are more networked with each other

20 Greater Focus on Children Adults and children occupy/share the same space Greater parental focus on children

21 Impacts for the Workplace

22 Power Shift Social Internet gives power to the individual Customer is KING Anyone can be an entrepreneur Agency: subjective awareness that one is initiating, executing, and controlling one s own volitional actions in the world

23 More Discerning Workforce More Options = More Competition Why be grateful to just have a job when you can pursue something that is more fulfilling? Pressure is on for employers to up their game

24 Flat Organizations are In Millennial Generation has had access to adults their whole lives Leadership must understand their customers (internal and external) in order to quickly innovate Transparency is new norm Front line decision making

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26 Ideas & Strategies for Consideration

27 Flexibility to Hire for Fit The smartest person on paper may not be the best fit for the job Hire for potential and aptitude Provide training for systems to be used Provide coaching to continuously guide

28 Flexibility for When/How Work is Done Alternate Work Arrangements Technology considerations (connectivity, security, etc.)

29 Flexibility to Experiment Requires culture of catching someone doing the right thing, instead of punishing for getting it wrong Beta test users try product and improvements are made based on their feedback Pilot tests use small group (1 office or 1 team) to try new idea and report back on findings

30 Flexibility to Self-Direct Spark engagement by allowing greater control over their work, or a project Allow employees to OWN assignment, but with a lifeline Provide guidelines, but allow them to come up with new approach or solution

31 Flexibility to Share Information Rather than hoarding information, share it strategically so it ends up in the hands of people who need it to make informed decisions Instead of knowledge is power, consider sharing is power (Gen. McChrystal s 2010 TED Talk) Access to information is directly tied to ability to make informed decision and take action

32 Flexibility to Manage the Individual In order to invest in your employees, you MUST invest the time and effort to get to know your people Best practices are not best for everyone tailor to YOUR organization and individual s skills/goals Performance management the new frontier

33 Closing Thoughts Flexibility does not mean unstructured Reinvention is essential Consume information whenever possible Customize new ideas to fit organizational/individual needs Stay Flexible!

34 Time for Questions