Motivating and communicating

| 153

MOTIVATING AND COMMUNICATING

There is no nobler profession, nor no greater calling, than to be among those unheralded many who gave and give their lives to the preservation of human knowledge, passed with commitment and care from one generation to the next. Laurence Overmire

Employers and managers need to rethink their motivation strategies, and training and communication methods, in order to heighten attraction and retention of younger employees. While remuneration is always going to be a key motivator for work, it is definitely not the only motivating factor today, as we have seen. Simple yet effective measures can be implemented to address changing employee motivators. Altering learning and communication styles can also be done with minimal effort.

Motivating todays employees

We all appreciate recognition for our efforts; however, younger workers today yearn for it and thrive on it. It makes sense given the fact that young people have grown up in a safety net of support at home, in society and throughout their education. Of course they expect that support to con-

tinue, even at work. Employers understandably ask, Why should I congratulate them for doing their job? or express sentiments like Their pay is their thank you. Young workers, however, respond to positive reinforcement and are more likely to continue and further improve their behaviour as a result. Gen Y-ers are not used to blunt and negative feedback. At primary school sports carnivals even those coming last received a participation ribbon. So providing Gen Y-ers with feedback about work that could be improved is essential. In fact, according to one Australian study of Gen Y-ers, a good manager is one who gives regular, constructive feedback.1 This generation responds best when feedback is kept constructive or above the line. Rather than scolding young workers for less-than-optimal performance, highlight behaviours that could be improved, and provide guidance about how improved performance can be achieved. As the most wanted generation, given more attention and material benefits than any other, the Zeds will also expect recognition. Here are some simple steps that will help motivate younger workers and workers in general: Find out what motivates your staff. It may not be what motivates you. Conduct employee surveys or have a discussion with each worker to identify their individual needs and aspirations. Implement a development plan for each individual. Think workmates not employees. Forty-two per cent of all Gen Y-ers surveyed placed relationships with peers as one of the top three reasons for getting or keeping their job. An environment where they can interact socially and work collaboratively is highly regarded by Gen Y-ers. So adopt strategies that encourage social

154 |

The ABC of XYZ

Motivating and communicating

| 155

interaction and relationship building to help promote positive interactions among team members and reduce the occurrence of unhealthy conflict. Exit interviews. Dont forget to conduct exit interviews with departing Gen Y staff this is a great source of learning and can give you ideas for changes and strategies for the future.

Table 7.1

Inspiring what works best today?

20th century (Builders and Boomers) Who How What Where Trainer Learned Provable Verbal Passive Long-term needs Structured Classroom style

21st century (X, Y, Z) Facilitator Learner Observable Visual Participative Short-term demands Spontaneous Caf style

Training and communicating

Employers in this era of declining supply may not always be able to get workers with the most suitable degree or skills but, if they have in place a culture of training, mentoring and support, the expertise of workers who have potential will increase. If training is to be effective and the knowledge of the Boomers efficiently transferred to the younger generations, employers and managers need to understand that communication and learning styles have changed and then act accordingly. As we saw in chapter 5, in a matter of decades students have gone from being mainly auditory in their preferred learning style to visual and kinaesthetic. They have gone from passive learners to active learners. In fact the preferred learning method of younger workers is on-the-job training or hands-on training, which requires the boss to be more than an expert it requires them to be something of a coach and mentor. People today, particularly young people, have a much shorter attention span, largely due to the distractions of technological devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, email and texting. So to keep X-ers and par-

ticularly Y-ers engaged, training needs to be interactive and multi-modal. By multi-modal we mean that facilitators need to constantly re-engage their audience from discussion to talk to break in order to keep their attention and, therefore, be effective. It is important that training be enjoyable as well as informative. In order to effectively communicate with these generations it is important to first understand how the younger generations communicate and why. Once, the only way people communicated was through face-to-face contact and the written letter. The invention of the telephone in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell changed the way we communicated and since then we have only moved forward, as is the nature of technology.2 Because of major technological changes, the ways young people communicate with one another today are unprecedented. In chapter 5 we also talked about the ways in which modes of communication have changed and how the Y-ers

