Pub. 2 2012 Issue 3

18 AUTOMOBILE DEALER NEWS ILLINOIS www.illinoisdealers.com can afford to be a little pickier than was advisable just two or three years ago. Jobs may still be hard to find for many people, but others are looking more closely at their potential employers. They want a job that fits. How do you help employees who have not grown up with the newest technologies to function as effectively as possible? • You can’t just decide to limit your employee base to young people. It wouldn’t be legal, for one thing. In the past, age discrimination has been a hard thing for employees to prove, with many companies getting away with discriminatory behavior, but as more and more people age, you can be sure the lawyers and lawmakers will perk up and take a bigger interest in the matter. • You can limit your exposure to age discrimination claims just by making sure you aren’t, in fact, discriminating. This is a case of the right behavior also being the smart behavior. Another thing to consider is a simple truth: wisdom really does come from experience. Some employees may be difficult or impossible to replace. When you are running a business, it isn’t smart to always go for the cheapest employees. Sometimes you need more than what an inexperienced person can be expected to give you. But if you need experience, you will have to pay ac- cordingly. The good news is, that experienced person may end up bringing much more profitability to your company than the seemingly less-expensive choice could ever have done. And consider another reality. People who are working are people who control discretionary spending. If you want to mar- ket to someone who is older, it certainly helps to have someone older advising you. But it isn’t just about the extremes between your oldest and youngest employees. You’ve got two generations in between, and each one has its own concerns and needs. Your business plan has to take into account all the existing diversity within the workplace. For all four of those generations, you need to figure out how to implement policies that are designed to emphasize each generation’s strong points and help everyone work together. Here are some specific tips to do just that: • You can probably communicate most effectively with theWorld War II generation if you talk to them face-to-face. Respect what they have to offer, and see whether you can get them to mentor younger employees. • Baby boomers value flexibility, team work, and the power of service. Don’t be dictatorial with them, but do be personal. Many of them have challenging personal situations as they care both for parents and children, so they need a flexible work environment. They want to be involved and to make a difference. Take a personal interest in them. • People from generation X value freedom and flexibility. They are often independent, with no tolerance for double standards or micromanaging. They are oriented toward getting results, and want competent, genuine managers. They appreciate support in career growth and opportunities, straightforward communication, and a non-bureaucratic workplace. • The millenial generation often understands technology and finance. They text… a lot. They are inexperienced, though, especially when it comes to office psychology and politics, so they need mentoring from the World War II or baby boom generations. They also need supervision and structure, but they value organized and consistent managers who treat themwith respect and without condescension. They want to be treated as the valuable resource they are. Learn how to manage all four generations more effec- tively, and you will see improved profitability throughout your business. Q The newsLINK Group is a marketing agency that specializes in communication strategies for nonprofits, trade associations and professional service firms. We believe that successful organizations don’t just find new clients and members, they grow them, from their relationships with – and referrals from – the clients and members they already serve. Marketing professional services is different. Keeping your clients and members loyal to you is what we do through consistent and quality communication. We have helped hundreds of clients tell their story, retain member and client bases and grow from internal award-winning communication strategies in the formof newsletters (print and electronic), magazines, directories, annual reports and other marketing pieces. For more information, call 855.747.4003 | www.thenewslinkgroup.com . Predicting Lender Acceptance is Like Predicting the Weather You Could Be Wrong Secure customer financing with confidence by submitting a single contract to several lenders at one time – the LAW ® 553 Retail Installment Sale Contract. For more information, contact your local Document Consultant or call 800.344.0996. Q workplace demographics — continued