MULTI-GEN WORKPLACE

WHAT IS IT?

There has been a significant increase of multi-generational workers in the workforce that now emphasizes the need for these generations to co-exist with one another and how much of it is impacting the workforce. A Multi-Generational Workplace basically means multiple generations of people who all work alongside each other in a work setting. From Boomers to Gen Z, there has been a significant amount of change that has taken place in this world which started to create a divide between generations. Boomers and Gen X workers grew up in a world where meeting a friend takes planning and dedication. They would need to be in person to communicate with one another and plan how they would meet, where they would meet, and what time they would need to meet all at once. If for some reason the other individual could not attend this meeting, the other party may not know until the day of or receive a letter in the mail a few days later. This created the dedication, communication, and strong planning that Boomers and Gen X have developed throughout their life. As we fast forward through time, Millennials and Gen Z have had an easier time when it comes to the different ways of communicating. Although some Millennials may be closer to the Gen X side of things when it comes to communicating and planning, most were introduced to technology during their teen and early adult lives. As for Gen Z, we grew up on technology surrounding us. Communicating has become a lot easier for Millennials and Gen Z with the introduction of texts and emails and being able to get a message across in an instant. To go back to what was mentioned earlier about meeting another party, if a Millennial or Gen Z member were to plan out a meeting and for some reason need to cancel, there was a quick way to do so. This has brought down the dedication of this group of people to make those deadlines/meetings and gives a more accessible outlet to back out of something. 

I bring up the topics of Dedication and Communication because they relate to the Hard and Soft Skills that the different generations possess. For example, Boomers are more likely to contain more soft skills, such as public speaking, decision-making, conflict resolution, and much more that go together with communication. As for Hard Skills, these are skills possessed most by Millenials and Gen Z. Hard Skills are skills like foreign languages, machine operation, a degree or certificate, and more that relate to technology and what an individual can learn. 

Now Multi-Generational Workplaces have these skills spread across the board with older generations trying to learn more hard skills and getting help from newer generations. Whereas the newer generations have the hard skills and are trying to learn the soft skills older generations are teaching. This is where the biggest divide comes into play when it comes to working alongside each other in the workforce. With the world rapidly developing technology, it is very easy to get left behind if you don’t keep up to pace. The good thing is that newer generations can adapt to the technological changes that occur very fast, but the downside is explaining that and teaching older generations. Since Millenials and Gen Z individuals possess more of these hard skills, communicating with older generations can seem daunting and impossible for some. That is due to the lack of soft skills newer generations possess and have a hard time communicating with the older generations. With that being said, these types of skills are the reason there has been an impact on how different generations interact with one another in a work setting and why Multi-Generational workplaces are an important concern to bring up.

In the new millennium, kids woke up and found out that somewhere in the midst of all this change, they had lost their imagination. Violence and perversion entertained them till none could talk of killing innocents since none was innocent anymore. (Zacharias, 2003, pp. 42-43)

WORKPLACE PSYCHOLOGY BETWEEN MILLENNIALS AND BOOMERS

Collaboration between Millennials and Boomers can be challenging due to differing values, expectations, and work approaches. The unique methods of interaction across generations offer both advantages and disadvantages.

Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are often described as collaborative, tech-savvy, and driven to find work that aligns with their morals and values. Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are recognized for their loyalty, hard work, and a strong commitment to their workplaces.

This contrast can result in a clash where Millennials see Boomers as out of touch, while Boomers may view Millennials as lazy. Here are some potential challenges and opportunities for workplace psychology when Millennials and Boomers collaborate:

Challenges:

One of the key challenges that arise when Millennials and Boomers work together is communication. While Millennials tend to prefer online communication, Boomers prefer in-person conversations. This mismatch in communication preferences can lead to misunderstandings and hinder effective collaboration. Another area of divergence is technology adoption, where Millennials are more inclined toward emerging technologies and are more likely to adopt new and untested tech. In contrast, Boomers are more risk-averse and cautious about the implementation of such technologies. This difference in attitudes can lead to frustration and conflicts when new technology is introduced into the workplace. Finally, Millennials prioritize work-life balance and flexible schedules, while Boomers are more accustomed to traditional 9-to-5 workdays. This can create tension as Boomers may view Millennials’ desire to maintain work-life balance as laziness. Understanding and addressing these challenges can lead to a more productive and harmonious workplace for both generations.

