Wellness and well-being in the workplace continue to be hot and trendy topics, especially among Millennial and Gen-Z workers. From more traditional mental health support like therapy and coaching to contemporary approaches like quiet workspaces and in-house yoga, organizations are making an effort to ensure their employees feel safe, supported, and inspired in today’s post-pandemic workplaces. But, according to a recent article in The New York Times, workplace wellness programs may not be as beneficial to retaining and sustaining employees as we think.  

Although we can’t confirm the findings in this study, it’s just the type of analysis our team of consultants pays close attention to when advising clients. If you’re looking to maximize your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or implement one for the first time, read on.

A New Study on Workplace Wellness 

According to an article in The New York Times, an Oxford University researcher surveyed workers from nearly 50,000 companies who offered employee benefit programs and found that people who participated in them were no better off than colleagues who did not. Moreover, the study found that trainings on resilience and stress management appeared to have a negative effect, and of the 90 interventions/programs offered, charity or volunteer opportunities were the only ones that improved well-being.

Of note, other researchers say that the study examined interventions that were not highly credible or did not account for the wide variation of how these interventions are delivered.

Studies like this serve as a good reminder to employers to keep a pulse on what’s going on in today’s ever-changing professional landscape, especially regarding what their employees are prioritizing.

Make the Most of Your Employee Assistance Program 

At IRI Consultants, we believe that EAPs can work in your – and your employees – favor, if you take the necessary steps to set yourself up for success. Consider these three questions:

• What do your employees prioritize? This answer will be different in every organization, but it’s the most important consideration of all. Are your employees younger and more interested in mental health programs and perks like health and wellness stipends or fertility support? Or are they made up of working parents who prioritize childcare, college tuition programs, and caregiver allowances? Conduct an internal communications audit, develop an effective employee listening strategy, and leverage online digital feedback tools to connect with your employees and figure out how best to align your EAP with your culture and their expectations.  
• How do your employees best receive information? You may have a tailored EAP that meets the needs of your employees, but do they know about it? You’d be surprised by the number of organizations that simply forget the importance of continually communicating these benefits to employees. Take time to consider how best to reach employees and meet them where they are. This is especially important when considering different generations in the workplace and how they best communicate and receive information.
• Are these benefits making an impact? EAPs are only as successful as you make them, which is why it’s vital to take the time to measure the success of your program, either through employee engagement surveys (which includes taking post-survey action) or putting in place feedback channels with options of participating anonymously. Both options should be supplemented by training managers to speak with their employees about workplace wellness during team meetings or 1:1 check-ins throughout the year. This is vital because employee engagement depends on good leadership.

Wellness in the workplace is going to look different for every organization. Ultimately, it’s most important to foster a safe and welcoming environment where employees feel heard and comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions – and leaders and departments are empowered to take this feedback and make real change for their organizations.

At IRI, we provide training tools and consulting services to help organizations maintain direct communications with their employees, especially younger employees, who feel a union is the best way to make their voice heard. We believe every business is different, and each requires its own holistic and customized approach to communications and employee engagement. Whether you need an internal communications or engagement assessment, guidance in developing your internal communications or engagement strategy or social media strategy, digital media intelligence, crisis communications services, media relations, or media training, we have expert communications and engagement consultants who can quickly provide a specialized solution. Contact us today to discuss the next steps, give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

When done well, communications in the workplace help cultivate positive employee engagement and streamline work processes – and can even help you minimize disruptive events, such as a union organizing effort. When done…not so well…the opposite can happen. This idea is front and center in the 2023 state of essential workplace communications report¹ released by Axios, which states that “There’s a lot going wrong in workplace communications right now, and leaders need to fix it.”

We’re breaking down five key findings from the report and providing you with our own customized advice on how to turn your workplace communications around in 2024 to avoid negative outcomes, like a union approaching your employees offering to be the problem solver. 

Poor Communication is Costly 

Report Finding: Ineffective employee communications is estimated to cost $2 trillion annually across the U.S., as it leads to misalignment, disengagement, and waste.

Internal communication tools are plentiful today, from intranets and newsletters to Slack channels and notice boards. But each platform is only as effective as you make it. To avoid wasted time and money, you must determine the best options for your workplace culture and organizational goals.

