Organizational Behavior Meets Generation X and Y A Practical Approach

Richard A. Lewis, CRA Corporate Director, Operations Florida Radiology Imaging (FRi) (FRi
HPN Fall Conference Louisville, KY September 23, 2005

What is this all about?

This program is intended to help identify the styles of management that some of us may employ and how they impact new age employees in our respective fields age This is not intended to be exhaustive, nor a primer for how you should manage your employees; rather, it is good information and some things I have done in previous positions Finally, this is not the perfect approach; hopefully, this will spark some conversation between generations in this room and your organizations

Now, lets play a game! let

Lets play People Bingo Let We are going to take a few moments to see if we can go around the room and identify who is older than the dirt on Noahs Ark, or younger Noah than the clothes you wore to work last week The initials should represent the earliest event you remember in your lifetime, and you need to identify the year Dont cheat! Don

Here we go!
Oklahoma City Bombing Watergate John Lennon shot and killed First Man on the Moon

Salk Polio Vaccine introduced Martin Luther King lead the March on Washington The Berlin Wall Fell

Clinton/ Lewinski Scandal

Hitler Invaded Ronald Reagan Austria Inaugurated

President The Pill was Kennedy Was made available Assassinated

The United States entered World War II

The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded

Three Mile Island

McCarthy Un-American Hearings

Answers!
Oklahoma City Bombing 1995 Salk Polio Vaccine introduced 1955 Martin Luther King lead the March on Washington 1963 The Berlin Wall Fell 1989 Watergate 1973 John Lennon shot and killed 1980 First Man on the Moon 1969

Clinton/ Lewinski Scandal 1998

Hitler Invaded Ronald Reagan Austria Inaugurated 1981 1937 The United States entered World War II 1941 McCarthy Un-American Hearings 1954

President The Pill was Kennedy Was made available Assassinated 1960 1963 The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 1986 Three Mile Island 1979

What was the purpose of the game?

Hopefully, this was an icebreaker that allowed you to get to know each other a little better This also allows us to break down the generations that are in the workplace today: The Veterans, The Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y

Veterans (1922 1943) now between 61 82 years old

Lindbergh Transatlantic flight 27 Lindbergh baby kidnapping 32 Stock Market Crash 29 Depression 29 33 FDR FDRs New Deal 33 Social Security established 34 Hitler and World War II 37 - 43

Veterans Values and Work Ethic

Dedication and Sacrifice Hard Work Respect for Authority Adherence to Rules Duty before Pleasure Work ethic influenced by manufacturing economy Obedience and conformity over individualism Seniority and age directly correlated Tend to respond well to directive leadership

Directive leadership
Much more comfortable with scientific management management style Comes as result of the military background of this group Very conformist, little place for individual style

Baby Boomers (1944 1963) now between 41 60 years old

McCarthy Hearings 54 The Pill 60 Assassinations of JFK (63) and MLK (68) ( ( Civil Rights (Rosa Parks 55) (March on Washington 63) Vietnam 65 Man on the Moon 69

Baby Boomers Values and Work Ethic

Optimism Team Orientation Personal Growth Personal Gratification Health and Wellness Involvement
Service Oriented Driven by the legacy of World War II Uncomfortable with conflict Can be overly sensitive to feedback Can be judgmental of those who see things differently

Management style for the Boomers?

While Organizational Behavioral modifications really began to sink in with the Boomers, they largely responded well (and still do) to scientific, directive style of leadership scientific However, desire to see a more referent model begins to emerge

Looking around
How many of you are described in the previous groups? Interesting in the fact that the values and work ethic of the Veterans and Boomers are natural outgrowths of the previous

Now
Lets focus our attention Let on the groups that our main discussion is based upon Generation X Generation Y

Generation X (1964 1980) now between 24 and 40 years old

Women Womens Liberation Movement 70 Watergate and the Energy Crisis 73 Tandy and Apple personal computers 76 Three Mile Island 79 66 American Hostages in Iran 79 John Lennon Shot and Reagan Inaugurated 80-81 80MTV 81 AIDS 84 Challenger Disaster 86 Latch key kids kids

Generation X Values and Work Ethic

Diversity Thinking globally Balance TechnoTechno-literacy Fun Informality SelfSelf-reliance differently oriented toward work work just a job job Flexible hours, informal work environment, just the right amount of supervision Multi-tasking Multi Give them lots to do and freedom to do it their way

What makes them tick?

