First Things First Talkin' 'Bout My Generation | Talkin' 'Bout My Generation |
| Written by Reed Richardson | |
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PM: In your book, you write that the technological revolution has exacerbated generational conflicts in the workplace. How so? LL: It’s because the pace of the change has been so rapid. This can result in a company having Baby Boomers, who probably think of picking up the phone first, working side by side with Gen Xers, who tend to use email, and Millenials, who might prefer texting. DS: Particularly in small and mid-sized businesses, these changes in technology have often outstripped our ability to talk about when it’s appropriate to use them and what is good business etiquette. PM: So how should a smaller company, particularly one that may be dominated by one generation, decide what is and isn’t appropriate communication? LL: Many of our consulting firm’s clients look inside their company first when it comes to figuring out how best to communicate instead of asking what their clients want—that’s a mistake. DS: Instead, let your customers choose, that way you can usually avoid internal disputes between, say, older Traditionalist bosses and younger Gen X or Millenial employees. PM: What’s the danger in not having some communication protocols in a multi-generational workplace?
LL: That’s why we recommend small and mid-sized businesses sit down every few months and set some new norms about how their company communicates. This shouldn’t be a blaming exercise, but more about asking, “How can we communicate better?” PM: How can a small company set these norms effectively without alienating at least some of its employees? LL: It’s all about embracing the differences. In smaller companies, I’ve seen it work best when it’s done through informal mentoring, allowing people to voluntarily sign up to train their coworkers. And it’s important that this mentoring goes both ways with younger workers explaining some of the newest trends in communication technology and older, more experienced employees sharing tips on business etiquette and office diplomacy. DS: The good news is that smaller businesses are inherently more nimble, making it easier to try new things than at a large corporation. And if you focus on the basic rule of thumb that it’s not about right or wrong, better or worse, you can avoid a generational “us vs. them” battle. And, in the end, if you embrace the differences between the generations, you’ll find that it’s a great opportunity. Four Generations in the Workplace Traditionalists: (Ages 63-plus, born 1925–45) 5% of today’s workforce
Typical Characteristics:
Baby Boomers: (Ages 44–62, born 1946–64) 43% of today’s workforce Typical Characteristics:
Generation Xers: (Ages 28–43, born 1965–80) 42% of today’s workforce Typical Characteristics:
Millenials: (Ages up to 28, born 1980–2002) 10% of today’s workforce Typical Characteristics:
SOURCES: generations.com & “When Generations Collide” by Lynne Lancaster & David Stillman (Harper- Collins, 2002); †October 2006 Pew Research Survey |
To find out more about how the four generations currently in the American workforce communicate, Priority talked with business consultants Lynne Lancaster, 49, and David Stillman, 38, who co-authored the book When Generations Collide.
DS: Ten years ago, generational differences were considered a “fluff” topic, but it’s really a bottom line issue now. For example, one of our clients had a young salesperson that wasn’t gaining any traction with a prospective customer. When the older Boomer boss asked him “Why aren’t you on top of this?” the salesman protested and, as proof, he presented a long, back-and-forth email train between him and the prospective client. Immediately diagnosing the problem, the older boss said “After the second email, you should have picked up the phone and called them!” But a Millenial or Gen X employee might not realize this. That’s why it’s crucial to understand how different generations behave.