For example, is your workforce fully remote? Are employees on-site more often than not? Do you have a hybrid workforce? Employees in each of these groups receive information differently, so you must take this into account when crafting your communications. Consider developing more customized plans to meet your employees exactly where they are. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create detailed and effective engagement strategies for all your employees.

Writing is an Art Form 

Report Finding: 47% of leaders say the toughest step in keeping the organization aligned is writing in a concise, engaging way people will actually read, rather than overlook in the daily flood of information they receive.

Next time you sit down to write a communication piece, whether it’s an email, newsletter, or blog post, consider not just what you are communicating but how you are communicating.

Try a storytelling-based approach, which is especially critical when it comes to labor relations. This is because stories connect us. No matter who we are or where we’re from, we’re drawn to stories that feel innately authentic and ultimately more human. Here are some tips on how to find story-based content that employees want to watch and share.

Are Your Communications Really Helpful?  

Report Finding: Only 46% of employees say essential communications at their organization are helpful and relevant.

If you’re putting out communication pieces with content that you feel is timely and relevant but are still struggling to actively engage employees, consider if your communications are helpful to each individual.

For example, who makes up your workforce? Do you still have a large Baby Boomer population? Or are your employees mostly Millennials and Gen-Z? This matters because most organizations are made up of multiple generations, and each generation has a different attitude towards work and their employers, as well as how they receive information and what they prioritize in their day-to-day. Because of this, it’s important for employers to adapt to different communication styles for these different audiences.

Organizational Updates are Important 

Report Finding: About 50% of employees agree the two topics that are most critical to helping them do their job well are operational changes, like process and policy updates, and organizational goals, plans, and new initiatives.

Are your communications focused on what employees want to hear? For many, they are most interested in process and policy updates, which make sense because change is an inevitable part of life – and change is when people seek clear communication, guidance, and comfort.

For example, consider a merger or acquisition, which are two extremely stressful events an employee can go through in their career. They’re likely thinking: “Is my job safe?” “What does this mean for my team?” “Am I going to lose my benefits?” Changes like this are when communication needs to be your top priority. In this ProjectHR podcast, two change management experts discuss how communications comes into play when undergoing a significant organizational change.

Feedback, Feedback, Feedback

Report Finding: 67% of leaders say their audience has an easy way to share feedback on the communications they receive. Only 43% of employees agree.

This is another clear misalignment between leaders and employees. Take employee engagement surveys, for example. Leaders may feel that because they distribute surveys, they are providing employees with a chance to provide feedback. But are leaders touching base enough? Are they doing anything with the feedback to make sure employees voices are heard? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is often “no.”

An employee engagement survey is another tactic that’s only as effective as you make it. It’s not enough to ask your employees for feedback. You need to have a clear plan with goals, benchmarks, and consistent communication to demonstrate you’re putting their words into action. Leaders should always review survey results quickly and thoroughly, make sure all data is actionable, and establish consistent follow-ups moving forward. Here are more recommendations on how to take action on your employee engagement survey.

Prioritizing a proactive and effective employee communication plan is the best way to foster a transparent and positive environment – and discourage an unwanted third-party like a union from entering.

At IRI, we provide training tools and consulting services to help organizations maintain direct communications with their employees to avoid becoming part of the unionization trend. We believe every business is different, and each requires its own holistic and customized approach to communications and employee engagement. Whether you need an internal communications or engagement assessment, guidance in developing your internal communications or engagement strategy or social media strategy, digital media intelligence, crisis communications services, media relations, or media training, we have expert communications and engagement consultants who can quickly provide a specialized solution. Contact us today to discuss the next steps, give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

¹Data was collected from two surveys conducted by Axios in November 2022, one reaching communicators and leaders across industries and organizations of all sizes, and one reaching employees inside similar organizations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics facing employers right now, with workers in nearly every industry around the world expressing concerns that their jobs could soon be expendable – and unions have taken note, using contract negotiations to include protections against the rapidly growing technology.

IRI Consultants is keeping a close eye on AI in the labor market and has outlined where five of the U.S.’s biggest unions stand when it comes to AI in the workplace, in addition to what employers should be doing now to curb employees’ fears.

