Today’s business environment may be the first to include five different generations working side by side toward shared organizational goals. Many of our Utah dealers have some expertise in this, as many dealerships are family businesses. But for the first time in history, workplace generations have moved into the rank and file of employees, and as a result new challenges are emerging.

Adopting a management strategy that addresses the distinctive characteristics of different generations in the workplace can allow dealerships to harness the respective strengths of their workforce and better compete in the new world of “how to we attract and retain talent.”

Today’s workforce, in many organizations, looks like this:

• Traditionalist (76-99 years old)
• Baby Boomer (57-75 years old)
• Generation X (41-56 years old)
• Millennial (26-40 years old)
• Generation Z (25 years old and younger)

The generational gap in the workplace is, broadly speaking, the difference in behavior and outlook between groups of people who were born at distinctly different times. Recognizing that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to managing multiple generations in the workplace, it’s clear businesses need to adapt as their workforce changes and grows. So how do we do that? Well, there’s all sorts of information that can be researched on that topic, but here’s the thing, there are some workplace activities that speak to all generations, educational opportunities and team building events.

People like to learn and grow. Investing in your staff is something that will reach across all generations in your dealership.

This issue of our magazine focuses on the importance of training your employees not just to improve skill sets, but also as a tool to motivate, engage and show value. Staff who feel valued are more motivated and productive than those who don’t.

I think it’s clear that as we dealers navigate this new workplace arena, we need to use all the tools at our disposal to attract and keep valued employees. NCDU offers training opportunities, and we hope that you will take advantage of these programs.

We also just recently held our annual Good Wheels Foundation golf tournament, and as you can see by the photos, the turnout was wonderful — generational, in fact! It’s events like these that also provide some valuable social opportunities for your staff. We want to thank all those who participated — dealers and sponsors alike. We can’t host events like this without the amazing support of all the participants.

Thank you!