by Bill Conley, CFM, CFMJ, LEED AP, IFMA Fellow — When the term diversity is used in regard to a facility or the workforce, many minds immediately think of nationality, employee origins, language and culture. However, diversity issues also relate to race, gender, disabilities, religion, job title, physical appearance, sexual orientation, nationality, multi-culturalism, competency, training, experience, personal habits and age.
The workplace revolution of the last 15 years has been significant, but the powerful demographic forces currently underway will truly secure the generational shift in numbers, norms and values. Four generations are jostling for position—delivering the most profound changes in the workplace since the U.S. Industrial Revolution. The pressures exerted by these rapid shifts in the workplace need a unifying cause that can take advantage of the various strengths and attitudes becoming prevalent and focus complementary differences to a singular cause.
Understanding generational sectors
Traits have been identified for each respective generational type (see Figure 1 on page 50), and although they may be viewed as subjective, these insights into the attributes and attitudes of the workforce may assist in harnessing their energies in creating a more functional facility through sustainability; a possible, even highly probable, solution for integrating and engaging different generations in the workplace.
The introduction of sustainability and subsequent educational activities covering new ways to operate facilities can encompass everyone on the learning curve. Care and conservation of the environment can create common denominators for teaming with similar goals and foci.
Sustainability can be presented through varied messages that will appeal to members in each strata. Just as the triple bottom line is addressed through what inspires different audiences, understanding what motivates each of the generational sectors will help lead to easier incorporation in the present and future.
To that end, a small survey was developed and asked of members from each generation. It dealt with the prioritization of items such as personal comfort, the comfort of others, energy costs and consumptions, and what the future entails. The sample was limited, but some perspectives were consistent among the respective groups.
Traditionalists expressed concern about future generations, but felt a little out of control in determining their fate.
Baby boomers seemed to be a combination of those who still needed convincing and those who see a means to provide more income or status.
Gen X respondents were concerned with the depletion of natural resources and the need to divert waste from landfills; not that conversant with climate change.
Gen Y understood there was an issue with climate change, but they were a bit unsure as to what steps they could take to help. Such things as recycling and water conservation were so ingrained in them, they had not made the connection these were major concerns.
Traditionalists
Traditionalists, the oldest, most experienced workers, have passed retirement age and, for the most part, are quickly exiting the workplace (see Figure 2 on page 50). Two experienced workers will exit the workforce for every new one over the next ten years. Traditionalists take with them vast amounts of skill, knowledge and wisdom.
Employees belonging to this generation were born around the time of World War II. They have a dedicated work ethic, adhere to rules and are committed to their company and to their country. The key to engaging these employees is through their belief in the values of organization and obedience. This generation grew up when the world was under crisis, so they are ready to make sacrifices for the common good. Many of them hold senior positions in the office, so their thought processes, opinions and decisions will more or less be responsible for the immediate future success of the organization.
These workers like to be respected and respond well to motivational appeals. Providing relevance to these workers might move them to get more behind sustainability. The most important message to them is that their experience is respected and this can be used as a way to affect knowledge transfer and promote sustainable options. As they are used to respecting authority and trust in the government, they are positioned to support local, state and federal laws that are now being enacted to mandate energy efficiency, water conservation and minimizing green house gas emissions.
Figure 1: Generational Traits
Figure 2: Percentage of different generations in the workforce
Baby boomers
Baby boomers are becoming the aging workforce; every day 8,000 to 10,000 boomers turn 60 years of age. Soon, huge cadres of these workers (many with significant power in organizations) will reach the point in their careers at which they will need and demand more flexible work conditions.
If there is one group that could prove a hindrance to implementing sustainable actions, the boomers may be it. These people are family oriented and grew up in safe and secure homes without the kind of oppression and discipline that was the norm to the previous generation.
Not only are they the largest force in the workforce, they are most likely to be the holders of management positions in organizations. They are generally anti-establishment and anti-government. They challenge authority and rebel against convention. However, they respond well to attention and recognition, and are motivated by the message that they are valued and needed. They promote collaboration to satisfy those needs and to generate respect from younger workers. Once it is proven that the sustainable movement will benefit them and their families, they volunteer more readily.
Although they believe in involvement and making a difference, they question everything and have trust issues that make concerted efforts a challenge. As a result, there are organizations devoted to environmental concerns that are either splinter groups or constantly at odds with each other over philosophical differences of approach, while still having goals of similar types.
They believe in equal rights and equal opportunities and are willing to take on the responsibility to instill change for the right reasons. A strong value proposition for sustainable actions would be appropriate for this group to accept sustainability.
Generation X
The employees of this generation are spread across all management levels in today’s modern organizations. Many of them have college degrees, as there was a lot of emphasis on one’s education and career when growing up. They believe in the value of working hard, but only if they get some monetary benefit out of it. They are driven by a “what’s in it for me” mentality.
They are good at meeting short-term goals and problem solving but may not be able to look at the bigger picture.
The smallness of this group magnifies the baby boomers’ impact as they march toward retirement. Most Gen Xers work under the supervision of a baby boomer—which has proven to be the root of many performance management issues. They are leery of boomer values, lack organizational loyalty and consistently challenge the status quo. They are more self reliant and have a strong sense of entitlement—seeking a strong life balance while thinking globally.
