This article appeared in Training magazine,
November 1999 issue
Adapted and excerpted from Generations at Work (AMACOM, 2000)
For more information, contact ClaireRaines@aol.com,
one of the authors.
Different Ways to Acquire, Digest, Organize and Distill the Skills
In today's post-industrial, information-centered work world, social and physical separation by age group are no longer as powerful a barrier to generational mixing. Frequently, senior employees are older today than senior employees were "back then," and these older employees are inhabiting positions once staffed by younger employees. The new, more horizontal, more spatially compact, workplace has stirred the generations into a mix of much different proportions.![]() |
Graphic by Douglas Oudekerk |
According to Walker Smith and Ann Clurman, authors of Rocking the Ages, "New generational differences are causing business upheavals, bringing new categories and ways [of work] into being at warp speed and causing old ones to shrink or disappear." The pecking order, hierarchy and short lifespans that had de facto kept one generational cohort together and isolated from other generational cohorts, no longer exist -- or they exist in a much less rigid, more permeable manner. Merit is quickly overcoming time in grade (or any other variable) as the deciding factor in advancement.
So it is that your next seminar will very likely include members of four distinct generations, generations that are only learning to work and learn -- together.
Look for George, for example -- a former career military sixtysomething who is a newcomer to your senior management. The most visible participants will likely be Tom, 45, and Linda, 52, experienced veterans of your organization. They have recently realized that, unless they upgrade and update their skills, they'll lose their jobs to Devon, 34, and Li, 26, who've been around just long enough to show how competent and savvy they are and scare a couple of Boomers. And then there's Crystal, the bright-faced summer intern whose boss told her the only way to really understand the organization was to attend one of your sessions.
Each of these four generations has a unique perspective on the world, particularly the world of work -- its own views about what an attractive work environment looks like; its own thoughts on the nature of the team they would actually choose to be a part of; and, perhaps most confounding to trainers, its own unique preferences for acquiring, digesting, organizing, and distilling information and skills. Understanding these generational differences is critical to trainers who would enroll their participants in working for the organization and not against it...who must deliver the values, philosophy, knowledge and skills upon which the smooth running of the business depends.
Birthyear Boundaries According to Generations at Work
The four generations of trainees -- as we define them -- cover nearly 80 birthyears -- from 1922 through 1999: They are the Veterans, 1922-43; the Baby Boomers, 1943-60; the Generation Xers, 1960-80; and the Nexters, born after 1980.The Veterans
Their preferred learning environment is stable, orderly, consistent, and risk-free. The Veterans tend to be conformers; they appreciate consistency, logic and discipline; and they are past-oriented. This generation, more than any other, appreciates a traditional training room, set classroom-style. Establish the ground rules for your session early -- and stick to them.They respond best to trainers with a conservative style, who serve and support their learning needs. Veterans are respectful of authority and will likely view, their trainer, as such. They are the least likely of all participants to take you on face-to-face if they disagree. As a result, you may not know you didn't have "buy in" until you receive your end-of-session evaluation forms. Approach your older participants -- respectfully -- possibly on a break, to find out what they think about the course precepts. Avoid "calling on" your oldest participants or doing anything which might make them feel they're being put on the spot in front of their peers and younger colleagues.
They are motivated to learn when the trainer makes connections to the overall good of the company -- its mission, long-term objectives, and history. Training activities that are most effective with this generation are the straightforward presentation of information -- and opportunities to build skills privately. When the trainer is in front of the room, this generation tends to "turn off" to anecdotes, examples and stories that are "too personal"; they prefer more "left-brained," logical material. And watch your language -- poor grammar or profanity will get between your message and recipients of this generation.
Training materials that suit them are organized in summary form -- think Reader's Digest and Executive Book Summaries, two formats very popular with older Americans. Avoid 9- and even 10-point type -- small type tests the vision of not only the Veterans but their fiftysomething Boomer colleagues as well!
Here are some specifics to keep in mind when training members of the Veteran Generation:
The Boomers
Linda and Tom and the 76 million other Baby Boomers comprise the biggest chunk of today's workforce. Their need to prove their worthiness has created a work ethic that can be called "dedicated" -- even "driven." They often have good people skills and prefer work environments where there is a lot of room for relationship. Boomers tend to be optimistic; they are attracted to the concept of team; and they are fascinated by the role of "spirit" in their lives, even their professional lives.Their preferred learning environment is interactive and non-authoritarian. They respond well to the traditional classroom as long as there are opportunities for interaction, networking, and teamwork. They also like to learn from books -- the Boomers have been the major market for self-help books for the last two decades -- and they like audiotapes they can learn from on their morning and afternoon commutes.
One caution: Boomers have a tendency to know things intellectually -- and not be aware that they've not translated knowledge into skills. Skill practice is crucial for Boomers, although it's challenging to find skill-building activities they actually like and will participate in.
They respond best to trainers who come across "as equals." Lots of Boomers have authority issues -- they didn't like the military-style directions they sometimes received in childhood, and they still resent shows of power -- so friendly, collegial trainers who give personal examples and share their own vulnerability play well to them. They are motivated to learn if they believe the knowledge and skills they are acquiring will give them new ways to win -- to be a star -- on the job.
Training activities that are most effective with Boomers are interactive: Icebreakers, team activities, discussion, and even self-reflection. But, for some reason, most Boomers cringe at the very thought of role play. Steer clear of it when designing training that will be delivered primarily to Boomers.
