Managing Work Conflict Between The Generations

It is somewhat unprecedented to have four generations – the Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers and the Millenials – all sharing the same offices. They come from different times, possess different perspectives and have different life experiences. These differences create the potential to clash over an array of issues. Let’s examine some of the possible points of conflict:

Work Ethic
How hard, how long and how intense should people be expected to work? That is the great question of the work ethic and it is one of the most important issues of the workplace.

And while the generations share a commonly strong work ethic, what’s different is how each group views the processes and goals of their work. Classic Veterans have a great commitment to their firm, working hard to achieve company (group) goals in hopes of receiving recognition and security. Classic Boomers work more for personal fulfillment and desire a large amount of ownership of the work, thereby attaining accomplishments they value. They also have a dose of the “working up the ladder” perspective.

Generation X feels a combination of competition and camaraderie among their peers and is determined to stand out individually. And the Millenials have a focus on teams and efficiency – using technology to do things both better and quicker. They work in hard, short bursts of extreme energy.

Organizational Hierarchy And Authority
The generations view hierarchy and authority in different ways also.

The Veterans respect hierarchy and their work conforms to the expectations and structure of their organizations. The Boomers see hierarchy as a necessary evil, rather than a structure to be embraced, and something that must be endured to reach their accomplishments.

Gen X sees hierarchy as something to be challenged and overcome. Falling in line with their competitive nature, they see the rigorous structure and want to confront it and move it aside to attain their goals. And Millennials see hierarchy as an obstacle to efficiency, a rigorous and archaic piece of machinery that often prevents things from getting done quickly and well. They are more laid-back than Xers in their “confrontational” approach.

Change
As one might expect, the younger the generation, the more capable and eager they are to embrace change. Likewise, the younger the generation, the more they want to use technology to speed the pace of change. The clash point over the use and value of technology is one that should not be underestimated.

At Henle Management, we pride ourselves on knowing what motivates the generations. We can help you with the important forces affecting your business and your industry. Contact us for a discussion on dealing with the issue of the generations at work.