Unions’ Stance on Artificial Intelligence

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

When it comes to AI, AFL-CIO believes¹:

• “…our rights and economic security are at stake. Now more than ever, workers need the collective power of unions.”
• “Employers are currently deploying increasingly sophisticated AI-enhanced technologies without workers’ consent in order to hire, monitor, evaluate, discipline and even fire workers.”
• “Without protections, working women and people of color will experience the worst social and economic outcomes of this technology.
• “In order to protect workers’ job quality, safety and rights, working people must be included in the design, development and implementation of artificial intelligence.”
• “Labor unions are the most powerful tool workers have to demand inclusion.”
• “Labor unions do not oppose AI. AI has the potential to unleash prosperity that improves working conditions and lifts us all up. But if left unchecked in the hands of corporate profiteers, AI will increase economic inequality, curtail our rights and undermine our democracy.”

Teamsters 

When it comes to AI, the Teamsters believe²:

• “…that any type of artificial intelligence must be regulated to protect the public by requiring safe operation and meaningfully address what many, including the Teamsters, view as a potentially catastrophic impact on the American workforce.”
• “Any artificial intelligence in a vehicle, and especially any fully autonomous vehicle technology, is viewed by our members as a direct threat to their job, and a significant threat to public safety.”

Communications Workers of America (CWA) 

When it comes to AI, CWA believes³:

• “We are the workers who are both building AI platforms and being managed by AI algorithms. We are the end users who know the difference between a software program that enhances worker productivity and creativity and one that threatens our privacy, job security, and quality of worklife with zero accountability.”

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 

When it comes to AI, SEIU believes⁴:

• “AI technologies have the potential to disrupt and fundamentally restructure the world of work. Tools such as electronic monitoring and automated management are already pervasive in the labor market. They enable employers to surveil workers, suppress union activity, intensify workloads to the point of injury, and discriminate against women and people of color. These technologies shift power in employer-employee relationships further in favor of employers. This means ever greater control and profits flow to employers, leaving individual workers even more vulnerable to exploitation.”
• “AI technologies will reshape society, which means this is not just a tech issue but a societal one. Economic and labor policies especially should be baked into AI policymaking.”

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)

When it comes to AI, UFCW believes⁵:

• “Our workplaces are rapidly changing and it can be hard to keep up. We’re not against technology – in some cases, it can make workplaces safer or more efficient. But it needs to be used to help workers and communities succeed, not as a way to get rid of good jobs or to make things more difficult.”
• “Artificial intelligence has been linked to systemic racism and discrimination, cashless technologies can make life hard for the poor and unbanked, and robots can increase the level of danger in warehouses. As our workplace changes, we know that it’s not always for the better. However, as a union, we get a voice in how our workplace adapts for the future.”

What Employers Should Be Doing Right Now

Given everything we know union organizers are saying to workers about AI and how they can protect them, here are some things that you can be doing now to ensure your employees don’t feel like they need protection from a third party.

• Have open and honest conversations about the potential use of AI at your organization, including the potential for upskilling and future new opportunities.
• Stay up to date on news regarding AI regulation, which has been proposed in the U.S. to address potential non-operational issues like misleading content.
• If you have a collective bargaining agreement with your employees, coordinate with HR and Legal teams to ensure you are compliant with any possibly impacted sections of the contract.
• Develop an organizational policy for the use of generative AI.

If you’re looking for support in implementing or responding to concerns about AI, our labor experts at IRI Consultants are available and willing to help. We have a wide range of expertise, especially in using AI to develop effective internal communications to increase employee engagement and satisfaction.

At IRI, we provide training tools and consulting services to help organizations maintain direct communications with their employees to avoid becoming part of the unionization trend. We believe every business is different, and each requires its own holistic and customized approach to communications and employee engagement. Whether you need an internal communications or engagement assessment, guidance in developing your internal communications or engagement strategy or social media strategy, digital media intelligence, crisis communications services, media relations, or media training, we have expert communications and engagement consultants who can quickly provide a specialized solution. Contact us using the chat on the right to discuss the next steps, or give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

¹https://aflcio.org/issues/future-work/ai  

²https://teamster.org/2023/10/new-york-teamster-testifies-at-assembly-hearing-on-artificial-intelligence/

