Generations @ Work: Address Generational Challenges

Whether they’re real or only perceived, generational differences can cause turmoil in the workplace. Rather than focusing on the strengths of each generation – of which there are many, of course – team members often get caught up in the stereotypes of a given age group. For instance, common stereotypes of the younger generation include:

They act as though they’re entitled to things or to receive certain treatment
They’re lazy and don’t care about work
They move from job to job with no regard for the impact on their team

The list could go on, and you probably have some stereotypes of your own you could add to it. On the other hand, there are equally as many stereotypes of older workers, such as:

They don’t know how to use technology
They’re afraid of or resistant to change
They expect things to be done their way

How true are these assumptions though? It’s hard to say. There is a good likelihood that there will be a few employees in any given workplace who fit these descriptions and reinforce the generational stereotypes. However, the vast majority of both younger and older workers break these molds in many ways. Unfortunately, we’re much more likely to use the minority who adhere to the stereotypical generational behavior as our examples when thinking about a given age group.

Generational differences influence workplace decision making

Whether or not our organizations want to admit it, the preferences of each generation are taken into account when making decisions about various factors in the workplace. For instance, given that businesses are primarily recruiting younger workers, the strengths, experiences, and goals of this group are used to shape the recruiting process and career development initiatives, according to a survey by Deloitte. Older workers may perceive this to have a knock-on effect on their own work experience.

Clearly, in order to recruit and retain high-quality talent from younger generations, their preferences must be considered. This shouldn’t come at the cost of respecting and motivating older employees though, and it doesn’t have to. By helping older employees understand the reasoning behind certain behaviors and ways of working popular with younger workers, they can work together with team members of all ages more efficiently.

Younger workers tend to be pretty efficient and experienced with technology. They likely know about apps, shortcuts, and other ways of harnessing technology to make tasks easier and more organized and may have ideas about how to implement these improvements within the team.

Instead of assuming that a younger worker’s suggestion to automate a process or introduce a new way of doing something using technology is them saying that things were done incorrectly before, do embrace the opportunity to try something new. Even if it’s uncomfortable at first to learn something new or disrupt the way things were always done, innovation can often help teams make huge leaps forward. It may end up making people’s jobs easier too.

Many younger workers have been fortunate enough to have experiences like internships, study abroad, and higher education coursework that has provided them with a hugely varied skillset. This may mean that they enter the workforce more confident in their ability to contribute.

Instead of assuming that a younger worker being outspoken and sharing ideas means that they feel entitled to be part of the conversation or be a decision maker, do listen to what they have to say. It’s unlikely that they’re simply entitled and unqualified. Instead, they probably have unique contributions to make based on their lived experiences.

To learn more about how to navigate generational differences in the workplace, contact a ServiceSkills representative today and request a free demo of Generations@Work.