Attracting younger board members

By Linda Wood Edwards (Boomer)

Boards across Canada who want to engage younger people are wondering why they can’t seem to attract them. It’s because what we always did to recruit directors doesn’t work anymore. Younger people have different interests and needs than those who went before them, and we can’t tap into their diverse perspectives until we satisfy those.

This is an important issue because seasoned directors are getting tired and want to hand over the reins — BUT only to people they trust to not screw up everything they built. In my experience, you can’t trust what you don’t understand, so let’s get a baseline of the seven living generations (as of 2023) according to Alisha Dotel on TheFamilyNation.com. Once we are clear on what each of us can bring to the table, we can take steps to more age-diverse boards.

Greatest Generation (1901-1924) Ages 99-121. Economic and social disorders (Great Depression, WW II) they experienced shaped their values. They respect authority, value responsibility, are patriotic, have a strong work ethic, and are loyal. They’re not on our boards anymore, but their influence is still felt.

Silent Generation (1925-1945) Ages 78-95; aka Traditionalists. They helped shape 20th-century pop culture with rock musicians, television legends, gonzo journalists, and iconic filmmakers. The economy was growing and many prospered. They bring traditional values, respect, a strong work ethic, self-sacrifice, determination, dedication, and flexibility. We still have a few on our boards, and many organizations’ constating documents were created by this group.

Baby Boomers (1946-1964) Ages 58-76. Boomers were present for many of the technological advances in the last 50 years and have shaped our social context. They are goal-oriented, focused on personal fulfillment, eager to develop, like technological innovation, and started the rise of feminism and the desire for equality. Many Boomers are still on our boards and in key management positions. 

Generation X (1965-1980) Ages 43-58. This generation is most relevant in relation to technology and serves as a bridge between older and younger generations. They created video games and artificial intelligence. They are independent, resourceful, ambitious, eager to learn new skills, and creative. They value diversity and challenge and try to balance work-life. Most current board members and managers are Generation X.

Millennials (1981-1996) Ages 27-42; aka Generation Y. Born in a time of declining birth rates, they have even fewer children than their ancestors. They grew up with the Internet and electronic devices and are the first global generation. They are entrepreneurial, love to learn, expect collaboration and understanding from others, engage in social activism, are digital pioneers, and are better educated than previous generations. This is a prime target for recruitment!

Generation Z (1997-2012) Ages 11–26. For them, the economy was shaped by COVID-19. This is the most racially and ethnically diverse cohort. They grew up in non-traditional families and are not fazed by racial differences, sexual orientation, or religion. They value education and know they can’t depend on one job for stability; they must be extraordinary to succeed. Some grew up in a recession and are frugal shoppers and conservative spenders. They read reviews. They are ambitious, politically and socially aware, engaged in social activism, and are digital natives. The oldest of these may be a target for board recruitment; all are the right age to learn about volunteer service.

Generation Alpha (2013-2025) Ages 0-10. Generation Alpha is not a return to the old, but the start of something new. They are the first generation to be fully born in the 21st century. Technology has shaped them in every aspect of life. While many are still infants, characteristics are (or are expected to be) a focus on both career and family, spending more time online, AI as their reality, personalized learning, living in the moment, and valuing individuality and diversity. Not currently on our boards, but we needed to close the loop!

No one likes being pigeon-holed, yet looking at generations this way helps us see who is running our organizations and boards, and where the next group of directors and employees will come from. It shows us both the challenges and opportunities in attracting younger people. 

Whether you are looking to recruit board members or employees, it makes sense to focus on Millennials and Generation Z. What will it take to leverage their fresh ideas and perspectives, their talents and gifts? Checking a box for age diversity isn’t enough; we need to actually include them.

High tech isn’t high enough

Millennials and Gen Z both share a passion for, and comfort with, technology. Technology can be an incentive for them to join you (the wrong or absent technology will be a disincentive for them to even look at you). If you are not on several social media platforms and your website is not optimized for mobile devices, you are irrelevant to them. They learned via portals and software, and it is how they engage with others at work, as volunteers, and as board members. 

