Foster a passion for learning

If people are not passionate about learning in organisations it is because they have for too long been detached from the „primary task‟. In ResOrg there was an appreciation for knowledge and learning in all age groups, both about the task and the organisational dynamics. The opportunity to talk to each other across the silos and across the different age groups dispelled the fear of „the other‟ and enabled them to find ways to focus their energies on a common purpose.

In ResOrg a culture of learning and sharing was fostered through

workshops of diverse ages and functions. While useful to enable honest dialogue and networking across the silos and age groups, such workshops can only go so far in promoting continuous learning and impacting on the primary task.

One vehicle which fosters individual, group and organisational learning while contributing to the primary task, is the establishment of action teams. These are teams comprising representatives of different parts of the

organisation which are brought together and empowered to solve cross- functional problems. Originally a product of the quality improvement era of post war Japan, these teams have been refined and are enjoying renewed popularity due to their ability to drive both organisational productivity and engagement. They are also useful for their ability to mobilise the different generations and enable them to learn from each other.

186 However, in order for them to be successful they need to conform to some

guidelines which ensure that they have enough management to contain and empower them but not so much as to restrain them.

These guidelines include:

1. Ensure the teams are working on problems connected to the primary task and strategic direction of the organisation;

2. Assign sponsors who are directly concerned with the problem area and able to make decisions directly;

3. Train the teams in problem-solving tools and team dynamics on a just-in- time basis; this includes the need to involve all key stakeholders in the process;

4. Ensure that all managers appreciate the importance of these teams and do not pull rank for team members‟ time;

5. Impose a time limit – these teams shouldn‟t be working on „world hunger‟ problems;

6. Get some „quick runs‟ on the board to establish the credibility of the process;

7. Don‟t have so many teams that the teamwork overtakes the primary task of the organisation;

8. Monitor and measure the team progress both on task and team dynamics;

9. If appropriate, appoint process owners to oversee processes which cross different parts of the business;

10. Celebrate team success and share the learnings;

11. Ensure team contributions to the business plan or strategic direction of the organisation are documented and communicated organisation-wide; 12. Include a mix of age, gender and profession.

Findings

If people of all ages desire to be respected for their competence, then it is in the organisation‟s interests to engender a climate which fosters a passion

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for learning. People who are learning are engaged, especially when the learning is made in the context of contributing to organisational goals.

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Conclusions:

I began the journey into inter-generational differences with a view to uncovering the unconscious dynamics which existed in my graduate study group and which were deemed to be causing resentment and hostility between workers and their managers in organisations. My own perceptions of whether I could learn from a younger generation have come back to haunt me and I can now identify with other older workers who may unconsciously share the same perception. My research with one

organisation, together with a literature study and the experience of a group relations conference, have led to the following conclusions.

There are some differences in attitudes and behaviours in workers of different ages but these are as related to age and stage-of-life issues as much as generation. They are probably not as significant as differences arising from cultures,

professions, genders, personalities and religions. The more we emphasise the differences, through stereotyping and separating out the different generations, the more we widen the gaps. The „generations‟ become convenient stereotyped containers for projections.

The fact that there seems to be such a strong pre-occupation with the different generations at the moment in Australia and elsewhere in developed countries could stem from the fact that the Boomers have had a major impact in the workforce and in society and are now resisting the inevitable need to move on. They started out with such high ideals which seem to have become bogged down in economic rationalism and perhaps it is this which they deny in themselves, which is split off onto the younger generations. There is certainly some inherent envy of „the other‟ which is exacerbated by the media hype and stereotyping. It is also more prevalent in organisations which do not provide the necessary containers for anxiety such as a clear primary task, effective management processes and systems. This envy works on different levels – envy of youth and envy of competence and access to decision- making between the different age groups. Envy of position power and authority is not confined to age or generation as demonstrated by some older workers in

189 ResOrg who have diminished respect for their manager peers. In organisations which do not make boundaries and acceptable behaviours clear, anxiety of

unconscious incestuous thoughts may also widen the gap between the generations.

In ResOrg, and perhaps more generally, people of all ages want to be respected, perhaps for different things, but above all, for their competence and ability to contribute to meaningful work. Younger workers cannot do meaningful work if they do not have access to the knowledge and networks of their seniors. Knowledge and access to decision-making can be unconsciously withheld by senior members in organisations if they feel anxious about their role, envious of „the other‟ and lacking in respect. Similarly, it will be withheld if the organisation does not reward

knowledge transfer because of its focus on other performance measures such as individual targets and utilisation rates.

