Multi-Generations in the Workplace - Now What?

Multiple Generations in the Workplace – Now What?

By Rachel Schaming

Introduction

American employers face a growing challenge – managing a workforce with an ever-growing span of ages. The business world is changing at lightning speed, and with those changes comes a new norm. For the first time, there are four generations in the workplace working together. Now that we are all together, what does it mean? Different values, beliefs and attitudes based on when we were born, plus the cohort events in the world at that time, shape us.

How does this phenomenon affect an organization? How do these factors influence recruitment and retention, and respecting and managing relationships? What is the impact on communication within and across generations?

Background

Baby Boomers and Generation Xers have now been working side by side for more than a decade. Yet, each group, driven by different values, is often troubled – even insulted – by the others’ demands and expectations. The generations frequently disagree on company loyalty, job rewards, authority, tenure, teamwork, work/life balance, career sacrifices and more.

“Generational conflicts impact the bottom line in all sorts of ways,” says Lynne Lancaster, co-author of When Generations Collide: Who They Are. Why They Clash. How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. [1] This impact affects an organization’s culture and recruiting efforts, and can result in lost productivity, costly communication failures and resentment of rewards programs that may appear slanted.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 2002 Benefits Survey, 64 percent of employers offered flextime to employees. [2] Fifteen percent of the workforce teleworks at least one day a week, according to a recent study from the Employment Policy Foundation (EPF), a Washington, DC-based think tank. [3] Senior law firm partners or managers who do not like flextime and telework policies – or don’t trust working that way – can frustrate the purpose of these programs.

In a slower economy, more than ever, employers must harness the different strengths and skills of each group. Law firms need to find ways to motivate, manage and retain all generations; otherwise, the best contributors and future leaders will slip away.

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Why the Generation Perspectives Differ [4]

Traditionalists

Traditionalists were born between 1925 and 1942. They value duty, honor and country. The key historical event for this generation was The Great Depression. These individuals value dedication, sacrifice and patience, and believe hard work equals prosperity. They have a great sense of national pride. Authority and seniority are respected and rules are to be obeyed. The dominant communication tool for Traditionalists was radio and newspapers. Primary motivators for this generation are status and security.

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers, born between 1942 and 1962, number 80 million strong. The key historical event for this generation was the Vietnam War. Primary motivators are money, a corner office and self-realization. The dominant communication tool was television. Baby Boomers have a love/hate relationship with authority. This is the generation of “rule busters.” Boomers have been defined by their jobs, and tend to give themselves over to them. [5] Success is largely visible through trophies, plaques and lifestyle elements.

Generation X

Generation X was born between 1962 and 1980. This group numbers only 46 million. Their key historical event was Watergate. The members of this generation came of age as the pillars of our society shook for the first time. Generation Xers (“Gen Xers”) have a different set of attitudes about the workplace. Basically, they distrust hierarchy. They prefer more informal arrangements. They prefer to judge on merit rather than status. They are far less loyal to organizations. This is the first generation in America to be raised on a heavy diet of workplace participation and teamwork. They know technology inside and out. They like money, but also want balance in their lives. Primary motivators are rewarding challenges and continued learning. Their view of authority is “not into power.” Gen Xers’ view of rules is “What are rules?”

Gen Xers grew up in latchkey homes: Their mothers had returned to a post-World War II workplace in droves. Gen Xers are self-reliant and impatient. When thousands of parents were laid off in the early 1990s, Gen X decided company loyalty was a “sucker act.” To them, achieving goals is the key, so why should rules matter? Dot-com dollars and digital prowess made job-hopping and success a snap though, nowadays, job security and benefits seem more attractive to them. Gen Xers are independent, skeptical, flexible – and results-oriented. They expect more frequent feedback about their job performance than did previous generations.

To get ahead, Boomers learned to be diplomatic, to believe in people skills. But Gen Xers see Boomers as “schmoozers” – full of doublespeak. Put this mix into the workplace and watch tensions rise.

Generation Y

Generation Y, the Millennials, were born after 1980. This generation is just now entering the workplace. The key cohort events for this generation are corporate scandal and 9/11. Members of this generation view the “individual as key”; yet, they are group/team oriented. They have difficulty focusing on activities they view as “non-stimulating stuff.” This generation likes a supervisor to whom they can relate and whom they respect. They have great admiration for the Traditionalist generation – the generation of their grandparents and senior management.

