Social Profit 2013

4 generations at work

Belgium demographic evolution and its impact on employment

20102011

20122013

20142015

20162017

20182019

20202021

20222023

20242025

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Replacement Ratio 55-64y/15-24y

BrusselVlaanderenWalloniëBelgië

Planbureau – ADSEI

Born into different perspectives

BABYBOOMERS GENERATION X GENERATION Y GENERATION Z

1946-1964 1965-1979 1980-1992 1993-2005

Study 2013: differences and similarities between generations + impact on business

- Importance of work- Content of the job- Work-life balance

- Attitude towards N+1- Teamwork- Autonomy

- Creativity- Personal development- Teamwork- Autonomy

- Communication- Technology- Social media

- Structure- Remuneration- Performance management

- Working environment- Culture, values- Engagement

Methodology: 2 online surveys (Generation Z seperate)

Perceptions

Results

Work that fits 4 generations

6Titel - Datum 2013

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Babyboomers (44-66 years)?

How are Babyboomers perceived at work ?

7Titel - Datum 2013

How are Generation X perceived at work ?

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Generation X (30-43years)?

8Titel - Datum 2013

How are Generation Y perceived at work ?

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Generation Y (20-30years)?

9Titel - Datum 2013

How are Generation Z perceived at work ?

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Generation Z (<20years)?

10

Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

No statistical differences between generations with respect to the following topics:

• Enriching job content

• Nice workplace, up-to-date software, reasonable distance from the workplace

• Importance of people management and credibility of the supervisor

• Results-driven and competitive

• Importance of recognition and remuneration

• Open communication, good atmosphere and company culture

• Use of social media at the workplace !

First view: we are more similar than we think…

11Titel - Datum 2013

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Babyboomers (44-66 years)?

Are perceptions in line with results?

12

Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

0

Legend: red:≤ 4,99/10//orange: ≥5/10 en ≤ 5,99/10//green: ≥ 6/10

Intention to stay

I want to stay in the company where I’m actually working

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

0

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

07,47 6,22 5,89

Babyboomers Generation X Generation Y

Babyboomers bring stability

13Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

Generation Y ©

Generation X (B)

Babyboomers (A)

43%

45%

58%

34%

37%

28%

14%

12%

8%

9%

7%

6%

a lot a little bit not really not at all

TOP BOT

86%

82%

76%

14%

18%

24%

It irritates me that my company is not honest twards clientsNVT

15%

14%

17%

Surprisingly, they value honesty towards clients more than the younger generations

14Titel - Datum 2013

Are perceptions in line with results ?

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Generation X (30-43years)?

15Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

Generation Y ©

Generation X (B)

Babyboomers (A)

48%

38%

30%

43%

51%

55%

9%

10%

13%

very important important neutralnot important definitely not important

A job that allows me to learn new things and acquire knowledge

TOP BOT

85%

89%

91%

88%

2%

2%

0%

1%

Generation X are very often bridge builders

16

A job with more than 4 weeks vacation a job with flexible working hours0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

64%61%

68% 70%

56%

66%

Babyboomers Gen X Gen Y

The need to combine a family and work differentiates Gen X from the other generations

17Titel - Datum 2013

Are perceptions in line with results?

If you would compare generations with animals, which animal would you choose for Generation Y (20-30years)?

18

Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

0

Legend: red:≤ 4,99/10//orange: ≥5/10 en ≤ 5,99/10//green: ≥ 6/10

Attitude towards work

Without a job I would be bored, and even if I would win the lottery, I still would continue to work

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

0

3

45

10

9

82

6

7

1

06,49 7,01 7,63

Babyboomers Generation X Generation Y

Work is more important for the younger generations

19

Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

Babyboomers

Generation X

Generation Y

22%

25%

34%

68%

66%

63%

10%

8%

3%

Relationship with colleagues

I consider them as friends and meet them after working hoursI consider them as acquaintances with whom I exchange a limited amount of private informationI consider them as professional colleagues and only discuss professional matters

but the relationships they seek at work are different

Generation Y multitasking ?

A job in which most tasks are not too challenging

It gives me stress when I need to manage different

tasks simultaneousely

Babyboomer 0.16 0.31

Gen X 0.2 0.28

Gen Y 0.27 0.34

3%

8%

13%

18%

23%

28%

33%

38%

21

Generaties & Werk – Mei 2013

Babyboomers Generation X Generation Y1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Face to Face

Mail

Internal website

Events

Sociale media

pref

eren

ce

The biggest surprise: small difference between generations with respect to communication

22

What can companies do ?

Uniformity will evolve towards tailor-made to address differences in lifestyle (and productivity) : the employee as an individual

Leadership will evolve towards inclusion

Organizations will have to treat generations differently in order to keep all employees engaged

Conclusion

• If the western industrialised world wants to keep the same level of welfare as it has today, one of the biggest challenges will be the inclusion of the many. This might mean that the manager or leader in the future might need the skills, the creativity and the empathy to work in an imperfect world, instead of being good at surrounding him or herself with other stars.

• “The past few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind – computer programmers who could crank code, lawyers who could craft contracts, MBA’s who could crunch numbers. But the future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind – creators and empathisers, pattern recognisers and meaning makers.”

• Dan Pink, “A Whole New Mind”