Best Practices For Leading Traditionalists, Boomers, And Generations X, Y, And Z

Management Communication

Question:

Discuss About The Best Practices In Leading Traditionalists?

Management communication can be said as a systematic planning, evaluation and implementation of all channels of communication within an entity. It comprises organization and propagation of new communicative directives within an organization (Wiedmer, 2015). Presently, every organization is aware regarding the conflicts relating to generations in a workplace as they have different preferences for learning methods.The present report deals with discussion relating to issues faced by HRM director of ABC Company relating to managing different generation and the manner of harmonizing the generational divides present in the company. Further, analysis relating to values and attitude accepted by Generation X (1961-1984) has also been presented in detail manner. Lastly, the reports end up with the discussion relating to decision-making preferences for people belonging to Generation X.

In simple words, media can be specified as communicative outlets or tools applied for storing and delivering information or data. It is also associated with specialized mass communication business or communication media. Media has to accomplish specified roles in a society which comprises: entertaining and providing a source of imagination; enhancing education and information; to behave as a watchdog for the government, business and other institutions and serving as a public forum for assessing and evaluating important discussion relating to every sector.

Generation X is assessed to be the luckiest group of individuals in which major people exist which born in the late 60s but before 80. The people born during this period are of age between 35 -57 years. Presently we work in an organization where a fresh graduate is seen working beside55-year-old colleague in the same project. However, on the contrary, Generation Y (1980-2000) who believe in learning through computer training and keep updated information on their tips through the internet. This group of people work in an ethnic manner in comparison to boomers. The main emphasis of this group is on diversity, honesty, challenges relating to innovation, creative input. Further, it has been also assessed that they are having a rigid and work-centric approach.  It has been assessed that Generation X put emphasis on development generally and prefer to learn independently rather than applying computer based training or internet. The group occupies sixty percent of the existing workforce. Generation X seems to be possessing an entrepreneurial spirit, an attitude of doing it yourself (Allan, 2015). They emphasise on the career, however, they give equal importance to family time and make effort for good work-life balance.

Generation X

The individual of this group is independent, tech-savvy competent and realistic. This generation is more self-managing and values both work and family. Thus, for motivating and encouraging this group of individual’s perks and advantages provided to them should be decided in the same accordance. As Generation X believes in independent training rather than computer training; thus they should be made aware regarding the ease of working and efficient results which can be attained through application of computer training. As they believe in marketing good relationship with the organization and give importance to the family as well work following measures can be taken in accordance with their values and attitude in order to encourage them:

• Xer’s seek for balance, thus recruit, retain and motivate this group through developing family-friend programs which provided flexible schedules.
• Develop program which emphasis on telecommunicating and job-sharing.
• Xer’s seek feedback, especially from the manager or other senior executives; thus same should be made a practice for appreciating them for their good work; rather than focusing only towards providing incentives to this group.
• Effort should be made to make discussion on one- to one basis to these employees for developing a positive relationship and foster trust.
• They are believed to problem solver; thus they should be included while taking a decision relating to issues faced by the organization (Yi and et.al. 2015).
• They are self-managing in comparison to young age; thus in case they require some changes in working methods or any other area; the same should be accepted to the extent possible.

Keeping in mind the below strengths and weaknesses of Generation X, appropriate strategies of motivation can be devised by the management for their retention in the organization as the entity cannot afford to lose an experienced workforce. As per the views of Wiedmer, (2015) traditional approaches that are used to motivate employees of recent generation don't seem to apply to the contemporary generation of employees called Generation X.The following strategies must be used to motivate the X-ers

Providing Room to grow Offering employees of Gen X clear with clear statements of goals and simultaneous allowing them with reasonable autonomy for devising the ways to achieve those goals. Building their interest for acquiring modern skills and knowledge can be achieved by providing them ample opportunities to grow on the job. Gen X tends to have a mentality of "work hard, play hard".

Opportunities to make choices as this generation is known for becoming familiarized to "fending for themselves," providing options for task selection, challenges,  formulating new processes, developing creative conclusions must be offered to them for appropriate results. The management needs to allow the discretion to use their originality and creativity to achieve the set goals.

Mentoring-Relationship-oriented and strong mentorships prove to be of great value for Gen X. The management must careful to not micro-manage them or providing them with rigid guidelines for the completion of the projects (Mencl and Lester,  2014). Spending sufficient time with them and offering understandable and frequent feedback on their progress can prove to bring the best in them.

Multitasking-Providing the employees of Gen X with one or more task simultaneously for accomplishment can be achieved if the management does not overwhelms them. They are habituated to multitasking due to their experience and are likely to sort out when and what has to be done (Lyons and Kuron, 2014). They look ahead to challenges of such kind where they have to perform several tasks at once.

Strategies to Motivate and Retain Gen X Employees

It has been assessed that generation X belong to children of older boomer; who grew up with family, financial and social insecurity. In accordance with the study of Costanza and Finkelstein, (2015) they belong to the families where both the parents have worked. Thus, they believe in self-managing and have strong technical skills and result focused. They should be made part of decision procedure of operations as these people are known for their problem-solving capability. As this belief in resolving the issues them self; thus they are proven as worth assets for the organization. As this generation prove to be a bridge between both the generation’s boomers and Millennial.Further, Generation X is also known for concentrating on increasing employability the career ladder. It has been also assessed that as this are having more skills as well as patients in comparison to both other generations; thus it is believed that better work can be expected from them.They are comparatively loyal towards professional and not necessarily to the employee (Becton, Walker and Jones?Farmer, 2014). The main approach with which Generation X works comprises following variants:

• Coined “work-life balance” in the workplace
• Take decision after application of vital technical methodologies.
• Believe in the independent
• Provide results through exceeding expectations.

Conclusion

Every organization working in today’s scenario is aware of the conflicts in a workplace due to the increasing age diversity. The people from different generations have different preferences of learning methods. Hence, management should choose an appropriate communication mode for motivation and retention of staff, keeping in view their strengths and weakness. Communication media can be said as an outlet used for delivering information or data to a specified group or individual. This media has to be selected with utmost caution in dealing with the people of generation 1961-76. This is because these people seem to be very resistant towards learning new technologies and retaliate anything that comes in between their establish values. They possess self-managing tactic due to which they can be used by the management for serving the organizational purpose. If managed successfully they can prove to be great assets for an organization.

References

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Becton, J.B., Walker, H.J. and Jones?Farmer, A. 2014. Generational differences in workplace behaviour. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 44(3).Pp.175-189.

Costanza, D.P. and Finkelstein, L.M. 2015. Generationally based differences in the workplace: Is there a there-there?. Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 8(3).Pp.308-323.

DeVaney, S.A. 2015. Understanding the millennial generation. Journal of Financial Service Professionals. 69(6).Pp.11-14.

Lyons, S. and Kuron, L. 2014. Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 35(S1).

Mencl, J. and Lester, S.W. 2014. More alike than different: What generations value and how the values affect employee workplace perceptions. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. 21(3).Pp.257-272.

Wiedmer, T. 2015. Generations do differ: Best practices in leading traditionalists, boomers, and generations X, Y, and Z. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin. 82(1).P.51.

Yi, X., Ribbens, B., Fu, L. and Cheng, W. 2015. Variation in career and workplace attitudes by generation, gender, and culture differences in career perceptions in the United States and China. Employee Relations. 37(1).Pp.66-82.

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Doug and Polly W., 2014. What to Expect From Gen-X and Millennial Employees. [Online]. Available Through <https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240556 >. [Accessed on 3^rd October 2017].

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