Age Diversity Ramifications

As new college graduates seek employment, life expectancies are climbing and some older workers are postponing retirement either by choice or financial necessity. The resulting age diversity increases the complexity of recruiting, training and motivating workers, since each generation has different needs, expectations, skills and work styles.

To understand the ramifications, consider that the 80 million Baby Boomers hold the most senior management positions. That fact makes it difficult for Gen Xers to be given authority and promoted within an organization. This problem is considered a demotivator by the two younger generations.

What Can Employers Do?

The key for employers is to retain the knowledge of more senior employees, while tapping the youngsters’ fresh training and comfort with technology. Organizations that cannot promote younger workers will need to reward them with flexible time, greater responsibility and other benefits. Law firms need to give careful thought to the structure of their committees and decision-making strategies. “Unless you’re really listening to the differences between the generations within the workplace, you are not going to develop the full and rich programs that will help meet the needs of the workers,” said Dr. James V. Gambone, a senior partner at Points of View, an inter-generational consultancy in Orono, MN. [6]

Potential Conflicts

Work Ethics: Many Traditionalists hold firmly entrenched values of loyalty to their employers, and respect for authority and self-sacrifice. They may be ruffled when younger workers breeze in late or leave early, and may deem their style of dress too informal or quirky.

Potential conflict occurs because there are different ideas about what is work and where it fits into life. The generations view work ethics differently. Traditionalists are dedicated, respect authority and are company/firm-minded. They like set working hours. Boomers are workaholics, defined by their careers and are driven. Gen Xers don’t mind working hard; however, they do want a life outside of work – friends, family and other activities.

Meetings: In meetings, Traditionalists prefer personal communication and formal settings with a chairperson and agenda. Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face contact and networking groups. Gen Xers prefer no meetings: Get to the point, make a decision and move on. Generation Y likes team meetings where all members present have an active role and a voice in the discussion and decisions.

Office Politics: With office politics, Traditionalists do not play games – their focus is work. Baby Boomers are very political and many eagerly play the games. Gen Xers and Gen Yers have no interest in office politics; they are not into power structures and particularly loathe hierarchy.

Communications: In communicating messages, Traditionalists prefer personal communications that show respect and provide reassurances. Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face messaging and truly value networking connections and a warm, friendly style. Gen Xers want a get-to-the point message and prefer speed and ease; e-mail is an excellent and preferred tool for them. Remember: This is the generation that grew up with MTV and “multi-tasking.” When communicating with Gen Xers, they may be checking voicemail, e-mail or Blackberry messages while conversing. They view such multi-tasking as efficient, while other generations may interpret such behavior as disrespectful or rude. Gen Yers prefer one-to-one communication with their supervisors or short meetings with entire work group teams.

Workspace Values: Workspace values are also different across the generations. Traditionalists like a formal, traditional office. Baby Boomers want their office space to reflect prestige and, to a lesser degree, tradition. Generations X and Y want informal quiet spaces – a cubicle may be just fine. They like to be able to connect with others in nearby spaces.

Working Hours: Working hours are another major difference across the generations. Traditionalists prefer fixed hours and schedules. Baby Boomers prefer some flexibility regarding the start of their day. They will work long hours into the evening and on weekends. Generations X and Y prefer flexible hours and location (working from home, in the car, commuting, on an airplane – or anywhere in the world).

Law Firm Positions

Senior Partners/Traditionalists: Traditionalists grew up in traditional homes with conservative attitude and dress. They were over-protected and are more risk-averse than any of the other generations. Their decisions and careers frequently echo their elders’. This is a generation known for its loyalty and allegiance to the company or firm. They are patriotic and civic-minded, prefer American goods and were involved with the early civil rights movement. [7]

Point to consider: Senior partners are in this generation.

Partners/Baby Boomers: Baby Boomers are idealistic and principled. They seek meaning and have set about to fix the world. This is the generation known as the “Me Generation” – self-absorbed and frequently rule breakers. Baby Boomers were lauded as children. This is the generation in which child-rearing norms changed.

Point to consider: The majority of law firm partners are in this generation.

Associates/Generation X: Generation X, of all the generations, wants a balanced lifestyle. During their formative years, they saw their parents laid off after spending decades with an employer. Gen Xers have an institutional distrust and want choices in their life’s work. They were used as “guinea pigs” during their early years – with phonic reading principles and new math. Frequently left alone, they value independence and personal attention. Regular feedback is critical to them. They like a fast pace and are capable of processing information quickly. This generation is the most entrepreneurial. Gen Xers are very service-oriented and view the client as king – the boss is not. They are willing to take risks and are survivors.

