Meagan Johnson - Generational Speaker
Solve Your Challenges and Bridge the Gap between Generations at Your Multigenerational Workforce
Is the generational divide even as wide as we sometimes think it is?
Age is one of the primary ways by which our society is divided and with this division comes certain stereotypes about each generation.
I was interviewed on the podcast by Zale Mednick to help his audience better understand the context that shapes certain generational perspectives and to assist us in bridging the existing gaps.
Gen Z, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials…
The impact of Covid-19 has spread across all the generations. The Impact on Generation Z (people born between 1997-2012), however, is a double-edged sword, both good and bad. Being younger, they will have a greater chance to survive the virus if they catch it than their older cohorts. On the other hand, because their careers are just beginning, they will suffer the fallout from the pandemic much longer.
The majority of Gen Z is finishing school now or in the first years of building their career. We often think of Millennials as the neophytes in the professional world but we would be mistaken. Many Millennials are in their 30’s, with families and multiple years in the working world under their belt.
Gen Z however, is just getting started. This means the freshman years of their professional lives will be plagued with record unemployment, layoffs and job attrition. Gen Z is getting hit with a double-whammy situation, downturn of the economy and a fast spreading virus with no play book to fall back on.
Gen Z’s lack of experience in situations like these makes companies’ behavior during this uncertain time even more vital. It would be easy to discount Gen Z’s perceptions during this time. They are new to the workforce and may be perceived as not having a voice in the “adult” world. With the current level of uncertainty in the corporate arena, it would be easy to dismiss their viewpoint.
That would be a mistake. It may seem hard to imagine now, but there will come a time when the economy changes and the skill set Generation Z brings to the marketplace will be in high demand. Just look at the Millennials, who, as young employees, faced terrible job prospects during the Great Recession of 2008 only to find their expertise in high demand less than 10 years later.
Additionally, Generation Z has already demonstrated they are a proactive generation. According to Girls With Impact Report, 65% of Gen Z rank “making a difference to a cause they care about” as a major priority. For example, frustrated by the older generation’s lack of attention to climate change, the combative political climate and the high cost of education and health-care, Gen Z popularized the meme OKBoomer. The meme was a call out to the older generations and to their ignorance to the causes Gen Z supported.
What does this mean for organizations during this challenging time period?
Generation Z may not be working for you now but they are watching what you do and what you do matters. Generation Z wants to see leadership in the organizations they support. Just like Gen Z’s response to OK Boomer, Gen Z will not abide by an organization that does not respond appropriately during this health-care crisis.
Here are some examples of companies doing small things to make a big impact during the pandemic that Generation Z respects:
Landsharks https://shoptheshark.com/ an independent clothing store in Saugatuck MI, hosts happy hour on Facebook Live. TitledHappy Hour with the Sharks, the husband and wife owners play a drinking game while giving away gift cards, promoting other Michigan independent stores and celebrating high school graduates who will not be able to have a traditional ceremony. The Happy Hours are highly interactive and hilarious to watch. You do not have to be a Michigan resident to love what owner David Lokker is trying to do for his community.
Arizona restaurant’s Beckett’s Table, https://beckettstable.com/ and sister restaurant Southern Rail https://southernrailaz.com/ launched AZ Wines for AZ Frontlines. The program not only promotes small AZ wineries, it also recognizes an AZ Frontline Hero with a complimentary bottle of AZ wine.
When the Claremont Club, http://www.claremontclub.com/, a Southern Californian fitness center, closed during shelter-in-place order, the CEO Mike Alpert asked the members if they would be willing to continue to pay their dues while the club was closed. With the members continuing to pay, employees could continue to receive their paycheck and healthcare benefits. Ninety percent of the members chose to continue to pay their dues. According to Alpert, it is about the people not the money.
Gen Z is not content to give their time and dedication to a company who is conscientious “light.” Gen Z however, wants to go deeper. They want to witness organizations take positive action during challenging times. They want employers to protect what matters and take care of the community. Gen Z will stand behind and support those organizations that excel at this during our time of chaos and crisis.
Resources:
2019/2020, Girls With Impact Report, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l1sA333bB406n0Grw4W7Mc6jGrErnOsm/view
There are a vast variety of schools of thought when it comes to making the perfect margarita.
I have discovered however the EASIEST way to make a really good margarita. Emphasis on the word EASY and GOOD! The Margarita purists will argue that I am “cheating” with this margarita.
I will agree it is not a gourmet margarita. It is, however, the perfect margarita to make for your small stay at home celebratory group during Cinco De Mayo.
Social distancing, shelter-in-place…
I’m longing for the days when we are back to ‘normal.’
Today is crazy because unless you’re part of the amazing health care field or you’re one of those incredible people that are keeping food on our shelves, or keeping us safe, you probably are working from home.
And if you’re one of those people that are working from home and you’re not used to working from home… your spouse is home, and your kids are home or your partner’s home… It is a new level of crazy stress.
That is why multi-generational leadership and connectivity is so important. It does not matter what generation you belong to, other people are looking at you for leadership. I had someone tell me recently that this is not a new normal, because there’s nothing normal about keeping us away from each other.
She said it is necessary though. It’s the new necessary! I love that phrase – “It’s the new necessary”.
What that means is, it’s not the new forever. There will come a time when we can open our doors and we will be back with our friends, our coworkers, our loved ones again.
But right now, it’s necessary to follow these new rules, but it’s not the new forever.
Recently I was asked by a journalist with the Indy Star, ‘Why different generations react so differently to coronavirus?’
Unfortunately, the majority of us have become intimately familiar with something most of us had never heard of 6 months ago. Many of us are currently using terms like Social Distancing, Shelter in Place and Self Isolation on a daily, if not hourly basis.
It only makes sense that a cataclysmic event such as the coronavirus, like significant Generational Touchstones in the past, would provoke a variety of reactions.
There has been a lot of criticism thrown toward the younger generations, Millennials & Generation Z, about their laissez-faire attitude when it comes to taking the virus seriously. On the flip side of the generational coin, there are segments of older generations who seem to have a sense of pride in ignoring the social guidelines everyone has been asked to follow to stop the spread of the disease.
So, which generation is behaving the worst or best when it comes to the coronavirus?
The answer is all the generations are both winners and losers when it comes to adhering to the new coronavirus social guidelines (CSG).
Often during my presentations, I have discovered different generational segments want to place blame, (or credit) for an experience on another generation’s shoulders. Situations are never so black and white. Generational discord and harmony stem from a variety of factors including, but not limited to; Generational Signposts, Corporate Culture, and Leadership.
The important takeaways in any challenging situation are thoughtfulness of others, confidence in our decisions and inclusion of a diverse group of people upon whom we can lean.
If you currently find yourself at home, and you have binge-watched as much Netflix as you can handle, I would like to offer a complimentary copy of my book, Generations Inc. From Boomers to Linksters- Managing the Friction Between Generations at work. If you already own a copy, what about a Generational T-Shirt? Something you can wear as part of your new work-from-home uniform!
Just send me an email to Meagan@MeaganJohnson.com
If you are thinking about holding a meeting virtually, I can provide training for your team on generational issues at a reasonable cost. The presentation, much like the in-person program includes PowerPoint, program customization and a Generational Decoder Card for all attendees.
Contact my associate, Kathie Pillard at 800-759-4933 to make the arrangements.