Be Prepared to Do Things Differently

One thing we know about life is that there will be days when it will not be predictable. Because we can’t predict 100% the events that will occur in a given day, many people embrace consistency and predictability or even sameness. Perhaps you can relate to this. Do you know people who surround themselves with people who think like them and don’t want to be pushed to think ahead or to ask why we aren’t making changes? After all don’t we already have enough to do without creating more work for ourselves.


Thinking like this is what cause companies and people to quickly get into trouble. Dismissing the need to look forward into the future quickly leaves us behind. One thing we know from history is that life changes, work changes, and values change. Some changes are more subtle than others are, but approx. every 40 to 50 years society undergoes a rebirth or a period like a Renaissance. The trigger or reason for the rebirth are diverse perhaps it is some new revelation or invention. What we do know is that these periods are typically marked by the coming of a new generation who begins to question why things are done a certain way, they start asking, or as some perceive it - demanding changes. The generations before them, see these request as demands as disrespectful, this perception often causes them to dismiss what the younger generation is asking for. Our lack of readiness and willingness to change does not mean that we don’t need to change. It simply means we may be getting in our own way of learning and improving and of gaining the inside edge over competition.


Today I am in Houston Texas working with Cameron International and their Global HR Conference. Two topics that I am presenting on are Taking Motivation to New Heights and Generational Diversity in the Workplace an HR Perspective. Companies such as Cameron that are willing to look at ways to improve motivation that will work across generations are a step ahead of other organizations who don’t see the need to open their eyes and see what they can do. The change is coming and the more prepared organizations are the better off they will be in the future.


So what do organizations need to be looking at for motivation and retention across generations.


How does your corporate culture embrace change?


Do you know the demographics of the population you serve and if so can you answer the following:


Average retention of employees?


Retention of employees in generations?


Number or percentage or employees approaching retirement?
Transitional knowledge plan?


What is your present motivational plan? Does it fit across generations? Does it work across cultures?

Surveys across the globe assessed the following to be the Top 5 motivators:
1. The challenge the job offers.
2. An opportunity to learn more from a training course or seminar to earn new skills.
3. The people they work with day to day.
4. Fair pay – Raises - Promotion –Monetary Rewards.
5. Receiving recognition or a thank you note etc. from their supervisor regarding good performance.

Since we work hard to get employees and they are a company’s most valued asset we need to work hard to retain them and to motivate them. Motivational plans or programs should be designed to cross generations, cultures, and even hard economic times. If a company works on a bonus system, that if the company produces X then people get a bonus, then during an economic tightening the bonus is either missing or less, the internal message employees perceive is that the company doesn’t value them, when that is not the case. Bonuses translate into short term motivators and are called “slippery cash” because rarely can employees remember what they did with the money so it doesn’t have the lasting motivational affect.

So begin to develop a motivation and retention plan that last with the company. Keep in mind the Top 5 Motivators and motivators that are on the rise as you begin to build a plan to roll out. For established companies the generations that have been the backbone of the company for years will need help in adjusting to changes. This is part of their nature to need help accepting changes and they may not understand why vacation and time served are changing. After all they served their time to get the three weeks off why shouldn’t the next person have to earn it. Beware of this mentality and build in extra perks and appreciation for those who have served the time.
Here are items to consider when developing a motivational plan.

1. How can you consistently manage the plan?
2. Does it compliment the corporate culture and help it to grow in a positive manner?
3. Who are the people that will have to buy-in to the program? What are potential obstacles that need to be overcome? Who are the stakeholders in this and how can we get their buy-in.
4. Over what period of time can we implement the new program so that we continue to reward those who have served their time and honor those who are serving with productivity.
5. What can the company do to reward productivity versus longevity? Longevity is a filter that exist in many companies it was built in during the industrial period to reward people for their stick-to-it dedication. Today’s generations want a life and don’t want to be rewarded for time served but for serving. Example - employed 3-5 years to receive a 2-week vacation versus meets deadlines or production goals 100% for a year and receives a 2-week vacation.)
6. How can you work to decrease the filters so that younger generations will stay longer and be more productive and older generation employees continue to feel appreciated?
7. What are methods that can be implemented to promote positive feedback and to help managers be more proficient at giving positive feedback daily as well as annually? Do they need training on how to give feedback?

Let us know how we can help guide you in this planning or provide surveys and data for your organization. I look forward to hearing from you. Remember our email system has a spam filter on it, that will require a response to assure we get the email or just call us. We will get back with you as promptly as possible. Thank you again! (772) 461-8313 USA Eastern Standard Time. Hope to hear from you soon.

Bring a program to your City: Schedule a program while Cindy is in your area.
2008 Upcoming

October 7-8 Cameron International Global HR Conference:

October 10 Pompano Beach, FL Broward County Health Dept. Customer Service:

October 13 Martin County, Florida Customer Service,

Oct. 17-18 Tampa Florida:

October 22nd Orlando – Gender Diversity The He She Art of Language:

October 23-27 Albany NY:

Nov. 3 Fire Inspectors Conference Ft Myers, FL Keynote Address:

Nov. 11 Martin County Florida – Customer Service:

Dec. 4. Vero Beach Florida – Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity Training All Day. ***********************************************************************************************