The New Generation at Work October 17, 2012My CareerOff

You can spot the Baby Boomers at work. They’re team-oriented and believe long hours are crucial for paying your dues.

The Gen X’ers? Fiercely independent, they value autonomy to achieve high-quality results.

In contrast, Millennials (Gen Y’ers) thrive in a flexible, casual work environment with constant feedback and recognition.

What do they have in common?

Today, all three women work for the same company. Including the Traditionalists (pre-Baby Boomers), that’s four generations spanning 60 years, working side-by-side.

Workplace dynamics are changing rapidly. Companies now face the challenge of accommodating very different mindsets.

And the transformation will not decelerate, according to Susan Lucas-Conwell, CEO of Great Place to Work Institute

“To thrive, companies will need to become adept at adapting to change and aligning people to their goals.”

We see this conversion everywhere. The 9-5 is no longer a standard. The workforce is bursting with telecommuters, freelancers or altered office hours.

Each generation has its own stereotypes. But as Lucas-Conwell points out, it is dangerous to fall victim to generalizations.

So how do companies accommodate employees with such diverse values, attitudes and work styles?

“Put people’s similarities first, their interest in participating in a great workplace, as the starting place for considering generational differences,” Lucas-Conwell tells Little PINK Book.

And Generation Z is following closely behind.

As the first generation to have only known the digital world, they’re guaranteed to shake things up even more, when they start entering the workforce within the next 10 years.

Bonus PINK Link: There’s much to learn from Millennials. Find out!

Do you see differences in generations at work? Which one are you?

By Amanda McCoy

“There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.”
Indira Gandhi

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