In my white paper about the theory of business and getting work done I made a small case for how collaborative co-creation could be very important for a young generation of workers (called millennials) as a way to engage them at a deeper level then traditional work/jobs.
The following article makes a pretty good case for engaging Gen Xers at a deeper level. Collaborative co-creation has the capability to do that. It has the potential to bring out entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and a strong feeling of ownership – which I believe most workers will want if they don’t already.
One of the concepts included in sustainability is the concept of a triple bottom line – economic benefit, ecological benefit, and social benefit. Collaborative co-creation can contribute to all three of these but it can surely make significant contributions to the people side – the social side – of sustainability.
The challenges facing business today are complex and finding ways to engage everyone in an organization in finding sufficient solutions is of primary importance. Collaborative co-creation is a methodology that can engage an entire work force in thriving in ‘these interesting times.’
Ten Reasons Gen Xers Are Unhappy at Work
Corporations really need folks in their 30s to early 40s, but there is a tentative relationship at best between that cohort and Corporate America
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
The article you have linked to is great and very insightful, particularly when it discusses the relationship that is emerging between Boomers and Millenials and how this leaves the Gen Xers feeling left out. Really the key to a GenX manager or leader’s future success is to understand how the Millenials view the world and use that knowledge to motivate them in ways that work. One of the biggest myths about Millenials is that they have no work ethic and don’t want to put in the hours to really get ahead. In reality, they are willing to put in the time to do the job, but they aren’t going to spend extra “face time” brown nosing. Gen Xers view time as something that must be invested and something that proves loyalty. In the face of a rapidly changing world where nothing is for sure, however, Millenials view time as a currency whose value is uncertain in the future and must be used to maximize the present. Thus, they demand a work life balance, and emerging technologies are enabling them to achieve this balance better and better. They want to spend just enough time to get the job done right and then move on to other things. So show your employees that you have a plan and make the effort to ensure there are benchmarks and goals (maybe even rewards) in a time frame that is short enough for them to visualize. This approach will ground them and give them something to work towards, while simultaneously building that coveted trust and allegiance.
Juhi Heda
Brilliont
http://www.brilliont.com
Well said! One of the things that would make your idea even better is to engage employees in co-creating the plan, developing the benchmarks and goals, and, dare I say it, the reward systems! This will help to build trust and loyalty that is so important.