What does this mean for modern HR practices?

There are a few major messages to take away from these observations.

Focus on people, not generations. When putting together talent management strategies, don't lump employees into broad generational groups and treat them as though they all want the same things from work. Take time to actually ask them! You'll probably learn that what employees want is remarkably similar regardless of their age: a challenging job where they feel appreciated and respected, have a reasonable sense of security and career growth, and believe they are making a difference in the world that they can be proud of.

While there are some interesting generational differences in terms of preferred communication styles, when it comes to the basic things that make a job rewarding, employees tend to be more similar than different regardless of the year they were born.

Engage everyone regardless of when they were born. Companies that focus specifically on catering to the needs of Millennial employees run the risk of alienating older workers who are just as valuable as their younger co-workers. The world is facing a shortage of experienced, skilled employees at all ages. This will only get worse as more Baby Boomers leave the workforce.

Fortunately, employees are showing more willingness to work into their 60s and 70s due to increases in the overall health and longevity of the population. Really successful companies will seek to engage all employees, not just the ones born after 1976. Remember 10 years is a long time retain a skilled employee in the modern labor market. Companies that retain these employees will get value from their work regardless of whether they had them from age 25 to 35 or age 55 to 65.

If you want a modern workforce, create a modern workplace. Shifts in social attitudes have created a working population that expects companies to give people equal respect and opportunity regardless of their gender, age or ethnicity. This is particularly important when it comes to treatment of women. If your organization appears to have a bias against the hiring and promotion of women you will increasingly find yourself struggling to hire and retain 50 percent or more of all job candidates.

Changes in technology have also shifted how people think about workplace flexibility. Traditional work environments that use "time in the office" as a key measure of employee performance will struggle to employ people in the modern workforce. Remember, skilled professionals expect to be paid for what they do, not where they sit.

Instant Insights /

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