X versus Y

Move over baby boomers make room for the X and Yers. According to Rainmaker Thinking, a management consulting firm, these generations began outnumbering the baby boomers in 2005 and make up 50.5 percent of the workforce. What does that mean for you? Well, you need to know how to train and develop these new generations of employees, as they are the managers of today and tomorrow.

To begin with, you will need to understand the similarities and differences in these two generations, then target their needs, and lastly build effective on-boarding and training programs to keep your operations going strong.

X versus Y

Below are the general guidelines on who makes up these generations:

	Generation X	Generation Y
Born	1965-1976	1977-1994
Age Now	31-42	12-30
Size	49.1 million	73.5 million
Nicknames	“Slacker generation”	“Millennials, echo boomers”

Source: U. S. Census 1

Generation X is said to be more independent, as they were the first generation of latchkey kids with two parents working. They also seem to be a bit more cynical, seeing that they were also privileged to be around during the beginning of the massive layoffs and downsizing trends. Generation Xers grew up together with technology, and has an added appreciation for where technology has gone over the years.

Generation Y was raised with increased positive reinforcement and self-esteem building beginning practically at birth. With that said this generation tends to be a bit more needy and has difficulty accepting constructive criticism and managing conflict. Generation Yers can’t imagine life without technology.

Both generations have a very different view of work and career than that of the baby boomers. Both tend to change jobs more frequently, are more self-centered and rather than thinking about what they will be doing with the current company in five years – its about what will my resume look like.

Sound like a lost cause for training and development? It doesn’t have to. You just need to know how to work with these generations to make it a win-win for both.

Training Strategies# 1: Onboarding New Employees

Quick and effective. Right from the start tell the employee what their responsibilities are and the tasks they will be doing, and how they contribute to the restaurant company as a whole. These generations like to know the big picture and where they fit in. But keep it brief and to the point. Don’t bore these employees with fifty PowerPoint slides on the mission and vision of the company.

Support System. Explain what systems are in place for supporting employees. How will they receive feedback? Will it be with formal evaluations? Who will be providing coaching and when? What types of on-going training will be provided? This is especially needed for the Yers.

# 2: Training Methods

Technology Based. These generations love their technology, as they will tolerate some classroom training, wherever you can add technology-based methods you will benefit.

Hands-on. These generations seem to be better doers then listeners. They are more likely to jump in and try to do something, then read a manual from front to back before trying a new task. Having a training program that has built in hands-on training activities and on-the-job practice work great for these generations. # 3: On-Going Training & Coaching

On-the-Job Feedback. Don’t wait for the thirty day trial period or annual performance review to give feedback, provide feedback daily, both positive and feedback for improvement. X and Yers want to know if they are doing a good job.

Provide Mentoring. These generations understand the value of a good mentor and what they can mean to their career. This doesn’t have to be a formal mentoring program, by simply pairing the right individuals together you can begin to build a very effective mentoring relationship.

Cross-Training. X and Yers don’t necessarily care about climbing the management ladder, but many are interested in obtaining a variety of skills to build on their work experience. Cross training can be a great way for your employees to gain this and at the same time you will have skilled employees that can work in many different areas of your restaurant.

Even though studies show that these generations don’t tend to stay longer than a year with a company, there are ways to help you make that time a little longer and try to make the employees stick around. Provide employees’ opportunities to gain new skills and experience often, this can be done on-the-job, with formal training, during team meetings – anytime you can have the opportunity to introduce a new skill to an employee - take it. Also, get employee’s involved in the day to day operations of the business - empower them to help with problem solving and suggesting new ways to improve service and efficiency.

Whether you have Xers, Yers, and even some Baby Boomers – there is one thing that hasn’t changed - Your employees are your biggest asset – without them, you would not be able to serve your customers and run your business – take the time to bring them on, train them, and provide coaching and you will be successful. “Learn2Serve.com is a perfect fit for all of your hospitality training needs,” says Joy Sisson, Business unit Manager for Learn2Serve.com. “Regardless of the generation you’re dealing with, our online training provides a convenient and cost-efficient solution to your training needs.”

source: http://www.mymfn.com/?p=311