Session No.

519

Safety Training for a Multi-Generational Workforce

Elaine Cullen, Ph.D, CMSP
Prima Consulting Services, Inc
Chattaroy, WA

Introduction
A recently released study from the National Academies of Science (Cullen et al. 2013) warned
that we are facing the Great Crew Change in most, if not all, of our skilled labor industries.
Mining, oil and gas extraction, construction, and others are all facing a dramatic change in makeup of the workforce as the aging Traditionals and the huge Baby Boomer generations retire,
making way for Generations X and Y. As this change occurs, the workforce cultures are also
changing to reflect the attitudes, goals, and beliefs of these younger workers. The transition
brings with it much that is positive, but it also brings challenges. The workforce of the future will
be much more diverse than it has been, presenting challenges that must be faced if we are going
to be successful in keeping workers safe and healthy. Workplace conflict between and among
these generations can generally be traced to the failure to communicate successfully or to
comprehend what workers are doing and why. This paper will examine generational differences,
and explore how to use cultural and generational differences to create effective training for all
employees, by making use of the strengths each generation. The paper will include the findings of
the National Academies study (Cullen, et al. 2013), as well as the recommendations offered by
the NAS study committee in addressing the great crew change. Readers will be provided with
practical options for dealing with generational diversity (as well as the many other diversities that
generation X and Y bring to the workforce), with a focus on the safety and health of all of our
workers.

The Problem
A report published in 2007 by the AARP identified three trends that were shaping the world of
work. These are:

Competition for talent is escalating:

o Finding skilled employees is the top concern of companies included in an AARP
survey.
o The cost of replacing retiring workers is 50 to 150 percent of the annual salary of the
person replaced.
o The workforce is aging.
There are more generations are in the workplace than ever before:
o Over a third of the current workforce is over 50 years of age, with both Baby
Boomers and Traditionals included in this demographic.

While Baby Boomers are speeding toward retirement age, 80 percent of them expect
to either remain on the job or work part time.
o Millennials (born between 1980-2000) are the fastest growing generation.
Productivity and work results are strongly linked to the work environment:
o Workers need to be engaged in order to be successful.
o Generational differences are common, and lead to conflict and frustration.
o Organizations with highly engaged workers outperform their competitors.
o

The current workforce includes four recognized generations. While there are some
differences in how different researchers describe or identify them, in general they are defined as:

The Traditionals (sometimes known as the World War II Generation): Born before 1945
The Baby Boomers: Born between 1946-1964
Generation X (known as Gen Xers): Born between 1965-1980
Generation Y (known as Gen Yers, or Millennials): Born between 1981-2000 (AARP 2007)

Members of these generations have very different ways of looking at the world, and
consequently, how they approach work. It is a natural assumption to believe that others know
what we know, or learn the way we learn. Neither of these is true, however. There is an Arab
proverb that says, People resemble their times more than they resemble their parents (AARP
2007, 6). The old ways of training workers are simply not going to work for younger generations,
because of how these workers learn, understand information, or relate to the world of work
differently from their predecessors. For safety professionals, it is imperative that these differences
be recognized, or training will not be effective.
Cultures provide the information needed by members to make sense of the world, and this
is certainly true for generational cultures. These cultures include values, expectations, and
preferences that are quite different from each other. Looking across the expectations and
preferences that each generation brings to the workplace, it is easy to see why conflict and
miscommunication can arise.

Traditionalists

Conservative in dress and language

Strong work ethic focused on the common good
Loyal to organizations, disciplined, and stable
Not computer savvy
Dont like profanity/slang
Want experience to be valued
Rewards include plaques, certificates
Expect leader to be fair, consistent, logical, organized

Baby Boomers

Work well with others

Strong desire to change the world
Optimistic and confident
Want to be included in decisions
Want their opinions, contributions to be valued
Interact personally with them

Dislike bureaucratic, micro-managing bosses

Rewards include promotion, appreciation, recognition
Expect leaders to be democratic, personal, open to input

Generation X

Self-reliant, independent, creative, tolerant of chaos and change

Skeptical, distrustful of authorityheroes dont exist
Give as much flexibility as possible
Love technology and not afraid of it
Keep rules to a minimum
Rewards include free time, new experiences, high-tech toys
Expect leaders not to be micro-managers, or too bureaucratic
Leaders must walk the talk, focus on results, not process

Millennials

Have grown up in a multi-cultural world

Goal- and achievement-oriented
Concerned about social responsibility
Need mentors, coaches, supervisors who will teach (especially Boomers)
Like to multi-task
Use ability to work with high-tech
Need to work on interpersonal skills
Rewards include awards, certificates, other evidence of ability/credibility
Expect leaders to be consistent, organized, value their technical savvy
Wont respond to leaders who are condescending, cynical, sarcastic, or treat them as if they
are too young to be valuable (AARP 2007)

