Building a Cohesive Multigenerational Workforce Environment

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.

Defining the Generational Cohorts

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

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 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 the mid-21st century (Bialik & Fry, 2019). In addition, the growing legions of Baby Boomers who have already retired (many of them earlier than planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic) or who plan on retiring in the next few years will place enormous pressure on the country's Social Security network. 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).

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 schema means they have survived a social and political crucible that has given them more resilience compared to many members of other generations. 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).

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 as immigrants increase the size of this cohort while also driving greater gender, ethnic, and racial diversity in the American workforce. 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 (Bialik & Fry, 2019).

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. In addition, a growing percentage of Millennials are postponing or avoiding marriage entirely compared to previous generations, though mothers from this generation still account for the majority of births in the country today (Bialik & Fry, 2019). Bialik and Fry (2019) also make the prescient observation that Millennials "are 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 other words, Millennials have emerged as the new political powerhouse that will wield an inordinate amount of influence in the years to come.

The youngest generational cohort to join the American workforce in recent years has been dealt a challenging hand. Most of these young people have never known a time without 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 Generation Y on steroids — or perhaps Millennials version 2.0 — and 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.

Coaching and Leadership Styles in a Multigenerational Context

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 in coaching situations involving such vast disparities in age is the potential reluctance of older workers to accept guidance and advice from individuals who may be half — or even less than half — 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).

Regional and even local differences can also affect which leadership styles are most effective in a given workplace setting, and these differences can change over time. Although there is no "one size fits all" optimal leadership style that can be used with equal effectiveness across the multigenerational divide, most authorities agree that the application of the golden rule by leaders — as evidenced by consistent concern for employee well-being and satisfaction — is universally appropriate and effective in virtually any workplace setting today (Rahim & Osman, 2020).

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

Table 1. Creating a cohesive workplace environment for a multigenerational workforce

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 accepting stereotypes about various generations as true; be alert to language that perpetuates stereotypes, such as "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 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 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 ones. All age groups have opportunities to learn from each other.

Consider life paths. Understand where employees are 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

Motivation is perhaps the most challenging factor to assess because there are significant intergenerational differences 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 considerations for a multigenerational workforce.

Conclusion

The research was consistent in showing that the demographic makeup of the American workforce has changed in fundamental ways in recent years, and even more pronounced changes are anticipated at least until the mid-21st century. Some of the more timely and relevant findings that emerged from the research include the fact that the combination of declining birthrates and a rapidly retiring Baby Boomer generation is creating a gap in the current workforce — a gap projected to become even more pronounced by 2050. Although it would be disingenuous to conclude that each of the generational cohorts originally identified by Strauss and Howe in 1991 represents a discrete group with universal attributes, the findings did underscore the need to take into account the general preferences of each generational cohort with respect to leadership style in order to create and sustain a cohesive environment for the multigenerational workforce.

References

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