Baby Boomers or Millennials - Case Study Example

Baby boomers, Gen-Xer's, or Millennials? Currently there are three active generation groups in the workforce – the baby boomers, the Gen Xer’s and the Gen Y or the millennial. Each generation has distinct characteristics, with clearly defined tastes, tradition, and culture and shared values. As far as CSR is concerned, the baby boomers appear to be the most concerned of the extent to which their organizations demonstrates social responsibility. An organization that demonstrates social responsibility is hence more likely to attract the baby boomers than any other generation. The baby boomers believe that they have changed the world and they are still unafraid of bringing in change. Boomers plan to volunteer after retirement because they have passion and they want to help the society. However, there is another opinion that Gen X values social responsibility more than any other generation. To the Gen X organizations that offer an environment of workplace community are more attractive. This is because this generation the workplace is a place to socialize as well as to work. Both the baby boomers and the Gen X want to contribute towards the society through their labor. This has placed a demand on the employers how to keep the motivation going at the workplace. This way they are able to attract capable professionals that drive growth. However, Gen X is the least interested if all three generations are compared although they are also avid participants in service and on nonprofit boards. The Gen Y is a step ahead and for them the line between socializing and work is blurred. They call themselves the wannabees or the do-or-die generation. Their typical characteristics are the result of the environment in which they have grown and their past experiences. They have grown up during the period of economic growth and technological advancement. Gen X and Gen y want to work for socially responsible companies. This generation has grown up in a very different social context and they have been raised in an achievement-oriented society. Not only that, they also want to be personally involved in their companies’ efforts towards being socially responsible. The Yers have moved beyond the regular environmental and health care concerns. Termed as personal social responsibility, this generation wants to go volunteer somewhere else and for this they get the regular salary payments. The Yers want challenges and excitement; they want to feel they have a made a difference, that they have contributed. Hence, to satisfy their desire of this generation, organizations allow such ventures as it helps to attract the right talent and even retain them. Gen Y also knows how to get the best from the workers and they use such tactics to motivate the co-workers. They want to make a positive impact on the world; they are highly ambitious and prefer diversity at workplace. The baby boomers on the other hand want flexible working as they have elder care responsibilities and they also volunteer social work at other places. Both boomers and Yers find other assignments as challenging as the pay. For instance, they both want excitement in all they do, new experiences and explicit performance appraisals. Gen Yers is the most technically literate and affluent generation so far. They have witnessed and seen acts of terrorism around them which gives rise to feelings of compassion. It also has given rise to the desire to do something for the society. This is also the reason they feel they must contribute and make an impact on the world. They have a collaborative attitude and like to work in teams. They can motivate others around them and they know specifically how talent can be maximized. Because of the environment in which they have grown up and their typical characteristics, they are not satisfied if their organization puts a few recycling bins and expects that them to be content. They want to be sure that the company’s work is truly beneficial and that their time and talent has been worth it. Long-term commitment of some social cause has to be spelt out clearly to them. They expect their employers to be honest and up-front; they want transparency even in CSR. The job of the employers is much simplified in dealing with the Yers as they want to be engaged in CSR. They want to be involved in charitable working even during the working hours. Basically the Yers are aggressive and result-oriented. They do not like merely reporting CSR without actually performing those activities. They value what they contribute to the society more than their pay. The Gen X is the generation which is least keen on CSR if comparison between the three generations has to be made. They would like to be involved but they are not particularly excited about it. They do not want to prove anything or accept challenges. However, baby boomers too are as enthusiastic as the yers but for different reasons. The baby boomers feel they have helped build the society and that today they have the responsibility of elder care as well as their grandchildren who are being deprived due to double career parents. The yers feel they can contribute much more because of the education and technological expertise. For Yers social responsibility of business is absolutely imperative and the employers must possess this attribute. They have a desire to pursue what is meaningful to them at the workplace and they have high aspirations. They carry esteemed notions of self-actualization and the opportunities for giving back to the society and rendering collective benefits through ethical business is in harmony with this concept of self-actualization. Besides, having witnessed terrorism their feelings of compassion is much higher than any other generation. They have a desire to give, a zest to give, the enthusiasm and the inclination to extend services and make an impact on the world and the society. If employers take note of the enthusiasm of the yers, this generation as well as the organizations stand to benefit. Employee engagement becomes easier and the workplace environment conducive to growth. ROIs can be achieved as CREATES is adopted as strategy within organization. Organizations would also be able to attract, retain and motivate talent thereby reducing the overall costs of fresh recruitments and training. Overall both the boomers and the Yers are equally keen for extending and working for social causes while the Xers lag behind. References http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/25DA52DE-F120-4579-AFE3-564C8801425D/0/genuphowfourgenerationswork.pdf http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reportesocial.com%2FEng%2FFiles%2FBiblioteca%2F4%2FIntegrating%2520CSR% 2520with%2520competitive%2520strategy.pdf&ei=CtaXTvDYFMzprQerusyOBA&usg=AFQjCNFZxhNfgt1xYV_YrRpFd9Djo6D2TA http://littleredsuit.com/2007/07/19/from-corporate-social-responsibility-to-personal-social-responsibility/ http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/alice-korngold/leading-companies-good/using-csr-motivate-gen-y-and-boomer-employees http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CIsBEBYwCQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmillennialsthinktank.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2Famended-dissertation-for-frog-and-amy-1.pdf&ei=Z_eXTsDALcfqrAejy-WKBA&usg=AFQjCNGpGTjIOU_F3NJpo71Rqgyx2qH7_g Read More