The challenge of providing quality care in the workplace rests squarely on a healthy, vibrant workforce. The modern workforce in healthcare has a very diverse range of people, with as many as four generations of staff working together, quite apart from challenges set up by different cultural and language backgrounds. The diversity can make it difficult for managers to motivate each generation and to create successful teams in positive practice environments. A great deal has been written about how the generational differences can set up conflict and difficulty, but the other side of the coin is where a great richness of skills and values and increased creativity can result if the strengths of each generation are harnessed. The interest in understanding the different generations came to the fore in the early 1990s and has gathered pace since that time. It is therefore helpful for managers needing skills to deal with the diversity represented within their team to have an overview of the forces at work, represented by the many generations working together. Today’s healthcare organisation, struggling with matching resources to needs, cannot afford the high cost of generational enmity.1 A recent study undertaken away from the healthcare workplace identified that 40% of older workers believe their younger colleagues teach them skills they previously did not have. The research showed that the first and foremost quality younger workers think their older work colleagues bring is experience (94%), while reliability (66%) and understanding also featured. Nearly two-thirds of the older workers studied were impressed by the younger workers’ ability to learn quickly, be flexible (61%) and give them energy (51%).2 In addition, globalisation and rapid changes in technology are increasingly connecting our world and changing how we communicate. The best performing teams understand that communication is central to using the strengths within those teams. All generations have skills and can contribute to a successful organisation. A multi-generational work team can make for a richer, stronger and more productive organisation, with benefits such as: • A more flexible workplace, as the organisation can tap into a variety of work styles and values. • A more innovative environment, based on opinions and experience from a wide range of age groups. • An ability to meet the needs of a diverse public or customer base.3 To tackle the quality agenda, it is critical that healthcare staff can connect and engage with the diverse workforce strengths in order to create high performing teams. Deloitte recently identified that it is the soft reward issues which motivate generations differently, and which we ignore at our peril.4 It cited the following:
Generation Y - Motivators
• “You can make a valuable contribution here.”
• “We want to get you ‘up-to-speed’ quickly.”
• “You can work with bright, creative people and mentors.”
Most-valued rewards
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Credible and positive role models.
• Work/life balance.
Generation X - Motivators
• “We look at your results, not how many hours you’re in the office.”
• “You do particularly well at this and we want to give you an opportunity to learn and grow.”
• “We don’t take ourselves too seriously and try to have some fun along the way.”
Most-valued rewards
• Skill development and real-time performance feedback.
• Immediate, tangible recognition rewards.
• Flexible work arrangements and positive work environments.
Baby Boomers - Motivators
• “Your contribution is important and unique.”
• “We need you.”
• “You’re one of us.”
Most-valued rewards
• Retirement planning assistance and flexible retirement options.
• Training.
• Politically acceptable time off, including sabbaticals.
In order to review how we should best harness the different generational views represented above, a greater understanding of the differences and harmonies of the generations is of value. A recent paper exploring the multigenerational nursing workforce sheds a great deal of light on how a deeper understanding of these forces may develop our teams, working effectively together, and also to assist with the looming crisis of healthcare workers throughout the world.1 Guidelines for the different generations and their essential characteristics are discussed. It is first important to reflect on the different characteristics generally agreed among the many researchers and authors. First of all, there is no particular agreement as to where one generation starts and finishes, but generally it is agreed that the four defined generations (known as cohorts) in today’s workforce are: • Veterans (born between 1922 and 1945). • Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). • Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979). • Millennials or Generation Y (born between 1980 and 2000). There is of course a warning that labelling or stereotyping that may occur, is not generally helpful, but that some of the defined characteristics in the literature are due to the age in which the generations were raised. With the world changing so rapidly, the characteristics are felt to be sufficiently strong for them to be valid.
The Veterans (1922-1945) ‘The Loyal Generation’
The Veterans grew up in hard times, including the Great Depression in the USA and the Second World War. They rose to the challenge of rebuilding nations and economies, and creating a new foundation for generations to come. Living through economic and political uncertainty resulted in them being hard working, financially conservative, and cautious.5 Veterans like consistency, uniformity, and things on a grand scale. They tend to be conformers and value organisational loyalty. Longevity and tenure is, for them, an appropriate basis for progression and promotion in their career. They believe in propriety and logic and are disciplined. Members of this generation value the lessons of history and tend to look back and reflect on precedents set that might be helpful and applicable in the present. Their most enduring workplace legacy is the hierarchy and the old command and control management style.6 They do not take their job for granted and are used to working hard to get things accomplished.
The Baby Boomers (1946-1964) ‘The Loved Generation’
The Baby Boomers grew up in optimistic, positive times. Most were raised in childcentred nuclear families and grew into egocentric adults who have continued to rewrite the rules, rather than follow the traditional path (Ibid). Boomers learned about collaboration and teamwork as they were growing up and brought it into the workplace. They pursued their own personal gratification relentlessly without regard to the cost on relationships and others. Baby Boomers are still optimistic and believe in the infinite possibilities in the world today. As the Baby Boomers turn 50, work is slowly slipping down on their list of priorities. As a result, the workplace is becoming more informal and more humane (Ibid). The Baby Boomers have redefined and popularised every phase of life as they have passed through it. They form the largest cohort of nurses and the oldest segment of this group is within a few years of reaching retirement age. One survey found that “more than two-thirds plan to work after retiring. Most plan to work part time, and a few will even pursue a new career full time” (Ibid).