It is important to consider whether or not the global nature of many of our high-risk
industries changes the equation when it comes to dealing with generational differences in the
workplace. Prior to WWII, national cultures most likely had a stronger influence on people than
generational ones. As information, and access to it, became more readily available, however,
those differences began to shrink. It is generally believed by researchers in this field that the
younger the person, the more likely it is that they will fit a global model of their generation. For
people who grow up in rural or impoverished areas with little access to the Internet or television,
the model is less applicable.
Education, and access to it, is another source of differences among todays workers.
Because each generation has been taught differently, their expectations and abilities differ. For
example, Traditionalists and Baby Boomers tend to be more proficient in such old skills as
working with hand tools or shop tools, or in fixing machines themselves. They have been
characterized as having a Get er done mentality. Gen X-ers and Millennials tend to be much
more comfortable with high tech, and with using computers to find or communicate information.
Many have had no experience at all with using hand tools or shop tools, and this rather basic skill
must be taught to them before they begin work in mines, drill rigs, or construction sites.
A major challenge for new workers coming into the workplace concerns their competence
in what has become known as STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and math). The

NAS workforce study (Cullen, et al. 2013) revealed that jobs in the energy and extractive industry
are among the higher paid for skilled blue-collar workers, but that they require an ability to
understand and work with math, science and technology. (An example would be miners who
drive the huge haul trucks in surface mines. These trucks have on-board computers that control
such things as scheduling, routes, engine load, and speed, and drivers must be able to work
effectively with them in order to handle the job.) Unfortunately, U.S. students score far behind
their counterparts in other countries, and are losing ground every year. A recent ACT report
(ACT 2011) showed that only 25 percent of graduating U.S. seniors could meet or surpass
College Readiness Benchmarks in science, math, reading and English. Additionally, according to
the Alliance for Excellent Education report (2010), 7000 U.S. students drop out of high school
every day, and about 1.3 million students do not graduate each year. We have a dilemma.
Industries are desperate for qualified workers, and willing to pay a premium to attract them, but
students are not being trained to meet basic qualifications. We are faced with unacceptable
unemployment rates at the same time we are desperate for workers.
High-risk blue-collar industries generally agree that the highest injury and fatality rates are
found in workers either under 21 or over 55 (Ismail and Haight 2010). A study done by Texas
Mutual Insurance and Texas Oil and Gas Association (Stephens 2011) showed that of fatalities
suffered by O&G workers in Texas over the 10-year period from 2001 to 2010, 34 percent had
less than 3 months experience, 65 percent had less than a year, and 89 percent or those who died
had less than five years in the industry. Most people in these industries agree that it takes eight to
ten years to become an expert in fields such as these. The question, then, is how do we keep
people safe until they have time to learn their fields and earn the occupational wisdom necessary
to spending their careers safely and successfully? The problem is compounded by the fact that
none of the industries included in the NAS study (Cullen, et al. 2013) have enough qualified job
applicants. Many are begging for workers, and trying to fill their needs by competing with other
industries or bringing people in from other areas of the country or even other countries. This is
creating a new workforce that is demographically diverse in terms of generation, gender, national
origin, geography, religion, ethnicity, and family values. Is it any wonder that safety trainers are
having difficulty reaching people, or teaching them how to be safe on the job?

Training Challenges
So what does this all have to do with safety? In most of the energy and extractive industries
included in the NAS workforce study (Cullen et al. 2013), the primary responsibility for safety
lies with the first-line supervisors. Only the mining and nuclear industry have statutorily defined
and regulated training requirements, however. (In the mining sector, safety trainers must be
certified with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and must have an approved
training plan on file that includes both new miner training and Annual Refresher Training of at
least 8 hours. Failure to meet these criteria, or falsifying training records could result in criminal
charges.) Other sectors are much more variable in the amount of training provided, ranging from
a few days, to theres your job sitego ask Joe what to do. (This does not include apprentice
programs offered by labor unions or trade schools, since these are not generally a requirement to
get an entry-level job on a construction site, or oil rig, for example.) Statistics show that
workplace injuries are on the rise, particularly in these types of trades (BLS 2013). As workers
age, they are more susceptible to sprains and strains, or cumulative trauma injuries. Also, chronic
illnesses related to long-term exposures on the worksite will start to manifest. Younger workers,
on the other hand, are more at risk for traumatic injury. They have often been described as ten
feet tall and bullet proof, and may take risks that more experienced workers avoid, simply

because they dont know any better. Training is needed to address workers at both ends of their
careers.
The skilled blue-collar trades have long relied upon master-apprentice relationships to
teach new workers the skills needed, and there is a common understanding that one does not learn
to be a roughneck, framer, or miner by sitting in a classroom. While this has been an effective
way to learn the tasks necessary to do the work, it may have very little to do with learning safety.
Most first-line supervisors, in fact, are promoted into these positions because they were experts at
doing those tasks, but very few are ever trained in the skills needed to actually lead people, or to
train them to do the work safely. A recent study completed by the RAD Group (Allen 2012)
looked at thousands of supervisors and managers around the world. They asked people to list the
characteristics of the best boss they had ever had, and compiled a list of 20 top characteristics that
were common across the study. None of them had to do with technical expertise; all of them had
to do with people skills, areas that we do not train our supervisors to understand or use.
For first-line supervisors to be ready to train their crews on how to do their work safely,
they must understand that cultural and generational differences can impact how people hear,
remember, and assimilate information. Making the mistake of thinking everyone is the same (or
ought to be when it comes to safety training) will guarantee failure; failures related to safety are
morally and legally unacceptable. Some of the differences that must be considered include:

