Addressing Generational Diversity within Law Firms
By Ginger Grant
There is a giant cliff approaching and most law firms are blind to approaching disaster. Like lemmings, many will go over the cliff and most will not survive.
For the first time in North America, we have four competing generations in the workforce—the Old Guard, Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers, and the Next Generation (the Net or Gen-Y, born since 1981). The source of motivation for each generation is not only different, but is in some cases constitutes a conflicting ideology. These four groups bring different value sets to the workplace. What motivates a call to the law in each demographic cohort may be different.
Members of each of these four generations are now in the legal workforce, creating the Herculean task of managing and motivating each generation. No one management approach is capable of handling all four generations. The question is critical: how to proceed?
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Having Heart
Here’s a good example of a law firm that embraced a collaborative approach. Actual ages of participants will not be divulged to protect the writer from serious injury.
Kathryn Casey (Gen X) and Deena Lowings (Gen X) are litigation secretaries and members of the social committee at the law firm of Miller Thomson in Vancouver. They were trying to think of something different and unusual to do for Valentine’s Day, when the idea came to them.
Kathryn and Deena wanted to expand the traditional valentine-giving idea. Knowing that recognition is something that is always appreciated and seldom delivered, they devised a plan where any person could purchase a $1 chocolate heart and deliver it to a recipient with thanks for whatever contribution was being honored. This delivery was called a “Heart-o-gram” and could be made anonymously if desired.
The idea met with huge accolades and great success. General Manager Spencer Hartigan (Boomer) thought the idea could be expanded the next year by donating the proceeds to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of British Columbia. Partner Mari Worfolk (borderline Gen X/Boomer) championed the idea and the general partnership gave its full support. Then, the Business Development Committee (Old Guard and Boomers) became involved. Why not extend the idea to some of the firm’s clients and issue a “Heart-o-gram” challenge with all proceeds going to the Heart and Stroke Foundation?
The firm purchased “Heart-o-grams” for all employees who, in turn, took the ball and ran with it. Susan Jamieson (Gen X) devised a delivery system to handle over 1,600 Heart-o-gram deliveries. Miller Thomson staff eagerly donated their time assembling and distributing “Heart-o-grams”. Mari Worfolk even enlisted the articling students for assembly-line action, a new dimension to their "articling experience" and certainly one that instill the importance of community involvement.
“Heart-o-gram” supporters included BC Rapid Transit, Canaccord, Capital Corporation, Department of Justice, Dye & Durham, Economical Insurance, House of Brussels Chocolates, Novex Couriers, Superior Imaging Solutions and Weyerhaeuser Company Limited.
Through this collaborative effort across four generations, over $4,500 was raised and donated to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. More importantly, each firm that participated contributed to positively enhancing their corporate culture.
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To analyze the many detailed aspects of generational diversity is a huge task and won’t be undertaken here. But look around you at the law office and see what generational diversity exists. Any law firm that wants to survive needs to address each of these groups, and has to integrate the belief system of each group with that of the organization.
Today more than ever before, when law firms employ a diverse and multi-generational group of knowledge workers, a living and working mythology is required to provide a prosperous environment for both individual and firm. Only a values-based approach is capable of handling such complexity. Through a system of shared values, generational diversity can be melded into a unified corporate culture.
The demographics that we currently face are unique. Approximately 80 million baby boomers in North America are approaching retirement. The cohort that follows the boomers is approximately 46 million strong. How is any firm going to handle a vacancy rate of approximately 34 million?
To compensate for this coming shortage, we need to find a way to obtain more from overworked and already stretched staff. Arguably the best approach is to focus on the strengths in our generational diversity and turn your workforce into a collaborative enterprise. Ideas can be generated from anywhere and anyone within the firm. If you want to keep those ideas coming and encourage an innovative atmosphere, you must also acknowledge those individuals who honestly made the contribution. If someone in your mailroom comes up with a brilliant idea, acknowledging that individual’s innovative ability will establish a corporate culture that has integrity. The old approach to management, which too often resulted in someone taking credit for something they did not do, is now tantamount to corporate suicide. Honouring generational diversity is a must to retain valuable knowledge workers. (To learn some good ways of locating unused potential within your firm, pick up a copy of “Now, Discover Your Strengths” by Marcus Buckingham.)
The Gallup organization has provided solid research to support the claim that operating through employee strengths can increase productivity and profitability, reduce staff turnover and aid in client retention. Aren’t you interested in increasing your productivity?
Acknowledging that each knowledge worker is capable of making a valuable contribution to the firm is critical to effective employee retention. Working with each individual’s strengths boosts morale and solidifies a productive corporate culture. It also crosses generational boundaries and can provide a solid foundation by which to implement a collaborative, values-based approach to leadership.
Only a firm that embraces a collaborative approach that is inclusive of all firm members will achieve economic prosperity and growth.
One small idea can be expanded into a memorable event. Just look at the “Having Heart” example on the right. The project included all generations within the firm and found a way to both acknowledge the unsung contributions made by countless staff and to provide financial assistance and support for the community in which they live. One small idea, based on a value held by all generations, can provide a developmental experience that fosters community building and a sense of meaning.
When a firm recognizes the potential inherent in all of its knowledge workers (whether or not they possess a professional designation), it will enjoy both increased profitability and a corporate culture that sustains growth.
The generational diversity present in our workforce presents a challenge, but also an incredible opportunity for those astute enough to seize on the unused and unrecognized potential within our firms.
How do you invest in your intellectual capital? How do you serve the spirit of the law that enhances your worth to both client and community? If you have a story worth telling, please e-mail ginger@creativityinbusiness.org. It’s important that we share our examples of the spirit of the law in action.
Next month: A review of Bejamin Sells “The Soul of the Law”.
About the Author
Ginger Grant, M.A., is the President of Creativity in Business Canada Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in corporate culture, generational diversity and change management. Ginger is the only Canadian certified to teach the unique Stanford Graduate School of Business program “Creativity in Business”. Her new book, entitled “When Assets Have Feet” is scheduled for publication in the Spring. Ginger can be reached at: ginger@creativityinbusiness.org or 604-924-5360 or through http://www.creativityinbusiness.org
