A Wall Street Journal and Financial Times book of the month
Millennials have become the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, and Generation Z workers are right behind them. Leaders and organizations must embrace the new ways of working that appeal to the digital-first generations, while continuing to appeal to Baby Boomers and Generation X, who will likely remain in the workforce for decades to come.
Within any organization, team, meeting, or marketing opportunity, you will likely find any combination of generations, each with their own attitudes, expectations, and professional styles. To lead and succeed in business today, you must adjust to how Millennials work, continue to accommodate experienced colleagues and pay attention to the next generations coming up. The Remix shows you how to adapt and win through proven strategies that serve all generations’ needs. The result is a workplace that blends the best of each generation’s ideas and practices to design a smarter, more inclusive work environment for everyone.
As a leading expert on the multigenerational workplace, Lindsey Pollak combines the most recent data with her own original research, as well as detailed case studies from Fortune 500 companies and other top organizations. Pollak outlines the ways businesses, executives, mid-level managers, employees, and entrepreneurs can tackle situations that may arise when diverse styles clash and provides clear strategies to turn generational diversity into business opportunity.
Generational change is impacting all industries, all types of organizations, and all leaders. The Remix is an essential guide for anyone looking to navigate today’s multigenerational workplace, which is more diverse and varied than ever before.
Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts, with a special focus on early career success.
She was named to the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors 30 global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led.
Lindsey’s next book, a response to the Covid crisis, "Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work," will be published in March 2021.
Her other books include "The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace," "Becoming the Boss" and "Getting from College to Career."
Lindsey’s speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 250 corporations, law firms, conferences and universities.
She has been featured in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR.
"This might be a stretch, but I wonder if the acceptability of tattoos in many workplaces is related to the need for self-expression at work. If people can't have an office in which to hang images, they they will display them on their skin."
W H A T
ON
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might be a stretch? this is coming from someone who is an "expert" in millennials in the workplace?? your hyperfixation might be on work and the workplace, but i'm pretty sure people don't get tattoos because they can't hang up a print in an office at work or put a sticker on their work computer????
this thought is so out of touch that i can't really take the entire book seriously (and the editor should have taken it out)
obviously i'm not the target audience for this (i had to read it for a course) and it feels like it was written for boomers in the workplace who need a clear cut introduction to how and why the workforce is changing and maybe how to make it better/more inclusive/whatever. however, the inclusion of diversity in this book is as thin as saran wrap. and if people in the workforce need a book like this to understand how the workplace and workforce is changing, you're obviously not actively listening to the multi-generational people in your own workplace
Lindsey Pollak’s new book The Remix absolutely delivers as it provides a swift kick in the butt and serves as a reminder that each generation yields many more positives than negatives. Each chapter is loaded with insightful, thought provoking and often humorous information that will motivate all leaders to take action IF continuous improvement is the goal.
The Remix is an accurate and refreshing reminder of the importance of leveraging the talents, skills and abilities each generation possesses to improve today’s complex workplace. Lindsey challenges leaders and managers to consider remixing or rethinking how we engage each of our employees we supervise. The book provides easy to follow recommendations to consider during natural interactions as well as strategies to implement during key stages of employee on-boarding and engagement.
The field of law enforcement and public safety is ripe for the information provided in The Remix. Chief’s and Sheriffs from around the country are engaged in a daily recruiting war for the best and brightest employees to serve an protect the communities where they live and work. Mixing, managing and motivating all generations in a para-military organization is no easy task. Law enforcement leaders would benefit greatly from reading this book and sharing it with line supervisors who have significant influence and interaction with staff. Lindsey is right on the money with the descriptions and characteristics of each generation but her analysis of the misperceptions of millennials in her book hits the bullseye. The Remix exceeds expectations and is well worth the investment to maximize today’s talent in the law enforcement workplace.
The Remix is a book that can provide positive contributions to a wide variety of workspaces within our society. Higher education, state government and corporate America are all impacted by the mixing of generations for research and profit. Resources and information are important tool when trying to implement the best practices to manage and motivate all generations in the workplace and this book is a must have resource.
I am giving this book 5 stars, not because it holds the same place in my heart as my personal classics, or because it made me feel anything spectacular.
I'm giving it five stars for the excellent and succinct execution of its goals. This book sets out to explore the generational differences in the workplace, and advise leaders on how to evolve with those differences in mind.
I think that it does so with tact, acknowledging that cultural quirks and differences cannot be projected onto any individual. I do not normally seek out books on workplace management or leadership, but if you are someone who does, I would recommend this one.
As a supervisor/manager, I easily admit to my deficiencies in skills, and over the years, I have faced many challenges when working with people who possess a generational mindset different than my own, especially those younger than myself. 'The Remix' is the first book to not only help me pinpoint these differences, but also to realize that, instead of focusing on how to overcome or bridge these differences, we should embrace and celebrate them to create a different type or remixed workplace. Such big ideas for change cannot happen overnight, but with a book like 'The Remix,' new ideas have definitely taken root in my outlook and plans for the future.