A board portal is an investment, but it is essential. A courier envelope with a 200-page agenda package won’t cut it anymore. Think of it as a trade-off. Younger generations can help the board use the system (and probably also up your social media game). In exchange, other directors can teach them some soft skills. (For Generation Z especially, the time spent on devices has led to isolation and poor social skills).

Make meetings easy

Younger generations value flexibility and a balanced work/life schedule. Both generations came through the pandemic and expect meetings to be held in hybrid form. A remote work environment and virtual meetings are not just attractive, they are necessary. 

Younger generations may not have the financial resources that older directors have and may also have different commitments at work and home. When planning your board meetings and divvying out extra committee work, be mindful of both timing and expected time commitment. Boomers and Gen X need to stop with the full-day virtual meetings. Honestly, we all stop adding real value after a few hours.

Don’t be pretentious. Younger people (mercifully) have a more straightforward communication style — simple, concise language will get you further faster.

Onboarding and continuing education

People of all generations are better when we know what is expected of us. An excellent onboarding program can show young recruits who you are, what you do, why you do it, and how they can help. Then – and this is important – let them help. 

Millennials and Gen Z value learning and being acknowledged for what they learned. Business, technology, finance, or governance trends are good seminar topics that can help keep younger people engaged. Invite the older directors, too (you might be surprised). Also look to programs and services in your industry/sector or at a post-secondary institution such as Athabasca University. 

Walk the talk

Millennials and Generation Z care deeply about diversity in action, so your D&I policies matter. If you are behind in embracing such initiatives, say so and ask them to help you move the needle. 

They also care about social justice, sustainability, and safe and caring communities. How they spend their time needs to match their values. Consider holding a community service project/day/event (e.g., a Habitat for Humanity build, soup kitchen, food bank, etc.). End your service activity with a social that all directors (or staff) are invited to, whether or not they participated.

Work-life balance

Work-life balance is more important to younger generations than it was for the previous ones. You need to make what you offer (and what you need from them) worthwhile. This is true for both boards and workplaces.

Depending on the nature of your board or organization, you may improve your odds of attracting young people by organizing social events such as happy hours, athletic events, wine/beer/scotch tours tastings, wall climbing, hiking, etc. Look for behind the scenes opportunities as well — trendy stuff you’ve not tried before. Golf tournaments are good and can raise cash for your causes, but there is so much more you could try.

Check your community calendar to see what’s coming up (e.g., festivals, exhibitions, sporting events, openings, public lectures) and tack on a board meeting or activity. This is an easy engagement strategy with very little risk. Create a competitive challenge within your organization/company.

Boards won’t have much luck recruiting younger people to a three-year term. It’s time to think about one-year terms and short-term projects with clear deliverables. Younger people will engage, but they’ll shy away from a long-term commitment up front.

Connection

Millennials are team oriented and collaborative and can be great ambassadors for your organization/company. Keep them connected by sharing information about your AGMs, programs, events, volunteer opportunities, etc. Reach out personally to invite them to something. Feeling welcome is important. Greet them and introduce them around. Find out what they value by asking and observing. A connected person is a loyal person. 

Recognition and renewal

Millennials received heaps of praise from their parents, but honestly, we all want to be recognized for the good we do. If you’ve been on your board for 15 years, you may not need another certificate of recognition (signed by yourself!), but younger people thrive on acknowledgement. Show them you value their opinions and contributions. Once a year at a banquet may not be sufficient for this group. Because they access information immediately, there is an expectation that recognition will also be timely. Perhaps it becomes a piece of every meeting agenda. 

The more the merrier

Accommodating younger directors does not mean having to disrespect older directors and workers. There is not only room for all of us, but there is a need for all of us. I hope these ideas got you thinking about how you can engage younger people on your boards, organizations, and companies. In the meantime, keep up the great work in diversifying who is sitting at your table. 

Linda Wood Edwards, owner of LUE-42 Enterprises, is a Certified Association Executive and a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada (CGIC). She holds a Bachelor of Administration degree, a certificate in human resources management, and the Accredited Director designation. Linda consults on board governance to organizations across Canada, serving as Corporate Secretary to several. She is CGIC’s Chief Examiner for Corporate Governance and a facilitator in the Directors Education and Accreditation Program.