Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z: How Digital Advances Have Shaped Generations in the Workplace

A total of five generations are working together today— from the Silent Generation to GenZ. This is the highest number of generations in the workplace at the same time in recent years.?

People born in the Silent Generation between 1928 and 1945, boomers born between 1946 and 1964, GenXers between 1961 and 1979, Millennials between 1980 and 1995, and GenZers between 1996 and 2010 are all working together.?

While the boomers are typically in higher management positions or nearing retirement, the ways of working and interacting of the three most active working generations—GenX, Millennials, and GenZ are heavily influenced by the rise of the Internet.?

There are some classic differences between these generations, and digital advances have had a significant impact on all of them. While I recognise that each employee in an organisation is unique, it is useful nonetheless to consider the generational characteristics associated with each generation.

Getting to Know Each Generation?

GenX: Analog to Digital

Growing up, GenX had no access to the Internet. So, their experiences seem more “authentic,” and less “virtual” to other generations. It was only in 1977, that 3 major companies introduced the first personal computer: Apple, Commodore Business Machines, and Radio Shack. And so, the invention of personal computers made technology an integral part of a family's life.

As a cohort, GenX ?is known to be disciplined, hard-working, respectful, resilient, and cautious with money as for most of the time, they were often “latchkey kids”—that is, unsupervised by their parents.

Millennials: Born in the Heart of Digital Innovation

With millennials, there has been a natural tendency to adopt digital technologies as it was a huge part of their lives growing up. Not only has this generation witnessed the invention of the smartphone in their youth but also of many other technologies like smart wearables, blockchain, and IoT.?

Millennials comprise the largest generation in the workplace today, and their numbers are ever-increasing.They generally have a tech-savvy attitude, nuclear families, and an ambitious mindset as well as the tendency to job hop.

GenZ – The Digital Natives

GenZ was born to a world where technology was readily available. As they tend to prefer virtual communication methods, they are also popularly considered as “digital natives.” It has also been observed that GenZ may be relatively more open to diverse perspectives, ideologies, and social causes.?

Now, with GenZ’s entry into the world of work, this cohort will account for a significant part of the workforce in Asia, particularly influenced by China and India.?

For organisations, this would mean understanding the characteristics of this cohort along with some short-term measures to attract them and long-term retention strategies, like job rotation, new projects, and sabbaticals.?

This means that HR strategies may differ from one generation to another, whilst ensuring quality and fairness across the generations—which isn’t the easiest tightrope to walk.

Managing Digital Work Cultures Across Generations?

Communication in the Age of the Internet?

Communication preferences largely vary across generations. For instance, boomers rely heavily on face-to-face discussion, millennials on electronic means, while a quarter of GenZ adults actively avoid phone calls and prefer texting.?

Therefore, to improve collaboration and bridge the gap, I believe every generation requires a unique strategy. Although there are many variances and stereotypes among generations, there is also a lot of intersectionality that organisations need to acknowledge in order to collaborate effectively. For this purpose, tools like AARP’s Intergenerational ERG Toolkit can help employers improve age inclusivity.

Work-Life Integration and Technology?

As well as having different attitudes towards technology, each generation balances work and life differently.

Studies indicate that there is a trend toward greater fusion of work and life management as the generational cohorts become younger. They also observed a reduced need for face-to-face interaction and easy acceptance of the virtual space.

Digital Learning and Development?

Gone are the days of run-of-the-mill templates, seminars, and traditional trainings. Employees need to be trained in order to be able to adapt to the digital era and the comfort levels of younger generations.

Future-Proofing the Multigenerational Digital Workplace?

Making Room for Technological Diversity?

Here are some ways companies are innovating to cater to multigenerational needs:?

• IBM has announced that it is upskilling 30 million people by 2030 to make learners future-ready for the digital economy. In this programme, employees across all generations will be able to learn new technologies.?
• Procter & Gamble also takes initiatives to promote inclusion and diversity with flexible work options available for all employees like remote work, as well as employee resource groups of various generations.?

Promoting a Cohesive Digital Culture?

Diverse digital preferences can present challenges for organisations to create a unified culture. Companies can choose to explore cross-generational collaboration tools and strategies for workplace chat, email, web and video conferencing, scheduling and workflow automation. While innovating the workplace, it is also important to uphold its values and tradition.

Conclusion

The pragmatic approach of GenX, a sense of innovation of Millennials, and a sense of inclusion in GenZ are complementary traits that if leveraged well, can drive the organisation towards new standards of operational excellence.

Because at the end of the day, our greatest strength is not in our differences but in our unity in diversity.

Sources:

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