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Ideas for Leaders #381

Managing the Multigenerational

Workplace

Key Concept

There is an increasing demand in the workforce today to add

multigenerational diversity to the mix. What exactly comprises a

multigenerational team, and what are the unique characteristics and

expectations each generation brings the fore? Read this Idea to learn more

about how to ensure your organization makes the most of its multigenerational

workforce.

Idea Summary

In a white paper published by Kenan-Flagler Business School, Dan Bursch

and Kip Kelly describe today’s workforce has decidedly multigenerational and

comprised of five generations each with distinct general characteristics:

Traditionalists (born pre-1946): traditionalists tend to have a strong work ethic that

translates into stability and experience. Essentially they view of work as a privilege, they are

reticent to disagree with others and are uncomfortable with conflict. They represent only a small

percentage of today’s workforce, but their wealth of knowledge and experience is difficult to

replace.

Baby Boomers (born approximately between 1946 and 1964): like traditionalists baby

boomers have a strong work ethic, but this generation, which saw vast post-war societal

changes, are for different reason motivated by rank, wealth, and prestige. They prefer

managers who seek consensus and treat them as equals. The oldest baby boomers are now

nearing retirement.

Generation X (born approximately between 1965 and 1979): this generation’s formative

years were marked with uncertainty and turmoil (such as the AIDs epidemic, the fall of the

Berlin Wall, divorce rates reaching an all-time high, etc). Many experienced independence early

in life and learned to thrive on change. As a result, they are resilient, flexible, adaptable, and

technically proficient having also witnessed the birth of the Internet.

Generation Y (or Millennials) (born approximately between 1980 and 1995): Millennials

have been shaped and defined by the Internet and the World Wide Web more than anything

else, which opened a whole new world of opportunities. The most diverse generation ever, their

technological fluency can be at the root of some workplace conflict between them and Baby

Boomers. Millennials are goal and achievement-oriented, tend to value social and corporate

responsibility, and are good team players and optimistic. However, they are also prone to

frequent job changes as they seek new opportunities and employment on their own terms.

Generation Z (born from approximately 1996): this generation is just entering the

workforce, and it is expected that its members will bring their own attitudes and expectations to

work, just like the generations before them. Having witnessed the cost of higher education

rising, along with an explosion in student loan debt, they may place more value in work

experience over education. Research also suggests that Generation Z is even more

technologically ‘plugged-in’ than Millennials.

Authors

Bursch, Dan

Kelly, Kip

Institutions

University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler

Business School

Source

White Paper

Idea conceived

May 2014

Idea posted

May 2014

DOI number

Subject

Organizational Structure

HR Management

Team Building and Teamwork

A multigenerational ‘5G’ workforce brings with it a wide variety of challenges

and opportunities; the benefits of multigenerational work teams include the

fact that such teams are more flexible, and can gain and maintain more market

share because they reflect the multigenerational market. In addition, they

make better decisions because they have received broad-based input from

multiple generational perspectives.

Business Application

The key to managing the 5G workforce, according to Bursch and Kelly, is to

appreciate their differences and focus on what they have in common. This is

particularly important for HR and talent management professionals to do when

developing plans to recruit, retain, and engage employees from different

generations.

It is important to honour each generation’s unique contributions, and

understand how the events they experienced in their lives have shaped their

expectations in the workplace; for example, when recruiting Traditionalists,

organizations should focus on personal contact and show respect for their

age and experience. On the other hand, HR and talent management

professionals who want to recruit and retain people from Generation X should

appeal to their desire for flexibility in how and where work gets done.

Similarly, each other generation will have its own expectations that need to be

understood and worked with in order to build a successful multigenerational

team.

Further Reading

Managing the Multigenerational Workplace. Dan Bursch & Kip Kelly.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School White Paper (2014).

Further Relevant Resources

Dan Bursch’s profile at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Kip Kelly’s profile at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School’s Executive Development profile on IEDP

© Copyright IEDP Ideas for Leaders 2014

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