Scott Zimmer

Featured Keynote Programs

Recruiting, Retaining, and Engaging the Next Generation

Remember when Millennials were the newest generation in the workplace? A tech-savvy and collaborative generation, they pushed boundaries, asked questions, and sometimes drove their bosses nuts. 

Millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce. Many are now in their 40s and have direct reports of their own. Today, a new generation is entering the workforce, with a whole new set of expectations and preferences: Gen Z.

Years ago, a competitive salary and benefits were often enough to get people in the door. Today, it’s just one of the many factors Gen Z consider when it comes to their career. This session will focus on the young talent joining your company, give insights into their unique background and traits, and discuss what you can expect when working with them.

This session will

• Explore the formative years and resulting traits and behaviors of Gen Z.
• Provide essential tools to help Gen Z reach their full potential.
• Unpack how meaningful work is connected to Gen Z’s personal and professional development.
• Offer communication, feedback, and recognition strategies that will resonate with Gen Z.
• Deliver tools for creating a working environment that is safe and supportive for Gen Z.

A Fun and Nostalgic Look at the Different Generations We Work with Every Day

If you want attendees talking about your conference or event long after it’s over, PopQuiz is the perfect choice!

PopQuiz is an interactive entertainment show that uses generational nostalgia to create an experience that will have your audience energized and engaged from beginning to end.

Hosted by Scott Zimmer, PopQuiz will test your team’s knowledge of pop culture through the decades. Infused with each generation’s favorite music, movie, TV, and pop culture moments, your team will serve as both contestants and audience in this fast-paced, high-energy event!

Why PopQuiz?

• Incredibly simple, low maintenance solution for any conference or event.
• It gets attendees talking to each other before, during, and after the show.
• Ideal for groups of any size. 
• Provides high-energy, interactive entertainment.
• Frames the generations from a nostalgic perspective.
• Takes your attendees on a trip down memory lane.
• Allows audiences to employ all the pop culture knowledge they didn’t even know they possessed, from ad slogans to song lyrics.
• Will have audiences enjoying themselves, laughing together, and bonding.

Turning Generational Differences into Employee Retention

Different generations bring different expectations and life experiences to the workplace. This can be particularly challenging for managers attempting to lead teams comprised of workers from different generations. It’s not just about how to get the most out of your employees—it’s about making sure everyone has a fulfilling experience at work.

With record numbers of employees leaving their jobs, retention has become a top priority for every organization today. Scott’s session will explore the top reasons different generations leave organizations for other opportunities, and what you can do to not only retain your top talent but give them the tools and support they need to excel in their jobs for years to come.

This session will: 

• Offer strategies to motivate and manage workers from each generation.
   
• Explore how the generations act and react in times of growth and change.
   
• Provide guidance and insights for navigating communication, engagement, team synergy, and motivation to help everyone work together better.
   
• Present tools for delivering effective feedback. 
   
• Offer strategies for building trust and solidarity with your team.

Strategies for Effective Workplace Communication & Collaboration

Does it seem like you’ll never get through all the emails you receive in a day? Do have a strong suspicion that some of your colleagues don’t listen to voicemails you leave? Do you find it hard to get all your work done because of all the meetings in your calendar? If so, you’re not alone.

Maintaining strong communication and collaboration between different generations in the workplace has always been a bit tricky, but today’s hybrid workplace has made it even more challenging. Diverse teams carry diverse communication and collaboration styles and preferences. While some feel that communication technologies like Zoom and texting offer greater efficiency and convenience, others are worried we’re losing the interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Some believe that an efficient, self-reliant approach gets the job done. Others value a more collaborative approach, seeking out different ideas and perspectives.   

These different approaches can often create confusion and frustration. Learning to work through these obstacles results in greater efficiency, robust teams, productivity, and a more positive workplace. 

This session explores how effective communication and collaboration benefits your company’s bottom line and creates a workplace where employees feel heard and valued. 

This session will

• Present strategies to effectively communicate across generations.
• Unpack how each generation views communication technology and prefers to use it at work.
• Give insights into how different generations approach collaboration.
• Recommend strategies for delivering effective feedback across generations.
• Deliver tools to improve active listening, conflict management, and demonstrate empathy.

Building Effective & Lasting Relationships Across Generations

Mentorship helps people connect their deeper human motivations and values to their careers, which is especially crucial for connecting with younger employees today. Inter-generational mentoring (and reverse mentoring) can also lead to rewarding career development and increase employee retention. According to the Workplace Learning Report, 94% of employees said they would stay at a company longer if they were offered opportunities to learn and grow. 

Mentoring in the workplace also has huge benefits for organizations themselves, increasing employee engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction. It can also improve knowledge sharing, on-boarding ease, and a strong company culture.

This session will

• Explore the important distinction between mentoring and managing.
• Offer insights for making mentorship relationships mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees.
• Share tools for effectively maintaining mentorship relationships, even when things get busy. 
• Provide best-in-class examples of successful mentorship relationships.