Gen Xers have a consumer mentality and value information. They are results driven, always on the lookout for meaningful work and innovation and will perform well if given the right tools. Their sense of duty is slightly lesser than the previous two generations and they require constant motivation and supervision to deliver. However, they would rather receive direction as opposed to intrusive supervision and dislike authority, which is a challenge in itself.
This group has the potential to bridge the gap between the older and younger generations. With their attitudes and rising positions in the workplace, empowerment and latitude in responsibilities allow them to enact sustainable efforts.The best way to motivate them is by appealing to their self-worth, future success and connect to things they care about, such as family and the environment.
Generation Y
This group provides some support in numbers, but they are at the heart of the skills-deficiency crisis—especially where so much of the critical skill sets are locked in the heads of traditionalists and baby boomers.
Employees of this generation are the new kids on the block. They are more open to new ideas and experimentation than previous generations. They are also more apt at using technology than any other generations. Employees belonging to this generation will most likely be found in lower management or entry-level jobs.
Gen Ys are the most educated generation and aspire to globalism, seeing themselves as members of the global community. They want more from work life and are goal oriented and tenacious when set to a task. They have high morals and are more spiritual than their predecessors.
They have a strong sense of entitlement and seek responsibility early on in their roles. They expect rationale for the work that they do and want to know the value it provides. They are individualistic, yet also group oriented, are at ease in teams and thrive in a collaborative work environment. As they have grown in the workplace, they seem to be becoming more pragmatic with rising expectations.
Mentoring is important to them and they readily accept older leadership, which presents the opportunity to point them to enact sustainable plans and operations. However, they respect competency rather than titles and respond poorly to those who act in an authoritarian manner and/or who expect to be respected due to higher rank alone.
Further education and guidance would be the best tools to prepare this generation to form a sustainable future, while grouping them with other creative people with a common focus directed towards sustainability.
Optimal opportunities
Generations X and Y will soon become the dominant players in the workforce. As they do, they will sweep out the last vestiges of the old-fashioned workplace values and standards, and finalize this rendition of a workplace revolution.
As Generation Y emerges in the workplace in full force, it is becoming obvious that they have no attachment to the “tried and true” career path and work patterns of their predecessors. Generation Y is turning out to be the most high maintenance workforce in the history of the world; they are like Generation X on fast-forward with high self-esteem. These factors, if combined with the knowledge of more experienced workers, can facilitate the changes needed to become more environmentally conscious in day to day activities.
Commonalities
There are, of course, qualities that transcend age and apply to all groups. Three areas that seemed to trend throughout all the generations, albeit in different contexts, were ethics, equity and sense of community. These three key ingredients are not generationally specific. Neither are they gender or culturally specific: they’re as true for women as for men, for Americans as well as Africans, for Europeans as well as Asians.
Overlaying these traits with the respect for authority traditionalists feel, the penchant for boomers to be transformational and to want to make a difference, the drive for results and global thinking of Gen X, and the willingness of Gen Y to be mentored as part of a global community concerned about the environment, creates quite a team dynamic. This power directed at the type of challenge sustainability presents should provide meaningful results.
Approach to unification
There have been volumes written about the generational differences in the workplace and the best management and leadership practices to deal with them. However, that falls under the aegis of human resources. Corralling that talent in facility-related functions to achieve success in operations (while saving the planet and realizing economic benefits) is more of a finite task.
Much like Myers-Briggs analyses, understanding the strengths and shortcomings of the different generations in the workforce will enable managers to team these employees up by capitalizing on what drives them most.
Leaders, managers, supervisors and non-management staff should recognize and be able to leverage generational diversity in their organizations for strategic advantage. It is important to understand, communicate with, and work with those of all generations.
In building, utilizing and evaluating staff, it is wise to not only look at experience and skills, but to also pay attention to interests and passions.
In the case of sustainability and environmental concerns, younger generations are more vested in the process: the will to succeed in these areas provides an extra incentive. Older generations can excel in the mentoring and leadership roles to help drive it. Each group has strengths that, if channeled correctly, can complement the others.
The bias is toward valuing diversity—including integrating generational differences that are being experienced in the workplace into a common focus. Developing mutually supportive relationships with individuals of all generations will bring out the best in each other.
At its best, this type of cohesion is what the movement toward sustainability needs. It empowers people with the ability to create change and achieve success that could not be reached alone. The approach can unite disparate elements in the workplace—making sustainable actions in the workplace normal operating procedures with everyone on board. FMJ
The author would like to thank Laurie Gilmer, P.E., CFM, LEED AP, CxA, with Facility Engineering Associates, P.C., for her assistance and contributions to this article.
Bill Conley, CFM, CFMJ, LEED AP, IFMA Fellow, is owner/CSO of CFM2, a facility management and sustainability consulting company based in Orange County, Calif.
Conley has more than 35 years of experience in the facility management profession and has been a proponent of sustainable operations for more than 17 years.
He has worked on LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects as well as assisted companies in implementing and benefitting from sustainable practices. Conley received his Certified Facility Manager® designation from IFMA in 1992 and achieved LEED professional accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2002.
In addition to his induction as an IFMA Fellow, Conley is currently a member of the IFMA board of directors, a recipient of IFMA’s distinguished member of the year award and has twice received the association’s distinguished author award. Additionally, Conley helped develop the Orange County Chapter of the USGBC.