This month’s blog is submitted by Ginny McMinn, President of McMinn HR and an HPI Alliance Partner. McMinn HR is our Human Resources full service connection, with over 20 years of experience for our clients. Enjoy Ginny’s comments about this interesting and often confusing topic!
Employees today represent at least 4 generations, 4 basic personality types, 7 learning style preferences, varying education and experience levels, and differing communication skills (among many differences).
As a leader, do you look at this workforce and see synergy and richness? Or stereotypes and conflict?
The available workforce today and in the years ahead present much more diversity than in past years. In my experience with organizations, I often see this result in real teamwork and competitive advantage. It is possible to get more input and creativity of responses from a diverse group than the more homogeneous groups of the past. And with our customer base being similarly diverse, having a varied team makes it easier to understand – and to serve – our customer.
So, if this is the case, why is there so much concern about dealing with different generations in the workplace? Of working with individuals who see things differently from our personal perspective? Of dealing with employees whose communication skills are different?
Perhaps because that synergy I mentioned doesn’t happen without effort and change. It is important to set expectations that all employees will be treated with respect, and to begin effective training and communication initiatives to assist managers and employees in making a transition from sameness to welcome difference.
Without development activities and opportunities for communication, all too often the result is workplace factions convinced that other groups in the workplace are “wrong” or “less effective” due to differences in style, behaviors and experience. Stereotypes take over and soon Boomers aren’t “getting” the 20-somethings and the 20-somethings just wish the Veterans and Boomers would learn the computer and/or retire and get out the way.
I’m sure we all know generational examples who don’t fit the stereotypes. (I like to think I don’t!) However, once the workplace becomes sensitized to issues of “generation”, this can lead to an unhealthy environment full of assumptions.
Hints for How to Proceed
To get the benefit of the differences try these steps:
- Explore individual differences; don’t avoid them.
- Offer education and opportunities for interaction.
- Explore natural differences in personality, learning style, and communication patterns.
- Help employees focus on how they are different – instead of just how others are different.
- Expand on what employees understand about themselves and others.
- Challenge stereotypes and assumptions.
- Push beyond stereotypes to an understanding of who is present and how they think and feel.
- Focus on how different experience, education and perspectives contribute to superior teams and better results.
- When employee differences result in better solutions, recognize and applaud it.
- Engage employees with others in new ways, such as work rotations and project teams.
- Make working effectively with others a company value.
- Expect open and respectful workplace behavior.
We can’t wait to hear our readers sound off about this month’s topic! Please add your comments about this issue and if you have questions, send them along to our expert, Ginny McMinn of McMinn HR and a HPI Alliance Partner.
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