Generation Gaps: Changes in the Workplace Due to Differing Generational Values

Abstract

IntroductionThroughout the years, as the population has continued to both grow and age, it has caused generational changes to take place in the various aspects of life. With the changes in the demographics of the world's population, there have also been changes in how each group thinks and what they value. This not only affects the way people behave in their personal lives, but it also affects the workplace. As generational changes occur in the workplace, a lack of communication has caused adisconnect to occur between the values and goals present among the different age groups along with newer generations choosing different career paths.In order to understand where these differences stem from, you need to analyze how each generation is different when it comes to their beliefs and values. So, it is best to identify the different groups present in workplace which range from those born in 1922 to those born in the early 1990's. Moving chronologically, the first generation introduced will be the Traditional Generation also known as the Silent Generation born between 1922 and 1945. While their numbers are diminishing in the workplace as they age, they still play a role in the workplace dynamics. Their values include strictly adhering to the hierarchy present in the structure of their organization along with following all the rules which comes from their strong sense of what is right and wrong.10The next group that has most recently started exiting the workforce is the Baby Boomers which include those who were born between 1956 through 1964. While they are similar to the silent generation in the fact that they are loyal, there are some differences present in this particular generation. They are more dedicated to the workplace and there is less separation between the workplace and their private lives. Instead of being focused on following the rules, a baby boomer is more likely to try and be the person who is in authority and makes the rules.In contrast to the work obsessed baby boomers, the next generation was able to find a better balance between their personal lives and work. This generation is known as Generation X, and it includes all individuals born between the years of 1965 and 1980. While they are still dedicated to their jobs, they are not as impressed with authority figures, nor are they as loyal as the previous generations. Instead, they see themselves as independent people who are able to market themselves successfully. They are more independent than both the silent generation and the baby boomers17.The final generation present in the workforce consists of those who are a part of Generation Y who are also known as the Millennials including people who were born between the years 1981 through 1994. This generation's beliefs and values are almost the polar opposite of the silent generation. They highly value their free time and do not define themselves through their job. Instead, they value the impact they are able to make on the community through their active involvement in things that matter to them. At work, generational differences can affect everything including recruiting, building teams, dealing with change, motivating, managing and maintaining and increasing productivity. Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business.The characteristics listed in the table 1 and 2 are but a very few of those that have been studied and reported by various authors. Not every person in a generation will share all of the various characteristics shown in table 1 or 2 with others in the same generation. However, these examples are indicative of general patterns in the relationships between and among family members, friends and people in the workplace. …

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