The Workplace Generation Gap

As the economic downturn continues, with unfortunate staffing reductions, it’s normal for tension in the office to build. Not only are staff feeling the stress (so are firm owners) of seeing their co-workers positions eliminated, watching the news and worrying about their job security, and carefully planning their finances, but they are also facing an intergenerational workplace that can (and will) present its own challenges. 

With potentially four generations in the office, there is bound to be animosity, mostly based on the lack of understanding of each others values. Hearing more and more complaints from all sides, I thought I would share an article I wrote some time ago that tries to summarize each generation, where they can best fit in and their strengths, and how the other generations might view each other. 

 

By Justin G. Roy

“What’s with kids these days? They don’t know what an honest day’s work is. The work day starts at 8:30 and they want to show up at 10:00. Sometimes they disappear for hours and I have no idea where they’ve gone. Don’t they know what it takes to get ahead in this business?”

If you are a Baby Boomer, and view the younger generations this way, you are not alone. Generation Xers and Yers are not like you were. They are not going to metamorphose into what you were at the same age. Get over it.

If you are a member of Generation X or Generation Y, you may wonder what’s with these rigid, workaholic bosses, and why they don’t understand that “just because I’m not at my desk doesn’t mean I’m not working. I’ve got access to Wi-Fi and a Blackberry. Starbucks is my second office and I often get more work done there than in my cubicle.” If this sounds like you, it behooves you to try to understand why your bosses hold their attitudes towards work and management.

There is a real generation gap in today’s workplace that stems from different cultural experiences and attitudes. Generation gaps impact many aspects of a firm. Rather than expecting all generations to conform to the wishes of another, firms should develop an understanding of how members of each generation think and work out policies that can accommodate all while keeping mind what is best for the long-term future of the firm.

Defining the generations

Today’s workplace consists of four generations as defined by demographers:

• Veterans (born 1920-1942)
• Baby Boomers (numbering 80 million; born 1943-1960)
• Generation X (46 million; born 1961-1979)
• Generation Y or “Millennials” (76 million; born 1980-2000)

Architecture firm Gensler, in a report titled “Strategies for an Intergenerational Workplace,” defined the generations according to their attributes:

Veterans
Veterans bring a traditional, heroic attitude to work. This generation is practical, respectful and accustomed to hierarchical leadership. They are a reliable and steadfast presence, but somewhat uncomfortable with the wild blender of technology and age/gender/ethnic diversity in today’s workplace.

Baby Boomers
Boomers are typically driven and optimistic—and somewhat self-centered. They grew up the center of attention and enjoyed the progress of television, the Space Age, and modern suburbia. While they hold some of the Veterans’ duty-driven work habits, they were also the originators of collaborative work and consensus-based leadership. They’re cautiously pro-technology and interested in helping younger generations learn, but can be frustrated by what looks to them like a less ambitious approach to work.

Generation X
This group is influenced by sweeping social change and sandwiched between the optimism of the post-WWII generation and the complexity of a globalized world. Often children of divorce, they grew up self-reliant and not nearly as trusting as the Boomers. They have a tendency to be skeptical and anti-personal commitment, however, given work that is meaningful to them, colleagues they respect, and schedules with work-life balance, they are highly creative and productive.

Millennials
This group has lived with unprecedented economic prosperity and the optimistic influence of “make-the-world-a-better-place” Baby Boomers like Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. Raised by parents determined to provide them the best life experiences, they are smart and sophisticated, yet keep very close ties to their parents. This generation only knows a world with DVDs, iPods, wireless access, multiple cell phone families and homework done over the web. After years in play groups and organized after-school activities, they are natural collaborators.

Areas of potential conflict

Each generation has different concepts of authority and management, and this is a prime area for potential conflict. Veterans are believers in chain-of-command and order. They expect to be told what to do, or to tell others. Boomers refined this management style to a more consensus-based model and originated the concept of performance reviews.

In contrast, Generation X is uninterested in giving or taking “because-I-said-so” leadership. This group gives respect based on merit and is often unimpressed by titles. They tend to have an informal and collaborative leadership style. They are turned off by enclosed offices, particularly when they are seen as status symbols. They sometimes seek a solo workspace outside the office, causing older managers to wonder where they’ve gone. Millennials are even more known to shift the place and time of work to suit them.

“There is a growing realization that the gulf of misunderstanding and resentment between older, not so old, and younger employees in the workplace is growing and problematic,” according to the Gensler report. The report recommends trying to find common ground and coming up with workplace policies that bring out the best in each generation.

Boomers have key responsibilities

Boomers, who now occupy the majority of managerial positions in the A/E industry, are in the best position to bridge generation gaps. They need to change their attitude towards Generations X & Y. These younger workers are eventually going to assume management roles and take ownership of firms. There are much fewer of them than Baby Boomers, so the need to retain them will be stronger than the need to keep Boomers has been.

The younger generations want to be encouraged to try new concepts and strategies, and be rewarded when they succeed. They believe strongly in earning promotions primarily by merit, and not due to years of service. They value a healthy work/life balance more than money or climbing the corporate ladder. They don’t expect to be with the same firm for a whole career. Firms should keep these issues in mind when revising their recruiting and retention strategies, and compensation and benefits plans.

Generations X & Y are also motivated by finding meaningful work that benefits society, thus, they are turned on by working for firms and clients that are socially and environmentally responsible.

In short, Generations X & Y are dedicated, technologically adept, and creative workers. Understanding what makes them tick will make it easier for firms to attract and retain the best of these groups.

What do you think? Let us know.