This is part three of our War for Talent: Generation Edition series. We looked at how to attract & retain Gen Z and Millennial staff. Now we’ll put the spotlight on the “forgotten generation” that is Gen X.
Much is made of the importance of catering to the two rising generations of workers -- Millennials and Generation Z -- but we cannot forget the significant portion of the restaurant industry work force that hales from Generation X (people born between 1965-1980).
In fact, nearly half of all restaurant General Managers fall directly into this category. This is an experienced bunch that have far different concerns regarding their employment than their two younger cohorts. It’s incumbent on restaurant operators to understand that if they want compete to attract and retain them.
When you don’t have the bench strength in your organization and you need a seasoned GM, you are likely to be interviewing mostly Gen X candidates to fulfill that roster spot. With restaurants finding recruiting increasingly difficult, it pays to understand what your candidates find the most desirable benefit offered by companies like yours.
Unlike their Gen Z and Millennial counterparts, Generation Xers are closer to retirement and grew up without the internet. This translates into a vastly different set of motivating factors.
Gen X Eyes Retirement Benefits & Flex-Scheduling
For example, due to their relative proximity to retirement, Gen Xers want matching benefits for their 401k and a more flexible work environment as key benefit factors. Additionally, simple things like a casual dress environment and a flexible work schedules are also important. While health benefits, too, rate on their benefits demands, they are less concerned with them than Millennials who carry the largest load of medical debt in the US.
When it comes to deal breakers all three working generations despise a commute and a lousy work environment, which is good to know. However, the ‘80s generation of slackers that make up Gen X are consistent in their disdain for a place that doesn’t provide work/life balance or that has an inflexible work environment. When polled, 55% of Generation X folks think working more than 40 hours is too much.
To overcome these issues you will need to provide flexible scheduling and a work demand that doesn’t border on the unreasonable. What you think is unreasonable may differ from a Gen Xer’s expectations; if you want to recruit an experienced GM, you might have to allow for simple concessions like two days off in a row weekly or a weekend a month off from work.
In the same vein, nearly 50% Gen X staffers expect PTO to be a minimum of three weeks. This is a stark departure from younger generations where a plurality of them don’t expect more than two weeks off annually. That may be due to their relative age, but it’s a factor to consider if you are recruiting an older (40+) employee. If you really want them on board, providing a third week of PTO might just be the sweetener you need to add to your offer.
Retaining Your Restaurant’s Gen X Team
Another value point for Generation X employees is their beliefs regarding work loyalty diverge starkly from Millennials and Gen Zers. When ask “How long should someone stay in a job before moving on to the next job?” two thirds (36%) of Gen X said four years is their target for remaining in position. To that point, more than 50% of Generation X also reported they were at their last position for more than four years.
The same cannot be said for the two emerging work segments with less than half of Millennials staying at their jobs for 1-2 years. Since we already know that it costs you nearly $150k annually in recruiting and selecting employees annually, having a group that sticks around makes for a very smart strategy and Gen Xers do just that.
The sad part is for all of the loyalty of Generation X employees, the dominant reasons they left their last position was that a result of being laid off or they lacked an opportunity to advance (56.4%). This should excite the average recruiter, especially if you are in a growth organization. By simply giving Gen X the opportunity to advance and staying stable, you will populate your staff with efficient and loyal employees.
If you are at all concerned with what stresses impact your staff, then Generation Xers will tell you that they feel most concerned when they are working long hours or feel overworked. Ironically, they share this concern with Millennials and Generation Z which means our industry needs to look hard at how we manage our team if we want to compete for good employees in the future.
Restaurants Need Gen X
With restaurants being cited as fairly adept spreaders of the COVID-19, we are likely to find it even more difficult to find and retain quality people even as the virus recedes. If you wish to compete for the best people to run and manage your restaurant, you cannot get there without Generation X contributors. These loyal and experienced people will bring stability to your organization and reduce your overall turnover. This will be crucial as we emerge to the “new normal” post-pandemic.
