How to – Appreciate Generational Differences In less than three years, four out of 10 of workers in the United Stats will be 45 years old or more and that fact is making a big difference on the needs of the workforce. Every generation is different, and today we can have 4 different generations all working in the same company. So rather than whine about the differences or wonder “why can’t they be like we were (perfect in every way),” use your time to focus on how best to capitalize on the differences that exist.

Although I’m generalizing when talking about these generations, the truth is that each one behaves differently and needs to be valued for the unique contribution it makes to the workplace.

Here's a quick overview of what each generation brings (or doesn't bring) to the table:

Older Worker – Age 60 or older
Upside: These employees bring strength to your team, because they tend to be diligent and committed to resolving issues. A strong work ethic plays out in their efforts to accomplish company goals.
Downside: Rarely excited about change, many of them see technology as a nuisance.

Boomers - Born between 1946 and 1964
Upside: Their often have a "can do" attitude and strive to overcome any and all obstacles before them. Boomers tend to value learning, seen in their efforts be on the cutting edge.
Downside: Known as the "Me" generation, they put an emphasis on acquiring wealth and their own emotional/psychological contentment. They like change only if it serves their personal goals, and it's not uncommon for them to be seen as a rebellious bunch, challenging company policies if those policies don't suit their needs.

Generation X - Born between 1965 and 1976
Upside: This group is concerned about relationships and they have an interest in protecting the natural environment. They believe that treating people with respect is more important than cranking out a product. As a result, they are very good at developing strong relationships.
Downside: Company goals often take a lower priority to individual goals, and CEO’s who have large visions that don’t clearly align actions with adding value for people are viewed with suspicion.

Generation Y - Those 29 and younger
Upside: These employees are confident, ambitious, and community-oriented. Having grown up totally in the computer age, they are enthusiastic and skilled at incorporating technology into their lives. Because Internet use became commonplace in their formative years, it’s almost second nature for them to access the surplus of knowledge available online. It’s early in their workplace history, but they appear to be entrepreneurial and resourceful.
Downside: Being entrepreneurial comes with what appears to be a demanding attitude with little room for individual thinking or planning. Many are easily bored if they're not being mentally stimulated in some way, because they are used to constant stimulation.

Younger workers can benefit from recognizing the stability older workers bring to the table. Older workers would do well to value the relationship and technology focus of the younger generations.

And it’s the smart manager who will find ways to integrate teams in terms of age and experience in addition to age, race and gender. The more people value the differences that others bring to the table, the faster it can be leveraged to move the company toward innovation and profit.  10:58 AM •  0 Comments •

How to - Assess Cultural Integration Whether your firm is experiencing a merger, an acquisition or revamping its focus, culture integration should not be ignored. Due Diligence is a tricky aspect of moving forward and many executives are not prepared for the time, energy and effort it takes to handle the task successfully.

Conducting Cultural Due Diligence involves investigating, assessing and defining the cultures of two or more distinct business units through a cultural review to discover areas of similarity and difference that will impact integration efforts and achievement of strategic objectives. The results can be used as a foundational tool for creating integration plans and a baseline for measuring organizational progress in the integration effort over time. Conducted as early as possible in the process, this process can be used as a benchmarking tool throughout the integration effort to measure progress and confirm that human systems are being aligned to business objectives correctly.

A Cultural Due Diligence process covers essential cultural and organizational effectiveness issues including:

Leadership: vision, mission, values, business strategy development, leadership effectiveness and ethics
Relationships: trust, collaboration, inter/intra group relationships, community and customers
Communication: feedback, information sharing, employee trust in information
Infrastructure: formal procedures, processes, systems, policies, structure and teams
Involvement & Decision Making: authority levels, accountability, expectations and the decision making process
Change Management: creativity, innovation, recognition, continuous learning and diversity
Finance: perception of financial health and the role of the employee and the level of financial comprehension and impact on the business
Cultural Descriptors: a list of predetermined values which can be customized to reflect the organization’s values.
Climate: open-ended questions that capture the stories and suggestions from employees.

What you end up with is a cultural resume that lays out the unique organizational culture of each business unit and integrates them into one clear message. While the process of conducting a Cultural Due Diligence won’t fix an organization that is pursuing the wrong strategy, it can cut down on informal practices, internal politics, lack of trust, resentment and just plain bad management that could sink the right strategy.

Like any assessment, the information is only as good as what you do with it. However the efforts involved can be well worth the time, energy and effort. People are the backbone of any business and are at the heart of integration effort. My clients say that “People are our most important asset” but I often wonder if that’s true. The financials are reviewed every quarter and customer satisfaction surveys are completed every quarter, but employee satisfaction surveys are conducted every 18 months at best.

Cultural Due Diligence works. If you are undergoing an integration effort, here are some strategies that will improve your potential for success:

Involve your HR/OD department or an external consultant with an HR/OD background in the integration process from the beginning.

Focus on finding the best practices within the business units that support the achievement of objectives rather than illuminating areas of weakness.

Use a validated assessment tool that collects both quantitative and qualitative data.

Include culture as part of your due diligence process. Be prepared to address the incongruencies and gaps between business units with action.

Communicate…communicate…communicate! Keep employees in the loop about the progress of the integration effort.

Involve employees in the integration effort.

Allocate dedicated time and resources for this project.

Measure and report on project progress regularly.

Communicate results and progress. Seek input on areas of improvement on what you are doing.

Share and celebrate successes!


Nationally recognized consultant, trainer, author and professional speaker Joni Daniels has helped thousands of people become empowered about accomplishing their professional and personal goals. She is a sought after resource for Fortune 500 clients, professional organizations, higher education, and business publications. Sign up for her free quarterly newsletter at www.jonidaniels.com/newsletter.html.  3:02 PM •  0 Comments •