Millennials—They‘re Changing the Way We Work!

Whether we like it or not, the Millennial generation is having a real impact on how work gets done in today’s increasingly complex and competitive workplaces.  The interesting thing to me is that I feel like I am re-living when Generation X first appeared on the scene.

I remember being at a meeting in Washington, DC where Bruce Tulgan was speaking on generations at work.  Bruce was a pioneer in this field and it was a really big deal to me to get to hear him in person. 

He talked about what this new generation wanted—things like more flexibility over when they worked, more feedback on the work they were doing, a chance to be recognized for good work…and more.  When he took questions, someone said, “They are asking for the same things we wanted but we were afraid to ask!”

Fast forward to Millennials and what we know of what they are looking for and it is similar to what I wanted when I started working many years ago and probably what you wanted and still want.

According to Joe Weinlick, vice president of marketing at Beyond.com, a job board and career advice job board and reported by SHRM.org, he says, “If we think about what Millennials care about (corporate culture, workplace flexibility, making a difference and being appreciated), they’re the same things that are important to everybody.”

This same article also quote research done by PwC which is based on 300 interviews, 300 focus groups and 44,000 surveys they conducted in partnership with the University of California’s Marshall School of Business and the London Business School.  PwC realized they better learn about this new generation because by 2016, it would comprise 80% of its workforce.

They found that competitive pay is important but equally important to this generation is flexibility, transparency, collaboration, recognition and management support.

So, when you know what is important to employees, the challenge is to give it to them within the framework of your culture and your business requirements.  Seems to me that providing the things that are important to Millennials (and everyone, for that matter) just will make an organization even stronger.

When the Stars Come Out

My bucket list gets longer and longer.  On my list is to hear music in as many outdoor venues as possible. So far, I have enjoyed many nights at the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver, Ravinnia in the Chicago area, Blossom in Cleveland, Tanglewood in Massachusetts and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in the Washington, DC area.  And, one amazing evening, I attended the Santa Fe Opera in one of the most beautiful settings of all!  I believe, at least for me, there is something magical about great music and nature combining for a memorable experience!

Recently, I was delighted to attend a performance at Wolf Trap by Straight No Chaser, an a capella singing group who started performing at the Indiana University.  Summer in DC is hot and humid and we frequently get a storm in the early evening.    We sat on the lawn and enjoyed a picnic dinner before the show.  The crowd got really lucky that night and the singers were able to get the entire concert in before the thunder and lightning started—in fact, when the lightening started, I thought it was part of the show!  We got totally soaked getting to the car but it was so worth it to see and hear this amazing group of ten men perform in the beautiful Wolf Trap setting.

Maybe you’ve seen them on PBS or been fortunate enough like I have been twice, to see them in concert but if you haven’t seen them, go on YouTube and find one of their many videos to give yourself a treat.

I honestly don’t know how they do it—to perform for a crowd of thousands with just their voices is so amazing to me.  One of them said they are really tired of people saying that they perform without music—no, they perform without instruments—but  their voices are amazing.  I am sure they have some sort of way to keep them in tune and on track but to the audience it just looks as if it is effortless.

What a wonderful example of a successful team!  In fact, during the show I saw at Wolf Trap one of the performers fell to the stage. Of course, I thought it was part of the act but when everyone stopped singing and helped him off the stage; it was obvious he was not feeling well.  Seconds later the group came back on stage and apologized and said Jerome was ok and would be back.  He did come back shortly and did several solos and seemed fine!  But while he was gone, the others filled in for him without missing a beat.

A well functioning team can do that—pick up the slack for someone who is having a bad day or bad year!  A team can and should support the members and know that if they themselves have to step away for some reason, others can pick up the slack.  I also love that the members of the Straight No Chaser team honor each other’s strengths.  Some of the group do solo numbers with back up from their team while others seem ok with always doing back up! Organizations need both kinds of people—those who can lead and those who are willing and able to play a supporting role.

Some teams come together naturally while others take a bit more work.  Straight No Chaser is a good example of a talented group of singers working together as a team and entertaining lots of people when they perform!
Consider visiting an outdoor venue near you this summer to experience the magic of music under the stars!  I have a few more places to see in the US and maybe I will add other outdoor venues around the world to my ever longer bucket list!

Chance Encounters of the Great Kind

What are the odds? During a recent visit to New York City, Barbara and I were standing in line at TKTS to secure tickets for a Broadway show that Saturday evening. With close to an hour wait, we struck up a conversation with a young man in line in front of us. He was a frequent customer of TKTS, knew the process and had the app on his iPhone. He was very generous with his information and his guidance.

As knowledgeable as he was, we assumed he lived in the New York metro area. No, he was from Philadelphia. We shared we were from the Washington DC metro area. Turns out he went to the University of Maryland for his graduate studies. Being a natural interviewer, Barbara asked him what he did in Philadelphia. Turns out he worked for a client of mine. The irony didn't stop there. The women in line behind us also lived in Philadelphia. Six degrees of separation and a sense of community right on the streets of Manhattan, New York City, NY!

What makes a community? It's the connection we have with the people around us, our coworkers, our neighbors, our families, and even people on the streets of New York. Yes, we could have maneuvered our way through the line, strained our necks to see the shows available that night and gotten tickets for a great play. But it was so much easier doing it with help from someone who frequently used the service. And knowing that we shared a connection just made the experience more special. Earlier that day a breakfast, we had conversations and shared condiments with perfect strangers. Securing the butter for toast and ketchup for potatoes from each other was easier than getting the servers attention.

Getting to know people is so important and vital to the health and welfare of our communities. In a recent discussion on leadership, the facilitator spoke of the importance of knowing your team. I'll expand that thought. It's important to know the members of your community. That doesn't mean you pry for intimate details. You don't need to know everything about them and their lives. Some folks are more private than others. Respect their boundaries. At the same time don't be afraid to engage in casual conversations. Engage in dialogue. Listen. We've got some great reports about these topics on our website at http://www.bigbookofhr.com/reports.

I contrast my experiences on Saturday to my observations in the hotel next morning. People were standing around fixated on their mobile devices and not interacting with another human. Get you head out of "the cloud" I wanted to shout. Get involved with people. You may discover something fascinating. None of us live on an island nor are we isolated.