Mary L. Erlain's Blog, page 29

The Zoomer Book – Personally from Meredith

I have never seen a generation that needs understanding more than Zoomers. They are floundering even before they hit the workforce. This generation has had the rug pulled out from under them on every foundational truth. There is no God, no family, no past foundation, and now even no sexual orientation as an absolute. This generation has had all of this done to them before they could step out into the world and try things on to see what they liked or disliked, what they wanted to keep or change. All these changes were thrust upon them when they were at their most vulnerable, in their teen years. It’s no surprise that depression is on the rise, and frustration manifesting itself in violence has become the norm. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said after the shooting in Uvalde that “most of these killers tend to be 18 to 19 years old.” This trend, if not halted, will continue to escalate as frustration among this generation continues.

Someone needs to advocate for this generation to help them navigate these very dangerous waters we have tossed them into. We have not given them a map, a compass, or even a destination; we have just said go.

I seriously don’t think any generation has had more challenges than this one. I want to see how we, the former generations, can reach out to them and make a difference. I hope you, as a reader, also want to be an advocate and someone who wants to reach out to this very lost and hurting generation.

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The Zoomers Book – Personally from Mary

Working with businesses, I see a general misunderstanding of the generations. There is so much dysfunction and finger-pointing. It is an understatement to say that this has an impact on the growth and profitability of companies. The emotional impact is significant. The basis of much of my work revolves around culture. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” as the saying goes. It is true!

Living in Illinois, I saw some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions for the longest periods. Some restrictions are still in place as of the end of 2022. The isolation and fear-inducing restrictions have had a negative impact on the public at large. The Zoomers and Generation Alphas have been most vulnerable due to age and emotional maturity.

The Zoomers are an invisible generation, lost in the assumption that the Millennials are still the youngest generation in the workforce. There is less understanding and awareness of who they are. Older generations assume that Zoomers are like Millennials because of their agility in technology and love of social media. This belief just amplifies the problem.

I have the desire to see the generations lend a “hand up” to each other. Sadly, I see too many hands slapped down. This is not new. This has been a common practice since I was the youngest generation in the workforce. We are at an exceptionally vulnerable time in our workplace and society. As you will read in this book, I hope that you develop a passion and mission to mentor and be mentored. This is our way to change the tide and calm the seas.

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Peak Networking Groups (PNG)

“Networking  Opportunity” usually means many people with hand-written name tags hoping to encounter 2 or 3 people for 2 hours in a crowded room usually filled with salespeople, all talking at the same Mary Erlain built a far more effective opportunity in her Peak Networking Group™ (PNG) meetings. We bring together decision-makers in a highly effective environment like none other.

PNG has an 18-year track record of creating an innovative and active networking experience for primarily business-to-business professionals. The groups meet in person and on Zoom simultaneously. The facilitators do a masterful job of joining people together to develop strong business allies.

Post-2020 with the introduction of Zoom, PNG can operate on a national level. Zip codes no longer limit our abilities to work with new clients. Every group has its name of origin and is currently active in Chicago, Schaumburg, Naperville, Oak Brook, Cantera (Warrenville) / Chattanooga, and Orland Park, Illinois.

If you have an interest in experiencing what PNG can do for your business, contact Mary at m.erlain@peak-ds.com to be her guest!

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The Zoomer Book, Our Next Generational Wave in the Workplace Excerpt

When we authored the original book, “10 Answer Keys, Communicating with the 5 Generations” in 2013, we alluded to the idea that the workplace would be quite different in 2020. We probably never imagined it would happen so quickly in our wildest dreams!

Over the past few years, we have been watching and researching the evolution of the workplace as it relates to generations. We see two transitions happening simultaneously. 1) The retirement of our traditionalists, who have remained in the labor force. 2) The COVID-19 global pandemic brought our marketplace to a screeching halt.

We did not rush to begin a revision of our first book. We are still hearing about COVID-19 and its variants. Companies are still struggling to figure out what their future looks like. Rising interest rates and swings in the stock market are present. Generations need to pivot to survive tough times. We are far from settled.

We want to provide insight into each generation. We also want to offer tools and ideas to create more harmony and productivity between the generations in the workplace.

