Generations Blog

Research firm Weber Shandwick reports that 54% of employees polled say the senior management within their organization has not said anything about the financial crisis and what it might mean for their firm. Seventy percent say they would welcome that kind of information.

In a time of upheaval, who wouldn’t want to know what the leadership believes about the future? While those in older generations have tended to trust those at the top implicitly, those under 30 harbor no such assumptions. This is a group that expects clear communication. They are used to instant access. If you don’t tell them, they’ll research it on their own. They’ll put their thumbs to the Blackberry and poll their friends and colleagues. Reality has a funny way of leaking out of the executive suite, regardless of what is done to lock it up.

Now in some cases, it simply hasn’t occured to those in charge that the front line might appreciate some reassurance. In others, the leader is reluctant to reveal the information. In either of these cases, one has to wonder about the leader’s motives and/or ability to manage others. The younger generations won’t wait to find out.