The research indicates that organisations will achieve more from mixing the different generations than from separating them out. Any management style needs to take differences into account by creating a respectful environment which provides appropriate boundaries and enables different people to engage and achieve outcomes according to the primary task of the organisation.

Such an environment is created through:

 Connecting people of all ages with each other and aligning them to the primary task of their work team and the organization;

 Encouraging conversations about the organisational and global environments within which they operate;

 Creating a process which enables managers to really listen to their employees and respond to what they see as obstacles to a productive work environment;

 Designing reward and recognition systems which drive desired behaviors and encourage respect;

 Managing performance, setting goals, giving constant feedback and coaching people towards goals so that they have a clear sense of their and others‟ roles;

 Delegating task and authority;

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 Being transparent about the gap between the aspirational goals and what happens in reality and involving people in closing the gap;

 Acknowledging and making discussible the differences and similarities in age, generation, gender, profession, culture, status, personality and religion across the workforce;

 Facilitating diverse teams to solve organisational problems and learn from the process;

 Encouraging an environment which rewards a passion for learning and contribution to organisational values as much as successful achievement of business goals.

Difficulties associated with the research Small sample

Owing to the requirements of the professional doctorate, this research was selective, concentrating on one engineering organisation. It was also more

qualitative than quantitative. It is probable that some of the findings might not apply to workgroups in organisations with different cultures and different reasons for existing. For example, a not for profit organisation might be more conscious of hiring „talent‟ which aligns to its culture and social values. However, the basic premise of people of all age groups desiring respect for their competence and the unconscious dynamics which play out when this is withheld, would probably apply within a „western‟ culture.

Similarly, it is not possible to generalise these findings across cultures from other countries. Just as the small sample of young professionals from other parts of the world was different enough to shed light on the Australian arm of ResOrg, it is possible to deduce that other countries might not share the same dynamics – they will have their own.

Staying close to the research

As mentioned in the opening chapter, there is a great deal of popular literature on the topic of the different generations. Sorting through it to separate out the

191 research-based literature from the media hype was not an easy task. Trying to remain objective in the face of such a media onslaught was also difficult. At times I had to confront my own biases and filters in an attempt to stay honest with the research findings but „subjectivity cannot be ignored even in situations where quantitative approaches are appropriate and even vital‟ (Stapley, 2006 p. xiii). My conformance to the labels of Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y is indicative of my inability to fight the popular language which has given shape to our memories (Kitch, 2003).

Effect of environmental factors

My relationship with ResOrg was also problematic. The bulk of the research with the role analyses and workshops was conducted over one year. During this time there was a great deal of cooperation from individuals who participated and others who assisted in the coordination. In the beginning it felt as though there was a real sense of collaboration as the twelve individuals and I worked together to put the original hypotheses together. However, two and a half years later, the organisation has changed considerably and some of the original stakeholders are no longer there. Three of the twelve research participants have left ResOrg along with the original project sponsor. This changed organisational landscape has resulted in diminishing support for, and interest in, the project.

This reduced support and interest has been largely influenced by a changed wider environmental context. The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008-2009 fell squarely in the middle of the research. This altered the dynamics of ResOrg

considerably with 10% of the organisation being made redundant and global growth plans being put on hold. Anxiety was paramount in all domains of the organisation and a project which concentrated on the dynamics of the different generations was no longer high on the order of priorities. The changing global environment also affected how the different generations behaved. There have been fewer

opportunities for younger graduates to switch jobs and not so many vacancies to fill. The need to create specific conditions to attract and engage younger workers is not as pronounced as it was when the research began. Hence the organisation has not seen it necessary to launch the workshops on the different generations as originally

192 agreed as an outcome of the project specifications (See Appendix 1 for Program Outline).

In fact, it would appear that there has been less press about the perceived „difficulties‟ of managing Gen Y of late. What appear to have more airplay are articles on the future of the „grey economy‟. This emphasis can also be attributed to the GFC in that older workers who were intending to retire at 65, are now having to work longer in order to supplement their dwindling superannuation funds. Some who have retired or been made redundant are having to seek re-employment. In fact the government has just announced a $43.3 million package designed to „harness the tremendous skills and experience of older Australians and pass it on to a younger workforce by training mature workers to become supervisors, mentors and trainers‟ (Evans, 2010).

Comparing data from different sources

Another challenge has been the analysis of data from very different sources. This research has taken into account data from individual interviews, a whole of

organisation Engagement Survey, focus groups, workshops, popular literature, research publications and the experience of a group relations conference. The process of anlaysis has been one of allowing hypotheses to develop and then checking the research to see if they are substantiated.