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Have you ever considered the vast generation gaps within your workplace? This article will discuss the differences in generations within organizations and how the gap influences today’s businesses. One of the most prevalent and growing issues is how to manage the age gap with workers in any given industry. People of all ages are often put together to collaborate, invent, and work successfully together, but there is a rapid increase in young workers across the nation. In fact, “In America its staff are young: 62% are from Generation Y, 29% are from Generation X and just 9% are baby-boomers.” (2013) While Generation Y is certainly a large portion of the workforce, the other generations are just as imperative to the company; they have experience, ideas, motivation, and are great leaders for their organizations. The issue comes when mangers do not know how to manage teams of intermingled generations. McQuerrey notes that “a workforce composed of different age demographics creates an environment where each generation brings different skills and talents to the table.” (2012) When the manager understands the value of each individual employee’s skill set, regardless of age or generation, the age gap becomes much smaller and the organization runs more efficiently. First, it is important to be familiar with the age ranges associated with each generation. The “baby boomer” generation consists of people born between 1945-1964. The boomers are known for their mass quantity of people, with over 70 million living in the United States. They are also the generation that has more college graduates than any generation before them. In his 2012 article, Randall sums up this important segment of the population: “Their epic numbers and independent spirit have influenced everything from politics to pop culture, transformed the make-up of the American family and workforce, reshaped societal norms, and created our modern notion of consumerism.” (Randall 2012) This generation is truly an intricate part of the workplace and will continue to be for many years. Many of these people take on second or part-time jobs for both extra income and the satisfaction that the workplace brings. The next generation, after the “baby boomers”, is classified as “Generation X.” These people were born between 1965-1984. The Generation X group made up of over 50 million has been one of the most difficult to classify according to some sources. Some sources claim that this generation, especially among men, was “aloof” and disengaged during childhood but developed entrepreneur skills in adulthood, which may have come from lack of jobs available when they graduated college. Interestingly, this is a very well-educated group of individuals who as a whole dislike authority, specifically in large corporations, the government, and even religion. According to Business Insider, the “Gen X-ers are entrepreneurial-thinking, but rank low on executive presence.” These people are said to appreciate a “work-life balance” and be highly flexible, adaptable individuals. (McQuerrey 2012) Finally, the “Generation Y” group is made up of those born between 1985-2010. This group is also coined the “Millenials” and hosts over 70 million people. This is the largest portion of today’s workplace and the fastest-growing segment of the workplace. This group of people appreciates instant gratification; they are tech-savvy and achievement-oriented individuals. However, these individuals tend to not be team players in the workplace and care increasingly about personal promotion and reward. (Giang 2013) Since they are the largest and fastest-growing, it is highly important that managers in the workplace know how to communicate and interact with these individuals and incorporate their skill sets appropriately. Closing the age gap, and most importantly understanding the age gap, among these three generations is crucial for any business in any given industry. It is important to understand each individual and what drives them to succeed. However, being able to distinguish the discussed characteristics between generations and using this information to form teams and create a successful multi-generational environment is the key element in the success of the company. According to the article, Managing Millenials, “as management shifts to younger generations, the research reveals areas companies can focus on to enhance skill sets, address the challenges of managing multiple generations, and retain and engage employees by understanding which workplace perks they may value most.” (Giang 2013) Having a diverse age range and diverse skill sets from each of the generations is a positive, and companies should strive to promote this diversity while achieving the overall organizational goal. Byline: Brent has been working for his family’s highway/site construction, distribution, and contracting company for three years. He makes the third generation of family members who currently work for the company. Not including family members, the company employees workers ranging from 80 to 20 years old. Brent received a Bachelor degree in Psychology from The University of Colorado at Boulder. He is currently working on his Masters of Business degree from Lincoln Memorial University. References: Giang, Vivian. (9 Sept. 2013) Managing Millenials. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-millennials-gen-x-and-boomers-shape-the-workplace-2013-9 McQuerrey, Lisa. (2012) The Advantages of Diverse Ages in the Workplace. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-diverse-ages-workplace-17928.html Randall, Rhonda. (24 April 2012) Baby Boomers' Defining Characteristics Could Help Them Redefine Aging in America. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rhonda-l-randall-do/baby-boomers-redefining-aging_b_1448949.html Winning the Generation Game. (28 Sept. 2013) Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21586831-businesses-are-worrying-about-how-manage-different-age-groups-widely-different
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age gap, generation gap, generation x, generation y, millennials, baby boomers,
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