Training Industry Quarterly - Winter 2013 - (Page 13)

PeoPle @ Work | CLaire raines assuMe the best about people W 4 Generations: ManaGinG the Mix ho is walking into your workshop, listening to your podcast, or using the job aid you developed? Today’s learners come from four distinct generations, each with their own educational background and perspective on the world of work. Its members tend to hold similar views about what comprises a productive work environment; the nature of the team they would choose to be a part of; and — perhaps most confounding to trainers — preferences for acquiring, digesting, organizing, and distilling information and skills. Each group received their early education in classrooms and school systems that differed distinctly from one era to the next. Each generation is struggling through unique economic challenges that have affected jobs and the entire world of work. Understanding these generational differences is critical to trainers who try to impart the values, philosophy, knowledge and skills upon which the smooth running of the business depends. 4 Generations of Learners For the first time in modern history, workplace demographics now span four generations. • Millennials are in their teens and 20s. They were the first generation to grow up immersed in digital media. Twothirds used a computer before age five. They connect 24/7 with friends, parents, information and entertainment. They are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in history. In school, they learned collaboratively: the first students with the correct answer moved around the classroom, helping others so no one would be left behind. Today many are underemployed, doing jobs they weren’t trained for. They report they need skills to become more proficient at handling difficult customers and colleagues. • Gen Xers are in their 30s and 40s, and they comprise the largest percentage of today’s workforce. They grew up on Sesame Street, constructed their dreams out of Legos, and learned how to survive as latchkey kids. They acquired much of their education via independent study. Because the baby boomers won’t be retiring as soon as predicted, Gen Xers have been sentenced to an extended parole in middle management without much room for movement. They’re the do it yourself (DIY) cohort: they seek information and skills when they need them, and they do it on their own. They see team-building and “process” meetings as time wasters. • Baby Boomers are in their 50s and 60s. They were born after World War II and raised in an era of optimism, opportunity and progress. They were the first generation graded on their report cards for “works with others” and “shares materials with classmates.” Competitive team players, they’ve been the primary force behind workplace practices like participative management and employee involvement. Today, Boomers are postponing retirement and learning new skills so they can move into positions where they’re needed. • Traditionalists are in their 70s and beyond. They grew up in the wake of the Great Depression and World War II, facing the world with a can-do attitude. They went to school in an industrial-style system where they sat in straight rows and did as they were told. The few — less than 2 million in the U.S. — still working may need to update some of their skills. How to Manage the Mix Think of learners as customers. Learn all you can about them, work to meet their specific needs, and serve them according to their preferences. Make a real — not a hypothetical — effort to accommodate learning styles, personal scheduling needs, and work-life balance issues. Think options, options, options. It’s certainly helpful to know the sociology of each of the four generations. That way, you can acknowledge and use their icons, language and precepts. Be sure to use examples that include people from a variety of generations. Assume the best about people. Successful trainers treat everyone, from the youngest Millennial to the most veteran Traditionalist, as if they have great things to offer and are motivated to do their best. It is an attitude that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Claire Raines is a speaker, consultant, and co-author of Generations at Work and eight other diversity books. Visit generationsatwork.com or email Claire. 13 Training Industry Quarterly, Winter 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.generationsatwork.com http://www.generationsatwork.com http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Winter 2013

Training Industry Quarterly - Winter 2013
Tracking Trends: A Thought on Trends
Table of Contents
Ad Index
Guest Editor: Learning Enables High Performance
The Power of Reflection
An Equation for Success in Any Economy
4 Generations: Managing the Mix
The New Role of 21st Century Training
Don't Let Training Be a Waste of Time
Key Trends for 2013: Sustainability & the Changing Role of the Learning Leader
Collaborative Leadership for Building Trust & Driving Business Results
Delivering on the Promise of Social Learning
Three Emerging Trends in Sales Training
Building Strategic Learning Linkages: Mapping & Measuring Your Learning Strategy
High-Definition Learning: A New Competitive Advantage
Casebook: Wells Fargo Advisors: 5 Best Practices for Merger Training Programs
Tweet Suite
Company News
Closing Arguments: Must-See Technology

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