Factors to Consider in Developing a Multigenerational Workplace

Creating a Cohesive Environment for the Multigenerational Workforce

1. Introduction

For the first time in human history, as many as five generations are represented in the workplace today. Moreover, there are going to be some other significant changes in the demographic composition of the nation’s workforce in the years to come, so it is vitally important for human resource practitioners to pursue optimal staffing solutions (Stevens, 2018).. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the relevant literature to define the current generational cohorts in the American workplace, followed by an analysis concerning how intergenerational differences affect workplace relationships and leadership style preferences. Finally, the paper presents a summary of the research and salient findings about creating a cohesive environment for a multigenerational workforce in the conclusion.

2. Define the generations

The designation of the discrete generations that follow below as well as their respective assignment of age ranges is credited to William Strauss and Neil Howe where they first used the breakdown in their 1991 book, Generations: The History of America\\\'s Future, 1584 to 2069 (Miller & Caspra, 2017). For the purposes of this study, though, the so-called “Traditionalist” or “Silent” generation (i.e., people born before 1946) are not included in this multigenerational breakdown since they comprise an increasingly miniscule percentage of the American workforce today (Stevens, 2018).

a. Baby Boomer Generation (1946–1964). Although the most recent estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that this generational cohort comprises nearly 30% of the American labor market (Stevens, 2018), this figure may have changed substantially due to the economic downturn and corresponding job losses that are attributable to the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic. At present, the number of Baby Boomers, currently around 74 million, is projected to decline precipitously to about 27 million by mid-21st century (Bialik & Fry, 2019). In addition, the growing legions of Baby Boomers that have already retired (many of them earlier than they planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic) or plan on retiring in the next few years will place enormous pressure on the country’s Social Security network of support. In this regard, Rodriguez and Green (2009) emphasize that, “As boomers begin to collect Social Security, pensions, and other benefits, changes to both public and private retirement systems may occur, such as raising the ages of eligibility, creating flexible pension plans and altering employment practices” (p. 68).

b. Generation X (1965–1980): The current estimates of the Generation X cohort indicate that there are about 72 million people in the United States who were born during this period, but this figure will decline to approximately 50 million workers by 2050 (Bialik & Fry, 2019). In many ways, members of Generation X have been “caught in the middle” between two more influential generational cohorts, but their place in the intergenerational schemata means they have survived a social and political crucible that gives them more resilience compared to many members of other generations . For instance, according to Cohen (2017), “Caught between vast, self-regarding waves of boomers and millennials, Generation X is steeped in irony, detachment, and a sense of dread. One of their rank argues that this attitude makes it the best suited to preserve American tradition in these dark new days” (para. 2).

c. Generation Y/Millennials (1981–2000): Estimated at around 73 million people, this generational cohort overtook Baby Boomers to become the largest living adult generation in the United States in 2019 (Bialik & Fry, 2019). This trend is expected to continue to accelerate these differences as immigrants continue to increase the numbers of this generational cohort, while also driving greater gender, ethnic and racial diversity in the American workforce (Bialik & Fry, 2019). Of special note is the fact that Millennials are better educated than their parents and grandparents, which accounts in part for their greater level of financial well-being (Bialeik & Fry, 2019).

Here again, though, the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting some generational cohorts at greater rates than others, so even the most recent estimates fail to capture the full picture at present. In addition, a growing percentage of Millennials are also postponing or avoiding marriage entirely compared to previous generations, but mothers from this generation still account for the majority of births in the country today (Bialek & Fry, 2019). In addition, Bialik and Fry (2019) make the prescient observation prior to the 2020 presidential election that, “[Millennials] are also more likely to be living at home with their parents, and for longer stretches [but they] continue to shape the country’s politics given their Democratic leanings when compared with older generations” (para. 10). In order words, Millennials have emerged as the new political powerhouse that will wield an inordinate amount of influence in the years to come.

d. Generation Z (1995–2015): The hapless members of the youngest generational cohort to join the American workforce in recent years have been dealt a challenging hand to be sure. Most of these young people have never known a time when there was not a manned presence in outer space, and the ubiquity of cell phones, sophisticated computers and the enormous power of the Internet are taken for granted as a matter of course. As one observer puts it, “There are differences between the assumed personality traits of Millennials and their younger counterparts Generation Z. Tech-friendly? Yes. Tech-dependent? Oh yeah, totally. Expects an immediate response? Absolutely. Wants to do every single thing online or through a mobile device? Roger that” (Generation Z: Taking Millennials to extreme levels, 2017, para. 4). In sum, Generation Z resembles General Y on steroids, or perhaps Millennials version 2.0, but it is clear that members of this youngest generational cohort are inextricably involved with technological innovations that will have an effect on creating a cohesive environment for the multigenerational workforce, including the need for and manner in which coaching is provided as discussed further below.

3. Coaching

a. Leadership styles. The multigenerational workforce presents some special challenges with respect to preferred leadership styles, both on the part of leaders and their followers. One of the overarching challenges that are involved in coaching situations with such vast disparities in age is the potential reluctance of older workers to accept guidance and advice from individuals who might have half (or even less) their age. This reluctance may influence the effectiveness of the coaching process or worse, may cause resentment and job dissatisfaction among older workers (Haserot, 2011).

