Meagan Johnson - Generational Speaker

Solve Your Challenges and Bridge the Gap between Generations at Your Multigenerational Workforce

Generational Employee Engagement

Generational DEI Activities and Spooky Fun in the Workplace

DEI Activities can certainly foster a sense of belonging…

Spooky season is near its end and we’re heading into the busy holiday season… Before we get wrapped up in all the busyness, Generational Enthusiast Meagan Johnson wants to recommend some fun! Fun and DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) activities foster a sense of belonging, which helps improve employee engagement.

Research by Deloitte has shown that organizations with a strong sense of inclusion experience up to 2.3 times higher employee engagement than their counterparts lacking DEI initiatives. Playful activities in the workplace have also been shown to significantly reduce stress levels. According to the American Psychological Association, promoting fun in the workplace, such as team-building exercises and casual social activities, helps reduce stress and improves mental health! 

DEI Activities

Source: Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Benefits and Challenges by Kellie Wong

Spooky Fun DEI Activities 

  1. Campfire Chronicles Encourage a “campfire” storytelling session (virtual or in-person) where employees from each generation share their own “ghost stories” from the workplace – moments that were frightening, challenging, or eye-opening. These could range from silly tech fails to career-defining moments. It’s a powerful way to bond and it’s also how our ancestors passed down knowledge, traditions, and values!”Campfire leverages our natural storytelling techniques by giving players a format and a space in which to share work stories–of trial and error, failure and success, competition, diplomacy, and teamwork,” write Gray, Brown, and Macanufo. Especially in multigenerational teams, storytelling allows employees to see each other’s humanity, laugh together, and gain insights into one another’s unique journeys.
  2. Costume Swap: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes Encourage employees to dress in costumes inspired by the fashion and pop culture of another generation. Pop culture nostalgia can create shared laughter and unexpected points of connection across age groups. Popular costumes this year draw inspiration from recent movie releases and nostalgic reboots. According to Google, the top trending costume this year is Shrunken Head Bob from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a recently released sequel to the 1988 classic. By combining modern and throwback costumes, employees can enjoy the opportunity to see the influences that have shaped each generation’s culture and humor! 
  3. Guess the Ghoul 👻 This is a fun spin on Meagan’s “Guess the baby photo” keynote activity! Have employees submit photos of past Halloween costumes from childhood or teenage years. Assign each photo a number then post the photos on a bulletin board or gather everyone around for a slideshow presentation. Give employees a blank card to “guess the ghoul” in each photo, by writing down the name. Award prizes for the most correct guesses, and the “Sneakiest Ghoul” that avoided the most correct guesses. Childhood costumes and full-body costumes tend to work best for this activity, as these disguises make it harder to guess. This game helps coworkers get nostalgic and learn more about each other’s personalities while reliving memories of Halloween past.
  4. Spooky Playlist Collaboration “The studies on the power of music stretch far and wide, from improved job performance, reduced stress, heightened creativity and focus to increased productivity, improved employee morale, and job satisfaction.” In Meagan Johnson’s keynote, she shares a client who has implemented the power of music by having different employees choose the music every hour. Similarly, host a spooky playlist showdown where each generation contributes songs from their era to create an eclectic Halloween soundtrack. From haunting hits of the 60s to modern, spooky synth beats, this activity allows generations to appreciate each other’s musical tastes while creating a shared festive vibe.
  5. Generations’ Graveyard: Busting Myths and Misconceptions Set up a “graveyard” of common generational stereotypes and misconceptions. Have each generation write down myths they’ve encountered about their own or other generations on faux tombstones or signs. Then, host a Halloween social hour where everyone can “lay these myths to rest” by discussing and debunking them. This activity allows everyone to update their biases and welcome a fresh perspective on generational differences.

Embrace the Spirit of Halloween Year-Round

Halloween’s festivities remind us of the value of embracing different ideas and personalities, even those we might not fully understand at first. Just as we celebrate unique costumes and personalities during spooky seasons, we can celebrate the diversity of generations year-round by nurturing curiosity and mutual respect. These DEI activities are a playful start to Zapping the Generational Gap. After all, the real treat is the chance to connect, learn, and collaborate with colleagues of all ages—no tricks necessary. Happy Halloween everyone! 🎃

P.S. Did you know? One-quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween! 🍬

Earth Day: A Blast from the Past, A Mission for the Future

Happy (slightly belated) Earth Day! Yes, I know we’re a day late, but like any good party, it’s never too late to join in. Speaking of parties, did you know the whole Earth Day shindig started 54 years ago? Let’s take a trip down memory lane, then bring this eco-party into 2024!

Earth Day: The OG Environmental Throwdown

Picture this: the year is 1970, the Shag is in, and pants are bell-bottomed… A whole lot of folks are becoming fed up with pollution, oil spills, and a general disregard for the planet. 