³https://cwa-union.org/news/code-cwa-member-brings-worker-voice-senate-ai-forum

⁴https://www.schumer.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Alvin%20Velazquez%20-%20Statement.pdf

Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) changed the NLRB’s election process and reinstated expedited or “quickie” elections, which will significantly shorten the timeline for union elections and add new requirements and restrictions for employers. As our consultants have advised, the cumulative effects of this new rule will be to accelerate the petition-to-election timeline, reducing employers’ abilities to ensure that employees have honest, fact-based information about the effects of potential union representation – and are even aware of their eligibility to choose for themselves whether or not to unionize in a secret ballot election conducted by the NLRB.

This new rule takes effect Tuesday, December 26, 2023 — and you don’t want to be caught unprepared. This refresher recaps what you need to know and shows how you can use communication strategies and practices to prepare.

Expedited Elections – What You Should Know

According to the NLRB, this new ruling was instituted to “meaningfully reduce the time it takes to get from petition to election in contested elections and will expedite the resolution of any post-election litigation.”

Here is what this will look like in practice: 

• A pre-election hearing must be scheduled eight (8) days following a Notice of Hearing, instead of the previously determined 14 days.
• The Regional Directors’ window for a pre-election hearing and submission of statements of position postponements is now only two (2) days, rather than an unlimited time.
• A Notice of Petition for Election must be posted in the workplace and emailed to employees within two (2) days following a Notice of Hearing, unlike the previously determined five (5) days.
• Regional Directors are required to schedule elections at the earliest date practicable, compared to the previous 20-day waiting period after the decision and direction of election.
• Supplemental pre- or post-election briefs can only be filed with special permission of a Regional Director, unlike the previous practice of filing as a showing of good cause.

As you can see, if you wait to educate leaders and employees until a petition is filed or a demand for recognition is made, you may only have 10 to 20 days total to educate them before an election. This is not enough time to organize your strategy, mobile your leadership, and educate voters – meaning you must act now, before an election is on the horizon.

What You Should Do Starting Now

From a communications perspective, it’s best to be proactive and start labor relations readiness work now because you want to tell your story and educate your employees as soon as possible.

Prep

Start by creating a union campaign playbook and educating leaders – from the C-suite to the front-line – and employees of the company’s position on unions. Ideally, you will frame your communications to explain why a union isn’t necessary at your organization by highlighting all the benefits of working at your organization. Think company culture, on-site services, or other perks that set your organization apart. Your playbook should include communication templates, practice scenarios, and more to make sure leaders at all levels are prepared.

Listen and Respond

You can also follow a “find it and fix it” strategy by connecting with employees to proactively uncover whatever issues are leading to employee dissatisfaction and fix them. If you uncover an issue you cannot fix in the short term, be open and transparent about why you cannot. Remember, honesty and transparency generally helps build goodwill.

Develop an Effective Contingency Plan  

Of course, this ruling will also have longer implications, so you’ll want to take some time to plan your long-term communications strategy. This is an optimal time for you to tell your story and connect with your employees. But first, take a moment to make sure your current communications strategies are having their intended impact, and your employees are receiving information in a way that works for them. This is especially important considering younger generations in the workforce are getting their information in new and different ways.

Then, you can move forward and distribute employee engagement surveys, prioritize manager education and training, and establish regular communications to share labor updates. You may also consider assembling a readiness response team who can support local management and respond quickly when early warning signs are reported. No matter how you approach this, you must make sure your employees are at the center of all that you do and are involved in decision-making processes now and moving forward.

Ultimately, for the foreseeable future, employers should focus on short- and long-term measures to protect their organizations by educating employees, training managers, and addressing issues. For those looking for a little extra support or assistance, labor and communications experts like those at IRI Consultants are ready to help ensure employees have the facts and feel confident asking union organizers the details about claims they make in the organizing process.

At IRI, we help organizations navigate workplace challenges, improve employee engagement and productivity, manage labor relations, and implement effective communication strategies to achieve their business and advocacy goals. We believe every business is different, and each requires its own holistic and customized approach to communications. Whether you need an internal communications assessment, guidance in developing your internal communications strategy or social media strategy, digital media intelligence, crisis communications services, media relations, or media training, we have expert communications consultants who can quickly provide a specialized solution. Contact us today to discuss the next steps, or give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

Workplace safety has been a serious concern since the industrial revolution prompted workers to form unions and demand better and safer working conditions. Because risks to physical safety were typically industry specific, industries developed regulations independent of each other, and unions rose to prominence to focus on enforcing those regulations.

