2021_Alabama_Grocer_Issue_3

◀ Continued from page 27

oriented workers make themselves known this way, say the Baby Boomers. It was their ethos and, for many, remains their ethos. Younger generations pushed back. Arrival and departure time signify nothing about workplace commitment, work ethic, or career goals. What matters is how much work is accomplished between arrival and departure times, not what time you get there and what. And herein lies the conflict. Using their time-honored gauge, the Boomers express frustration at the apparent lack of work ethic of the next generation. The younger generations express frustration at the unwillingness of the Boomers to acknowledge the industrious nature of the younger generations during the workday, the younger generation’s use of technology to accomplish more in a given amount of time, and their proven results. The consequences of these different preferences clashing? Poor teamwork. Unspoken grievances. False assumptions about motivation and loyalty. The consequences aren’t good, with the ultimate ending being losing talented people who quit to find places workplaces where “they share my work ethic” or “where I’m better understood.” The solution? Becoming aware of your own workplace preferences, where they originate (which takes more space than this article allows), how they manifest in your workplace thoughts and behaviors, and how they can conf lict with other generations’ workplace preferences. I repeatedly say in my workshops that the greatest benefit of this awareness is not becoming aware of your workplace colleague’s preferences but of your own. The reasoning? You can demand that your direct reports’ behaviors change but they’ll only do it because they have to. Or, you can voluntarily change your own behavior and expectations, letting your direct reports behavior remain the same – as long as the job is getting done in a timely way and to your satisfaction – and you’ll see their spirits rise and their teamwork increase.

What our research continues to reveal is that the generation spending the most on groceries today – Gen X – and the two generations younger than them – Millennials and Gen Z – don’t care and are not impressed by your longevity. It means very little. For various reasons (technology, parenting trends, online peer product reviews, etc.), they’ve been taught to pay attention to messages highlighting THEIR future, not YOUR background. To stimulate their attention, tell them how your grocery store is going to make their future better by shopping with you. Do not expect them to patronize you over your competitor because you’ve been in business for ten, twenty, or fifty years. They don’t care. While your longevity in business should be lauded, it won’t matter to your next generation of customer. So, as you craft your next series of TV commercials, online ads, or radio spots, focus on what you’re doing for your customers in their future. Will they stop what they’re doing when they hear/see this message and run to your store to spend gobs of money? No. But over time, with repetition, the message will make its way to forefront of their minds. They’ll hold an awareness of your brand and your stores in a new, positive light which, in time, will lead to new customers. Workplace Preferences and “kids these days” and “When I was your age…” One of the areas of nearly predictable conflict in every workplace is around workplace preferences. What one generation tends to prefer in how work gets done can conflict with another’s preferences in how work gets done. A simple example will illustrate: The icons of the today’s workplace are the Baby Boomers. Born between 1946 and 1964, the Boomers long ago relinquished the title of the most populous generation in the workplace but they still hold an outsized share of workplace influence. The traditional Baby Boomer work ethic is summed up with a simple phrase: “Arrive early and stay late.” Committed, loyal, hard-working, career-

iStock

“focus on what you’re doing for your customers in their future.”

iStock

| ALABAMA GROCER 28