Understanding generational differences in today’s diverse workforce

As more and more baby boomers remain in the workforce beyond the traditional retirement age and Generations X and Y continue to be a dominant and growing presence in the workforce, many employers struggle with the questions of how to help each group work effectively with each other. Both groups have very different work habits and expectations, and in order to help them work together, employers must get to know and understand the generational differences in today’s workforce, where as many as four generations at a time may be working.

Many US workplaces currently have at least three generations of employees at work. According to estimates by Rainmaker Thinking, a Connecticut based research and management-training company, in 2006 the US workforce looked like this (researchers often use different dates for the two youngest generations):

• The generation born before 1946 made up just 7 percent of the workforce
• Baby boomers, born from 1946 through 1964, made up 42 percent of the workforce
• Generation X, born from 1965 through 1977, made up 29 percent of the workforce
• Generation Y, born in 1978 and later, made up 22 percent.

With three generations comprising large percentages of the workforce, employers must try to achieve the delicate balance necessary so that all three groups can work together effectively and productively. To help employers understand the generational differences that exist between their employees, here is a breakdown of how employees from Generation Y, Generation X, and the Baby Boomer generations respond to different things in the workplace:

Competition and the chain of command:

• Baby Boomers are typically very competitive at work and have been described as the workaholic generation.
• Gen Xers want more work-life balance because they saw how hard their parents would work, only to be downsized or reorganized out of a job.
• Gen Yers are averse to following the chain of command in the workplace. They are much more likely to try and find the person directly in charge of the project they are working on and communicate directly with that individual, regardless of the chain of command.

Using technology:

• Gen Yers are the most adept at using today’s technology. Gen Yers are more likely to text message or email their colleagues and superiors to communicate information.
• Gen Xers, though they are not quite as technologically adept as Gen Yers, are likely to communicate a great deal of information via email, but are not as familiar or as comfortable sending text messages.
• Baby Boomers enjoy transmitting information in person, though many have become accustomed to using email to transmit information.

Feedback and flexibility:

• Generation Y workers tend to need immediate feedback on their performance at work.
• Generation X workers often demand more flexibility in working hours to achieve a better work-life balance.
• Baby Boomers feel that all employees should put their nose to the grindstone and get to work and don’t why younger workers need so much handholding and feedback.

Changing jobs:

• Gen Yers are much more likely to change jobs often as they are apt to seek new challenges on a consistent basis.
• Gen Xers are still somewhat loyal and don’t change jobs as much, though many do change jobs after only three to five years.
• Baby boomers are the most loyal of the group, changing jobs much less frequently, with some boomers making a career at the same company.

Managers need to become aware of the many generational differences that exist in their workplaces and learn to effectively manage these employees or they will risk losing talent of any generation to companies that manage generational diversity more effectively.