They tend to avoid corporate politics they have no orientation for this They are generally not very interested in traditional perks but (WARNING!!!) they will bail out if they see Boomers getting excessive perks They are usually motivated by the prospect of independence, the lack of corporate structure, a lack of rigidity, and the latest technological advances

How do you teach, train and orient them?

Does your department or facility use Web-based Webtraining? This group is not afraid to ask questions Say at least 3 times We want you to have a life. life. Stress upcoming dramatic organizational changes Encourage a learning inventory at the end of each day Stress the importance of training; however, keep the training materials brief and easy to read

The Myths surrounding Gen X

Theyre materialistic. They materialistic.
Many are struggling to make ends meet. This generation is probably the American generation that probably will not replicate or improve on their parents parents lifestyle. They worry that they will not have the money to pay for a house and childrens children education. They want to get out of debt. While money is important to them, material wealth and status items are largely scorned.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen X

Theyre whiners. They
Gen Xers face some rather daunting challenges college loans, skyrocketing health care costs yet most are philosophical about the problems they are inheriting.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen X

They have a you owe me attitude. me attitude.
No more so than any other generation.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen X

Theyre not willing to work hard. They hard.
In interviews, Gen Xers consistently tell us they are willing to work very hard. They dont want to be don taken advantage of, though. Many believe its unfair it to expect a seventy-hour week for forty hours of pay. seventyAnd, as a generation, theyre committed to having a they life beyond work.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen X

Theyre living on easy street. They street.
In the 1950s, young homeowners could make the monthly mortgage payment by using 14 percent of their income. Today it takes 40 percent. And today, folks older than sixty will get back about $200 for every $100 they put into Social Security. Gen Xers will lose more than $100 for every $450 they contribute.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

Do not make the mistake of buying into the media stereotype of this group
Once again, these are the latch-key kids all latchgrown up This group grew up with task lists to be completed with minimal supervision Quality time is a part of their lexicon make it time worthwhile when you have their attention Make it clear whats on the test? what test?

Style of management?

This group, while understanding a need for conformity in healthcare, and respectful of legitimate authority, wants to see referent power in action

Generation Y (1980 - ) now 24 years old and younger

Oklahoma City Bombing The Internet Clinton/Lewinsky scandal Columbine High School Massacre September 11, 2001 The popularity of ESPN

Generation Y Values and Work Ethic

Optimism Civic Duty Confidence Achievement Sociability Morality Street smarts Diversity Collective action Tenacity Heroic spirit MultiMulti-tasking Technological savvy Have difficulty dealing with difficult people issues

Be prepared
Education and teaching Business Computer related fields Law Psychology Medicine

What makes them tick?

They love a challenge They function well as team members a bit different from their older siblings in Gen X They want to be heroes They want to be surrounded by bright, creative people They want it right now

How do you teach, train, and orient them?

Allow plenty of orientation time Create a clear, realistic picture of the work environment good and bad Spell out expectations and goals Take the time to find out their goals and help them define a strategy for meeting them Take note that gender roles of the previous generations do not apply

The Myths surrounding Gen Y

The youth of today are going to hell in a handbasket. handbasket.
Experts believe this is a fine group of young people who will make heroes of themselves.
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen Y

Todays kids are getting a great education. Today
Not all of them. Gregory Schmidt of the Institute for the Future, Menlo Park, CA, says, Tomorrows Tomorrow haves and have-nots are already diverging in todays havetoday third grade classrooms as they either advance into the information age or fall behind for lack of reading and math skills or access to computers. (Wall Street computers. Journal, Journal, 2/9/97)
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

The Myths surrounding Gen Y

Kids need to spend more time reading and less time watching TV and playing video games.
Kids are spending more time reading. Business Week reports that surveys show video games cut into TV, not reading time. (4/19/97)
Adapted from Claire Raines, Beyond Generation X (Menlo Park, CA: Crisp (Menlo Publications, 1997)

Some takeaways for this generation

They are a unique mix a very independent group politically They are not as conservative as their older siblings in Generation X; however, are not as liberal as their Baby Boomer parents were when they were that age They are religious, but not in a traditional sense

Don Dont forget

These are the children who grew up with Ronald Reagan as The Great Communicator Communicator Their morality is an outgrowth of being raised in more conservative times They have largely known prosperous times (despite a few hiccups in the early 90s) They desire a good education so that they can make their mark Really, they are the Veterans in a different generation

What will make them seek out greener pastures?

