The Work World Goes Multigenerational
Friday, January 02, 2009SUSIE GHARIB: When people talk about workplace diversity, they're usually referring to gender and race. But in today's workforce, there is great diversity in age. For the first time in history, there are four distinct generations in the U.S. labor market. One company where you'll find that is inVentiv Healthcare in Somerset, New Jersey. Erika Miller profiles the firm, looking at what it's like to work in a multi- generational setting.
ERIKA MILLER, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: To get a feel for the culture at inVentiv Healthcare, walk the halls with President Terry Herring. You'll see how he changes communication style and body language, depending on who he's talking to. Sometimes he's chatty. Sometimes he's all business. The goal is to create an environment where people of different ages feel comfortable working together. Age diversity is so important here, it's considered a business advantage.
TERRELL HERRING, PRESIDENT & COO, INVENTIV HEALTH: The best solutions come from the widest group of people thinking about that solution and challenging an issue. If you are going to move into the future, the only way you are going to be successful in bringing the best issues is bringing every great mind you have to the table.
MILLER: The multigenerational workplace is becoming more common across America. Because people are living longer, they're also working longer. That now means up to four generations working side by side. Inventiv for example has 4,000 workers worldwide, ranging in age from 18 to 78. And it's not necessarily the most experienced ones in charge. Project manager Sandra Russo is a member of generation "Y," workers 30 and under. She says her attitude toward work and life is much different than older workers she manages.
SANDRA RUSSO, PROJECT MANAGER, INVENTIV HEALTH: Work for us is not just a job. It's more of a self-fulfillment. We want to be happy while we are working, which is very different from generations before. It was more about supporting a family, rather than being happy with what you are doing.
MILLER: At the opposite end of the age spectrum is accountant Henry Marcoux. He's a member of the so-called traditional generation, workers 63 and older. Though the least tech savvy, they're usually the most experienced.
HENRY MARCOUX, STAFF ACCOUNTANT, INVENTIV HEALTH: The experience you have is when you have to start digging into things that you know: records, old invoices, things like that, when you are doing research on something, where the computer really isn't going to help you much.
MILLER: Many employees here, including baby boomer Ron Jordan, say a multigenerational workplace has its challenges at times. His group ranges from age 44 to 62 and likes to stay in touch differently than younger workers.
RON JORDAN, TRAINING MANAGER, INVENTIV HEALTH: How people communicate, you see a big difference. And maybe where the baby boomers, we're more into interpersonal skills. Now everybody has a facebook. They text. Texting is definitely different, so, I guess the communication and technology is different.
MILLER: But workers like Patrick Peters say different approaches have also helped open his mind. He is a member of generation "X," people in their early '30s to early '40s who are known for wanting more coaching than previous generations.
PATRICK PETERS, RECONCILIATION ANALYST, INVENTIV HEALTH: You do not know everything and it took me a while to understand that and when you are speaking to somebody who has been around the block and you are just about to go on the block, it's always helpful to you in a business and a personal, professional manner, I believe.
MILLER: The desire for a multi-generational workplace has forced inVentiv to expand its recruiting strategy. Human resources head Tristen Herrstrom says attracting younger workers requires more than just posting jobs on a website.
TRISTEN HERRSTROM, CHIEF RESOURCE OFFICER, INVENTIV HEALTH: We're now looking to social networks to be able to identify individuals that may be more passive candidates which has really helped dramatically in the quality of candidates that we've had as well as the number of candidates that come into our organization.
MILLER: Employment expert Doug Arms expects demographic changes will make more workplaces multigenerational in coming years.
DOUG ARMS, CHIEF TALENT OFFICER, AJILON: Right now a majority of our leadership roles are held by the baby boomer demographic. As they will be leaving the workforce in the future, for every two that leave, there's only one within the gen "X" population that's qualified to take their spot. That in turn accelerates the need to develop leaders not only among the gen "X" population but gen "Y."
MILLER: Four generations in a workplace may seem like a lot. But it won't be long until there's a fifth. The next generation of workers, sometimes called generation "Z," will start to enter the labor market in a few years with their own work style and perspective. Erika Miller, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT, Somerset, New Jersey.