156 |

The ABC of XYZ

Motivating and communicating

| 157

and Zeds, born into this digital age, have embraced and adapted their written language to these new ways of communicating. No longer do Australian students communicate in the classroom by note. They send text messages. Instead of walking over to a colleague in the office, Gen Y workers send emails.3 Young people no longer write long letters to faraway friends and family to stay connected. They dont even have to wait until they get home to make a phone call (in fact, many young adults do not even have a landline connection). Mobile phones allow young people to stay connected throughout their day. It is not uncommon for Y-ers to engage in online chat with friends at the office while working without the standard and efficiency of their work being jeopardised.4 They are great multi-taskers because of the technological times they have been brought up in. Consequently, ease and speed of communication, and process rather than content, are important to these 21stcentury generations in communicating. In contrast, older generations, introduced to these technologies later in life, apply their structured 20th-century processing in using them. Text messaging is by far the favoured form of communication among Gen Y today and often replaces speech.5 If Shakespeares most popular play, Romeo and Juliet, was written today, the famous balcony scene where Juliet proposes marriage to Romeo would probably take place via text message:
Login: Romeo : R u awake? Want 2 chat? Juliet: O Rom. Where4 art thou?

Romeo: Outside yr window. Juliet: Stalker! Romeo: Had 2 come. feeling jiggy. Juliet: B careful. My family h8 u. Romeo: Tell me about it. What about u? Juliet: m up for marriage f u are. Is tht a bit fwd? Romeo: No.Yes. No. Oh, dsnt mat-r, 2moro @ 9? Juliet: Luv U xxxx Romeo: CU then xxxx6

The low-cost and mobile nature of text messaging has made it very popular with youth, teamed with the fact that one can text even where a phone call cant be made (34 per cent of Gen Y have sent a text while in a movie cinema, and 15 per cent from a church during a wedding or christening).7 In fact, for 97 per cent of Australian youth, text messaging is the top mobile phone function used. In many other countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, France, India and Russia, this is also the case.8 A majority of young people have their first mobile phone by age 139 while over a third of those under 25 believe they cannot live without their mobile compared to only a fifth of those aged over 25.10 For the majority (53 per cent) of Australians aged 1824, texting is their preferred form of communication (even over in-person, phone or email).11 For todays young people mobiles dont just fit into the phone category. Technologists aptly call them handsets. From sending photos to texting friends, the mobile has seen many technologies converge into the one device. Our research shows that it is an essential carry-everywhere item in the same category as a wallet or purse and keys. Less than half of Generation Y now wears a watch another impact of the mobile.

158 |

The ABC of XYZ

Motivating and communicating

| 159

Texting: the oxygen of friendships

Behavioural drivers: why were so into texting

Text messaging isnt just about letting a friend know when you will be arriving at a party. It is very much a form of social communication for youth, as is the telephone, chat and email.12 Young people have entire conversations via text message and more than half of all mobile phone calls made by youth are to friends. One Australian study showed that one-third of Y-ers have got dates and developed friendships through texting.13 Generation Y sends more text messages than any other generation (almost one in three sends more than ten texts per day) and it is the preferred form of communication for the majority of them (53 per cent).14 Todays 1824 year olds are an always-on generation, plugged in, linked up and connected to their friends 24/7. This is the generation that has taken the SMS technology and adapted it for its own times. From sending picture messages of themselves while travelling (60 per cent do this) to using video calling and voice-to-text functions, Gen Y have used technology to enhance their friendships. In the space of a few years they have, through their creative texting and pragmatic spelling, restructured hundreds of years of grammar and spelling. Texting is a written language but not as we know it.
Friends are the new family

The biggest motivators for texting are pragmatic factors like the ease of communication, the cheaper cost (84 per cent), and the time and location functionality (as we have seen, being able to send a text from a place or at a time when one wouldnt have a phone conversation). However, some of the strongest motivators have to do with social appearance and comfort zones. Our research shows that 43 per cent of Australians will text while they are by themselves in an effort to look busy and connected. Also, texting is a social risk reducer: people will text a message that they would feel uncomfortable having to say via a phone call, hence the growth in texting in ones romantic life. Texting is a social enabler which helps us deal with the limitations of shyness and comfort zones. While such technologies as the mobile phone have benefited the Y-ers who are innovative and think in out-of-theTable 7.2 Mobile phones owned or regularly used by young people aged 1124 by country

USA China India South Korea Hong Kong Mexico France Russia Australia Germany UK

72% 74% 75% 85% 89% 91% 91% 92% 92% 95% 97%

Australians send almost as many text messages to friends as family (37 per cent and 38 per cent respectively), but with Generation Y friends win out over family (58 per cent and 10 per cent respectively). Texting is more than a procedural messaging tool it is a relational tool, and increasingly a business tool too.