Training materials that suit them are organized and scannable with accessible information and details. The Internet is actually organized in perfect Boomer style -- you can find an overview of information in a friendly, scannable format; then, if interested, you can click on a topic to access more detailed information. Business Week and USA Today are both good examples of the format we're referring to -- and each is very popular with this generation.
Some specifics:
The Xers
Devon, Li and other Generation Xers are beginning to find themselves working side-by-side with the Boomers who have complained so vociferously about them for the past dozen years. But they've got a survivor mentality, and they're not intimidated by older colleagues. Gen Xers tend to be self-reliant, skeptical and informal; they are seeking work/life balance; they are technologically savvy; and they believe their resume is their ticket to career security.Their preferred learning environment is not face-to-face instruction. They're not nearly as attracted to classroom interaction as the generations before them, and they have a non-traditional orientation to time and space. They don't think much of work hours, believing, instead, that as long as the job gets done, it's not so important where or when. They don't like "line of sight" managing -- and may view a trainer who requires them to show up for days on end at precisely the same time each morning as a jailer. If there's no other way, the trainer needs to explain the rationale for timeliness and get their buy-in -- contractually -- early on. If the training is targeted primarily at Xers, though, consider other formats -- CD-ROM, videos and EPSS programs that answer employees' questions as they work.
They respond best to trainers who are competent. The trainer who spends lots of time trying to establish rapport with Gen X learners by being "warm and friendly" will have wasted that time. Instead, get right into the material -- and demonstrate your expertise. They are motivated to learn when it's fun -- this generation puts "fun" right near the top of their list of work priorities. These are highly motivated learners -- many think of themselves as free agents, and they know that better knowledge and skills will increase their marketability.
Training activities that are most effective with Gen Xers give them an opportunity to sample and learn by doing. Trainers we've surveyed have told us they can't put enough role-play into training programs geared to Xers. They want to get involved with what they're learning, experiment with it, and get feedback. They aren't as worried as older generations about "putting their ego on the line" -- they'll jump in and try something even at the cost of looking less than perfect in front of others.
Training materials that suit them have fewer words than those designed with Boomers in mind. Statistically Xers don't read as much as their older colleagues (or younger ones, either, as it turns out) -- they like white space, headlines, subheads, quotes, graphics, and lists they can scan through quickly. They are attracted to printed pages that are multi-focussed -- that supply the reader with lots of visual stimulation. Take a look at magazines like Spin and Fast Company to see what we mean.
Some specifics:
Generation Next
Crystal and the oldest Nexters are just taking their first jobs, and prognosticators believe they will influence the 21st-century workplace every bit as much -- and probably more -- than the Boomers did the 20th. The size of their cohort, the education system that developed them, their technological sophistication, positive expectations, and apparent bent for collective action just might prove a formula for greatness. This new wave of workers is both optimistic about the future and realistic about the present. They combine the teamwork ethic of the Boomers with the can-do attitude of the Veterans and the technological savvy of the Xers. Although they are still a work in progress, we can make some predictions about the type of adult learners they will be.Their preferred learning environment combines teamwork and technology. In a training room with lots of Nexters, give everyone a task. When a few have completed it, encourage them to walk around the room and help others -- they're used to working this way in school.
Generation Next is the first to be born into homes that, by enlarge, already had computers. These beeper-wearing cyberjunkies consider microwaves, CD players, VCRs and computers as basic to home furnishings as other generations did the kitchen table. They were weaned on video games, they troubleshoot the computer at home, and they teach their parents how to surf the Net. A caution from Alison Wellner in her February training article, "Get Ready for Generation Next," is spot on: "If the technology used in training isn't state-of-the-art, and if trainers don't know their stuff inside and out, the pupil may run circles around the master."
They respond best to trainers who engender respect. In a recent study by Northwestern Mutual Life and the Harris organization of the attitudes and behaviors of 2,001 college students at 101 colleges, respondents felt the most affinity to their World War II-era grandparents and great-grandparents. They subscribe to a stricter moral code, care about manners, and believe in civic action. Neil Howe suggests these new workers will need more supervision and structure than their Xer predecessors: "The younger new entrants to the workplace will be looking for more attention and structure from the authority figure."
They are motivated to learn skills and information that will help make their working lives less stressful and that will help them earn money. In foodservice and retail, where they primarily work today, there is evidence they are easily intimidated by difficult customers. Training that teaches them skills for overcoming objections and dealing with difficult people will make their everyday work lives easier. And there is a higher priority on making money with this generation than any before, so tie course objectives into economic improvement.
Training activities that are most effective incorporate elements of entertainment. This is the busiest generation of Americans yet -- they are used to activities and will become bored with training that isn't highly active and interactive. These young workers were raised on the Learning Channel. Take the best ideas from Dave & Buster's and Chuck E. Cheese and incorporate them into your design.
In the training room, limit stand-up talking as much as you can; instead, get creative with music, art and games. Training materials that suit them are lively and varied. Printed materials should have the same multi-focus that materials targeted at Xers have -- with one exception: Nexters are readers -- publishers report that annual sales of children's books has quadrupled since 1990 -- so you might want to include reprints and written backup information.
Some specifics:
They're All In One Room? Six Essential Principles
Wouldn't it be nice if, as a trainer, you were only called upon to work with one generation at a time? You could digest and incorporate all these ideas -- and life would be rosy. But that's not likely to happen, is it?Let us take up the question we suspect you've been wanting to interrupt with for the past five minutes: What if you've got a menagerie of all these generations in one room -- what to do? Here are the essential principles of training intergenerational groups:
© 1999, Zemke, Raines and Filipczak