Boomer to Zoomer programme
Alisa Grafton
Lawyer who Speaks II Founder of Great Networking?? || Speaker on Networking and Connecting with Gen Z ??|| Author of "Great Networking" ?? || Consultant Scrivener Notary??at Notable Notaries || UCL Course Convenor
My communications guru and an award-winning author friend Esther and I will soon be running an event at a conference for senior executive advisers. Whilst this is wonderful in itself, it is the topic of the event that is most captivating. We will be talking about the elephant in the room - the elephant that just about every professional person can relate to these days. The Modern Interegenerational Workplace, its challenges and its opportunities.
Yes, I know, people of different generations have always worked together and intergenerational challenges are nothing new. Yet what is most remarkable about the modern professional world are the spectacularly different formative backgrounds that have shaped, say, Baby Boomers and Generation Z.
Or Boomers and Zoomer, as we like to say.
For starters, generally speaking, Boomers grew up in strong communities and learned to rely on secure interpersonal relationships to get things done.
Converserly, Zoomers grew up liking posts on social media, with limited face to face interactions when it came to expressing opinions and giving and receiving feedback. Then the pandemic struck, and things shut down altogether. IRL (in real life) connections mostly seized completely, giving way to more online comms. And then... we welcomed that generation into the workplace. Without giving a moment's thought to their lack of the knowledge of how to connect with others and build real relationships.
Indeed, what could possibly go wrong?
As we are now discovering to our shock and horror, quite a lot actually. "Quite quitting" (when employees continue to put in the minimum amount of effort to keep their jobs, but don't go the extra mile for their employer), "bare minimum Monday" (when self care takes priority over any work duties the day after the weekend), "acting your wage" (when your efforts at work correspond to the size of your pay cheque) are all the signs that the multi-generational workplace of today is in trouble.
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Clearly, many Zoomers are disenchanted, and many Boomers are dissappointed.
And the solution? Well, firstly, to recognise the issue. Secondly, provide the training where the training is needed - and this is both, to the executives and to the younger cohort in the workplace. Thirdly, keep an open mind as to what the new generation can teach us, as well as set up clear expectations to being listened to in return.
And fourthly? Check out this link below:
And get in touch with me and Esther.