Generation X (1965-1979) ‘The Lost Generation’
This unique generation is a group that went basically unnoticed until the late 1990s. As a generation it is defined more by what it is not, than what it is. Maligned and misunderstood, much of what has been written about this generation is through the eyes of Baby Boomers who simply see them in contrast to themselves rather than as a unique generation. They are often described as Baby Boomers’ children who inherited Boomers’ social debris: divorce and dualcareer parents resulting in “latch key kid experiences”.8 They grew up independent and self-reliant. They saw their parents sacrifice time with them to further their careers, only to be later downsized or restructured out of their positions. Zemke, Raines and Filipsczak6 believe that a person’s first job experience significantly impacts their values and expectations of the workplace. For example, in the USA many Generation Xers’ initial work experiences occurred during a time of national recession and massive reorganisation and restructuring efforts in healthcare. The lesson learned is that there is no such thing as job security, hierarchical reverence is worthless, and paying your dues is just a worn-out cliché from the previous generation. Instead, increasing your own marketability through additional job skills and development is the path to success. One way to accomplish this is by changing jobs frequently. Santos and Cox reported that the Generation Xers in their study clearly indicated they anticipated moving out of their organisation and even the profession during the course of their work life. They indicated this “arrogance” was not arrogance at all, but the need to be self-reliant as they have had to be throughout their lifetime.9 The good news is that more Generation Xers are choosing nursing as a second or even third career. 8,5
The Millennials or Generation Y (1980-2000) ‘The Linked Generation’
The Millennials are the second largest cohort in the general population.10 Raised by nurturing parents, they have lived structured and incredibly busy lives filled with activities and scheduled events that rival the most workaholic Baby Boomer. They value their families highly and remain close within them. During their childhood they saw violence, terrorism and drugs become realities of life. They are the first truly global generation and have incorporated multiculturalism as a way of life. They are the most connected generation in history. Advanced computer technology and instant, constant communication through mobile phones and text messaging are a way of life for these people. This is also the generation that grew up with the mentality of “everyone gets selected for the team”. Some managers are finding that in working with members of this generation, they also must contend with the employee’s parents who are so overly involved in their child’s life that they become part of the workplace relationship as well, communicating with the manager about issues, giving approval for schedules, and even attending performance appraisals.
Motivators for the generations
Primary motivators described as intrinsic and which affect each generation slightly differently, are: • The presence of healthy interpersonal relationships. • Having meaningful work. • Experiencing a sense of competence or self-efficacy. • The achievement of progress. How are each of these interpreted and desired by the different generations? In each workplace, the following table can assist to enable managers to review whether their methods of approaches to the different generations fit the workforce profile or whether greater flexibility of approach may assist with key messages and most important of all, communication. Conclusion Of the many and varied challenges which exist, this one is particularly poignant. Managers are encouraged to use a style for their management which is seen to be fair and equitable across the workforce. However, it is clear that some approaches to tasks which occur regularly within the workplace which affect workers in different ways, may need to be adjusted to account for the generational differences. Expectations of the standards of work performance and adherence to workplace policies cannot be allowed to be different, but it seems that recommendations from this excellent paper1 suggest that the humanistic, soft aspects of managing a diverse workforce need to be different and individualistic. :
References 1 Manion J. Managing the Multi- Generational Nursing Workforce, 2009. Accessed at www.ichm.org/ publications/policyresearch/ multigen_nsg_wkforce-EN 27-3-09 2 Job Centre Plus, September 2007, Survey: Younger and Older workers Appreciate Diversity of Age in the Workplace. 3 A Multigenerational Workforce. Accessed at www.ceridian.co.uk/hr/ newsletter 4 Deloitte. New World, New Workforce: Looking ahead to help business leaders engage in and act on critical and timely issues. Accessed at www.deloitte.com/dtt/article 5 Sherman R. O. (2006). ‘Leading a multigenerational nursing workforce: Issues, challenges and strategies’, Home ANA Periodicals, vol. 11, no. 2. 6 Zemke R., Raines C. and Filipczak B. (2000). Generations at work: Managing the clash of veterans, boomers, Xers, and nexters in your workplace. AMACOM, New York. 7 Ibid. 8 Kupperschmidt B. R. (2006). Addressing multigenerational conflict: Mutual respect and carefronting as strategy, Online Journal Issues Nursing, vol. 11, no. 2, posted 06/27/06 9 Santos S and Cox K (2000). Workplace adjustment and intergenerational differences between Matures, Boomers, and Xers. Nursing Economics, vol. 18, no.1, pp. 7-13. 10Raines C. (2002), Managing Millennials. Retrieved 24 November, 2007, from Generations at Work website www.generationsatwork.com/ articles/millenials.htm