Managing Millennials & Maritime Leadership

Rebecca Flores

Moxie Media, Inc.

Today’s Multi-Generational Workforce

• Baby Boomers

• Generation X (Gen X)

• Millennials (Gen Z)

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers

• Born during the post-WWII baby boom (1946-1964)

• Generation that directly follows “The Silent Generation” or “Traditionalists”

• Raised by parents who survived the Great Depression

• Encouraged to pursue “the American Dream” as children

Baby Boomer Generation Influences

• Civil Rights

• Vietnam War

• Cold War

• Space travel

• Rise of Corporate America

Generation X

Generation X

• Born between 1965-1980

• Generation that directly follows Boomers

• First generation of “latchkey” children

• First generation that was not as financially successful as their parents

• Came of age when US was losing its status as the most prosperous nation in the world

• “Boomerang” generation

Gen X Generation Influences

• Watergate

• Dual income families

• Single parents/increased divorce rate

• End of the Cold War

• Y2K

Millennials

Millennials

• Born between 1981-2000 (or 1977-1995)

• Generation that directly follows Gen X

• Those born after 1995 sometimes called iGeneration

Millennial Generation Influences

• Child-focused world

• Digital media

• School shootings

• 9/11

• Terrorist attacks

• The Great Recession

According to the media, what does the average Millennial look

like?

(Disclaimer: Not all Millennials share the same traits)

Millennial Characteristics: (depending on who you ask)

• Entitled

• Narcissistic

• Lazy

• Technologically dependent

• Unreliable

What does the average Millennial actually look like?

Average Millennial Age:

29 years old

Millennial Characteristics:

• Motivated

• Free-thinking

• Creative

• Technologically savvy

• Open to change

AMERICA’S LARGEST GENERATION

(75 million)

What makes Millennials so different from other generations?

Millennials Were Raised Differently

• “Helicopter parents” (or at least involved parents) who gave ample time and attention

• Very self-confident and eager to learn new skills

• “You can be anything you want to be”

• “Can do” generation; less worried about failure

Millennials View Authority Differently

• Unlike other generations, Millennials are very connected to their parents (for personal and professional advice)

• They were not raised with authoritarian style of parenting

• Received a lot of praise and feedback

• Tend to see their point of view as equally important as that of an authority figure

Millennials Manage Time Differently

• Grew up with structured time limits (school, extracurricular, other activities)

• Comfortable multitaskers

• Task-based instead of time-based

• This is why Millennials seem to be over-stimulated; they aren’t used to downtime

Adulthod: Five Major Life Milestones

• Finish school

• Leave home

• Become financially independent

• Get married/settle down

• Have children

Reaching the Five Milestones by Age 30:

In 1960 (Boomers)

• 77% of women

• 65% of men

Today (Millennials)

• 13% of women

• 10% of men 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1960 Today

Are they just lazy and unmotivated?

Student Loan Debt

The Great Recession

• Millions of jobs lost between 2007-2009

• Many Millennials just entering the workforce

• Creates disillusionment with the traditional job market • Student loan debt

• No available jobs

• Less likely to be employed when economy improves

Delayed Milestones

• Americans born between 1981 and 1996 delay these milestones

• Less likely to make big purchases or commitments

(car, home, marriage)

Workforce impact?

Employers are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain Millennial workers

New Workforce Trends

• 67% of Millennials want to start their own business

• 13% want to climb the corporate ladder

• 37% want to work on their own

91% of Millennials do not see themselves at the same job for more than 3 years

Why are Millennials Willing to Risk it & Work for Themselves?

• Money vs. Meaning

• Personal fulfillment

• Work/life balance

Work/Life Balance

• Less likely to give up lifestyle for a career

• Travel extensively

• Value flexibility in daily lives

• Seek careers that allow them to maintain their lifestyle

Doesn’t everyone want that?

Yes, but Millennials are more likely to take the risk

• More available job opportunities (Monster, Indeed)

• Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn)

• Glassdoor.com

• Fewer financial commitments

• Millennial confidence

What does this mean for the job industry?

How to Attract Millennial Workers

• Emphasize the similarities between the multi-generational workforce

• Make an effort to understand the generational differences

• Adapt your work environment to accommodate all generations

Leadership vs. Management

Respect

• Avoid an authoritarian approach to management

• Less concerned with job title

• A leader who earns respect

• Positive reinforcement goes a long way

Autonomy

• Stop micromanaging

• Task-based instead of time-based • 89% of Millennials prefer to choose

when and where they work

• Measured based on productivity and not time spent on the job

Give Feedback

• Millennials always want feedback; this is critical!

• Clarity on how they’re doing day-by-day

• Performance is an ongoing journey

• Try to give evaluations more frequently than once per year

Give Recognition

• Give recognition for a job well done

• Want to know that their superiors approve of their work

• Allows workers to rate their own success

Communicate

• Millennials want to be heard

• Like to share ideas and opinions

• Millennials believe the best ideas come from multiple points of view

• They thrive in collaborative work settings

Promote Collaboration

• Morale is extremely important to Millennials

• Want autonomy and collaboration

• Team building is imperative

Support Professional Development

• Millennials appreciate mentors

• Have more experienced workers help to guide new workers

Incentivize

• PTO • More PTO, higher productivity

• Job flexibility

• Schedule flexibility

• You get the most of out workers when they want to work for you

How does this apply to the Maritime industry?

Millennial Mariners

With many Boomers preparing for retirement, Millennials will play a more important industry role in the years to come

Characteristics of All Mariners: (Multi-Generational)

• Value the closeness of the crew

• Want to complete the mission together

• Have passion for the job and the sea

• Understand the difficult separation of work & home life

Areas of Difference

• Technology

• Work Ethic

• Communication

• Learning Style

• Diversity

Technology

• Millennials grew up with technology

• Always want access to phones (that’s true)

• Have an easier time utilizing technology

Work Ethic

• Different generations are motivated by different approaches

• Give Millennial workers autonomy when possible

• Millennials want to know exactly “what the job is” and then consider it done once completed; like to stay busy and engaged

Learning Style

• Millennials may have an easier time adapting to online training

• Embrace different learning styles • Visual

• Auditory

• Physical

• Verbal

• Logical

• Social

• Solitary

Diversity

• Millennials were raised with more diversity than previous generations • Age

• Gender

• Culture

• Religion

• Personality

• Social status

• Sexual orientation

Scenarios

• How to communicate work expectations to a Millennial

• How to handle a difficult conversation with a Millennial

• How to give a Millennial effective feedback

• How to motivate Millennials?

Working Together

• Impart your wisdom on the upcoming generation of Mariners • Experience

• Expertise

• Acknowledge Millennial strengths: • Tech savvy

• Creative

• Free thinkers

What do Millennials Bring to the Workforce?

• Constant access to information

• Creative ways to get the job done

• Excel at troubleshooting

• Problem solving

• Use technology to improve the quality of work

Remember: we all have more in common than we think

Everyone wants these things

• To be valued

• To be successful

• To be treated with respect

Questions/Comments

• Common issues encountered on the job?

• Difficulties with Millennial workers?

• Positive experiences with Millennial workers?

Thanks for attending!