In 1970, the U.S. passed the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act to pass, regulate, and maintain standards and regulations, so physical safety has been a top priority for organizations for many decades. However, the same can’t be said for psychological safety, which we’re examining today.

Workplace Safety and Wellness 

As mentioned above, organizations across the country place a high priority on physical safety as evidenced by regularly scheduled safety meetings and well-defined measurable safety practices. Recently, there has also been a greater emphasis on wellness in terms of how we practice healthy habits to enjoy better physical and mental health.

However, the most significant contributor to workplace safety and wellness—known as psychological safety—has yet to be fully addressed. This is because the concept of psychological safety is too often thought to be some kind of touchy-feely idea that doesn’t contribute to an organization’s bottom line.

Unfortunately, this belief is sadly misguided and is regularly contributing to low employee engagement scores, undesirable turnover, and apathetic workers who turn to unions who they believe will force their employers to make them feel psychologically safe.

What is Psychological Safety

So, what exactly is psychological safety and why does it matter? In its simplest form, psychological safety is what an employee believes is true about their workplace that inspires them to be the best employee they can possibly be—with the best interests of their employer and their employer’s customers in mind.

This belief is established when the day-to-day environment in the workplace reflects the four stages that humans progress through in order to be fully invested. These stages are outlined below.  

• When an employee, in any job and at any level in any organization, believes they matter and they belong, they feel included and safe to be themselves. 

• When this employee believes it’s safe to ask questions, give and accept feedback, and make honest mistakes they can learn from, they feel safe to learn.

• When this employee believes their skills and abilities matter by the way they receive acknowledgement and recognition, they feel safe as a valuable contributor.

• And when this employee believes it’s their responsibility to look for ways to make everything better, they feel safe in speaking up and challenging the status quo with facts and data because they see an opportunity for improvement.

How Managers Can Support A Psychologically Safe Workplace

Effective managers know how to manage and lead. This dual skill set  is instrumental in creating a workplace where employees feel psychologically safe and driven to support their organization’s mission and values. These manager-leaders understand that all four phases of psychological safety create an integrated system that inspires and motivates the workforce. They know they must:  

• Show employees how important they are by responding to what they hear.

• Encourage employees to ask questions and provide honest and meaningful responses that make sense to the employees work and life experiences.

• Invite and train employees to participate in process improvement activities and encourage them to challenge the status quo.

Creating a culture that emphasizes psychological safety increases employee retention, reduces employee turnover, decreases physical safety incidents, increases employee engagement, strengthens teamwork and innovation, and inspires each employee to be the best contributor they can. That’s why organizations must prioritize psychological safety as much as they do physical safety—and why partners like IRI, who are well-versed in the ins and outs of workplace safety, can be helpful in making this happen. 

At IRI, we are experts in leadership development, employee training, organizational communication and organizational development. We use this expertise to regularly help organizations develop and implement engaging and personalized programs to maintain and elevate company performance. If you’re interested in upleveling your organizational development strategies, contact us using the chat on the right to discuss the next steps, or give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

The Labor Movement is experiencing a resurgence. Unions have again become part of the national conversation with organizing, contract negotiations, and strikes targeting companies that produce services and products many Americans use daily: Starbucks, Amazon, Detroit’s Big Three, FedEx, UPS and others. This may explain, in part, why Americans’ approval of unions is near an all-time high. 

Medical residents and fellows have become a growing part of this activity, and two major unions focused on residents have experienced nearly a 100-percent election win rate over the past five years. With these odds, Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs need to implement changes now to foster a positive learning and work environment and make sure resident voices are heard and respected – before the union tries to sway their residents and fellows.

The Why Behind Unionization

 While every group of residents and fellows have their own reasons for engaging with the union, there are common themes across many organizing campaigns. Some of the issues are more “traditional” demands that are generally made by employees no matter the field: the perception that their pay is too low or not commensurate to the amount of work required; a need for increased benefits, especially as inflation undercuts pay; a desire for increased respect and a real voice in the system; and burnout or even a sense of helplessness. 