There are varied views about generational diversity. By no means do we believe we have the answers. We are offering our perspective and experience in the hopes that we can help you navigate this topic effectively in your work. Remember this: DIFFERENT, THEREFORE WRONG, or NOT WRONG, merely DIFFERENT. This viewpoint can determine the outcome in any situation.

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5 Generations in the Workplace

Employers have been facing the challenge of five generations in the workplace for decades. Since our advances in healthcare create the possibility to work longer, financial challenges have created the need to work longer, and technology creates efficiencies for people to work with greater efficiency. This article gives a snapshot of who our generations are in the workplace. Stay tuned for our new books that bring our generations into 2022 and beyond.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/...

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3 Gen Z Trends Millennials Are Finally Embracing

In this quick read article, it depicts some clear differences in Millennials and Gen Zs. It is commonplace for these two generations to be confused with one another. Many do not realize that our Zoomers are in our workplace. Take a peek and see for yourself!

https://www.purewow.com/tech/gen-z-tr...

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Common Characteristics of Generation X Professionals

The 10 common characteristics of a Generation X Worker

Calmness; direct communication; flexibility; focus on work/life balance; loyalty; pragmatic; resilience; strong work ethic; team players; tech savvy

Generation X is the term commonly used to describe those born between the years 1965–1980. These workers are now aged between 40–54 and commonly occupy numerous managerial and senior positions. Different than the Boomers in that they will work hard, but not at the expense of their need for work/life balance. They also have a need for some independence as that has been their life’s experience since childhood as “latch-key” kids. This generation is about a third of our current workforce.

Common Characteristics of Generation X Professionals

 

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Understanding Generation Z in the workplace

As we draw insights from the preferences and behaviors of our newest generation entering the workforce, we need to also look at how “work” itself is changing and evolving….To attract Gen Z, employers must be ready to adopt a speed of evolution that matches the external environment. That means developing robust training and leadership programs, with a real and tangible focus on diversity.

Coming out of the pandemic, companies are challenged in finding a new way to do business. To add to the challenges, a new generation is also coming into the workplace. “Doing things the way we’ve always done them,” will simply not work any longer. This article will highlight some of the changes that companies will need to embrace going forward.

Understanding Generation Z in the workplace

 

 

 

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What HR Managers Need to Know About the ‘Millennial Split’ Generation

Our Millennial generation has two subsets just like our Boomers. The Boomers are nearly a 50/50 split. The Millennial split is closer to a 65/35 split depending on what you read. The important point is that there are some characteristic differences between younger and older Millennials. This article does a great job of calling out these differences.

Older Millennials were teen-agers at the turn of the century and clearly remember the events of September 11th. We also remember a time before the Internet, iPhones and iPods.Younger Millennials were heading off to middle school  where they could access the Internet with ease. They were likely given cell phones as teen-agers and now are keener on hanging out on Snapchat than Facebook.

Being sensitive to new communication avenues for a diverse employee group can help ease benefits administration for HR. And understanding that not every millennial learns the same way—or has had the same experience with health & welfare benefits—could help shape plan design and benefits education strategies.

What HR Managers Need to Know About the ‘Millennial Split’ Generation

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How To Lead A Multi-Generational Workforce

No one is fully defined by their birth year, so be aware of any stereotypes you may have. We sometimes assume Baby Boomers are averse to change, Millennials are entitled, or Zoomers tend to job hop. No one likes to feel pigeonholed – especially by factors beyond their control, such as age.

In this article, there are many great ideas about leadership in the multi-generational workforce. The above quote is something I have stressed in the books I’ve authored on the five generations in the workplace. In the new books that will hit the “bookshelves” soon, I talk about the “cuspers.” The Xennials are just one example. A grou of people who are younger Gen X and older Millennials. They can identify with the characteristics of both generations.

On the topic of avoiding stereotypes, focus on an employee’s life stage and career aspirations before their age. This way, you’re first considering your employee’s individual needs based on personal circumstances.

Another great quote from this article. Focus on the individual more than their age. Be careful of bringing your biases into the relationship.

How To Lead A Multi-Generational Workforce

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