Aone-size-fits-all approach doesn’t fit
today’s age-diverse work force: The
generation gap between the youngest and oldest workers in some workplaces
can span more than 40 years. On one end of
the spectrum, there’s the 20-something who
is fresh out of graduate school or college
and is seeking flexible schedules or work-from-home options; on the other end are
the employees nearing retirement.
“A company might have four generations
of workers at one time,” says Kathi
Crawford, Vice President of Human Resources for Talent Tree, a staffing company based in Houston. “Each generation
comes with its own set of values, needs
and attitudes, and vastly different expectations on communication styles and work
expectations.”
Smart Business spoke with Crawford
about how managers can best understand
and meet the needs and priorities of each
generation — from the younger Generation
X and Y to the middle-aged baby boomers
to the older Silent Generation.
What is the most pronounced work style difference among the four generations?
The most glaring difference among the
generations is the preferred method of
communicating with others. Those in their
early 20s, known as Generation Y, have had
technology in their lives since they were
very young. High-tech tools, such as video-conferencing, are second nature to them.
Generation X — those in their mid-20s to
late 30s — is also very comfortable using e-tools, such as e-mail and text messaging.
Baby boomers who did not grow up in a
high-tech world still prefer face-to-face
meetings and telephone conversations
over electronic methods of communicating, as does the Silent Generation — those
over 62.
What are the other differences among the
generations that can be challenging to managers?
Each generation has a different approach
to how it views the workplace. The Silent
Generation tended to conform and not
question authority; 95 percent of this generation, by the way, has already retired,
although some remain in high-level positions. The baby boomers — the group that
is now running most companies — tend to
very optimistic and idealistic. They are typically overachievers and work long hours.
Generation X and Y are very different from
the preceding generations in that they are
much more concerned about their work-life
balance. Perhaps they learned from their
parents how difficult it can be to have a
high-powered career and raise a family. The
younger generations do work hard, but they
are extremely careful to maintain a good
quality of life outside of work.
How can managers help bridge the generation gap?
Managers need to be cognizant of the age
gap of the audience when making a presentation, running a meeting or creating
incentives for an employee. For example, a
baby boomer might be motivated by a
bonus, but a member of Gen X may prefer
more vacation time.
It is also important that the generations
take time to learn each other’s communication styles. Gen X and Y workers need to
learn how to conduct face-to-face meetings
and when to pick up the telephone rather
than send an e-mail. This training can easily be accomplished through coaching, a
method to which Gen X and Y employees
are very receptive. That said, it is also
important that the older generation work
to incorporate more high-tech communication tools in the workplace, such as video-conferencing for clients or employees in
remote locations.
Those employees in Generation X, in
particular, come into the workplace with a
lot of confidence and perceived ideas
about how things work. Baby boomers or
the Silent Generation must resist the urge
to micromanage these young workers and
instead help them along through mentoring and by gradually increasing their
responsibilities. Remember, Gen X and Y
are very sensitive about the work-life balance and are motivated by companies that
respect that.
As the baby boomers retire, how important is
it to change corporate culture to accommodate the needs of Gen X and Y?
It is very important because there are less
people in this newer generation who can
step into the shoes of the baby boomers as
they leave. The competition for talent in
Gen X and Y workers is already fierce, with
talent shortages creating voids in certain
industries such as IT, finance and engineering. It is the responsibility of the baby
boomer and Silent Generation to transition
their knowledge to the Gen X and Y workers and groom them for succession and
leadership.
Companies can begin to do that by looking at the best practices used in other businesses in their industry. Business owners
and managers should also seek support
from their human resources departments
and training and development professionals to help them facilitate and coach their
staff about generational differences.
KATHI CRAWFORD is the Vice President of Human Resources for Talent Tree, based in Houston. Reach her at (713) 361-7315 or
[email protected]. She is also serving as 2008 president, Houston Chapter, American Society for Training and Development
(ASTD).
