Читать книгу Clash of the Generations - Grubb Valerie M. - Страница 12

Based on its 2015 survey of over 7,000 business and HR leaders in over 130 countries throughout the world, Deloitte has identified the greatest challenges for businesses today:

● Culture and engagement

● Leadership

● Learning and development11

At the heart of every company lies its culture, which sets the tone for how the employees are treated (by both management and each other), which in turn sets the tone for how those employees treat customers. If employees feel disposable or poorly treated (particularly by senior leaders), they will reproduce those negative feelings in their interactions among themselves as well as those with clients. The converse also holds true: employees who feel valued will then spread that sentiment to others. Culture matters because it has such a strong effect on every transaction (both internal and external) relevant to a company, and managers who underestimate its importance do so at their peril.

The link between culture and the issues of a multigenerational workplace is clear: when the company culture doesn't value the contributions of employees of all ages, the entire organization suffers. Smart company executives know that culture starts at the top and will focus on engaging employees of all generations to put their best and brightest ideas to work for the company. Management experts often debate whether culture creates engagement or engagement leads to culture. The “which comes first” discussion is irrelevant, though, as long as senior leaders understand the power of culture to create an age‐unbiased environment.

But merely proclaiming “Now we're inclusive!” won't take a company very far. Without human capital processes in place to truly support a change in management philosophy, an organization can't accurately claim to be a welcoming and inclusive multigenerational workplace. Developing those processes requires an understanding of each generation's background, interests, and motivations (while still recognizing, of course, that such understandings take a back seat to awareness of individuals' needs). Let's take a close look at the characteristics and goals of each generation.