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Multigenerational Differences

Bridging the Gap

Are you ready? Well, here they come. They are young, bright and confident. They dress trendy, wear flip flops and expect to be heard. They listen to iPods at their desks and crumble at the thought of living without instant messaging! They want to work but do not want work to rule their life. Who are "THEY"? They are the newest generation just entering the work world. And they are causing a stir.

Fascinating that never before have 4 generations worked so closely together. There are 60 year olds working with 23 year olds; 30 year olds managing 55 year olds. And the extreme in mindset is confusing and sometimes even bewildering! Typical reactions are shock, frustration, avoidance, exclusion, sarcasm, hopelessness, etc. The disconnect grows deeper but with some understanding middle of the road agreements are quite reachable and productive. Lets take a closer look...

Lets clarify who is who. We have the veterans and baby boomers who were born mid 60's and earlier. They are slowly retiring. They tend to have a heavy focus on work as an anchor in their lives. Next we have Generation X who were born between the mid 60's and late 70's. They enjoy work but are more concerned with the challenge of managing a balance between their work and life responsibilities and interests. Then we have the Generation Y born late 70's and later. Gen Yers are relationship oriented.

The differences between the older generations and the newer generations vary greatly. The more seasoned person tends to view the newest generations as less commitment, less loyalty. They are viewed as having not enough or too much initiation. They show a lack of respect towards the business and its leaders and they dress too casual. At the same time, the younger generations are watching us older folks saying "They really need to lighten up! Its only a job!" According to many Gen Yers the more they see the Baby boomers working round the clock the more they refuse to! So are we really the role models we hope to be? Is the work world changing beyond our control?

Compromise is the answer. As leaders it is critical to keep an open mind to learning and understanding this new work force. There are increasing in numbers and need our guidance. But influencing the way we are used to is not going to work. They do not want to be told what to do. They want to understand why. They need to feel included. They want a chance. Then they feel comfortable committing.

Years ago people went to work with the philosophy of "If my boss says jump, I say 'how high'!" Now days, it goes something like this "If my boss says jump I'm going to ask why and loose respect if I do not get an answer!!" So the challenge begins.

And with every challenge there are solutions. Here are a few ideas that are working to bridge the gap between the generations and get more done faster and easier:

1.	Stop assuming: Just because you were raised one way that does not mean it was the only way. Realize that what you believe to be common sense might be foreign to someone else. Provide clarity. Set realistic expectations up front - during the job interview, at the onset of a new project or task, etc.
2.	Get creative: Provide opportunity to incorporate skills that transfer including opportunities for frequent change and challenge
3.	Reconsider the norm: Re-evaluate expected work schedules and styles when appropriate to get better results
4.	Provide freedom: It's not always how it gets done its gets done. Be open to new ways of getting to the same result.
5.	Have fun: Provide opportunities for fun at work
6.	Be human: Build and maintain open and connected business relationships
7.	Reward: Instead of "expecting" it, reward extra effort and excellence

And if you find yourself lost for the "how" simply ask! People love to tell you what they need!

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