Benefitting from differences Every generation has a different point of view on life and has its own strengths and ­expectations. Organisations that understand this dynamism know how to get the best out of their employees.

The philosopher Socrates (469-399 BC) was not par ticularly positive about the generation that followed him: “Our youth now love luxur y. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise.” It seems that not much has changed when it comes to grumbling about the youth. Whether it is justified or not, new generations have a different outlook on life than their predecessors, par ticularly in the eyes of their elders. It was the case in the fifth centur y before Christ, and it is the case now in the 21st centur y. However, current demographic developments show it has become par ticularly impor tant to take the differences between the age groups seriously. We have become used to each generation being larger than the previous, but the ­s ituation is reversing. In the western world, the population is shrinking not growing, and the consequence is that youth are becoming ‘scarcer’. The mass exodus of baby boomers will leave many sectors with a scant labour market. The Organisation for Strategic Labour Market Research at Tilburg University in the Netherlands expects the following trends to have a huge effect on organisations and their employees: there will be a structural shor tage of employees, totalling some 700,000 in 2040; there will be a qualitative gap between demand and supply in the labour market; we will be more digitally active, more versatile, more flexible, more socially aware, and we will work longer. How we respond to these changes will define our success as a society and as an organisation.

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Continual renewal Each generation has considerable influence on how a society works, following and overlapping each other as time goes by. The French philosopher Émile Littré (1801-1881) gave the term ‘generation’ its current definition of “all men living more or less at the same time.” 1 In general, we consider a new generation as being created ever y fifteen years, but opinions can var y widely as the distinction is often linked to a significant event or disruption in histor y. Consider for instance the difference between the pre-war generation and the baby-boomers. Littré asser ted that people of one generation feel connected to each other because they share life histor y and experience the prevailing spirit of the times in the same way. In his book ‘Het Generatieraadsel’ (The Generation Conundrum), organisational psychologist Aar t Bontekoning describes how each new generation brings renewal, and how organisations can benefit from these changes. He argues that their power of innovation is not one-off but keeps coming back, first during their time as a junior employee, then at mid-level, and finally as a manager or senior. In this way, people create a permanent social evolution, recommencing at each phase of life. It means that each new generation creates change in organisations and ways of working, through revitalisation and innovation. Each generation has their own quirks Every individual is a child of their time. In addition to genes, the time in which a person lives will define how they develop. Each generation has its own characteristics. Sociologists have divided generations as follows: The Pre-War Generation (born between 1910 and 1930) The Silent Generation (1931-1940) The Protest Generation/Baby Boomers (1941-1955) The Lost Generation/Generation X (1956-1970) The Pragmatic Generation (1971-1985) The Boundless Generation/Generation Y (1986 and on) The current working population mainly includes the three latter generations. The baby boomers have retired, or will do soon, having long formed society and organisations that, because of the large size of this generation, still carry their hallmarks.

1

R ober t Wohl, The Generation of 1914, pp203-209, 1979

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The baby boomer generation grew up in relative prosperity and attained higher levels of education than their parents, as can be seen in the work they do, or did. As a senior employee, they feel less inclined to have to prove themselves. They produce quality and are focused on knowledge and experience. Baby boomers place less emphasis on performance but want to continue developing themselves. They have a great sense of responsibility towards their work and the company. The people of generation X grew up during the recession of the 1980s or experienced it as they entered the labour market. The lack of security in terms of work and career prospects have given generation X a sensible and pragmatic approach. They more easily take responsibility for their own career and life, and have a strong tendency to play things down. When middle-aged, they weigh up what they have achieved and whether or not they are satisfied with this. Their inner motivation plays a large role in their lives. For the pragmatic generation, self-fulfilment plays a key role. They grew up in the prosperous and stable 1990s when work was impor tant but happiness in life even more so. As the successors to the protest generation (often their parents), they take a more critical look at ideology. Generation Y, born after 1985, is also characterised by a more individual and pragmatic attitude than the ideological protest generation. They value openness and collaboration but are also oppor tunists, easily taking the initiative and being more internationally oriented than the previous generations. Different generation, different development needs The differences between generations affect talent and leadership development within organisations. The idea of development is on the one hand in terms of the individual and on the other in terms of the organisation. Taking the first context, generation-related subjects play an impor tant role in shaping development. For instance, for the baby boom generation it is impor tant that they continue to be of added value. They also prefer on-the-job or small-scale development training. They like to share their work and life experiences, and attention should be paid to the intensity of the programme, so the balance of work and development is not too stressed. Generation X, however, has a need for reflection and direction, and more than just professional development. It is also impor tant that topics such as connecting people (for instance, connecting the pragmatic and Y generations with the baby boomers) play a key role in development programmes. This is mainly due to this generation tending to hold managerial positions. The pragmatic and Y generations demand challenging tasks; they want variety and complexity that make them explore and stretch their limits. And they want lots of direct feedback. At the same time, it is impor tant that they are given a safe environment in which they feel they are understood. This generation also highly values a healthy work-life balance.2

