Talagy Blog

Generations in the Workplace

The Psychology of Hiring Among the Generations

What happened to the days when we could just hire for skills?  When things were simple.  We didn’t administer lengthy behavioral assessments or run background checks, we just figured out what the job required and we hired for it.  Why is the hiring process so much more complex nowadays?

At Talagy, we understand that three generations with conflicting values in the workforce require us to employ psychology to align skill with motivation. 

If you were a fly on the wall in a typical interview between a Baby Boomer boss and a Gen Y candidate, you’d swear the two could never work together.  And if by some miracle that free-spirited Gen Yer gets hired and is placed in a cube right next to an all-business Gen X peer, you’d probably see them roll their eyes at each other in frustration frequently.  A Boomer hiring manager who values dutifully working 60 hours a week (it’s called paying your dues!) must be able to adjust his mindset to avoid disqualifying a strong Gen Y candidate because she takes a bold stance on work-life balance (Of course I can come into work at 9 am because I choose to work out in the mornings, I’ll stay late if I need to!). 

If the intersection between competency and values trips you up every time you hire, understand that to make a successful match between skills and talents you must think beyond skill to the value proposition each generation brings to the party.

The 78 million Baby Boomers (1946-64) in the workforce today is the group we’ll court most heavily in the years to come as the impending skill shortage hits us head on.  For this group, experience in work and in life has equipped them to navigate the political landscape that is corporate America.  Ignoring office gossip, they opt instead to rise above the fray – which means they can be good role models for their younger peers.  The winning formula:  hire them for their vast expertise and business maturity, coach them to appreciate – not just tolerate the diverse viewpoints of their younger associates, and put them in a position to mentor others.  They’ll reward you with loyalty and dedication to producing results consistently.

The Gen X (1965-76) profile is similar to that of Boomers with one exception:  they’re distrustful of corporate America after watching their parents get laid off in the ‘80s after years of service.  Hire them for experience and dangle the carrot of a promotion if they work hard.  They’ll play by the rules and deliver…as long as they’re not lied to.

Most misunderstood of the three, Gen Y is labeled as spoiled seekers of instant satisfaction.  This group really does want to learn – they just won’t show it.  Be willing to compromise on trainable skill gaps they may have and hire them for their potential.  Pay them fairly, give them plenty of freedom, and involve them in fun projects like a “go green” or “run for charity” initiative (they’re both environmentally conscious and humanitarian).  Most important, allow them to choose a mentor and then support their development.  They’ll work hard for you as long as they’re learning, making money, and having fun. 

To effectively unleash unique talents of three generations in the workplace today, hiring managers can’t afford to hire solely for core competencies.  They have to summon their emotional IQ and hire with the intent to align skill with motivation, the core of what drives each of these generations in completely different ways. 

-Melanie Matarese, Director of HR

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