Say you’re thinking about going out tonight: what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Baby Boomers (like me) often start with “what should I wear”; Millennials and Gen Zers (short for Zoomers) wonder “where are we going”. The difference in these two answers (and perspectives) points out that there’s a lot of diversity (and diversity of thinking) in the world and, in this case, it’s seemingly exacerbated by age. And considering there are 5 generations now working side-by-side in many of today’s workplaces, managers must become more adept at dealing with this phenomenon. Know this: each generation
· Is influenced by the events of their time
o Like war and peace, good economies and bad.
· This shows that where and when you were born matters
o In how we see and approach the things we do and say.
Companies with a confluence of multi-generational employees are recognizing that priorities, attitudes, work styles and perspectives differ with each generation. Meaning that managers should be encouraged to learn more about the differences and similarities between the generations to be better prepared to manage them. The good news here is that listening, openness, trust, and respect appeals to everyone in every generation. When given the opportunity, include employees from multiple generations on work teams and let the diversity of their backgrounds and perspectives bring out the best in all of them. Don’t be preoccupied with the differences in your employees – let their similarities and common interests shine through today.
Blair Imani (born 1993): American author, historian, and activist. She identifies as queer, black, bisexual and Muslim.
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