A quick, fun, and spunky read on how to manage and lead in a multi-generational workplace with lots of clear, illustrative examples. I read it for a workplace book club and it sparked some good, thoughtful conversations among generations there, as well.
One critique is that the mentions of diversity are a bit shallow, with the majority of the book assuming that workplace = white corporate America. The thesis of the book is about the "remix" of generations and it is painted as the author's "thing" without mention of some other pretty notable "remixers"-- immigrants and their families! (E.g., the concept of a 3rd culture kid, coined I think in the 1950s).
There are many good parts but not enough discussion of the ways employers abuse and disrespect workers. This is evident in the chapter about open work spaces which really gives too much credit to employers for the reasons they implemented such floor plans. But employers frequently abuse workers in many other ways, this is sort of encompassed by the concept of "bad managers."
The biggest problem I realized. When reading this book. Is that. The book focuses on factors. Of about. That aren't relevant to the multigenerational problem in the workplace. From my understanding. Is that. The multigenerational problem. Are factors that the book completely ignored.
Firstly. The factor that I hear. Most often. Is the wealth pay gap. Those who are older. From older generations. Get paid significantly more than those who are younger. An older generation employee. With the same type of degree. Bachelors in Financial accounting. In of the current time of 2024. The person being in their 70's. That person is getting paid $80/hr. I asked.
Where as. A person. With the same degree. And. Gender. Male. 25. From a better school. Ivy League. Is getting paid $12/hr. Less than the amount of this person in their 70's. Who started with minimum $20/hr. At the start of their career.
An other factor that I constantly hear about multigenerational companies. Is the factor. Of. No actual opportunity for promotion or speciality in career. To attain a job. In the specific job role. That the person intends. Because. People who are younger. Are not prioritized for those jobs. And. Those whom are older. Are. And. The jobs filled. Are. Occupied by those whom are older.
Those whom are older. Are. Subjected. To. Postpone their life. To later dates. Meaning. Postpone starting life as a stable person. Starting life as an independent. Starting life. Capable of providing for a family.
Older generations. Those who are 50 and older. Were able to suffice the financial demand to afford a family. Right out of college. 21. Whereas. Those. Who are of younger generations. Millennials. Already in their 40's. Had to postpone. Having a family. To a later date.
Realize! There are younger generation persons. Millennials. Who are already in their 40's. And. Committed to postponing for a family. Because of the multigenerational issue. In the workplace. No actual opportunity. Cannot afford to have a proper family. In their required standard of living. Because. of their life accomplishment. College Bachelors. And. Worst. These persons. Are still living at home. And. these persons. Never actually had a proper job. No actual career. Most people. Never even ever had full time employment. OR. Proper pay.
This book. Is completely disrespectful. Ignoring the societal issues that are torturing people. And. Obviously. Indulging on their opportunity for more professional status and repertoire. To attain. More of an unfair advantage. More money. That. This person. Obviously. Doesn't deserve.
And. This person. Knows what their self is doing. This person. Obviously. Knows their intentions. This person. Obviously, cares about what their intention is. To become Rich. That's it.
Ah diversity and inclusion. This is a topic as old as time and not exclusive to humans either. Imagine a new gorilla joining a group of apes with existing norms and structures. Or any other changes happening to groups of animals or people. Our brains form pathways that crystallize with repetition, and any change requires adaptation and growth.
Organizations especially thrive on being well-oiled machines that consistently get the same inputs to generate the same or greater outputs. Yes, diversity can generate innovations, but it can also lead to chaos, the bane of any efficiency optimizing manager. It leads to inclusion programs being “managed,” often phased according to feasibility and changes clustered to not overwhelm the existing tribe.
This book is more of an inspirational list of actions corporations can take to “remix” their populations, but strays from offering systematic, personalized, or universal solutions.
I was told as a kid that any phobia can be cured by being locked up with the source of that phobia (great parenting advice..), and that any mountains looked at from below is a lot more intimidating than ascending it step by step. Both suggest an openness to change, whether forced or just as a way of life, that I find can be universally applied to diversity and inclusion as well. Life is about change, so is aging, biology and globalization, rather than programming for more acceptance, shouldn’t we just accept that we all need to adapt as part of natural process?
An efficiency driven manager may disagree, I’m sure!
This is a very enlightening book about how to reach everyone in your group in the way they want to be communicated to. It aligns with my experience, where one leadership coach said that feelings and transparency are good things in the 21st century, and taking care of people in the way they want to be treated, e.g., "Do unto others what THEY want done to them" is key. Now is the time where we'd have to accept that workers only stay with a company for a "tour of duty," and having a growth mindset of training people so that they are better workers by the time they leave you is a sane, logical mindset to have. Maybe people had put up with bad managers in the past, but nowadays, managers have to step up and be good to their employees, lest they up and leave sooner than they already do. In the near future, I will ask that my company implement the COPE method for their all-hands meetings to better reach their target audience. I'm so glad I found this book.
