Employers Need to Recognize They Have a Multi-Generational Workforce

These days, companies are struggling with the challenges of managing a more generationally diverse workforce. 

In the past, employers would only be dealing with one or two different generations, but now, because older workers are staying in the workforce longer, we find four generations within the workplace. 

The challenge for employers is to be able to understand each generation, as well as get the generations to understand each other so they can continue working together. 

The Four Generations

There are four generations that currently make up the workplace. It may seem an oversimplification, but it helps to identify the groups in the following way: 

1. The Silent Generation—This generation is also sometimes called the oldest generation or the traditional generation, and is made up of people born before 1945.
2. The Baby Boomers—This generation is made up of people born after World War II until the early 1960s.
3. Generation X—This generation includes people who were born from the early 1960s until the late 1970s.
4. Generation Y—This generation is also sometimes called the Millennials, and includes people born from 1978 until 1990. This is the newest generation to enter the workplace, and they are doing so at almost alarming rates. 

The Silent Generation are usually very work-oriented and are willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives because of work. They look to authority figures for direction to tell them how work gets done. 

The Baby Boomers accept authority figures and are willing to go the extra mile. For Baby Boomers, they see their profession as defining who they are.

Generation X wants work-life balance; they understand technology, learn quickly and are a little more independent than the Baby Boomers. 

Generation Y are the ones who grew up with technology and they want things to happen quickly. They’re used to getting things fast. Computers and other office technology isn’t anything special to them. They’re used to having cutting-edge technology and information at their fingertips.

Generation Y also looks at life before work. They want to know how they can fit work into their life, not fit their life around work. 

Not every individual will always fit neatly and exactly into the above categories. There are those who may be somewhere in-between and may have traits in one group as well as another. But for the most part, the above four groups provide an easy way to look at the generations. 

Mistakes Employers Make Regarding Generations in the Workplace

When employers do not recognize the differences in the generations, some of the mistakes that occur are: 

• Tasks are not aligned to the strengths and abilities of the employee resulting in frustration for both the manager and the employee.
• Goals and professional development plans do not fit the needs of the employee resulting in an employee who does not see growth within the organization for him/herself.
• Lack of understanding what motivates each of the different generations resulting in an Employee Recognition Program that is ineffective. 

In order to fix these mistakes, you first need to recognize that there are indeed four different generations in your current workplace. 

Next you’ll want to research the different generations to determine what it takes to motivate them. Then you’ll want to develop incentives that fit those motivational factors. 

For example, if your company has a lot of Generation Y employees, you need to find work for them that has variety. It’s also important to develop programs that give them immediate feedback.

When a Gen Y’er feels like he/she isn’t learning anything, they tend to move on to another company.

These are some things employers need to come to terms with. 

In my next Insight, I’ll explain the idea of a “play room” and how it can help bridge the gap between generations.

These days, companies are struggling with the challenges of managing a more generationally diverse workforce.