160 |

The ABC of XYZ

Motivating and communicating

| 161

box ways, as a result of their reliance on these technologies Y-ers often lack relational skills. Many, used to hiding behind the security of their mobile phone and computer screens, are not so good with face-to-face communication. The above statistics show how mobile phones have become part of a growing worldwide youth culture, as have chat, email and the web. So big is the mobile phone market that of the four billion world phone subscribers, two-thirds of them are mobile phone subscribers.15 With 3 billion of the worlds 6.8 billion people owning a mobile phone (compared to fewer than one billion in 1996), at least half of all youth have used a mobile phone at least once.16 China, the worlds most populated country, currently has 400 million mobile phone subscribers, more than any other country and has one of the worlds biggest youth populations, although in decline.17 Over 155 million, or 74 per cent of those aged between 11 and 24, own (or regularly use) mobile phones.18 India has the worlds largest youth population under 25 (600 million)19 and is projected to be the most populous country by 2030.20 Currently, its youth population aged between 12 and 24 sits at 300 million.21 Of these, 75 per cent, or over 225 million youth, own (or regularly use) a mobile phone.22 In Australia, after 130 years of fixed telephone line services, there are today 9.7 million connections while after less than 20 years of digital mobile phones there are over 21 million mobile services nationally.23
The four elements of effective training

Interest

To begin with, the facilitator needs to get the interest of the audience. If participants dont understand the way a facilitator communicates then that facilitator needs to communicate in the way they understand. Getting the attention and interest of the audience is required before offering feedback. In training, a point needs to be put in terms and concepts that make sense to the audience or that are of interest to them. Remember, its not about telling it to them but selling it to them.
Instruct

Once the facilitator has the interest of the audience, training should follow. Essentially its not a generation gap its a communication gap, so: keep it concise remember, we are dealing with shorter attention spans today and keep it clear get feedback to clarify that they got the message. The responsibility for the message rests with the communicator, not the listener.
Involve

Before the audience starts to drift off and become disengaged, the facilitator needs to get the audience involved. Young workers are part of the worlds most interactive generation. Remember, only 30 per cent of young workers today are structured auditory learners. We are talking about a generation that doesnt want to sit and listen they want to see and do. This is particularly the case in the manual industries.
Inspire

Training should be delivered in the following order:

To finish off, the facilitator needs to impress the minds of the audience. Here the old adage holds true: They dont

162 |

The ABC of XYZ

Motivating and communicating

| 163

Table 7.3

What todays employees value in the workplace

Yesterdays employees Work ethic Bank balance Task focus Commitment Authority Independence Structure Tell them Conformity Tradition Regional Long careers Learn then earn Loyalty Below the line Participation

Todays employees Work/life Life balance Team focus Enjoyment Empowerment Support Flexibility Involve us Creativity Innovation Global Many jobs Lifelong learning Variety Above the line Ownership

care how much you know until they know how much you care. We all make decisions not just based on the head but also on the heart. So when training, motivating and communicating with todays employees, the facilitator or manager needs to ask three questions: 1 What do I want them to know? 2 What do I want them to do? 3 What do I want them to feel? Generations Y and Z represent the future. Lets not expect the workplace to shift back to the days of 12 years average tenure, and dutiful obedience to the boss. These new

realities, which are personified by Generation Y, are manifested by most workers today regardless of age. Weve all responded to the 21st-century world of work. There is no pendulum of change to swing us back to the good old days the direction of these shifts will continue. Indeed, have a quick look at the Generation Zeds. They are born to parents who are a decade older than the Boomers were when they began families, there are half as many of them per household compared to 50 years ago, and so they are being even more scheduled, protected and materially endowed than the Y-ers. The point is that we have entered a new era. And while employers need not react to every whim of a new generation, nor can they hold fast to the old and expect the emerging generations to conform. These new workplace entrants have had two decades of cultural shaping and theres little an employer can do to change this. A metaphor of this is found in a book I had on my shelf when I was growing up entitled How to Surf. There were many pages and explanations on how to pick a wave, catch a wave, and turn on a wave but not even a sentence on how to create a wave or change a wave quite simply, because we cant.The surfer cannot make the wave but only position themselves to catch it. And so it is with the generational and cultural waves. We cant change the learning styles, work patterns or employment attitudes of an entire generation but we can position ourselves to understand and so better engage with each new generation.

