Why I care about intergenerational relationships at work

Welcome to Intergenerating, where every two weeks we will explore the intersection of intergenerational relationships, Gen Z professionals, and mental health in the workplace.

Created by Julie Lee, Ph.D. —a Gen Z work consultant, mental health strategist, and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company . Julie helps leaders and organizations create work climates that encourage all generations, including Gen Z leaders, to thrive at work.

“Who should decide where you go to college?”

I remember having a conversation with my parents when I was a senior in high school in Houston, TX. They sat me down and asked, “Who should decide where you go to college?”?

It was a rhetorical question. To them, it was THEM. After all, our family had immigrated to the US from Korea? for better educational opportunities for me and my brother and my parents worked tirelessly to provide for us and our future. To them, it was a clear answer.?

I confidently said, “ME.”?

I had immigrated to the US when I was 13 and became rapidly acculturated to US values and norms. Internalizing the values of individualism, self-autonomy, and self-agency did not take long! Matter of fact, I remember writing a paper in middle school in which I highlighted what makes the US unique: individualism. It was SO clear to me that since I was going to be the one going to college, I should be the one to decide where I went.?

My parents, on the other hand, held onto their values of interdependence, collectivism, and filial piety from Korea—working to bring honor not only to themselves, but to their entire family, their parents and their ancestors. Of course they expected me to honor their sacrifice and hard work through following their recommendation for my college!

The truth of the matter is, we shared the same goal. Both my parents and I wanted the best educational opportunity that would provide me with academic and personal learning opportunities. We just had different views about how to get there or who should decide.?

We are all products of our generation, culture, and life experiences.?

They shape our views and perspectives. We might share the same goals but have different views about how and why. We may not always agree, but we can understand each other and gain appreciation for each other’s views if we are curious and intentional.

As Andrey Khusid covered in “How to build a remote team while bridging generational and geographical gaps ,” we have a unique opportunity to unlock the power of four generations (gen Z, millennials, gen X, and baby boomers) working together.?

“When individuals who entered the workforce before email can collaborate smoothly with those who were raised on memes and selfies, your business can bring more widely appealing products to market, craft compelling marketing campaigns to touch millions, and win love for your brand across the generational spectrum.” - Andrey Khusid

The business case for diversity has been proven over and over, but most of the time, we aren’t considering intergenerational relationships when we talk about diversity. Why wouldn’t our different backgrounds in terms of generation impact our views, perspectives, and what we have to offer at work?

And as in all instances of diversity, psychological safety is absolutely essential. Diverse workforces can only thrive when they feel safe to contribute? our views, perspectives and thoughts knowing they will be valued, not judged, or dismissed.

Our work relationships matter deeply.

Not only do we spend a lot of time with our coworkers, but we also bring our intellect, heart, and motivation to work and share those crucial parts of ourselves with the people we work closely with. Our work matters to us because it is an expression of ourselves and what we care about. We learn from and influence one another as coworkers and as people.

Some of my closest friends are former colleagues, and some of those friendships began while we were working together. Even after we moved on to different positions and roles, those friendships continued and deepened. These are people who have expanded my world views, challenged my perspectives and also have cared for me—not only as a co-worker but as a human being. And I come to care deeply about them as friends.

This is why I care about intergenerational relationships at work—to create opportunities for all of us, regardless of generation, to see each other as human, recognizing our diverse generational experiences, and to work with each other, appreciating what each of us brings to the workplace. When we invest in these relationships, I truly believe our work will be more meaningful and rewarding, and we will be happier.?

Even though my parents and I had different ideas about how to choose college, our love and respect for one other allowed us to have more open dialogue, and with their guidance, I ended up on a path that we were all very happy with. With their full support, I chose to attend Wellesley College, my beloved alma mater, where I grew intellectually and personally and made life-long friends.?

It may not be as easy to extend that same compassion to people outside of our families, but if we can maintain curious, open, non-judgmental communication, we have a chance to understand each other, achieve alignment, and reach levels of innovation that would not be possible without effective collaboration.?

I would love to hear about your intergenerational experience—either with your colleagues, family or friends. Feel free to comment on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected] !

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