Point to consider: This is the current generation of law firm associates.

Bridging Gaps with the Generations?

Why bother to bridge gaps with the generations? The big bulge of Boomers is aging. About 10,000 Boomers turn 55 every day, and many will leave the workplace in the next few years, while others will postpone retirement for a few years. At half the Boomer size, Gen X cannot begin to fill all the jobs left by Boomers who leave. Generation Y has a muscular 76 million members; however, its oldest member has scarcely reached 21.

Businesses will soon face critical shortages of talent, skills and leadership. “What do we do about aging?” asks attorney Bruce Tulgan. Tulgan says businesses must facilitate ways for Boomers to work in semi-retirement. Next, he says, businesses must facilitate the transfer of knowledge between the generations. [8]

If long-term consequences do not motivate administrators to work at closing the generation gap, consider the immediate payoffs. Today’s “anytime, anywhere” workplace has pushed cumbersome, hierarchical firms into becoming nimble and collaborative. Power is now hands-on and directed to the front lines.

These power shifts have helped propel Gen Xers toward the top at much younger ages than previous generations. Top-level managers are no longer the oldest workers in many companies. Gen Xers everywhere are managing their elders – making some Boomers angry and envious.

On the other hand, as resources and profits tighten, employers are valuing Boomer institutional knowledge. So while Gen X likes to plunge ahead and often reinvent the wheel, Boomers generally have deeper experience. They can harness smart, cost-effective solutions that work immediately. The generations can actually make quite a splash when working with each other instead of against each other.

How to Build Bonds Among the Generations

Typically, neither side recognizes generational conflicts when they flare. People think the disagreements are because of age – “He’s so out of touch!” or “She has no work ethic.” Alternately, antagonists figure it’s a personality thing – “She’s a control freak!” or “He has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.”

Of course, individual differences will always play out. But, often, simply raising the concept of generational models gets employees talking. “Instead of differences between you and me, it turns into differences between Boomers and Gen Xers,” says Claire Raines, co-author of Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace. [9] “People stop seeing it as personalized.”

Example: Maximize and Value Generational Differences

Consider an example of a law firm scenario that can maximize and value generational differences. Assume that your firm is exploring options for upgrading the firm’s technology. To start the project, you have formed a project team with cross-generational team members. As chair of the team, consider these factors in relationship to the individuals working with you:

Ø Meeting structure: What is the best structure for the first meeting of the project team? Should the meeting be formal, a breakfast or lunch meeting, or informal, after business hours?

Ø Project definition: How will the scope of the project be defined? Should there be a formal agenda and meeting using Robert’s Rules of Order, one-to-one meetings, subgroups or a combination of these choices?

Ø Meeting time: What is the best time of day for status meetings and project updates?

Ø Decision-making: How will decisions be made? Should decisions be made by consensus, majority vote, referral to a higher decision maker or some other choice? Think about how you will handle situations where you may have a team member who is risk-averse, one who is eager to get to a decision, and another who wants to table the discussion to gather more information. This typical cross-generational situation can evolve into conflict and block project movement.

Ø Communication conflicts: How will communication conflicts and disagreements be resolved?

Ø Project management: What tools and materials will be needed to manage the project effectively? Should the team use computer drafting and presentation, flip charts, a critical path chart or other project management materials?

Ø Participation: What approaches are needed to ensure that all team members actively participate? Should the project leader review the needs, desires and preferences of each generation frequently, ask open-ended questions, or follow-up with each participant individually?

Ø Recognition: How will recognition and appreciation be shown to the project team?

Communications

Different kinds of communications resonate better with particular generations, depending on their group values.

Traditionalist Employees

Messages that might motivate Traditionalist employees include:

Ø “We respect your experience.” And,

Ø “It’s helpful to us to hear what has and hasn’t worked in the past.”

Baby Boomer Employees

Messages that tend to motivate Baby Boomers include:

Ø “We need and value you here.” And,

Ø “Your contributions to our success are unique and important.”

Generation X Employees

Gen Xers respond best to a different kind of motivating message, including:

Ø “Do it your way.”

Ø “We don’t have a lot of rules here.” And,

Ø “Our organization is not very corporate.”

Generation Y (“Millennial”) Employees

Gen Yers are more like Traditionalists than they are like Boomers and Xers. Different messages motivate them, including:

Ø “You can be a hero here.” And,

Ø “You and your colleagues can help turn around this organization/project/case.”