2

 . van Werkum and J. van de Breevaar t, levensfase bewust beleid en de psychologie van leeftijdsfasen¸Gids C voor Personeelsmanagement, 2008

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Within organisations, the pragmatic generation is mainly focused on accelerating the learning and decision making processes, building their networks, including their knowledge networks, and reducing the level of formality. Until just few years ago, this generation still felt somewhat inhibited in many companies by the older generations. As new generations reach mid-level positions, still young but with some experience, it seems they want to get on with things, that they have had enough of the slow decision making and sluggish learning. Generation Y values flexibility and a good working atmosphere in which they can develop themselves. They want to immediately get involved on the work floor, be taken seriously, and deliver added value. Bridging the generation gap It cannot be taken for granted that multiple generations will contribute to the best of their ability to an organisation’s goals. Although each generation stems from the previous and is dependent on the other, there is no saying that they will always have the same goals or share the same dreams. Insights, competencies and priorities differ even at each stage of life. Add to that the current demographic developments and employers nowadays are faced with an even bigger challenge. Employers are now asking how they should position themselves in the labour market so as to attract several age groups, and how they can prevent a generation gap being created within their organisation. Whilst the young with their specific demands join the company, they want to keep the older employees connected. Employers are deliberating on what is needed in order to optimally apply the talents of each generation. How do they make sure that generations work together as best they can? How can older employees best coach the younger employees, and what does this imply for leadership on the work floor? A practical example is that research indicates that generation Y expect to immediately be given work with responsibilities and numerous oppor tunities to develop. As this seldom, if ever, matches reality, they only want to keep a job for a few years.3 The answers to the questions above require that organisations explore what moves each generation. It is not so much a case of controlling the dynamics between the various groups, as using the skills of each generation for personal development and the development of the organisation.

3

A shridge Business School, Culture Shock, Generation Y and their managers around the world, research 2012

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GENERATION DEVELOPMENT TAKING THE INDIVIDUAL INTO CONSIDERATION At ORMIT, we feel it is essential that organisations more consciously and effectively handle the similarities and the differences between generations. It is the only way to fully exploit the potential of both young and old. ORMIT does not believe in generation management, but in generation development. It is our experience that attention to generation development very often leads to better mutual understanding and collaboration. People are first and foremost individuals, and then part of a generation. Consideration of an age group should not lead to generalisations; that only takes away the individuality of a person. In our approach, we combine reflecting on the generations with paying real attention to the individual.

Both working practice and various studies4 indicate that investing in individual ­knowledge and skills, regardless of the generation, leads to sustainable results. High quality leadership plays an impor tant role in this.

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Including Simon Biggs, Thinking about generations: Conceptual positions and policy implications, Journal of Social Issues, 63 (4): 695-711, 2007

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Personal leadership for all generations Generation development can contribute enormously to the growth and prosperity of an organisation and to employee development.5 Bearing in mind the expected shrinkage in the labour market over the coming years, it is more impor tant than ever that organisa­ tions can set themselves apar t from the rest. To do so, employees from all generations need to be able to work in an environment that inspires them, challenges them, and makes them feel valued. An environment in which they have the chance to get the best out of themselves and apply it to the benefit of the organisation – and this demands managers that understand this. High quality leadership is vital for effective generation development. It necessitates an open spirit in managers and deliberate attention to the characteristics and qualities of both generations and individuals. It places high demands on personal leadership. A good prospective leader learns to understand himself and others, and looks beyond their own generation. They need to have a cer tain curiosity about how people of a different age think and act, and should want to find out what talents and needs they have. It is also impor tant that the various generations’ preferences are taken into account when drawing up leadership and talent development programmes. It is the only way large age differences can be bridged and exploited by the individual and the organisation. ORMIT has taken its extensive practical experience and turned it into special programmes aimed at helping organisations do exactly this.

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A manda Grenier, Crossing age and generational boundaries: Exploring intergenerational research encounters, Journal of Social Issues 63 (4): 713-727, 2007

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