However, residents and fellows looking to organize also raise other issues, such as a desire to reshape medical education, access to healthy food options around the clock, or access to on-site childcare since residents may be starting or have young families during this point in life.  

Burnout also feels different for residents and fellows. Because they need to complete their residencies and fellowships to fulfill their professional goals, they – unlike other health care workers – simply do not have the option to quit. Some share they feel bullied by nurses, advanced practice providers, or attending physicians in their day-to-day work.

The structure of many GME programs can contribute to these frustrations. Residents and fellows are straddling the line between trainee and employee, and disconnects between residents and fellows, nursing, attending physicians, Human Resources (HR), and even senior leadership can leave residents and fellows feeling unsure of their role in the healthcare system. Some believe senior leadership doesn’t value their contributions to the organization or listen to their needs.

When you put these pieces together, residents and fellows are outwardly rejecting the traditional systems they believe have led to a culture of institutionalized hazing, which can take the form of overworking them, undervaluing them, disrespecting them or even overt bullying. When met with the argument of “it’s always been this way” or “we all went through it, so you must too,” they are rebelling and turning to unions to not only to address their immediate grievances, but in theory, to leave a better legacy for those who will come after them.

Be Strategic and Think Ahead

Trying to address all of these issues may seem daunting, but GME programs should invest now in making sure their residents and fellows feel respected, valued, and heard. This can be as simple as turning more attention to distributing timely, accessible communications on issues important to residents and fellows, and as complex as determining how healthcare system leadership can proactively consider the GME community when making operational decisions.

GME programs can be proactive in thinking about how they work with their residents and fellows, and how they connect with other departments in the system to leverage support.

Start by following this simple five-point strategy:

1. Recognize that a “this is how we’ve always done it” approach will not lead to positive engagement, particularly with the newer generations entering the workforce who want a different relationship with their employers that involves more flexibility, a healthier work-life balance, and a greater voice in decisions affecting their lives.
2. Involve residents, fellows, and program directors and faculty in discussions about major changes being contemplated related to issues important to their work and solicit feedback. Engagement and transparency may result in alternative solutions and will provide affected parties with a voice in the conversation even if they don’t like the final decision.
3. Reciprocate communications. It’s not enough to provide one-way communications with residents and fellows. Program directors, faculty, and other leaders (whether formal or informal leaders) need to have information to engage with their residents and fellows and have the ability to impact change when they receive feedback from them.
4. Celebrate the unique and diverse people who make your program great. Even a small bit of recognition can go a long way. 
5. Strengthen a rewarding educational and work environment through ongoing feedback, purposeful engagement, and trusted communications. Candid feedback should always be welcomed and never brushed off. Leaders may need coaching about how to be receptive to this type of feedback and what to do with it.

From a tactical perspective, consider including these messages in your newsletters, external or internal websites, and social media or texting campaigns. Social media tactics are especially relevant as they allow you to meet your community where they already are online to quickly share timely program information and thought leadership, as well as boost community engagement.

If you aren’t already, you need to host regular town hall meetings with relevant leaders from the GME office and across the system, so residents and fellows feel informed about the overall health care system and develop a sense of how decisions around quality, patient experience, finances, IT, and operations are made. And these meetings should provide ample opportunity for your audience to ask questions, raise concerns, and feel involved rather than being talked to.

Finally, considering building or strengthening the connection between the GME program and HR. Every employee, including residents and fellows, deserves to have an HR resource they feel comfortable going to whether to address benefits questions or share a concern. Because residents and fellows are often considered learners, they may fall through crack between education (GME) and work (HR).

Ultimately, by including residents in your engagements, from rounding to communications, you ensure they are treated like other employees, helping to bridge the gap between GME and the hospital and/or system.

The IRI team is well versed in every aspect of labor relations, from issue identification and employee engagement to labor contract negotiations strategy and communications. We’ve worked extensively with GME programs and their HR counterparts. The best way to maintain a positive work environment is to directly engage with employees.

