Learn to Speak Millennial, Gen X, and iGen
Tags: Volunteer, Communication, Schools, Millennials, Social Media

The Multipurpose Room hosted Dillon Kalkhurst, author of Generation Everyone!– a guide to generational harmony at work, school, and the home — to share tips on how to effectively communicate to the multi-generational audience of the PTA, PTO or school.

Over the last decade or so, the generations that are present within the school system have broadened. In fact, there are five generations actively participating in today’s economy. The elementary, middle school, and high school stages are seeing an influx of Millennial and Gen X parents, whereas kindergarteners bring a concentration of Gen Z parents — individuals that are barely 25. There’s also an inpour of Boomers and the Silent Generation, mainly seen in the form of grandparents who’ve become primary caretakers for their grandkids.

However, a generational disconnect exists, and this is most apparent in the way that we communicate with one another. This disconnect can result in various challenges, mainly because there is a difference in the way one generation likes to receive information from another. For instance, a lot of legacy brands use print material as their main form of communication, a medium, that if used alone, doesn’t resonate well with busy, high tech parents. Making sure that we are resonating with all those generations is important in the school and/or parent teacher association’s mission of children’s advocacy and advancement of their education.

Navigating Generational Differences in Communication Styles

While there are a multitude of generations present within the educational system, K-12 education is primarily dominated by Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. Naturally, there’s going to be a difference in the way that these generations communicate, so, here’s a short breakdown:

Boomers

The grandparent generation, they’ll be most comfortable — and familiar — with face-to-face communication. Nine times out of ten, you’ll come across a person who would much prefer a personal phone call than a text, with the latter even bordering on offensive. Of course, COVID has brought about some changes, namely in the face of Boomers now using Facebook and Facetime to stay connected in a world wrought by social distancing and lockdowns.

Gen X

These people are known as the generation of emailers, and often you’ll find that the Gen X portion of your school community has a separate folder set-up for all things school-related. But it’s also interesting to note that Gen X is pretty flexible in terms of communication. They’ll respond to emails, they’ll use Facebook, they’ll be up for phone calls, and texting is right down their niche. So, in that aspect, they’re easy to reach.

Millennials

With millennials, you really need to break them up into two categories since they encompass such a large age difference. With the older of the lot — the elementary and middle school parents — Facebook is a great tool for communication. After all, these people are the certified over-sharers, so they’re unlikely to miss a message or notification sent on there. Schools should try their hand at messenger or a simple, quick text, so best to keep your emails short and sweet if you’re opting for them.

As for the younger millennials, they’re app-based. From TikTok to Snapchat to Instagram, they’ve got all the platforms covered. However, they do tend to be Facebook-averse, particularly because of the connected privacy restrictions.

Learning the Art of Engagement

Knowing what mediums to use for communication is the first step, but engagement is just as important. Again, with engagement, the method varies according to the group and purpose. The key idea is to approach each individual using a communication medium and language that they are most familiar with.

So, let’s take a look:

Parent Teacher Organization Volunteers: Millennials

PTAs are always trying to get more parents to volunteer, and you’d be surprised to find out that most parents that don’t volunteer don’t do so because they say they were never asked! This is where the medium makes a comeback as it’s important to ask yourself what platform you were using to communicate. Was it one that hit your target audience?

As a general rule, when asking parents to volunteer, it’s best to do so through as many ways as possible so you can get a higher reach. Recognizing your volunteers is also great as it gives parents an incentive to take part. And of course, parents want to know how their volunteering is going to help their child, so it’s best to make the communication process narrower. Why not have class teachers reach out to parents instead of sending a blanket school notice whenever there’s a need for volunteers?

Timing is also of the essence, and it’s best to reach out to potential volunteers all year-round instead of just near the event. And along with that goes the way you speak. Your language needs to match your audience. For instance, if you’re addressing young parents, make sure to avoid ‘boring’ words like meetings or responsibilities.

PTA/PTO Volunteers: Gen X

Gen X parents are much more straightforward. They like communication to be short and sweet, just tell them what to do and they’ll get it done. Gen X is also surprisingly busy, which means that while they want to give their all to their child’s school, they would love a schedule that’s flexible. So, that’s something to keep in mind when reaching out for Gen X volunteers.

Student Volunteers: iGen

Once you start getting into high school, PTAs, PTOs and other organizations start to communicate directly with students. This is yet another generation to take into account. Today’s high schoolers are a lot more educated than the previous generation was at their age. They’ve got access to more resources and more information channels, and the best way to engage with them is by empowering them. Let them contribute, let them take initiative, and you’ll soon see just how much they have to give.

Summary

Although this is a lot of information, there are a couple of key takeaways to ensure you’re resonating with the broadest possible audience:

Be open-minded

Be inclusive

Be aware

Embrace the differences

Communicate on multiple platforms

Keep the children as your primary focus

If you manage to do all that then you’ll have effective communication under your belt in no time.