Challenging, Stimulating and Varied Work Environment is #1 Motivator Across Four Generations

January 12, 2009 – ST. LOUIS, MO – HR etc!! LLC, the St. Louis leader in multi-generational workforce management, has new survey results regarding generational opinions about workplace productivity. The following information is based on 1,500 respondents who have participated in full-day generational workshops sessions with HR etc!!.

First, it is important to realize that today’s corporations are not aging they are becoming multigenerational. For instance, if you look at a company today who’s average employee is 52 years young, the average age in the next ten years would be likely to drop, not rise. While the average age of the working population is going up, companies are going through a massive influx of younger workers. The result is that today’s corporations are likely to have four distinct demographic groups, all working together.

Interestingly, the #1 Motivator across all four generations is: A Challenging, Stimulating, and Varied Work environment.

The following indicates the questions asked of participants and the order of their responses.

What keeps you motivated, satisfied or productive? (Most frequently selected responses)

	Millennials (15% Respondents)	GenXers (25% Respondents)	Boomers (58% Respondents)	Silents (2% Respondents)
1.	Challenging, Stimulating, Varied Work	Challenging, Stimulating, Varied Work	Challenging, Stimulating, Varied Work	Challenging, Stimulating, Varied Work
2.	Pay	Career Growth, Learning & Development	Making a difference, a contribution	Making a difference, a contribution
3.	Career Growth, Learning & Development	Making a difference, a contribution	Appreciation / (non-monetary) recognition)	Enjoyable work environment
4.	Enjoyable work environment	Healthy work-life balance / Flexibility	Enjoyable work environment	Autonomy, Ability to Innovate / Create

 

What causes you to disconnect, be unhappy or ineffective (Most frequently selected responses)

	Millennials (15% Respondents)	GenXers (25% Respondents)	Boomers (58% Respondents)	Silents (2% Respondents)
1.	Boredom, No Challenge	Inability to Learn, grow and develop	Lack of appreciation, respect or recognition	Other
2.	Lack of appreciation, respect or recognition	Bad boss	Bad Boss	Bad Boss
3.	Inability to Learn, grow and develop	Micromanagement	Boredom, No Challenge	Boredom, No Challenge
4.	Bad Boss	Lack of appreciation, respect or recognition No work / life balance and Boredom / No Change	Micromanagement	Inability to Learn, grow and develop

 

If you would like to know if your employees find their work environment motivating, productive and effective or want to learn more about our entire suite of generational workshops, contact us or give us a call.

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