Making it Stick:Engaging Your Multigenerational Workforce

Shira HarringtonFounder & President, Purposeful Hire

The High Cost of Employee Turnover

1.5 – 3xs Employee’s Salary

Recruitment Loss of institutional knowledgeTraining of new hireLoss of member relationshipsImpact on morale

Employee Disengagement is Rising

72%US employees who are disengaged

or actively disengaged

Employee Loyalty is Non-existent

• Rampant downsizings for last two decades• Absence of defined benefit plans• Focus on work-life balance• Maslow’s hierarchy: “self-actualization”• Gallup: “People join companies but leave managers”• Increased options for entrepreneurship

High Turnover of Millennials

18 monthsAverage tenure of Millennials

(and declining)

They are paid volunteers!

Traditional Longevity Based on Tenure

4 Years tenure

10 years tenure

Until retirement

Start date

BUT it’s socially unacceptable for Millennials to stay in their jobs for longer than 2 years

Millennial segment grows as Boomers start to retire

75% by 2025

50% by 202035

% in 201

5

Generational Work Values

• Hard work• Sacrifice• Respect for authority• Following the rules• Frugality• Military focus• God and country

Traditionalist Values

• Anything is possible• Live to work• Pay your dues• Face time• Career-focused• Competitive• Long-tenured jobs• Women in leadership• Diversity / Civil rights

Baby Boomer Values

• Independence• Self-reliance• Cynicism• Questions authority• Entrepreneurism• Work to live• Work-life balance

Generation X Values

• Achievement• Diversity• Extreme fun• Highly tolerant of others• Sociability | Team focused• Members of global community• Tech dependent• Now!• Optimism• Street smarts• Mission driven

Millennial Values

Communication StylesBo

omer

s • Diplomatic • In person• Present

Options• Consensus

Gene

ratio

n X • Direct• Email• Sound

bites• Present

facts

Mill

enni

als • Polite

• Positive• Texting• Consensus• Don’t talk

down to them

Rewards and RecognitionBoomers Generation X Millennials

Financial Rewards Time Off Meaningful Work

Public Recognition & Praise Don’t like Public Recognition

Personal and Team Recognition

Title Recognition Freedom to Get Results Title Recognition

Letter of Appreciation Constructive Feedback Mentoring / Coaching

Appreciation for Hard Work Hands Off Supervision Frequent Communication

Work-Life Balance Work-Life Balance Work-Life Integration

Cross Generational Employee Engagement Factors

Perceptions of job importance Being Kept in the Loop

Clarity of job expectations Career advancement opportunities

Regular feedback and dialogue with superiors Quality of working relationships

Inspirational leadershipEffective Internal Employee Communications

Rewards and Recognition

What Millennials Want

Rethinking Performance Evaluations

Performance Evaluation

• Past-Based (Superior/Subordinate)

Performance Coaching

• Future-Based (Athletic Coaching)

20

High Motivation

High Skill Low Skill

Low Motivation

“Passiontivity” ExerciseAligning Skills with Career Motivators

(High Engagement) (Professional Development)

(Stop – Gap) (Disengagement)

How Can You Increase Millennial Engagement at your organization?

1. Create a Millennial (or cross generational) taskforce2. Expand frequency of new career titles3. Give them stretch assignments 4. Allow them to work more collaboratively5. Offer more flexible scheduling options6. Launch community service initiatives7. Create a mentoring program8. Invite them to executive or board events9. Move to performance coaching, “quick hit” feedback10. Make things fun!!

Roundtable Discussion

What is ONE actionable take-awayyou can employ in your organization

to start increasing engagement?

Questions?

Shira HarringtonFounder & PresidentPurposeful Hire, Inc.

shira@purposefulhire.com703-508-9573

www.purposefulhire.com