They respect legitimate authority, but they will follow referent authority Work does not bother them, but it needs to be meaningful, not just busy work Overemphasis on outward appearance not overall neatness, but picky on insignificant matters Perceived disrespect of their youth

Our driving question is how do we appeal to these groups to enter allied health professions?
The American Hospital Association issued a significant statement of interim positions a few years back entitled Workforce Supply for Hospital and Health Systems which outlined some interesting recommendations for recruitment Even the New England Journal of Medicine realized the need to appeal to this group as they broaden their reach to undergraduates reaching towards medical school introduced a online newsletter geared specifically towards Gen X and Y entitled The Next Generation What are we doing to broaden our outreach? Are we going to high schools, middle schools, even elementary schools to start planting the seeds? While we are still a high touch group of professionals, we also need to play up our rapid ascension into high technology and the need for those who can balance the two How do our various organizational websites look when it comes to appealing to those that we potentially want to recruit? (Some members of these generations have webmaster skills that could put us all to shame) webmaster

What practical steps worked in the past to retain younger employees?

We had the luxury of having a technologist training program at my previous facility We routinely identified excellent candidates from our school to come on board as graduate technologists We consistently communicated to them that they were valued members of our team, even as students And, as a result, we had the luxury of having more qualified candidates for positions than positions available Provided excellent technology for folks to work with PACS, CR, DR, and in 2003, the health system completed a system wide go live that will pave the way for automated clinical and live financial processes (EMRs, real time diagnostic results, CPOE) our efforts garnered a Most Improved in a survey of The 100 Improved Most Wired Hospitals and Health Care Networks Networks

How did we keep them?

Retention scholarships in exchange for a year of scholarships employment, we reimburse them for tuition, books, uniform expenses, and a couple of coins towards the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists registry examination Immediately involve them in QC/PI initiatives in the department, and give feedback to their contribution towards meeting organizational goals Rotating opportunities to be a part of a peer interviewing group

Encouraged membership in a Service Quality Committee

This group volunteered to meet weekly to go over issues that impact the quality of the department departments service delivery Those who volunteer have to go through an interview process with the existing committee members, and they have to commit to regular and meaningful attendance and participation

What was the impact of this group?

Created 90 Day Party for all employees of the service, where Party the employee is thanked for being one of our care partners, and gives opportunity for folks to interact with others and department leadership Conducted an Imaging Services employee opinion survey to look at areas of concern worked to address them. Hospital did general employee survey six months later, and Imaging was one of the strongest areas in the facility in employee satisfaction Continued emphasis on good communication instrumental in creating e-mail accounts for all service partners, and also creating ethe parameters to make sure that they are being appropriately utilized

What is the impact(contd)? impact(cont

This group was not afraid to ask tough questions or tackle tough subjects questioned Human Resources on creating a more coordinated recruiting effort; questioned the VP of Human Resources on the provision of domestic partners partners benefits; grilled the senior department leadership on various subjects Most importantly, they injected fun into the service again!

So, what have we learned?

Really, the kids are alright! Forget scientific management the days of I tell, you do, are over do Referent leadership, with appropriate balance between boss and team member Give the kids the chance to succeed, with the appropriate tools needed to get the job done, and they will do it If you believe the stereotypes and media hype, you will miss out on the next great generation of hard workers, willing to sacrifice and make contributions however, take consideration of their values Create your own practical approach to applying OB to your folks, and dont miss an opportunity to let them know how much they are don appreciated

Questions?

Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the conference!

References - Generations At Work Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and Nexters in Your Workplace, by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak, 2000 - American Generations: Who They Are, How They Live, What They Think, by Susan Mitchell, 1999 - Managing Generation Y Global Citizens Born in the Late Seventies and Early Eighties, by Carolyn A. Martin, Ph.D., and Bruce Tulgan, 2001 - Beyond Generation X, by Claire Raines, 1997 - Workforce Supply for Hospitals and Health Systems, American Hospital Association Strategic Policy Planning Committee, January 23, 2001 - The Next Generation, edited by Lester Y. Leung, New England Journal of Medicine - New Generation, New Politics, by Anna Greenberg, taken from The American Prospect, Volume 14, No. 9, October 1, 2003 - Law Firms Mull the Gen Y Equation, by Leigh Jones, The National Law Journal, March 2, 2005

Special thanks to: - Martin Isganitis, Staff Development and Service Excellence Specialist, DeKalb Medical Center, Decatur, GA - The Imaging Services Service Quality Committee of DeKalb Medical Center, Starla Longfellow, RT(R), Manager, Imaging Services and Group Facilitator - Susan L. Moore, BBA, RT(R), Assistant Director, Radiology, Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, GA