Tag: generations

Behind the Term Millennial

by jsl_web_admin

Written by: Elizabeth McHeffey

 

Google the word Millennial and you will come back with an endless flurry of articles written about “how to deal with Millennials”, “how to manage Millennials in the workplace”, or “how to interact with Millennials”. Entitled, job hoppers, self-centered, easily distracted, and need constant praise are frequent adjectives listed. So, I set out on a quest to talk to tourism and travel industry Millennials about these stereotypes and what has shaped us, while also meeting with industry leaders within the GenerationX and Baby Boomer generations to see what the generation gap looks like to them.

 

To start, lets define the term Millennial. According to Pew Research Center, Millennials are defined as individuals born between 1981 and 1996 – or currently ages 23 to 38. And when talking with my peers, they agreed that they don’t jump for joy over the term that blankets our generation.

 

Maranda Tippin with the San Diego Tourism Authority says, “There is an unfortunate negative connotation, entitlement, and all of those aspects to [the term] Millennial that I always feel that I have to overcome when people know my age. You call me a Millennial and I take it negatively.”

 

Kylie Leslie with Visit Phoenix is in agreeance with Maranda, saying, “I think it is an interesting term because it is one that I think can have a negative connotation because people think of Millennials of not having great communication skills, always on their phones… But it has been gotten to a point now where the term has been used so much that people are realizing that not every millennial is the same. It is also such a big age gap. We are such a diverse generation.”

 

Let’s first dive into what shapes a generation – a big piece of the puzzle is the influence of environmental and economic factors. And arguably the biggest environmental factor that attributes to characteristics of the Millennial generation is technology.

 

We are the first generation that has largely grown up with computers and cell phones. This has not only created an ease of accessibility to resources but also an emphasis on efficiencies, data collection and analysis. We have the ability to Google ‘top visited cities in the United States’ and the answer will pull up in a millisecond. No need to comb through encyclopedias for hours at the library. We use and analyze data to streamline processes and make improvements – whether it is looking at your insight statistics on your personal Instagram account or improving SEO for your company.

 

Kimber Tabscott with Monterey Convention and Visitors Bureau points out that, “Data is a key word for our generation. It is something that has really fueled the whole generation. Everything has research and data behind it – it’s at the tip of our fingers, we aren’t spending hours at the library reading books and finding what we need – it’s available at the snap of a finger – and of course there is a [generational] gap. That’s a huge thing, so for the generations that have not embraced that it is going to cause a fissure.”

 

With answers at our fingertips, we have gotten accustomed to speed, which most likely leads to the stereotype of being easily distracted and having shorter attention spans. However, the positive side to this is that multitasking comes natural to Millennials. We are the generation that can easily sit in an overcrowded coffee shop with the hum of voices and revolving door of customers’ orders being shouted, while participating on a work conference call, texting back our clients, and going through emails.

 

Kylie with Visit Phoenix says, “We have shorter attention spans than others because we are so used to multitasking. I think most Millennials have a good work ethic because we are so used to doing things at the same time and being pulled into different directions. And that can be a strength for a lot of us because we don’t need complete silence to focus. We are able to focus in different environments – remote places and different work hours — and that is why we are interested in flexibility in the workplace.”

 

We communicate and collaborate openly. We have grown up using AOL Instant Messenger, texting, Gchat, Facetime and feel completely comfortable sharing personal pictures on Facebook and Instagram – always connected to our peers. TV shows have become much more open and less censored than previous generations, as have conversations on topics such as politics, sexual orientation and inequality in the workplace.

 

Randi Morritt with Visit Aurora says, “We are a generation of communicators. We will tell you about our dog, share all of our personal pictures, tell you where we live — we will tell the world everything.”

 

From an economic perspective, Millennials are faced with a great deal of debt compared to previous generations. According to this Forbes Article, the cost for a four-year degree has doubled from 1989 to 2016, even after inflation. Further, the average annual growth in wages was only 0.3% between 1989 and 2016. Concluding that the cost to attend a university increased nearly eight times faster than wages.

 

While some may say that we are job-hoppers, many Millennials might say that we have to stay on the grind and are entrepreneurial-minded. Having a “side hustle” such as an Etsy Shop or selling beauty products is not out of the norm for us. Once again, emphasizing the multitasker attribute.

 

Gina Archuleta with Monterey Convention and Visitors Bureau points out that, “We are super scrappy. Salaries haven’t really risen over time with inflation. You can’t support a household on one income anymore — you need two incomes. It is not an option to be a stay-at-home-Mom anymore. A lot of people think that Millennials are too out there or too creative, but we have to be with so many barriers. We just have to go for it because we don’t have another choice.”

 

So, are the stereotypes true about Millennials? I think it depends which way you look at it. It is important to remember that although entire generations can have similar qualities due to certain environmental or economic factors, each person needs to be treated as an individual. And in talking with senior leaders in the industry, they accentuate this notion.