Then, the hero we all needed shows up… Senator Gaylord Nelson, a passionate environmentalist, executes a radical idea. He rallied 20 MILLION Americans (hippies to housewives, students to suits) for the first-ever Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970! 

Back then, recycling was sort of a fringe concept and “clean energy” sounded like something out of Star Trek. But guess what? That massive Earth Day demonstration sparked a revolution. It led to laws like the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency! Phew… talk about the power of our collective.

Fast forward to today, and our planet is still facing challenges. But here’s the thing, every generation brings something unique to this continuous endeavor…

  • Boomers: You were there at the beginning! Share stories of the first Earth Day, remind us of the progress we’ve made, and inspire us with your reduce-and-reuse wisdom.
  • Gen X: Gen X, you’re the original resourceful rebels. From latchkey childhoods to the dawn of the internet mess, you learned to navigate a world with limited options. This translates surprisingly well to eco-living!  Help us cut through the greenwashing and embrace your knack for fixing things instead of tossing them.
  • Millennials: Whether it’s supporting local businesses, ditching fast fashion, or going vegan – your focus on ethical and sustainable choices is inspiring. Keep making the world a better place, one conscious purchase at a time.
  • Gen Z: You are the fearless activists, the social media warriors, and the proof that the next generation isn’t messing around. Continue using your voices, demanding change, and showing us that the future of the planet is in good hands.

Teamwork Makes The Eco-Dream Work

An awesome aspect about Earth Day is the reminder of our collective impact and power when working together. We all have a role to play, from small daily habits to demanding systemic change.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Avoid single-use stuff (straws, cups, etc.)
  • Support local, sustainable businesses
  • Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unused appliances
  • Read up on an environmental issue, watch an eco-documentary, or journal about your connection to nature
  • Walk, bike, or use public transit, even for one trip

Earth Day FYI

“Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all living creatures.” – Gaylord Nelson 

Your Earth Day Challenge

Let’s ditch the generational stereotypes and inspire each other! What’s ONE Earth-friendly change you can try this week, inspired by another generation?

Until next time… keep on laughing, learning, and leaving this planet better than we found it.

5 Ways to Make Work Fun for Your Employees

How to make work fun for your employees? After all, there should be fun in the hard stuff we do each and every day, right?

In 1968 a television producer asked herself a generational ‘point-of-no-return’ question. That question was: “What if we took learning for children and we made learning tastes more like ice cream than spinach.”

The answer to that question is a show that is still here today called Sesame Street. It revolutionized children’s programming but more importantly, Sesame Street made learning fun.

That was the birth of an expectation that there should be fun in the hard stuff we do.

How to Make Work Fun?

In 1993 I graduated from Arizona State University and I got a good job with a company called Quaker Oats. Most of you have heard of this company. In 1993 we were in the middle of the recession and my peers were struggling to find jobs. I found a good-paying job and it was a great opportunity. A month into it, my dad, who is a baby boomer, asked me how do I like my job. I didn’t because it wasn’t fun. In fact, it wasn’t fun at all. My dad said that work is not supposed to be fun!

Why is Fun at Work Important

An audience member recently said to me that if work was supposed to be fun, we’d call it fun, not work.

We spend ninety thousand hours of our life at work. One-third of our life is spent at work, so why shouldn’t we have fun?

In fact, Millennials are the largest generation in the workplace today. People born after 1980, and Millennials, more than any other generation have really integrated the work life and their personal life together. They understand that with technology you’re set to work all the time, so it’s not like when we’re done with work then we’ll have fun. Work doesn’t stop, so it only makes sense that we should have fun at work. Majority of Millennials when surveyed said that they would take 60% less in their paycheck to work at a job they love versus a job they find boring.

Benefits of Having Fun at Work

When you’re having fun, you’re not bored. When your organization allows you to have fun, when leaders create a fun workplace, it has been shown that there’s an increase in the level of employee trust. There’s an increase in creative inspiration and there’s improved communication and connectivity between not just employees and their managers, but also coworkers.

A ‘Great Place to Work Institute’ surveyed employees that work for organizations listed on Fortune 100’s top places to work and found that over 80 percent said their company is a fun place to be.

Fun at Work Ideas

So having fun pays and we’re going to discuss a few things that you can do to have fun at work.

1. Food

My favorite as food is always fun. Alright, food people want to eat. You can do something like an interoffice beverage break or an off-site lunch.

I have a client that every Friday they have what’s called ‘food truck Fridays’ and they bring in a local food truck to serve lunch to everybody in the office.

2. Inner Office Social

There’s a service called Yammer that can set up an interoffice social network that allows employees not only to communicate and collaborate but also post things that they find online that are humorous. Videos, stories, cartoons etc. You may have to depend on your team, set some parameters about what’s acceptable and what’s not, but the nice thing about an interoffice social network is that it allows people to jump on real quick and just get a kind of a tickle of their funny bone.

