Fostering Company Loyalty with Four Generations (4/25/2009 by TQM Doctor)
Unlike any time in history, we now have four generations in the workplace at the same time (Lowe, 2008). The generations are Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y. The Traditionalists experienced the Great Depression and the world wars. The Boomers—children of the Traditionalists—are the largest cohort ever, growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in a prosperous environment. The children of the Boomers, Gen X, were the latchkey children of workaholics that learned self-reliance early. Finally, Gen Y grew up in a time of economic prosperity and expansion and is now experiencing the opposite.
Employees will not take a leader seriously if he does not follow his own advice. Therefore, the first and most important requirement for encouraging any behavior is for management to model the behavior desired in the employees. The Traditionalists tend to feel satisfaction for a job well done (Lowe, 2008) and therefore, do not require but may appreciate positive reinforcement. Since Traditionalists tend to prefer a top-down management approach and are already loyal by nature (Lowe), modeling loyalty as a manger can be an effective means for nurturing company loyalty. The competitive Boomers respect authority but also value management treating them as equals (Lowe, 2008). Therefore, Boomers may appreciate receiving positive affirmations from their managers, but they would probably respond better to inclusive methods of planning and goal setting as a means of nurturing company loyalty.
Gen X values continued skill development, creating effective methods to work smarter, and bending the rules when necessary to be effective (Lowe). When looking for successes to extol with Gen X, a manager might be most effective at nurturing loyalty by recognizing the virtues Gen X appreciates. Generation Y (Gen Y) employees are comfortable with immediate and open communications, particularly with management (Understanding Gen Y, 2008). Gen Y also value immediate feedback and reinforcement (Lower, 2008; Understanding Gen Y).
References
Lowe, D., Levitt, K. J., & Wilson, T. (2008). Solutions for retaining generation Y employees in the workplace. Business Renaissance Quarterly, 3(3), 43-58.
Lower, J. (2008). Brace yourself: Here comes generation Y. Critical Care Nurse, 28(5), 80.
Understanding Gen Y. (2008). Internal Auditor, 65(5), 62-63.