At IRI, we empower organizations to navigate workplace challenges, improve employee engagement and productivity, manage labor relations, and implement effective communication strategies to achieve their business and advocacy goals. We believe every business is different, and each requires its own holistic and customized approach to communications and employee engagement. Whether you need an internal communications or engagement assessment, guidance in developing your internal communications or engagement strategy or social media strategy, digital media intelligence, crisis communications services, media relations, or media training, we have expert communications and engagement consultants who can quickly provide a specialized solution. Contact us using the chat on the right to discuss the next steps, or give us a call at (313) 965-0350.

Today’s workforce is made up of multiple generations—five to be exact—and each has a differing attitude towards work and their employers. Because of this, it’s important for employers to adapt to different communication styles for these different audiences. 

To help you effectively manage a multi-generational workforce in 2023 and beyond, we’re breaking down each generation to understand what influences them, what their priorities are, and how these factors affect their preferred communication styles. 

Breaking Down the Five Generations

Many believe that there are four generations in the current workforce; however, due to the rising number of older employees who aren’t retiring and continuing to work, others consider the true number to be five.  

1-Traditionalists

Also known as the Silent Generation, this group is made up of people born between 1928 and 1945. Though most are now in their 70’s and 80’s, many are still working because they are unable to retire, as analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute.

• This group has been heavily influenced by major world events, seeing as they were born during the Great Depression and World War II. Because of this, they are more reserved and traditional, believe in hard work, and prioritize saving their hard-earned money.
• In terms of communication, they respond best with more formal communication. This includes one-on-one conversations and other practices that prioritize structure, rules, and respect. They do not need feedback as often as later generations. In fact, a yearly review is preferred.

2-Baby Boomers

This group is made of up people born between 1946 and 1964. The majority of this generation has spent their entire career in one or two positions, so they’ve culminated a wealth of industry knowledge and are also more likely to remain more loyal to their employer than later generations.

• Baby boomers have been shaped by prosperity, 1960’s youth culture, and the Vietnam War. This means they are self-sufficient, competitive, loyal, and generally optimistic.
• For communication, baby boomers are like the Silent Generation and prefer formal, face-to-face communication. Phone calls are also generally preferred over email and text. Also like the Silent Generation, they don’t need as many check-ins and rounds of feedback. Ultimately, they value open and direct communication, and strong, authentic relationships.

3-Generation X

Born between 1965 and 1976, this generation is known for their independence and greater understanding of technology than their predecessors.

• Influences for this generation include dual-career and single-parent households (hence the greater independence), and organizational change caused by globalization and technology.
• Generation X also prefers formal communication like face-to-face conversations and phone calls, but they also respond well to email. Although they also don’t need regular touch-points, they do prefer feedback that includes open and honest communication as needed. Additionally, they greatly value autonomy and flexibility.

4-Millennials

This group makes up those born between 1977 and 1996. They have been one of the most influential generations in the workforce, seeing as they have been on both sides of the giant technological shift that started in the mid-2000’s.  

• Millennials have been influenced by the boom of the personal computer, economic expansion, and the uncertainty following the 9/11 attacks. Most also entered a tough workforce following The Great Recession with high student loans, meaning they have a much more pessimistic attitude than their predecessors.
• In terms of communication, millennials respond best with messages that prioritize structure, leadership, and direction. They look for regular, direct feedback that offers guidance and support, and are comfortable with a variety of platforms, including email, text, and social media. They also want purpose, ongoing conversations, and the support needed to develop their strengths, and heavily prioritize a healthy work-life balance.

5-Generation Z

Born between 1997 and 2012, this is not only the newest—but also the largest and most diverse—workforce in U.S. history.

• Generation Z has been heavily shaped by the growth of technology, seeing as they grew up with cell phones, social media, and all the other latest and greatest technology.
• Although many assume this generation prefers communication via social media and other technologies, which is certainly true, they do also look for face-to-face communication to establish trust and authenticity with their employer. They also look for even more regular feedback than Millennials and expect their employer to provide greater workplace communication, particularly about the company’s workplace, social commitment, and environmental impact.

In order to remain union-free, employers must understand, respect, and engage all generations in the workplace. Our communications consultants at IRI understand the complexities of managing a multi-generational workforce, and use this knowledge to help organizations effectively communicate with each generation and ultimately foster respect in the workplace.