Pub. 1 2019 Issue 2

The two major generations to consider right now are the two that have the largest number of members: the baby boom gener- ation and millennials. • When members of the baby boom generation started their careers, long hours and a male-dominated workplace were the norm. It was a time of clear expectations and specific deadlines. Com - panies picked up the cost of dinners and taxi rides to reward employees as they put every available minute into their work. • By the time millennials en- tered the workforce, times had changed enormously. The atmosphere was more egalitarian and included both men and women. Millenni- al expectations prioritized work-life balance and flex - ibility in how and where employees could work. It also included time off for new parents of both genders. Improve your management of a diverse workforce by concentrat- ing on the following specific areas: • Engagement and collaboration • Accountability and trust • The advantage of being diverse Engagement and Collaboration Too many employees have no personal investment in their work: • Gallup kept records about employee engagement between 2000 and 2015. During that time, only 32 percent of U.S. employees considered themselves to be committed to, enthusiastic about, and involved in their jobs. • The results were even worse worldwide, where only 13 % of employees considered themselves to be engaged in their work. Happy employees are engaged in their work and are more likely to collab- orate with their peers. That collaboration is a virtuous cycle that increases efficiency and therefore also increases productivity. As employees take ownership of their work, they pay attention to the details of their own work, but they also look out for others and for the organization as a whole. If your business is a family business, you have an advantage; the members of the family who work at the dealership are likely to have more of a motivation to be involved than someone outside the family. Of course, you will have other people outside the family who are also working in the business. How do you increase their engagement? You have to actively decide what kind of culture you want to build, and then intentionally create exactly that. People become engaged when they feel they are valued team members. With that in mind, one suggestion would be to enlarge the number of de- cision makers within the company so that employees know they have a genuine opportunity to make their voices heard and to have a say in how the business is run. If that idea appeals to you, Johann Hari wrote a book in 2018 called Lost Connections about the depression and anxiety that happen How do you increase their engagement? You have to actively decide what kind of culture you want to build, and then intentionally create exactly that. continued on page 16 Issue 2 2019 15 CFADA.ORG