Opportunities:

In addition to the challenges, there are also several opportunities that arise when Millennials and Boomers work together. One of the key advantages is diversity of perspectives. As each generation brings different experiences and viewpoints to the workplace, collaboration can lead to more creative and innovative solutions. Furthermore, Boomers can serve as mentors to Millennials, sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience, which can lead to valuable learning opportunities for the younger generation. Additionally, Millennials are often eager to learn and develop new skills, while Boomers have expertise to share, creating a mutually beneficial learning environment where both generations can learn from each other. Overall, leveraging the strengths and differences of each generation can lead to a more dynamic and successful workplace.

Overall, it’s important for organizations to foster a culture of respect, understanding, and collaboration to help Millennials and Boomers work together effectively. This can be achieved through clear communication, setting expectations, and recognizing and valuing each generation’s strengths and contributions.

Seizing the Benefits of Age Diversity:

Could empowering leadership be the Answer?

Age diversity provides the benefit of a wide array of knowledge, skills, and abilities that exist within these work groups that have the potential to create significant competitive advantages for organizations by enhancing decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, and performance (van Knippenberg et al., 2004). However, the implementation of high age diversity does not automatically result in the previously stated benefits. In fact, if improperly managed the diversity could result in negative effects such as employee turnover, absenteeism, dissatisfaction, conflict, communication breakdowns, and hindered teamwork. 

Companies in the modern understand the initial benefit of a diverse workforce however beyond the hiring process there is no effort put towards maintaining an effective collaboration. Companies will fail to realize that hiring a diverse workforce is not enough to facilitate the benefits. Management must encourage the intermingling of the groups to ensure there is a cohesive sharing of ideas and experiences. “companies that see the importance of age diversity nevertheless continually push it down the road…By doing so, employers are missing a tremendous opportunity…to make their businesses better…” as stated by the American Association of Retired Persons.

 Empowering leadership involves behaviors such as encouraging team members “to express opinions and ideas, promoting collaborative decision making, and supporting information sharing and teamwork”  Empowering leaders also provide team members with coaching and support with the goal to promote self-directed and autonomous decision-making and to ensure team members achieve long-term success in their new “empowered” roles. Benefits from the systems are then measured from 5 categories

1. Showing concern/interacting with the team
2. Participative decision-making
3. Coaching
4. leading by example 
5. Informing 

Hence empowering the members of the team will ensure a higher probability that individuals from different age cohorts will interact and collaborate in an effective manner. 

Why should I care?

Anxiety: Generation Z is riding the anxiety wave. The pandemic was undoubtedly the most severe test of resilience. Education disruption, loss of employment, financial insecurity, and social isolation have all weighed hard on the shoulders of Generation Z. In the United States, the proportion of Gen Z who claim they suffer stress on a regular/frequent basis has climbed by 26% since Q2 2020, while anxiety has increased by 14%. Out of a list of 17 mindsets, Gen Z stands out the most for admitting they are anxious. This puts them ahead of previous generations and shines even brighter on a national scale. In the United States, 45% of Gen Z say they are anxious, compared to 25% of baby boomers. This generation grew up with technology at their fingertips, which may be a double-edged sword. Their anxiousness is frequently amplified by social media, as is the slowing of their mental wellness brought about by the pandemic. It’s no surprise that Generation Z is more likely than the typical consumer to be concerned about spending too much time on social media or on their phone and that using social media causes them anxiety.  

Not being comfortable speaking up: As a result, even though Generation Z endures the most from anxiety, they have a more difficult time speaking up. There is a need to remove mental health stigmas and encourage this vulnerable young population to ask for help. Caring about speaking out is incredibly significant, especially when it comes to matters like social and political economic difficulties. 

Climate Change: This generation has frequently been portrayed as one of the most outspoken about the climate crisis.  