CONDUCTING WORLD CLASS RESEARCH

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE
researchrooms .com
online surveys data analysis in-depth reports media releases focus groups in-depth interviews community forums interactive technologies trends forecasts demographic analysis customer segmentation market research

STRATEGIC

COMMUNICATING INSIGHTS IN INNOVATIVE WAYS

PUBLICATIONS & REPORTS EVENTS & LAUNCHES

Our specialty is in turning research into summary reports, A5 handout cards, slide shows, sales tools, white-label reports & video briefs.

Research is most useful when all stakeholders hear the insights. We help by addressing research launches, media events, company meetings and industry think-tanks.

PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS

PR & MEDIA COMMENTARY

Were experts in making research finding compelling in keynotes, worksops & executive briefings. Mark McCrindle & his team have a reputation as standout presenters.

Media activity requires new, robust, independent research with a great angle and a trusted commentator. As the gold standard in research, this is what we deliver.

mccrindle.com.au freecall: 1800 freecall: 1800 TRENDS mccrindle.com.au | info@mccrindle.com.au | TRENDS

BOOKS
Mark McCrindle deserves a medal. Mapless, hes entered the alien terrains of text-speak, web slang, Gen-Z dialect, among other domains, and returned with a guidebook should we ever lose our way.
David Astle, Co-host of Letters and Numbers (SBS TV), columnist and crossword compiler

ORDER FORM
$30.00 each $22.50 for 4+
QTY:

$30.00 each $22.50 for 4+

QTY:

$24.95 each $22.50 for 4+

QTY:

Word Up: A Lexicon and Guide to Communication in the 21st Century by Mark McCrindle. 208 pages. Published by Halstead Press, 2011. RRP $30.00 A fascinating insight into how English changes, a quirky look at youth slang today, and a window into the minds of the different generations.

POSTAGE (select the one appropriate for your order)

TOTAL ORDER < $50 $50 - $99 $100+ PRICE $7.00 $12.00 Free

TOTAL PRICE:

The ABC of XYZ is a rollicking journey across time, generations and values that has been forensically dissected by one of the best social analysts in Australia.
Bernard Salt, Demographer & columnist; Partner, KPMG

YOUR DETAILS
FULL NAME: EMAIL: POSTAL ADDRESS: CITY: TELEPHONE: STATE: FAX: POSTCODE: MOBILE: ORGANISATION:

The ABC of XYZ: Understanding the Global Generations by Mark McCrindle, with Emily Wolnger. 238 pages. Published by UNSW Press, 2011. RRP $30.00 From explaining the labels and quantifying the numbers to outlining the denitive events of each generation, the best-selling The ABC of XYZ is a comprehensive and fascinating look at the generations.

This book provides many examples of the power of doing good works, the betterment conferred in so many different ways and, on occasions, leading to the saving of lives.
Tim Fischer A.C. Former Deputy Prime Minister

PAYMENT OPTIONS
CHEQUE enclosed for $ CREDIT CARD:
CARD NUMBER

(Please make payable to McCrindle Research) MASTERCARD AMEX DINERS

EXPIRY DATE

VISA

The Power of Good: True stories of great kindness from total strangers by Mark McCrindle. 232 pages. Published by Hybrid Publishers, 2011. RRP $24.95 Seventy short, heart-warming stories of acts of kindness by strangers with contributions by prominent Australians, including Jean Kittson, Peter FitzSimons, Tracey Spicer, Father Chris Riley, and many others.

CARDHOLDER NAME

SIGNATURE

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFT) ACC NAME: McCrindle Research

Please deposit funds to: ACC NUMBER: 308 562

Post to: PO Box 7702 Baulkham Hills 2153, NSW | Fax to: +61 2 8824 3566 | Email: orders@mccrindle.com.au
All prices are GST inclusive. For more information please contact McCrindle Research P: 1800 TRENDS (1800 873 637) E: info@mccrindle.com.au W: mccrindle.com.au

BSB: 032-078

Enter name in EFT description box, or fax remittance to 02 8824 3566 PLEASE INVOICE ME: We will send an invoice to your address above.