Workers are all adults, and adults learn differently than children do. We fall back on seat
work models for training, relying primarily on telling people what they need to know. Since
only around 22 percent of us are auditory learners, over 75 percent are not hearing these
important messages in a way they can most effectively learn them.
Different generations have very different preferences for learning. If a trainer uses only elearning, for example, the Traditionals and the Baby Boomers will likely fall behind. If a
trainer doesnt use some type of e-learning, the Gen-X and Millennials may have a hard time
with the information.
Older workers may have difficulty with physically demanding work, while younger workers
may not be able to recognize hazards that they have not encountered before. Keeping both
cohorts safe is an absolute necessity, however.
Different national cultures have very different ways of dealing with authority (called Power
Distance by Geert Hofstede (1991). For cultures with a high power distance, like most
Hispanic cultures, it is unacceptable to call the boss by his first name, chat informally with
him, disagree with him, and, even more importantly, stop work if it appears the work is too
dangerous.
Informal interviews with supervisors in dozens of mines, drill rigs, and construction sites
showed that companies are looking for new workers with a certain set of skills. Specifically,
they would choose farm kids above anyone else, believing that these workers have learned
a work ethic at an early age, are reliable, know how to fix things and work with common
tools, and understand that you have to do your work regardless of the weather, school events,
birthdays, illness or whether or not you feel like it. Unfortunately, there are very few farm
kids looking for jobs. Consequently, supervisors will need to start with much more basic
training in order to develop new-hires without that experience.
Communication skills are rarely, if ever, taught to first-line supervisors. Training that is
provided tends to be management training, dealing with the organizations reporting and

HR requirements, or with regulatory requirements. Leadership training deals with people, not
systems, and is very rare in these types of fields.
It would appear that the barriers to success are overwhelming for first-line supervisors who
are tasked with the safety of their crews. What are the solutions? Fortunately, it is possible to both
manage the operations and lead the people. The key is in understanding that these are two very
different things.

Solutions
The National Academies of Science Workforce study (Cullen et al. 2013) contains many findings
and recommendations for addressing the safety and health of workers both experienced and new
to the job. These include:

Creating a national standard for training required for new employees. Safety and health
training, which is currently uneven across industries, is best if it meets a minimum standard
for content and it is provided by trainers who are not only industry knowledgeable, but also
trained in how to communicate effectively with a diverse workforce. Where not required by
mandate, companies should consider providing training to all new employees, describing
common hazards and how to deal with them.
Education of new safety leaders. Undergraduate engineering programs preparing future
leaders for all of these industries should include safety and health training as part of the
required curriculum.
Formal knowledge transfer. Companies should capture what experienced workers know
before they leave the workforce and use it to train new generations. Capturing their stories on
video and creating a virtual wisdom library that can be used whenever needed would be an
effective strategy.
Coaching and mentoring. Retaining older workers is a solid strategy for keeping knowledge
and experience in the workplace, and companies could strive to retain valued older workers,
who can serve as trainers and mentors to younger workers.
Recruiting strategies. Companies should reach out to attract and retain nontraditional
workers.
Developing and supporting worker cohorts. To make the strategy of relocating workers to
work sites successful, companies should consider giving these workers much stronger social
support than they have received in the past.
Leadership training. Companies should train supervisors and managers in how to lead a
diverse workforce (which) would include such things as effective communication,
communicating across cultures, building multigenerational work teams, understanding adult
learning styles, and motivating diverse work teams. Leadership training should also include
topics such as risk management, development of safety cultures, and disaster management
(Cullen et al. 2013, 193-194).

Summary
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus taught that the only thing that is constant in life is
change itself. Change is inevitable, and unavoidable. While we have no control over whether
things change, we do have a choice in what we do about it, however. W. Edwards Deming
summed it up rather well. He said It is not necessary to change. Survival is not

mandatory (Knowledge Compass Blog 2010). When we are dealing with the health and safety of
workers, survival is mandatory, however. If we are going to adapt to the coming changes in the
workforce, we must understand those changes, and deal with the people who are entering the
world of work, regardless of age, gender, culture, or natural origin. First-line supervisors, those
responsible for keeping their crews safe on the job, must be trained to communicate with their
people and to train them to do their work safely so that they can return to their families and loved
ones.

Bibliography
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ACT, Inc. 2011. Condition of College and Career Readiness.
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Readiness2011.pdf
Alliance for Excellent Education. 2010. Fact Sheet, Highschool Dropouts in
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Stephens, J. 2011. Protect Your New Workers. Presentation from the Texas Oil and Gas
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