2. Who are the Young Workers?
Is someone classified as young
because they look it?
New in the trade?
Living at home with Mom & Dad?
Newlywed/New parent?
Highschool Graduate?
This is their first job?
MAYBE YES, MAYBE NOT!
Let’s look at Generations…
3. Generations
GI Generation
1901 – 1924 (112 – 89 years of age)
Traditionalists/Matures
1925 – 1945 (88 – 68 years of age)
Baby Boomers
1946 – 1964 (67 – 49 years of age)
Generation X
1965 – 1981 (48 – 32 years of age)
Millennials/Generation Y
1982 – 2000 (31 – 13 years of age)
Nexters/?
2001 – present (12 – 0 years of age)
4. Events and Experiences that Shaped Generations
Traditionalists
Great Depression
New Deal
Attack on Pearl Harbor
World War II
Korean War
Radio and telephone
Baby Boomers
Civil rights
Feminism
Vietnam
Cold War
Space travel
Assassinations
Scientific advances
Credit cards
Television
5. Events and Experiences that Shaped Generations
Generation X
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Challenger disaster
Desert Storm
Personal computers
Working mothers
MTV
Divorce
Energy crisis
Millennials
School shootings
9/11
OKC bombing
Internet
Child-focused world
Social networking
Continual feedback
Enron/WorldCom
Iraq/Afghanistan
6. Baby Boomers
Born 1946 to 1964
79 million people
Grew up with fewer rules and a more nurturing
environment
Lived in generally prosperous times, but experienced
layoffs
Women entered workforce in record numbers
“Live to Work!”
Spend “quality time” with children
Excelling in their career is important
Prefer telephone or face-to-face communication
Desire challenge and opportunity
7. Boomers - Common Values
Baby Boomers
Optimism
Team orientation
Personal gratification
Involvement
Personal growth
Workaholics
Competitors
78 Million
8. Generation X
Born 1965 to 1981
49 million people
Grew up as latchkey or day-care children
Turbulent economic times – downturn in 80s,
upswing in 90s
“Work to Live!”
Friends with their child, want to spend quantity time
Expect their careers to keep moving forward or they
will leave
Prefer electronic communication
Change from job security to career security
9. Gen X - Common Values
Generation X
Diversity
Techno-literacy
Fun and informality
Self-reliance
Pragmatism – realists
Results-oriented
Individualism
Challenge the system
10. Millennials
Born 1982 to 2000
Attended day care, very involved “helicopter”
parents
Prosperity has increased over their lifetime
“Live, then Work!”
Achievement-oriented
Prefer instant or text messaging
Want to build parallel careers – experts in
multitasking
12. 12
Determining Generational Bias
How do you prefer to communicate –
email or phone?
What operating system are you
running?
How many mobile devices do you
carry?
Who are your role models/heroes?
13. On-the-Job Challenges
Traditionalists and Boomers
generally do not question or challenge
authority
accepts the status quo
X’ers and Millennials
have been taught to speak up
may not understand, and may even resent,
what they see as a lack of a backbone or
initiative.
14. On-the-Job Challenges
Traditionalists and Boomers
prefer face-to-face communication
Boomer bosses like to have at least one
meeting each week with employees.
Gen Xers and Millennials
Prefer electronic communication
Tend to not like meetings
many have not developed mature listening
skills
15. Bridging the Generation Gaps
Getting along with Boomers
Show respect. Acknowledge that you have less experience
and can learn from their experience.
Choose face-to-face conversations.
Give people your full attention. Stop multitasking while
someone is talking.
Play the game. Workplace politics are a fact of life, so learn
to be polite and respectful in these situations.
Learn the corporate history. Find out what has gone
wrong and right in the past before making suggestions for
changes.
16. Bridging the Generation Gaps
Getting along with Gen X’ers
Get to the point. Avoid jargon and buzzwords that obscure
your point.
Use e-mail. Take advantage of technology and only have
face-to-face meetings when required.
Give them space. Don’t micromanage but have an open
door. Xers crave autonomy.
Get over the notion of dues paying.
Lighten up. Remember, it’s OK for work to be fun.
17. Bridging the Generation Gaps
Getting along with Millennials
Challenge them. They want to do work that really matters.
Ask them their opinion. They love to collaborate and be a
team player.
Help them find a mentor. They have an affinity and
respect for Silents.
Provide timely feedback. They are used to getting feedback
instantaneously.
Lighten up. Remember, it’s OK for work to be fun.
18. 18
Coaching and Managing Xers
DO:
Put all the options on the table
Be prepared to answer “why”
Present yourself as an information
provider
Use their peers as testimonials when
possible
Appear to enjoy your work – remember
carpe diem
Follow up and meet your commitments.
They’re eager to improve and expect you to
follow through.
19. 19
Coaching and Managing Millennials
DO:
Offer customization—a plan specific
to them
Offer peer-level examples
Spend time providing information
and guidance
Be impressed with their decisions
20. Why does Labor need them?
Let’s be frank: The House of Labor is
aging.
Boomers are preparing to retire, and the
numbers of Gen X’ers simply aren’t
enough to fill the vacuum.
Millennials like unions
PEW Research
Rate of Unionized Young
21. What can YOU do for our Young Workers?
Organize WITHIN – when young people are
challenged to step up to responsibilities,
they feel more a part of the team.
“Pull back the curtain” – Show how
business is run, instead of relying on
“because I said so”
Reach out – Mentor personally, or establish
Intensive Orientation Training
Communicate! Pass on valuable knowledge
from the past, carry on today to push
through the future.
22. What can YOU do for our Young Workers?
If your local doesn’t have a RENEW
Committee, consider helping to form one
If your local DOES have a RENEW
Committee, invite them to help with
projects where you may need more hands
Consider a shadowing program for young
workers to witness what an Organizer does
Seek out Community Colleges & community
groups outside of Labor, where many
enthusiastic young people can be found
23. Civic & Community Engagement
Tarn Puvapiromquan – Your person @IO
Tarn_Puvapiromquan@ibew.org
202.728.6203
RENEW
“Reach out & Engage Next-gen Electrical Workers”
Twitter - @IBEWRENEW
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RENEW.IBEW
Resources: Mission Statement, Group Charter, “Labor
Lingo”, RENEW Advisory Council, IBEW Store (RENEW
Products), Mentoring Guidebook, RENEW Committee
Toolkit
1st International RENEW Conference: Sept 27th – 29th 2013