Further, regional and even local differences can have an effect on what leadership styles are more effective in a given workplace setting, and these differences can change over time and from time to time. In other words, although there is no “one size fits all” optimal leadership style available that can be used with equal effectiveness across the multigenerational divide, most authorities agree that the application of the golden rule by leaders as evinced by consistent concern for employee well-being and satisfaction is universally appropriate and effective in any virtually workplace setting today (Rahim & Osman, 2020).

Although the broad range of talents, knowledge, experience and expertise that a multigenerational workforce brings to the table, the potential for conflict and misunderstandings based on intergenerational differences is evident, and this potential has become even further exacerbated as the American workplace has been transformed by significant demographic changes as well (Grensing-Pophal, 2019). There are some proactive steps that managers can take to help smooth the process and ensure intergenerational harmony to the maximum extent possible. For instance, some insightful guidance provided by Grensing-Pophal (2019) concerning effective strategies for developing and sustaining a cohesive environment for a multigenerational workforce are set forth in Table 1 below.

Table 1.

Creating a cohesive workplace environment for a multigenerational workforce

Guidance

Description

Avoid dwelling on differences.

There seems to be a tendency to focus more on what is different about each generation than on what similarities might exist. Avoid the potential to accept as true the stereotypes about various generations; be alert to language that perpetuates stereotypes: “All (insert generation) are …,” or “My generation is ….”

Build collaborative relationships.

People understand and appreciate others more when they have the opportunity to get to know them. Creating opportunities for employees of different generations to interact in both work- and non-work-related settings can help to build relationships and minimize misunderstandings.

Study employees

Understand the demographics of the workplace as well as employee communication preferences. An annual survey can be used to help identify both differences and similarities between various employee groups.

Create opportunities for cross-generational mentoring.

This can work both ways so do not automatically assume that younger generations will be mentored by older generations. All age groups have opportunities to learn from each other.

Consider life paths.

Understand where employees are at in their life paths in terms of responsibilities and interests they may have outside the workplace; however, do not make assumptions. It is important to remember that employees, regardless of generation, share both commonalities and differences.

Source: Adapted from Grensing-Pophal, 2019

b. Motivational factors: This factor is perhaps the most challenging to assess because there are some significant intergenerational differences involved with respect to primary motivational factors in the workplace today. Although pay and benefits remain at or near the top of virtually all employee satisfaction surveys, a wide array of other factors has emerged in recent years that are also significant motivational factors for a multigenerational workforce.

4. Multi-Generational Working Environments and Training

a. Advances in technology. Younger workers, especially Millennials and members of Generation Z, have grown up with technology and are not only comfortable and expert with computers and Internet-enabled networks, they expect to use them in the workplace to help them do their jobs. This does not mean, of course, that Baby Boomers are all cyberphobes that resist technological innovations, but it does mean that there are some distinct intergenerational differences concerning what percentage of individual lifetimes have involved computer technologies that must be taken into account when creating a cohesive environment for the current multigenerational workforce.

b. Recent changes in telecommuting and other working conditions. Even before the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, there were some clear indications that advances in technology were changing the modern workplace, including the reduced need for the physical presence of staff in the workplace (Martocchio, 2018). Moreover, there have also been some corresponding indications that employees widely regard these working alternatives positively, even placing working from home on the same level as other perquisites (Martocchio, 2018). Given the additional flexibility that working from home provides employees, especially those with young children and the need to maintain appropriate social distancing in the workplace, it is reasonable to posit that the traditional workplace of the 20th century is essentially a thing of the past.

Indeed, there are few activities that employees have that cannot be performed remotely, including most especially in their homes provided they are equipped with the requisite hardware and software applications. There are already countless cloud-based options available that can be used to facilitate teleworking employees, including video conferencing technologies, remote management applications and corporate intranets (Maschino, 2020). Furthermore, applications such as the so-called “virtual desktop infrastructures” or VDI developed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic make it possible for employees to make the transition to home-based work seamlessly without any significant interruption of their daily routine. For example, according to Machino (2020):

VDI creates an individual instance of each employee\\\'s workspace on our network every time they connect. Software tools and data reside on our network. As a result, employees have been able to continue working with their teams, sharing documents, running analysis on data, and producing our products. (p. 95)

While some managers may have been reluctant to cede any of their oversight authority by allowing their direct reports to work from home, times -- and technology – have changed and it is clear that the workplace of the near future will bear little resemblance to the crowded offices and factories of the past.

5. Mentoring: Historical and tacit knowledge

As noted in Table 1 above, a multigenerational workforce represents a veritable cornucopia of knowledge, some of it acquired through the school of hard knocks and others from prestigious graduate schools. As a result, unlike coaching, members of each generational cohort can serve as mentors in some capacity for members of other generations. Regardless of its source, though, the importance of knowledge for organizations of all sizes and types is well documented, and there is a growing consensus among organizational behaviorists that one of the only certain ways of achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage is through knowledge acquisition and administration. In this regard, Stevens (2018) points out that, “Learning and transferring knowledge within an organization is essential to the future success of the organization. As such it has become imperative for managers to enhance organizational competence in the development of knowledge capture and transfer” (p. 220). This guidance means that it is also vitally important to memorialize tacit knowledge while it is still available and to ensure that it is disseminated to appropriate employees that can benefit from the lessons learned in the past.