Generational Differences in the Workplace

Are we all so different?

The issue of young people in the workplace and inter-generational relationships is still dividing leaders, HR professionals and employees. There are many columns, opinions, presentations being written or made in multi-media platforms espousing the negatives attributes of various generations in the workplace: “Hey Boomers” to “Gen Zs are ‘snowflakes’”. Many rely on commonly held (and sometimes unfairly held) stereotypes and views. The Courageous Leaders community will be familiar with my use of data, research, and case history to identify whether trends or phenomena are novel or new.

Guess what? This one is not. Let me share a few choice phrases just to illustrate.

4th Century B.C.E.

“[Young people] are high-minded because they have not yet been humbled by life, nor have they experienced the force of circumstances. … They think they know everything and are always quite sure about it.”

8th Century - “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words… When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly disrespectful and impatient of restraint.”

— Hesiod, 8th century BC

1936 Young People Drinking More “Probably there is no period in history in which young people have given such emphatic utterance to a tendency to reject that which is old and to wish for that which is new.” Portsmouth Evening News

I challenge the notion that distinct generations (such as Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z) are truly different or want such different things from the workplace or their employer.

Who doesn’t want meaningful work, progression, recognition, connection with coworkers and fair treatment and decent remuneration?

Indeed, it is true we are the product of our family upbringing, and our parents shaped us together with our experience of world events which directly affect our perspectives. But to generalise that a whole generation of Gen Z’ers have the same specific traits or behaviours just can’t be right. We are as nuanced, diverse and different as our unique DNA.

I’ve previously written about the risk of labels and would encourage us all to consider the importance of treating individuals as unique people rather than stereotypes based on their age group. In my quest to ensure I don’t fall into this trap; I have deliberately asked to be reverse mentored. We can all succumb to it easily when we listen to click bait on YouTube that feeds the narrative that Gen Z are “entitled”.

Here's some common examples:

Millennials alleged to be ‘snowflakes’ prioritising buying avocados over saving for houses, these younger generations are enduringly maligned. Gen Zers are somehow “weaker”, less hard-working or less resilient than their older counterparts and want promotion, rewards and badges for just turning up to work. (It just takes a deeper level of understanding of studies on young brains, habits and neuroscience to also appreciate that they are more likely to be overwhelmed because of technology, which overloads their senses reducing attention spans.)

Stereotypes about different generations can risk becoming self-fulfilling prophecies. A bit like buying a yellow car roadster and suddenly everyone has one. It would be misguided to taint the younger generation and not be willing to use it as an opportunity for all of us to learn and evolve together. In fact, this generation have a lot to teach us like the importance of purpose, diversity inclusion and equity. There’s nothing wrong with a dog walk or ‘avo on toast’! ?

By 2025, this generation will form 27-30% of the workforce. As leaders, hiring managers and HR professionals we all need to understand and meet their expectations, which we contributed to as part of their education. The so-called Boomers (are the majority of parents of this generation). Gen Xers paved the way to discussing work-life balance. Gen Y “millennials” formulate the value of purposeful employee experiences. Our universities showed them that to get ahead they needed to prioritise their personal development and “be the CEO” of their future careers.

In 2022 John Hopkins University link summarised the characteristics and influences as follows:

Since then, there have been deeper studies done including some thank debunk some of the myths. Sean McAllister wrote this article for Zurich’s future of work: “Every generation changes the world of work, from the influx of women into the workforce during World War II to the way Millennials raised awareness of issues like mental health. But Gen Zs are coming of age in the wake of a historic pandemic, geopolitical turmoil and at a time when the climate emergency poses an unprecedented threat to humanity. What they look for at work – and what they will not accept – is likely to have an enduring impact.”

Those organisations focusing on managing multi-generational workplaces based on stereotypes are likely to be ineffective, these are misguided strategies.

Building an inclusive environment where we truly listen, meet and understand the needs of diverse workforces especially at the different stages of their work lifecycles can lead to better workplace relationships and improved retention.

The importance of practicing willingness to teach and learn from each other (regardless of age) will empower and build bridges. Emphasising the need for generational humility and recognising that Boomers and Gen Xers have valuable wisdom to impart, which employers need to retain and value. This generation can offer incredible insight enabling the next generation to understand the "why" and the "how" so giving context for hard fought wins and lessons that led to existing processes or ways of working. Gen Z will help us ensure we value diverse perspectives, efficient use of technology, and embrace diversity without discomfort. They’re just people – treat them with dignity.

The Gen Zers do need to understand what is and is not acceptable in the workplace. It is not acceptable to video record yourself “quitting” your job when HR or your manager comes online and they are not aware you are about to post the conversation on Tik Tok. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-videos-people-getting-fired-gen-z-trend/

We can learn by staying curious, listening intentionally with a willingness to learn. Showing humility, empathy and building diverse teams irrespective of generational differences, explaining career pathways, what the criteria is to get ahead and explaining what is possible is far more effective. We can’t marginalise our young people, nor should we ignore our mature workforce who have shown commitment, learned the hard way, and built experience. The future of work depends on our ability to foster inclusive listening cultures.