Posted: Dec. 13, 2023, 8:20 a.m.
When new managers step in to lead a team, they are often faced with a shock to the system: their new team spans generations and they don’t know how to work together. Rather than worry about impending disaster, focus on understanding what makes your employees different, know their strengths and values, and find common ground.
First things first, let’s address the four generations spanning a single workplace:
Boomers - born between 1946-1964
Gen X - born between 1965-1980
Millennials (Gen Y) - born between 1980-1995
Gen Z - born after 1996
With vast age differences, lived experiences, beliefs, values, and attitudes, conflict can arise quickly among your employees. Examples of challenges with having different generations are: differing priorities, differing expectations, miscommunication, and varied training needs.
Before we dive any deeper, I’d like to offer a few caveats. First, remember that people are more complex than just their generation. Also, the following closer looks on each generation are broad brushstrokes—some people don't align with their generational behavior types or they are a blend. These guidelines should be used with caution as they are more of a tool to help you think about the differences between your employees than a steadfast rule of how each generation acts or thinks.
Here’s a closer look at the differences between each generation:
Boomers (born between 1946-1964) are of the “golden” age of employment—back when you stayed at a job for decades, put your head down and got your work done, and expected respect, hard work, and the salary that supports their life. Characteristics of this generation of employees are that they are experienced, loyal, hardworking, and sometimes traditional. Boomers value a strong work ethic, face-to-face communication, putting in the time, dedication to career, job security and respect for the hierarchy of an institution. They are used to working in a traditional office setting, with suit and tie, in-person collaboration, and working the Monday - Friday 9 to 5 schedule (and staying late when needed). They may be hesitant to change and wary of technological advances.
Working With Them: Respect their experience, make them the star of the show, use face-to-face communication, use public recognition and monetary rewards.
Gen X (born between 1965-1980) were the latchkey kids babysat by their televisions and let loose to explore the neighborhood until Mom called out the door for dinnertime. Gen X employees are independent, resourceful, and adaptable. They value self-reliance, a work-life balance, and are deeply results oriented with skepticism towards authority. They’ve embraced technology, but also value face-to-face interactions and prefer a balance of autonomy and collaboration.
Working With Them: Get to the point, don’t micro-manage, integrate technology, reward with time off and technology (e.g. new toys).
Millennials/Gen Y (born between 1980-1994) were born into a technological age and grew up in the millennium. Many began seeking employment during the job recession of 2008, and have learned to advance in their career they often have to leave their companies or “job hop”. They are tech-savvy, ambitious, team-oriented. They value personal growth, flexibility, meaningful work, and opportunities for growth and development in their career. Millennials are comfortable with remote work and digital communication, frequently seek feedback and mentoring, and look for flexibility in their schedules.
Working With Them: Give them frequent feedback, excite them with challenging projects, reward them with group and or social events and opportunities.
Gen Z (born after 1996, though some argue it starts in 1990) are shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, a shifting financial landscape, and COVID-19. They are digital Natives, diverse and embracing diversity, entrepreneurial, and resilient. They value social responsibility, transparency, inclusivity and making an impact on the world. Gen Z employees are “the young ones in the office” who are highly adaptable to tech, prefer flexible work with a blend of in person and virtual, and freedom in their schedules.
Working With Them: Recognize and embrace diversity, support mental health, give opportunity to voice concerns, reward with opportunities.
So what does this all mean for your team, for your workplace?
For one, boomers are starting to retire out (though many are still having to hang in longer), Gen X are taking over executive and director roles, and Millennials and Gen Z make up the bulk of the workplace and are moving into leadership.
Senior workers’ believe that Millennial newcomers should have to “pay their dues” as they did when they were young workers. Because millennials have different expectations regarding work-life balance, Boomer and Gen X coworkers (current leaders), may question Millennials’ commitment and dedication to the organization.
Millennials and Gen Z expect close relationships and frequent feedback from supervisors and thrive on connections. Boomers might be ok with this to an extent, but eventually they might think Millennials and Gen Z lack the ability to work autonomously. While Gen Xers might be driven crazy because they like to work alone and expect Millennials and Gen Z to be self-reliant too.
The workplace will continue to get more diverse and continue to become more collaborative and flexible. Work-life balance will continue to become more important. There will be an increased attention paid to mental health and well-being.
To maintain a cohesive, motivated team working in harmony, you need to bridge generational gaps.
How do you navigate generational differences?
Set expectations
Set expectations with each of your employees on their performance goals and behavior in working with others, being a part of a team, and completing assigned work, and communicate the difference in generational working styles when needed. To improve interactions in the workplace, you can highlight expectations on specific parts of the job such as expectations of team process, deadlines, and responsiveness when communicating.
When delegating tasks and assigning work, set expectations on desired outcome and format, the timeframe of the project, and ownership. You may need to offer extra context or background information, or highlight key details about the intended audience or goals for the project outcome. Key rule: always tell the truth!
Engage in open communication
You can never communicate too much! You can even communicate about communication. Much like setting expectations, communication can be nuanced and specific. Focus on common ground you have which each employee and that each employee has with one another. Avoid stereotyping or assuming about your employees, instead accommodate different work styles when possible and provide opportunities to learn (no matter how small it may seem).
When adapting to the individual needs of an employee while still focusing on team and organizational needs, communicate how each employee offers a different perspective, which translates to knowledge transfer and learning opportunities. Key rule: be consistent.
Identify roadblocks
To set your team up for success, learn to recognize potential roadblocks and barriers. Look back at the generational profiles I discussed earlier. Barriers to team success include learning curves both in technology and workplace environments, perfectionism and overwhelm, and not managing time well/disorganized. Poor communication and unacknowledged differences in experience and perspectives can also cause major roadblocks. Key Rule: Know and understand your team.
Initiate change carefully
When you’re new to a team, or making big changes within your team, remember to think slow-and-steady. Start by focusing on what works. If you identify something that needs to change, don’t make that change right away. Check with and involve your team. Check with and involve your supervisor. Check with other stakeholders. Key rule: Include others in the conversation and decision making.
It may take some time to bridge the gap between the generations of your team, but it’s not impossible. Open communication and clear expectations will go a long way. Ultimately, you all have a shared goal: succeeding as a team.
Ready to thrive as a new manager? Contact Us to learn more about how you can support your team or grow as a new manager.