| STRATEGIC ANALYSIS |
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| The generation challenge (II) |
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As I was saying in my previous article it's interesting to see the impact a generation of employees has on the workplace and, furthermore, how this impact should not be neglected. A key element is that one of the reasons for an inefficient communication between employees is based on age difference and inferentially the needs and aspirations of every generation.
After we looked at the elements that define generations, by means of dividing them in periods of 20 years, it's now time to see how each generation responds to different challenges in the workplace.
How do they feel about authority and leadership?
1. "The Silents" generation ("Inter-War")
• They put a high price on loyalty, dedication and commitment towards the organization
• They need clearly defined roles and a strong central figure, to serve as a leader
• They strongly believe in traditions, uniformity, consistency and norms
• They are very patriotic
2. The "Baby Boomers" ("Collectivization" generation)
• Generally they like a consensual and friendly style of leadership
• Although they support a participative style of management, they find it very hard to use it themselves
• In Romania, during their youth years ('60 - '80) they witnessed a situation of contradictions: the style of management was authoritarian and military while socially the signs of a new generation, similar to that outside of the Iron Curtain, were beginning to appear (hippie), but this was crushed in the early 80's
• After the revolution, some of them felt the need of a participative style of leadership, that could help them regain the comfort they lost due to the sudden move from communism to market economy
3. The "X" generation (the "Decreeds")
• They tend to question authority and state run institutions
• They don't trust hierarchy and prefer a more informal style of organization
• They tend to favor merits rather than status
• They value independence and individuality, seeing themselves as free lancers or at least agents of change
• They like to question policies and procedures that are unclear, ambiguous or obsolete
• They are flexible and can adapt to a continuously changing market
4. The "Y" generation
• They are less inclined to respect the rules of the society they live in
• They may not have an implicit respect for authority - they don't back down when it comes to offering suggestions about improving certain situations
• They tend to have low confidence when it comes to politicians, journalists and public institutions in general
• They respect skill
• They are not impressed by positions, titles or authority
• They see leadership as a participative process and they display assertion and bluntness in their relations with superiors
• They are more narcissistic then previous generations, individualistic, independent
• They want leaders to be competent, inspiring and motivational
How do they react towards technology?
1. "The Silents" generation ("Inter-War")
• They grew up in an era where physical labor was more important than the one based on knowledge
• They have a tendency to feel uncomfortable around modern technology, seeing some electronic equipment as being intimidating
• They prefer to communicate by phone or face to face
2. The "Baby Boomers" ("Collectivization" generation)
• Their way of life changed when televisions started to expand
• They understand the importance of technology both at home as well as in the workplace, but it still represents a challenge for some of them
3. The "X" generation (the "Decreeds")
• They are the first generation that grew up alongside computers, video-players and video games
• Technology is important in every aspect of their life and they feel comfortable with it
• They expect their employers to provide them with the latest technology in order to help them at their work
4. The "Y" generation
• They grew up in an environment full of easily accessible technology and they are those who are most comfortable around it
• They assimilate new technologies very quickly
• The easiness with which they handle technology offers them a competitive advantage - sometimes they help adults get used to technology
• They have a tendency to think fast and handle more responsibilities at the same time
• They use their technological intelligence to communicate, learn and have fun
• They are permanently online and can easily find any information on the Internet or through the social networks they are part of
• They are very dependent on technology and this can affect their ability to write or talk correctly
• The way they use technology creates a need for instant gratification from those with authority
How do they react towards those around them?
1. "The Silents" generation ("Inter-War")
• They respect authority
• They sometimes have a tendency to get stuck in a "I have never done this" type of mentality
2. The "Baby Boomers" ("Collectivization" generation)
• They like to work for a manager who cares about them and treats them as equals
• They appreciate team work and participative leadership
• Equality is important, they want to be treated fairly
• Interpersonal communication and personal relations are important
• They are not comfortable with conflict
• Personal rewards matter
3. The "X" generation (the "Decreeds")
• They want to build lasting personal relations
• They can be counted on when it comes to difficult tasks
• They see the concept of family as an emotional and personal commitment between partners rather than the traditional sense
• They have a tendency to manifest their personal leadership; they don't like hierarchy that much
• They are more independent than previous generations
4. The "Y" generation
• Weak face to face communication skills are based on the intensive use of virtual communications
• They tend to be more loyal to their colleagues, friends or managers rather than the organization they are part of
• Socializing and personal relations are the salt and pepper at the work place, being more important than productivity, profitability or results
• They like to work and learn from colleagues that are older, colleagues they respect
• The relationship with their direct manager is the key factor when they make the decision to stay or leave the organization
In the third part of the article we will look at the way in which generations react towards change and diversity, management, rewards and motivation.
Rares Manolescu
Senior Manager |
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Human Invest is a Premier League company in the arena of training and organizational development consultancy services, present on the Romanian market since 1998.
We are recognized for conceiving and implementing programs which offer managers an authentic experience towards improving their leadership performances, and thus we support companies in becoming more and more engaged in delivering excellent services for their clients.
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