Cultural and work-related differences among generations recently have been the fodder for many discussions among MANA members.

Specific to the conversations there has been an emphasis on the challenges that older generations face when dealing with members of what is referred to as the Millennial generation. For the purposes of this article, the generations in question are broken down accordingly:

• Matures, born prior to 1946
• Baby Boomers, born 1946-1964
• Gen-X, born 1965-1980
• Millennials, born 1981-1999

When looking for tips or advice on how to deal effectively with different generations — specifically Millennials — Michael Roemen is quick to note that there is no seminar, no magic bullet to ensure success. “Instead what you’ve got to do is acknowledge the differences among generations, embrace the fact that there are challenges and adapt.”

Michael Roemen, the independent sales rep manager for 9Wood a manufacturer of custom wood ceiling systems, speaks from a position of experience in that “…of our approximately 140 employees, the average age is around 39. In addition, I’d say more than half are defined as being in the Millennial category. As a result, we obviously deal internally with the logistics of working with Millennials. In addition there are Millennials among our independent reps, not to mention our customers. That’s why it’s so important that we keep generational differences in mind.”

Speaking in general terms, Roemen maintains that the challenge of working with Millennials presents itself because “The values of Millennials tend to be so different from those of the GenXers and Baby Boomers who preceded them.”

“For instance, GenX might have a reputation for loyalty and being willing to put in long hours on the job. While not in all cases, the reputation of Millennials is that they tend to have an entitlement mentality. They expect more than others in terms of pay and benefits. They tend to care more about their 401k and planning for the future than GenXers. They value technology and use it regularly in their daily lives — oftentimes at the expense of face-to-face communication. On top of that, they tend to look around more than others and are not afraid to move from job to job. Add to that the strength of the economy right now and there are a lot of opportunities available for Millennials.”

Having said all that, Roemen continues, “Being as objective as I can, my sense is that the GenXers and Baby Boomers value the Millennials and recognize the fact that they are becoming the largest generational group in the work force. It’s simply a reality and there is no option but to adjust, adapt and work together. When there is talk about Millennials there is a real appreciation for their technical ability and the fact that they are digital natives. Think for a moment that there has never been a point in their lives when they were without the Internet. That’s quite different from their predecessors and that can be a real benefit.”

If there are challenges to dealing with and successfully working with Millennials, how does a company like the Springfield, Oregon-based 9Wood meet it?

According to Roemen, “Keep in mind there’s no magic bullet or seminar that’s going to teach you how to do that. We’ve made every effort to be flexible. For instance, we have a fairly casual work culture. We allow our team the flexibility to work at home and telecommute one day a week, or even tack on days before or after business trips to work remotely. We’ll have meetings during lunch time with the company providing lunch.

“In addition, we’ve taken a hard look at our pay and benefits to be as competitive as possible. Over the last couple of years we’ve enlisted the aid of a third-party retirement investment manager to attract people. And although our health insurance plan is a high-deductible, we offer a Health Savings Account (H.S.A.) that the company contributes to, and the plan covers the entire family, which is not common in today’s world. We make every effort to keep up with technology including the latest in Smart Phones and regular upgrades.”

Perhaps most important, 9Wood provides their Millennial employees with real-time feedback on their job performance. “Remember Millennials have grown up playing video games where the score is constantly posted in the corner of the screen. They’re used to knowing how they’re performing on a real-time basis, so that’s what we try to give them in their work center dashboards. Our goal is to reinforce their job-related goals through the right metrics, then give them the visibility so they see how they’re doing.”

Roemen explains that the same generational trends he faces within his company are at play among the rep firms he works with — with some differences. “The average age of a rep and his employees is significantly older, maybe in the upper 40s. Part of that is many firms wait too long to have a succession plan in place. And, when they do, there’s a tendency to involve their children.”

Having said that, he explains that among the 27 rep firms 9Wood works with, maybe a third of their employees are Baby Boomers and 15-20 percent of their employees would be considered Millennials.

“From our perspective, all of our younger reps are very responsive. Being responsive is of paramount importance. If they text us, they expect an answer right away. If there’s no answer, then they know something must be wrong. It’s the same thing with e‑mail. Younger reps, however, are not pavement pounders like the Baby Boomers. They might fall into the category where they feel they’re making a fairly good living, so their work ethic might not be perceived as strong as their GenX or Baby Boomer peers because they want to do other things with their time besides work.”

When pressed to call upon his experience and offer some advice to others facing the challenge of the growing Millennial work force, Roemen offers that it would be “…wise to embrace the generational change as a reality and not hope it goes away. My suggestion for companies looking to hire Millennials is that they must have in place good clear job descriptions. In addition, make sure your compensation package is on par or better than what other local companies are offering for comparable positions. You can’t just hope you’ll attract someone. Prospects will be quick to get online and compare your offering. Also, be proactive and spread word of your company by word of mouth. Ask current Millennial employees for referrals within their networks.

“Once you’ve got Millennials in place, if you’ve got the guts, ask them what they’d like changed in your company. Remember, we’ve all got blind spots. Do they like the office setup? How about the technology? Is it state-of-the-art? Find out if there are any gaps in communication. Getting feedback is great for everyone.”

The Question of Relationships

Michelle Jobst, admits that in the course of the majority of her business days as she meets with prospects, customers and others, who is and who is not a Millennial has hardly presented itself as a problem.