 

Margie Sitton with the San Diego Tourism Authority says, “I guess I’m pretty simplistic. We have a lot of Millennials in this [Sales] Department and I find them to be hardworking, on time, and not as whiny as everyone claims they are – so I don’t look at them as a problem. We are in a business community and have a diverse group of people – guys, gals, straight, gay, all different generations – with a commonality that they just love this industry.”

 

Rachel Benedick with Visit Denver shares, “If you understand what shaped a generation or what shaped the parents of a generation, then you are going to understand the products of those generations. That is what you have to do as a leader. It is my job to understand each individual person and when you figure that out, it is really empowering. You can’t manage every person the same.” She continues, “You have to invest in and understand your people.”

 

Bottom Line: Each generation has similar behaviors or attributes that they may share due to the factors that they have grown up with. Furthermore, all generations that are just entering the workforce may be faced with larger scrutiny and overgeneralizations than those that are established in the workforce. It is important to take note of the factors that have shaped each generation, while not painting Millennials with one brush. By doing so would encourage a disconnect rather than a collaboration, and a lack of change rather than a larger creative growth. The great news is that industry leaders that I spoke with already do view their team as individuals, encouraging diversity, development, and individuality.

 

So, are Millennials old news? In the coming years, the conversation will be shifting to GenerationZ.

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth McHeffey is our digital nomad. During her travels she’ll be diving into topics and trends surrounding the generations in the workforce, stopping along the way to meet with industry leaders that are making waves and reinventing how we work. What we’re calling, “The Remote Route.”

 

[mkdf_button size=”” type=”” text=”Read more about The Remote Route Here” custom_class=”” icon_pack=”font_awesome” fa_icon=”” link=”https://searchwideglobal.com/blog-why-searchwide-global-has-one-millennial-employee-embarking-on-a-digital-nomad-lifestyle/” target=”_self” color=”” hover_color=”” background_color=”” hover_background_color=”” border_color=”” hover_border_color=”” font_size=”” font_weight=”” margin=””]

 

SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

 

 

 

How Teams Communicate in 2019 – For All Generations

by jsl_web_admin

Written by: Rachel Tomlin

 

In 2019, we are living in a world where communication and accessibility are more relevant and more important than ever.  In the workplace, teams are having to navigate not only all the different forms of communication tools that are out there, but the different types of communication styles, practices, and techniques of their peers and managers as well.

 

Good communication is a key factor to a team’s success whether you are working remotely or in an office environment.  This means finding the most effective ways to communicate with your team should be considered a high priority.

 

In the article 10+ Amazing Tools For Business Communication In 2019 the author dives into how communication for teams in the workplace is changing.

 

“The modern business world is evolving and so is the need of every modern workplace. With the increasing dominance of technology and automation in every industry, employees now have the freedom to stay connected to their work regardless of their actual location. Now a key effect of this modern workplace trend is that it has shown people the importance of team communication. It has made effective team communication an integral part of everything that we do.”

 

The focus on team communication continues to be a key factor in the workplace, and when you add in how the evolving methods of communication have now led to more questions than ever like “Can I use an emoji in that email?” Or “Should I add an exclamation mark over a period in order not to offend someone?” Or “Will this text get the same message across over a phone call?” we are now tasked with asking ourselves what the best practices are in 2019 to make sure a team is communicating effectively.

 

In the article 8 Simple and Effective Ways to Improve Team Communication, Mattis Le Cren, product owner at Azendo, lays out eight methods to create the best environment for your team’s communication efforts. These methods include fostering an open-door policy, encouraging two-way feedback, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, building team spirit, using time wisely, ensuring proper training, using the appropriate forms of communication, and utilizing online tools instead of having meetings.

 

“Communication is more than just talking face-to-face, although this form of communication should never be neglected. However, individual people and projects may dictate different types of communication. Technology plays a big part of our communication toolbox, and when used effectively, can save time and help team members work more efficiently.” Le Cren states.

 

He goes on to say “Normally a combination of methods works well on most projects, but the key here is how to increase the overall communication across the whole team. By implementing a few simple strategies, you should start to see an increase in team interaction.”

 

Identifying which of these eight areas need the most attention or may make the largest impact for your team is a good exercise to start down the track of better communication.  For example, you may find that clearly defining roles and responsibilities may organically foster better communication through feedback and ensuring proper training for the roles affected.  Training may then identify the proper tools needed to better collaborate across teams.

 

Katie Douthwaite, a writer for The Muse, lays out an approach in tackling the style of communication and how to be most effective in getting a message across in today’s workplace in this article.  The strategies include using statements and not questions, maintaining confidence as you speak, giving clear directives instead of suggestions, adding deadlines, and repeating your requests.  With many teams working remotely and generations sometimes feeling like they are speaking different languages to each other, these are clear and concise communication techniques that can be effective whether face-to-face or talking through email or an online messaging tool.

 

While we live in the ever-evolving, technology-driven world where new tools to solve our simplest problem tend to pop up every day, one thing remains clear; there will never be one answer or one tool to address communication across organizations.  People will always be different, and tasks will always require unique approaches.  As such, we will continue to rely on varying our types of communication through methods, styles, and technologies to connect with our teams in the most effective way possible.

 

 

 

SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.