Speaker: Generational stereotypes need dispelling

BRAINERD — A New York Times bestselling author called on bankers to dispel negative stereotypes of younger employees on June 9 during the Minnesota Bankers Association annual conference at Madden’s on Gull Lake resort. 

Speaking during the afternoon session, Lindsey Pollak said such stereotypes have existed for thousands of years. Pollak called such stereotypes a business mistake. “You are not responsible for the stereotypes of your generation,” Pollak said. Instead, she sees generational differences as an opportunity for bank leaders to ensure employees of all ages want to work for them, she added.

Pollak said older generations must be curious about the experiences of younger generations. For example, decades ago, standards and employee expectations were clearer, she added. Employees decades ago were expected to wear suits and prioritize work over other matters. Now, younger employees are more likely to prioritize a work/life balance. 

Pollak said bankers should compare their own experiences with their employees. A member of Generation X, Pollak said the lessons of yesteryear are not irrelevant. Instead, they can be added onto to meet changing workforce needs, similarly to a classic song being remixed to account for evolving tastes. Not properly mixing the past and the present leaves bankers at risk of losing the generations they want to reach, she added. “It’s not either/or, it’s both,” Pollak added.  

In one-on-one meetings, leaders should let their employees speak first and never assume the initial negative assumptions they have of younger workers are true, Pollak said. She also urged bankers to be as clear as possible when declaring their openness to feedback, such as defining their availability.

Pollak said high school and college graduating classes of 2008-09 and 2020 were essentially their own generations due to the complications they faced from the Great Recession and the pandemic. Those who entered the workforce during the height of the pandemic were less likely to know when the workday ended, or what to wear to work when coming back into the office, Pollak said. “We forgot how much we didn’t tell people because of that experience,” she added.

Speaker: Small signs of caring make major difference for customers 

Sometimes seemingly small signs of caring can make a major difference for bank brands, said Darren Ross, owner of Los Angeles-based Service Freak Hospitality LLC. 

Speaking during a morning session, Ross spoke of experience capital, which he defined as the loyalty and passion earned by elevating the customer experience. He called on audience members to list the brands they trusted, with a few at the top — Amazon, Patagonia and Mayo Clinic, to name a few.