This book does a great job explaining the five-generation workforce as well as the micro generations (such as the Jones Generation between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers and the Xennials, born between the Gen Xers and Millennials). Although we all have more in common than we probably realize, it helped explain the historical time stamps that do shape attitudes and opinions of the different generations and communication styles. The title reflects the recommendations of the book to remix what we are doing in the workplace to engage all generations. A remix is a metaphor here for taking what we are already doing in the workplace and adding/enhancing to connect with and engage all team members. The same way a remixed song would be familiar and appealing to multiple generations. Would highly recommend this book!
In very readable prose, Pollak shares strategies or "remixes" for the 5 generations currently in the American workforce (Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Gen-X, Millennials, and Gen Z). She offers tips, tricks, and real-life examples in the areas of talent, leadership, people management, communication, training & development, mentoring & networking, work space, and culture. Pollak also floats a theory about ending the the relevance of generational constructs in our faster and faster changing society. She makes an argument for "perennials" who remain current and timeless that is already being embraced by consumer brands. I managed to write down 3 pages of quotations that I found relevant for my current work projects.
Although technically was “required” reading for a work event, I highly recommend this to all working class individuals. The Remix is not only instructional but provides “ah ha” moments that can only advance us all in our careers. “Headphones are the new wall” was a great example to provide a little bit of different context to what my own bias had created. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, found it to be a quick read and know that this book provided me with additional tools to further grow not only my career but myself.
As a boomer, I expected to discount this book when I started it but honestly, I got quite a lot out of it. Specifically, this book showed me that I have been approaching other generations from my own career path which is clearly foolish, If you are a manager of a multidimensional generation workforce that doesn't understand your direct reports, read this book. You may not agree with everything you read but you will be a lot closer to understanding why you are part of the problem. Recommended.
یکی از بهترین کتابهایی که درباره مدیریت تیم و سازمان مطالعه کردم. یکی از مشکلاتی که به صورت تجربی سعی میکردم حل کنم، برخورد و مدیریت افراد از نسلهای مختلف بود؛ و این کتاب به خوبی این مشکل رو تا حد قابل قبولی حل کرد. البته برای خواننده ایرانی لازمه که با دید باز مطالعه بشه و برای بومی سازی مثالها تلاش کنه. بهتره که کمی با جامعه شناسی آشنایی داشته باشید و منابع بومی درباره رفتار نسلهای مختلف ایران رو مطالعه کنید. مطالعه منابع بومی به همراه ذهن باز و آشنایی با جامعه شناسی و این کتاب میتونه کمک بزرگی برای مدیریت بهتر تیمها و سازمانها باشه!
Pollak dives deep into each generation’s unique attributes and workstyle preferences and the need for organizations to maintain and maximize their diverse workforce. She covers topics such as communication, training, mentoring, networking, and even workspace layout. Each example is supported with data and stories that help create a picture of what this evolved work environment could be like—if more companies embraced a remix.
Although the author mentioned that the book is based on the workforce in the US, it is still very relevant to every workplace that is multigenerational, like what we have here in Malaysia.
Being responsible for human capital in my office, the wisdom and ideas shared in the book has given me the ideas on how to improve the workplace.
One of those rare books that I can't just put down after starting to read it!
There are five different generations in the workforce today. While generations share many ideas and values about working, they may manifest themselves in different ways. How can we take what's good and transform what isn't working. Big takeaway is to realize generational shaming is ageism, which is illegal in the work setting ... and not very productive in the long haul.
There are five different generations in the workforce today. While generations share many ideas and values about working, they may manifest themselves in different ways. How can we take what's good and transform what isn't working. Big takeaway is to realize generational shaming is ageism, which is illegal in the work setting ... and not very productive in the long haul.
As it is new and timely, the content in this book is great for navigating or managing the current workplace. This book should be read by anyone working in a multi-generational workplace or market. The information in this book may become dated, but it is great and informative for 2020.
My workplace book club read this and found a good deal of value from it. Readers from all generations expressed seeing themselves somewhere in the book and appreciated that it didn't condescend to any. We definitely had some lively discussions each week!
This is a great book about considering generational preferences in the workplace and how to remix ideas so that they better suit all wants or needs. Similar to other Gen focused books I've read but different enough to add value. Great read!
Would have liked to read additional info and data on how race, class and other factors impact how the generations communicate, but otherwise I loved the format. It felt like I was reading something new instead of the same old leadership tropes.
Wanted to like this more than I did. While I appreciated the author not bashing on millennials, I think there were some missed opportunities. Also unfortunately with this having been written prior to 2020 it is already outdated, specifically in terms with remote work.
Great book. A lot of things to get you thinking about what a remix in your organization could look like. The only reason I gave it four stars is that I would be interested in an post pandemic version because that has definitely affected some of the ideas in the book. Still worth the read!
Key ideas from this book: * The secret sauce involves a combination of keeping the best, ‘classic’ workplace practices of the past while simultaneously embracing more modern and innovative approaches to work. * Rather than changing what works, we should learn to adapt and add. * The possibilities of a remix mindset are virtually endless and applicable to organizations across any industry and any current employee demographic mix.