What motivates people at work has changed - enter gen X and Y. 

According to Booz Allen Hamilton, the beliefs and values of those in their 60s and 70s - security, work ethic and advancement - have morphed through gen X's belief in community and self-discovery to gen Y's belief in no absolute values. Perhaps gen Y doesn't want to become committed to any company having witnessed the effect of employers' broken social contracts on their parents.

The same study brings insights in terms of learning preferences.

• Builders (60s, 70s): classroom style, control
• Boomers (40s, 50s): round-table, cooperation
• Gen X (30s, 40s): unstructured, consensus
• Gen Y (under 30): unstructured, spontaneous, interactive

These differences are difficult for large organizations to accommodate with a general ‘one size fits all' approach to motivation. Never before have such different generations worked together, each with specific attributes. It means organizations have to think differently about their internal structures and communications to keep everyone motivated.

Many baby boomers are in key managerial positions, but few feel warm gratitude towards the corporation after waves of downsizing. The career needs of aging baby boomers are now changing as they fall out of love with big business. Opting to work for themselves, or a small business, is providing better flexibility and work-life balance.

But this situation will lead to knowledge moving out of companies too fast. Some, particularly in the USA, are wising up and creating alumni clubs for leavers, or bringing people back in on a consulting basis - so-called ‘boomerangs'.

Companies need to retain key boomer talent, while at the same time attracting gen X and Y. So what motivates gen x and y to stay?

• Gen X wants the opportunity to collaborate with others across the organization
• Gen Y wants informal communication and a coaching style from managers

Blogs, podcasts and informal videos bring senior leaders closer to gen X and Y. These technologies convey emotion through an authentic human voice - more motivational than the traditional company magazines valued by older business builders.

Gen Y is highly networked through facebook, myspace and friendster. These digital natives multi-task in a web-based world - listening to their iPod, surfing YouTube and texting simultaneously.  And they expect a knowledge-rich, web-based world at work too.

Although gen X and Y might seem alien to baby boomers and business builders, motivating them is no different from the business gurus constant urging - personal development, early job moves, leaders walking the talk and work-life balance. Only this time, organizations need to walk their own talk if they are to attract, motivate and retain all three generations. 

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Jacob Aldridge, over 2 years ago

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