3. Volunteer Time Off

Especially when this can be combined with coworkers we call the millennial generation. The giving generation, because they are one of the top generations that are giving not only their time but money to charitable organizations. According to Deloitte volunteer impact research, they found that Millennials prefer to work for organizations that allow them to coordinate volunteering with their work time.

4. Decorate the Workplace

This may sound kind of silly, but when people are allowed to decorate their workspace not only engages their creativity but also increases the way people emotionally feel connected to the workplace.

A company that is really good at this is Zappos.com. It’s an online shoe retailer. If you ever go downtown Las Vegas, take a tour of their headquarters.

5. Appreciation

Sometimes we forget just to say thank you to our co-workers and the people that helped us be successful. Every day saying thank you and remembering small details about people’s lives is not only important but shows a token of kindness that goes a long way!

Millennial Boss: How to Give Corrective Feedback to a Baby Boomer

How to Give Corrective Feedback to a Baby Boomer, when you are the Millenial Boss? Yes, a much younger person trying to lecture to an experienced one?

I’m talking to my dad, professional speaker Larry Johnson. He is a co-author of the best-selling an absolutely fabulous book ‘Absolute Honesty’.

When a Millennial Is Your Boss

Recently I had a Millennial audience member ask me about how to best give an honest feedback to somebody she was managing. Somebody much older. Old enough to be her dad. She felt a little awkward giving the corrective feedback.

I thought I’d asked my dad, who is also a baby boomer and a co-author of the best-selling book ‘Generations Inc’.

Giving Negative Feedback to Baby Boomers

“How best should this millennial give honest feedback to this person she’s managing?” And I think we’re safe to assume that it’s a corrective feedback. It’s not a compliment but rather that she wants the person to change their behavior.

I think it kind of depends on where the other person perceives this younger person’s area of expertise.

In other words, the baby boomer may question what right does this person have to tell me how I should do anything? I know as a baby boomer, I really appreciate the younger person who coaches me on how to better use my software, how to use my computer, or how to use social media.

How to Give Corrective Feedback

Baby Boomers Working with Millennials

We get into some tricky territory when the younger manager is going to coach me about something I think I know everything about.

It’s very important that you preface whatever you’re going to say to this person with some acknowledgment of her experience.

Say: “I know you’ve got a lot of experience in this area of dealing with customers who are upset. However, I’m concerned. When you said to the customer ‘don’t worry your pretty little head’, it could have been considered offensive.”

The Millennial that’s giving the feedback needs to voice that it is not appropriate. It could almost be interpreted as sexual harassment. It could be considered offensive.

How to Give Corrective Feedback

I would say in that case that you pose it in terms of how it might be experienced by the customer or even by the Millennials.

Describe the effect of what he’s doing okay and maybe make a suggestion on how he might approach it differently.

The Generation X Management Style – What You Need to Know

Recently a reporter asked me about the Generation X management style – what type of managers are Gen Xers?

What is the Generation X Management Style?

I thought to myself: “Gen Xers as managers? What? No way! We’re too young to be managers! We can’t be managers! We’re still too new. We’re too young or we’re just getting our feet wet. You can’t put us in charge now?”

Gen Xers are managers. In fact, we’re in our working prime. In a survey, they found that over half of executives believe Gen Xers are the most engaged generation. We have a unique Generation X Management Style!

Gen X Managers

So what type of managers do we make?

Well, I think Gen Xers are in a really good position because they are open to change.

Especially when it comes to technology. We began using technology in school before we entered the workplace. Many baby boomers began using technology in the workplace after their careers were already established.

But Gen Xers? We started using technology before we began our careers. When Millennials approach us to try a new technology, we’re open to it.

I think about my own business in the past, when it came to running credit cards.

I would write down the credit card number while I was traveling. Then took the written credit card number back to my assistant. My millennial assistant would then enter it into the little box we were given by the bank and processed the credit cards. She approached me about this thing called ‘Square’ at the time. It reinvented the way that I handled credit cards. Many of you know and use square today.

Generation X Management Style

Gen X Leadership

Despite our unique Generation X management style, here’s where we might stumble.

We were ‘latchkey kids’. Came home from school and we had a list of chores on the kitchen counter. It was up to us to decide when we wanted to do the chores and how we did those chores. We just had to get them done before management, ‘aka mom and dad’, returned home.

As managers, sometimes we think we want to manage people the way we wanted to be managed.

When I first began my career, I wanted a manager who would listen to my input and then let me do my thing. You know? Give me what I need. Then tell me what you want to be done. Give me the tools and training to do it and then just leave me alone.

Gen X Engagement

However, with this new super engaged millennial generation that many of us are working with today as Gen X managers, we may need to step out of our comfort zone and engage with the Millennials with a little bit more frequency.

We may feel this as ‘hand-holding’, but I don’t perceive it that way. I perceive it as engaging the younger generation. Also, that engagement helps to transfer that knowledge between Gen Xers and Millennials. That is our Generation X Management Style!

I look forward to seeing you next week when we talk about the ever-changing generations in the workforce in the marketplace today.