To summarize what has been said, it is critical to be concerned about Generation Z. The younger generation should be encouraged to strive despite these regular difficulties. Prior generations should encourage them to be resilient and teach them how to conquer the obstacles they encounter. 

How can I use this in my Job?

Why is Multi-Gen Important in the Workplace?

Generational workforce is important in how a workplace functions because several generations add a wide range of value and benefits to an organization. In fact, a study on LinkedIn stated that “89% of talent professionals believe that a multigenerational workforce relates to the success of a business”. The coming of different perspectives and experience allows for knowledge to drive decision-making. This opens the door for several advantages such as multi-skilled teams, increased productivity, and promotes best practices.

Different generations have different trends when it comes to the workforce. For example “Boomers” tend to be extremely loyal and complacent when it comes to jobs, while “MIllennials” tend to be tech savvy, and “Gen Z” tend to be very culturally and progressively aware. These positive trends are seen as strong skills to have within each generation. Having these strong skills support one another, and having each skill support the lack thereof, for each generation allows for multi-skilled teams. These teams have more experience, skills, and capabilities when put together because of the difference between the generation than they would individually. Leveraging the strength of each generation within a team while weakening their weaknesses. 

Productivity increases measurably when having a multi-gen workplace because of three things. One is closing the skill gap between employees, encouraging cross-collaboration and mentoring, and fostering a suitable work environment. The skills and talents of each generation differ greatly, putting them together allows the skills of one to make up for the lack of another and so forth. This allows employees to then collaborate and help each other work on different skills and experiences which helps the organization grow as a whole. Older generations may find it helpful to receive support from younger generations and vice versa. This creates a safe, and nurturing work environment that allows employees to grow rapidly through each other, which in turn would increase productivity in several organizational aspects.

Experienced employees regardless of generation are valuable assets to an organization as they have grand knowledge and experience within an industry. These employees tend to “stick out more” then compared to others. Their skills will be highlighted and adopted by others within an organization because it allows employees to be better in aspects they may lack in. These best practices slowly become the norm within an organization, until more new skills are adopted and the process continues. These skills all coming from different generations would cover a long range of faultiness within an organization.

Companies that contain a majority of one Generation

The differences between millennials and baby boomers in the workforce are well-documented and can often lead to conflicts and misunderstandings in the workplace. In this article, we will examine these differences by comparing the working cultures at Google and American Airlines, and by looking at the demographics of companies that employ a large number of baby boomers.

Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are known for their tech-savvy, innovative, and collaborative approach to work. They value flexibility, creativity, and meaningful work. Google is a prime example of a company with a predominantly millennial workforce. With a median age of 30, Google has a young and dynamic workforce that values experimentation, risk-taking, and unconventional thinking. Google employees are encouraged to pursue their passions and to think outside the box, which has led to a culture of innovation and creativity.

On the other hand, baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are known for their traditional, hardworking, and loyal approach to work. They value stability, structure, and hierarchy. American Airlines is an example of a company with a predominantly baby-boomer workforce. With a median age of 56, American Airlines has an experienced and dedicated workforce that values efficiency, productivity, and adherence to established protocols and procedures.

It is worth noting that many companies still employ a large number of baby boomers. According to a report by US News & World Report, companies like CVS Health, General Electric, and JPMorgan Chase have some of the highest percentages of workers over the age of 50. These companies may have a more traditional approach to work, with a focus on stability, loyalty, and institutional knowledge.

In conclusion, the differences between millennials and baby boomers in the workforce are significant and can sometimes lead to conflicts in the workplace. Companies like Google and American Airlines have very different working cultures that reflect the values and priorities of their respective generations. However, it is important to recognize that both generations have valuable contributions to make in the workplace. By working together and learning from each other, companies can create a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture that benefits everyone.

 

References

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Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: Here’s the Difference –

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New Study Reveals Relationship Between Millennials and Baby Boomers in the Workplace

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How Boomers and Millennials Can Work Together

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Pros & Cons of a Multi-Generational Workforce – MyCareersFuture

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6 Tips for Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

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Insights On What Gen Z Really Think And Why You Should Care – GWI 

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Why We Should Care for Gen Z to Stay Positive – UPDEED | Blog 

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