Jobst, who heads Jobst Incorporated, explains that “If it manifests itself at all, it might be in dealing with a customer who expresses a need for a product or information about a product but doesn’t necessarily want a face–to-face meeting with me. This experience is certainly something different from what I’ve encountered in the past. We only need to know how to provide them with the information they need in the manner in which they want to receive it. Face-to-face meetings are still a very important piece to developing relationships. What is changing is the point at which that happens.”

Jobst, Incorporated, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, represents manufacturers of custom-made parts and assemblies for the OEM market.

She continues, “No matter who the customer is, no matter what their company is, each has a different culture. As a result, it’s my job to understand their culture and figure out their system. For the time being, it’s frustrating and perhaps a little more difficult for me — and others — to respond to their needs.”

To meet the challenge, if and when it presents itself, Jobst explains that technology can play a role. “I need to have a conversation with that OEM customer and find out if they’re using different technology for communication. Then if I’m not going to be seeing them in person, I need to understand what apps we need to get them to feel comfortable. Ultimately a live meeting is needed when they understand the value to their process.”

Since dealing with the Millennial hasn’t really presented itself as a major change or challenge for Jobst and her agency, she admits that “I feel a bit like what I hear about Millennials is hearsay. I can’t say I really know if they’re more or less comfortable when it comes to face-to-face communication. I don’t know if that’s a skill set they’re lacking.”

Connecting People

She continues to emphasize that no matter what skills a Millennial might or might not have, “The job of the independent rep remains to connect people with each other. It’s our job to provide the customer what they want and need and build trust with them. It’s not our job to criticize the habits of a different generation.”

Jobst, who recently joined MANA’s Board, adds that “It’s really silly to criticize the habits of other generations. As any of us get older, it’s wise to remember what it was like when we were ‘young pups’ and others looked at us differently. Keep in mind that as we consider Millennials and their habits, there are groups within that generation that break down into older or younger Millennials. We shouldn’t look at them critically, but rather see them as something different and hold off our judgment. Just as Millennials, we all have to live in the world and there is a place where we can all bring our specific skills. Remember, we all live and have to get along on the same planet.”

Voicing a level of agreement with Jobst is John Davis who also joined MANA’s Board this year. Davis, Paul Davis Automation, Inc., brings a bit of a different perspective to this discussion in that he fits in the Millennial category. “With any different generation, there are going to be shifts and challenges. I don’t know if there’s anything truly unique going on with Millennials.

“I’m certainly aware of the fact some people consider Millennials impossible to work with, while others find their enthusiasm a real asset.”

The Chardon, Ohio-based Paul Davis Automation specializes in industrial automation, motion control, arc flash safety, and industrial heating.

Hold Off Judging

Just as Jobst, he cautions against judging the habits of other generations. “I’m reluctant to be blunt here, but if you make a judgment about someone based solely on their generation, you’re hardly giving them a fair shake. An individual’s personality is hardly one dimensional and it runs much deeper than the generation they fit into.

“I think of the great business relationships I have with any number of people specifically two sub-reps, one of whom is in his 60s and the other my age. Both are great in what they do. When all things are considered, we all have unique challenges and differences that we must deal with.”

Davis does acknowledge the challenges/differences that might present themselves when older generations deal with Millennials, specifically those of establishing relationships and communicating. “I know it’s a question of the face-to-face relationships vs. a digital relationship, but I’m not sure it’s really as bad as the stereotype. It really all comes down to having the right tools and applying those tools to a relationship. It’s really no different than dealing with Baby Boomers. Find the tools that are most comfortable and then work with them. People simply have to get more cognizant as to what are the best means of building relations and then communicating.”

He concludes by noting, “All generations have a heck of a lot to learn from each other. Isn’t there really too much separation? Whether it’s city vs. country, large vs. small, don’t we all have something we can learn from each other?”

And finally, someone who’s made a study of generational differences and challenges weighs in on the discussion.

Millennials Promote Millennials

Bob Wendover maintains that Millennials have done a very good job at promoting themselves and how they have to be managed differently.

He should know what he’s talking about. Wendover has been advising employers on how to recruit and manage Millennials since they first entered the workplace. He is the award-winning author of 10 books including Crossing the Generational Divide.

According to the author and consultant, it’s not unexpected that people in the work place have their guard up when it comes to dealing with Millennials. “There’s a good reason for that since the Millennials haven’t arrived with the same work history as past generations. They haven’t started out mowing lawns, delivering newspapers or working in amusement parks as past generations have. There are positives that arrive with that kind of work history. You learn the value of team work, responsibility, arriving at work on time. Millennials don’t necessarily understand the rhythm of work and the importance of relationships.”

Looking to the Future

What does all this portend for the future?

Wendover maintains, “Now it’s more important than ever for employers to do a better job of selection when it comes to choosing employees. Here’s what employers have to say to new employees: ‘I don’t care what you know, I want to know how you think. How can you apply what you’re thinking?’

“In addition, ‘I may hire you, but here’s something you’ve got to know when you enter the door — You possess certain deficits that have to be cleaned up if you’re to be successful here. We’re going to focus on those deficits during your first 8-10 weeks. If we get them cleaned up, then you’re welcome here. If not, you’re gone.’”

He concludes by noting, “It’s important that employers not enable their Millennials. You got to put them in a position where they can figure out things for themselves. That may mean you have to coach them but once you put them in the position where they can figure out things for themselves, they’ll stop coming to you and asking how they should be doing their jobs.”

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