Resort managers know the importance of treating employees as “internal customers.” Employees, like guests, want a unique experience that is responsive to their needs, where a memorable and meaningful relationship is created. That’s why top resorts invest a significant amount of time and resources to get the “right people on the bus,” provide extensive on-the-job and guest service training, and offer a wide variety of perks, benefits and rewards.
The adage that it’s less expensive to retain a customer than find a new one also rings true for employees, as employee turnover comes with a hefty price tag. But an unhappy employee can also be costly. The only thing worse than having an employee quit and leave is to have that employee “quit” and stay.
What keeps employees engaged and productive? The single most important factor determining employee productivity, morale, and retention is the day-to-day relationship between employees and their supervisory manager. Developing good working relationships is the glue that binds an employee to your resort. Front-line managers are becoming the most influential force in getting the best work out of their employees.
These relationships can be dicey. According to the Generational Survey Report conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in September 2004, 90 percent of those polled indicated that older workers were reporting to younger managers, with the most common conflict being lack of respect for each others “credentials,” such as a degree vs. real-world knowledge and experience, ineffective management style, and lack of understanding of issues and problems. The survey went on to say that a growing issue is the transfer of knowledge as older generations retire. Good working relationships between older and younger generations are critical to resolve this issue.
Relationships that Inspire
Leadership is about creating relationships that will inspire employees to take action. It’s the foundation for building an engaged workforce. So what defines a good relationship to our workforce?
For older workers, it’s a relationship with their manager that’s built on mutual respect, appreciation for their work ethic and dedication, and where their status is reinforced by giving them recognition throughout the company. Older workers understand a traditional hierarchy, have paid their dues to achieve status and flinch when challenged by a supervisor, especially one who is their junior. An engaged manager will tap into this wealth of knowledge and facilitate, not dictate, results to build a trusting and respectful relationship.
Gen X employees define a good working relationship a bit differently. They want their supervisor to give them instant feedback, tell it like it is, minimize politics, explain the job task or problem, and then get out of their way. Since Gen Xers see themselves much like independent contractors, face-time is not important to them. Getting the job done is. In addition, Gen X employees want to be kept in the loop, and expect the unvarnished truth from their manager. Open and honest communication goes a long way to inspire confidence in your troops and build a trusting relationship.
For Gen Ys, a good working relationship with the boss starts when their supervisor takes an interest in getting to know them “up close and personal,” is empathetic and nurturing, and treats them like colleagues, not teenagers. Young employees see their supervisor as a role model who leads by example, jumps in the trenches with them, and has fun doing it. They expect their manager to respect their opinion, answer their questions and share the reasoning for decisions made. After all, they have been included in family decision making early on and have been encouraged to speak up.
Fast-thinking and impatient, Yers are used to balancing a high level of activity from school, work, sports, clubs, and social time. They are stimulus junkies looking for the next level of challenge and become bored quickly. Keep them busy, or they will find other things to do (like wandering around, talking with friends, instant messaging). Constantly be on the lookout for a job task that provides some variety and an opportunity to develop new skills, and then reward their good work with more responsibility. The best way to engage a Gen Y is to be hands-on and highly involved. What may be perceived as micro-managing by older workers is eagerly received by younger employees.
Delivering “The Talk”
Dealing with employee performance issues can be trying for even the most experienced manager, and frequently conflict is a triggered when goals and work expectations are not clearly conveyed or understood. Before you launch into that “difficult conversation” with your employee, understand that attitudes and perceptions regarding feedback vary widely. To keep the dialogue open, constructive, and effective, develop a communication style that is both situational and flexible.
For Traditionalists, no news is good news. When confronted with performance issues, their response may be “Let me tell you about my past experience. I remember when….” Use a high degree of tact, remain respectful, acknowledge the value of their experience, and leverage the wisdom of their insights to work out a mutual solution.
Boomers will often want you to set aside a formal meeting time to discuss performance issues and ask for documentation. “Let me tell you how I feel about it,” will almost certainly be part of the dialogue. Keep egos intact, validate their hard work and contributions, and let them know how much they are needed. Collaborate on solutions that provide them the opportunity to improve personally and professionally.
For Gen X employees, lay out the facts, get to the point quickly, and avoid story telling. “Let me get back to you with a solution when I’m ready,” is part of their independent and creative nature. Encourage solutions that are results-oriented, not process-driven, and then let them run with it. Solicit agreement on the goals and a time line for accomplishing them, and stress your confidence in them to focus on the desired outcome.
When Gen Y workers are confronted with performance issues you will often hear, “Why? (or why not?) Let me tell you what I think of the situation.” Provide a concise explanation of the problem and then check for understanding between your expectations of the job and theirs. Many are lacking in life experiences that provide the context for workplace behavior, and will need very descriptive examples of why their actions created a problem, and the effect it had on the workplace. Stay flexible in determining how an issue can be resolved, but remain firm in communicating deadlines for improvement.
Developing New Leaders
Ninety-four percent of human resource professionals polled by DBM, a New York-based HR consulting firm, believe that businesses are not preparing younger workers to take on leadership roles and will suffer from a lack of leaders as the Baby Boomers begin to retire over the next 15 years.
The challenge for ski areas will be to take an inventory of your current organization’s talent to assess what you’ll lose when retirees leave. Prepare, or update your succession plan, for key positions that target your future gaps. Mine the nuggets from within your organization to develop future leaders, and focus training and development on the skills they will need. Consider updating your performance appraisal process to include employee development as part of the assessment of your current management team. Provide the resources your managers need, and hold them accountable.
Think about cost-effective strategies, such as job shadowing, having retiring workers mentor younger colleagues, and improved job documentation so that future leaders can get up to speed faster. Encourage team-based projects that require knowledge sharing. Ask your retired employees if they would be willing to work during peak periods, or on a part time basis, to help train supervisors on critical skills. Preparing a sound talent-management process to transfer knowledge and develop a new generation of leaders is not just good business, it’s our future business.
Janice White can be reached at [email protected].
Defining the Generations
- Traditionalists—born before 1946, comprise 10% of the workforce
- Baby Boomers—born 1946-64, comprise 46% of the workforce
- Gen Xers—born 1965-77, comprise 29% of the workforce
- Gen Yers—born 1978-2000, comprise 15% of the workforce
