The Incineration of the Generation: Rethinking Generational Differences in the Workplace

It is time to incinerate, blow up, and destroy the myth that generational differences at work should be used as a management and/or leadership tool. In fact, the way it has been introduced to our organizations has been more harmful than helpful.? We have legitimized stereotyping though an academic lens when the research was not meant to be utilized in that manner.

Generational differences at work are relatively small.? However, they loom large. It makes one wonder, “How can that be?”? The answer is in our belief system.? Our thinking that they are big, affects our behavior. Essentially, our beliefs inform our behavior, causing us to create labels and stereotypes which leads to conflict along the way.

How did this all of this start? One of the earliest and most influential works in the area was the book, Generations, by Strauss & Howe published in 1991. This book introduced generational cycles and labels such as Baby Boomers.? However, the initial generational research was completed over large populations, millions of people, and was intended to understand societal and cultural change, marketing implications, policy and social change, and predict future trends.? All of these are macro applications which make sense when looking at generalizations across large swaths of people.? Unfortunately, we took an academic generalization over large populations and popularized the conclusions at an individual level. ?We decided it was okay to label and stereotype each other by age.? Even at the macro level the conclusions were not perfect.? Think about it in this manner.? If you were going to create a commercial to be aired in primetime and you wanted to attract a certain audience rather than anyone and everyone, you might use the research to create a commercial that spoke to a certain age group or generation.? Now, some people in that group may not connect with it, while others outside that group may actually connect with the content.? It is a shotgun approach, at best, even armed with generational information.? But it is better than totally guessing or taking a shot in the dark.??

Back to the workplace.? We used the research differently than intended.? We implied that everyone from one generation was the same and we labelled generations by using stereotypes like “entitled” and used those stereotypes to minimize those different than us. ?How often have you heard phrases like:

“Can you believe how disloyal the young folks are?”

“You are such a Boomer.”

Once we began to focus on generalizations and stereotypes, we begin to lose sight of individuality.? We began to ignore individual differences. We have all heard people say things like, “Don’t you miss the corporate citizenship of Boomers?” or we overestimate the importance of technology to a generation and suggest all young people are good at and love technology.

What is worse is that we forget about our commonalities like our need for respect, purpose, and meaning. And we began to ignore things like changes in the job market, family structures, education, and other cultural and economic factors that actually influence values and behaviors.

All of this led to assumed generational conflict and rigid age-based labels. So, if a young employee inquires about a potential promotion, they were seen as impatient and not willing to put in the work. ?But when an older worker inquires, they are seen as interested in advancement.

Between the assumed conflict and the desire to cater to each generation’s preferences, two things happened. We lost mentorship opportunities and innovation opportunities. We actually stifled growth because we lost curiosity. Instead, we write stories for ourselves and others that are not necessarily accurate.?

So what happens when we have inaccurate beliefs and perceptions? A boat load of age-related stereotypes and something most are unaware of called Meta Age stereotypes.

First let’s tackle that basics. Age stereotypes. Each generation in known by their stereotypes which impacts our behavior. Here are just a few:

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?Beyond Age stereotypes we have Meta Age stereotypes.?? Meta Age Stereotypes are what we think others believe about our age group or generation.? Typically, we believe our generation is viewed more negatively than it actually is and there can be a great deal of disagreement in how a generation is viewed.? Regardless, this type of self-talk also affects our behavior.

You have heard the phrase, “Expectations leads to results.”? Well, false expectations can also lead to results.? In other words, people live up to our expectations regardless if of their merit.? They also live up to their own expectations.? It is amazing how powerful these stereotypes and Meta stereotypes become especially when combined.?

Here is an example:

An older person who needs to learn a new technology may doubt themselves because of the stereotypes they have in their own head such as “Older people are not good with technology” or “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”? They will also worry about how the instructor will view them.? If the instructor is young, they may think the instructor sees this effort as a waste of time and they may think the instructor would be wondering why they keep working at their age.?? Meanwhile, the young instructor may be thinking they have to slow down and treat this older student as remedial and may think that because this student is older than me, probably thinks I do not know what I am doing, and that I lack the experience to provide perspective.? You can see the combination of Age stereotypes and Meta Age stereotypes can create significant problems before we even get started.

Most want easy answers. We want the silver bullet. It is easy to make the mistake, but hard to fix it. So what can you do at your organization to set things right?

• First, we must change our approach. Think of life stages rather than generations. Chances are most young people feel similarly to what an older person felt at that same age. Each life stage creates a focus on certain types of needs, values, and priorities.
• Focus on inclusion and understanding people at an individual level. It takes work but pays dividends. After all, based on research, generational difference might account for just 2% of workplace differences. We have much in common across the generations than we think.
• Avoid generalizations when you see them and call them out. Discuss stereotypes with the intent to debunk them. The best disinfectant is light. So address them head on.
• When people have shared goals (especially meaningful ones) that make us think beyond ourselves, we behave differently. We have more interested in others and see them in a more positive light.
• Try focusing on work style differences such as introvert/extrovert, the need for structure versus freedom in your work environment, and recognition needs.? There are many other work style differences beyond the ones mentioned.? Research points out that these are the differences that make a difference in the workplace.?

Simone Sinek said, “Start with why.” I am going to say, “Start by asking, I wonder why they behave that way.” Curiosity leads to discovery and common ground.? Get to know each other.? Have conversations about things that matter beyond the tasks at hand.? By truly understanding each individual you work with, you can appreciate them more and overcome almost any differences.?