Closing The Generation Gap - Some Thoughts + Ideas For Those In The Middle

 

Yesterday I was fortunate to attend a learning session called “Closing The Generational Divide” featuring the author of “OK Boomer!” Janet Granger. Full transparency – I’m turning 40 next year which puts me right in the “elder millennial” bracket. At this point in time (2024) I find myself in the middle of the “generational pack” – reporting to (or having reported to recently) mostly Gen X and Boomers while many of my direct reports, colleagues and teammates are Younger Millennials or Gen Z. With that – wanted to share some learnings and possible actions those that are in a similar spot could consider to bridge the generation gap!

LEARNING #1 – Fear is an emotion that frequently appears at work but is often overlooked. This can be cloaked in different ways, such as wondering where resources will be allocated, who will get promoted, will my team and I look good, etc.

With Younger Millennials and Gen Z – a lot of these concerns are financial driven. They have seen what happened to many of their parents and relatives losing their jobs in 2008 along with the increased cost of housing and education. Front of mind for many are - can they ever afford a house? And children – can they afford them..? Making these individuals feel included and involved can help create a sense of stability that can help minimize these fears. Additionally if there is an opportunity for financial rewards/benefits – take it. Instead of a pizza party providing a financial thank you may be an option that is FAR more meaningful to younger colleagues.

With Gen X/Boomers – many may be unaware of the sense of fear that newer colleagues could be feeling. Many are at advanced/sunset stages of their careers and (likely) have more financial stability, plus they grew in the workforce when costs as compared to wages weren’t as big of a concern (this Money.com article focuses on the housing market in particular). From my end – I see a key role of mine is to keep close tabs on what is important to the younger workforce and communicate that upward.

LEARNING #2 – Loyalty? What’s that? Safe to say that there is an inverse relationship between age and sense of loyalty – older employees may feel a strong sense of duty to an employer while younger generations…may not.

With Young Millennials and Gen Z – they have more options than ever for employment. Rather than looking at a map where a physical office and distance from home would define which jobs are available, more and more hybrid and remote jobs are available, making options expand exponentially for this generation. And considering the financial fears above – if another employer offers more money, flexibility and/or better leadership, they’re out. As a leader – being aware of this is key and if you want to foster loyalty – in a positive, engaging way - you have to make that happen yourself. This will be a cornerstone leadership skill moving forward.

With Gen X/Boomers – reporting upward, these individuals may take more things for granted when it comes to loyalty, sensing workers need to “pay their dues” like many of them had to. This is simply not the case anymore and if executives and organizations don’t have the mindset that they are actively competing for their current talent, they do so at their own peril.

LEARNING #3 - Change is inevitable and accelerating. Leaning on Young Millennials and Gen Z to help drive the innovation needed can be a great way to engage, excite and get a lot of productivity from these generations – as well as address Learnings 1 and 2 listed above (!)

With Younger Millennials/Gen Z – they have been raised in a world of continuous change and for many this is a hidden advantage. They have grown up in a world of technology and adapting quickly the evolving situations (think COVID – they went through that as well). Asking for them to find ways to do things better, update processes and incorporate technical efficiencies can be a great way to keep these teams engaged and also modernize your team and organization along the way.

With Gen X/Boomers – remember “knowledge is power”? Anybody can Google nearly anything. Or “it’s who you know”? LinkedIn can connect nearly anybody with anybody else. And institutional knowledge? The new generation is ready to challenge any process in place and find ways to innovate and change them. Long story short – if they’re coming in with a thirst to make things more current and efficient, let them. You may be surprised with how far faith and empowerment will go.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading + give yourself a pat on the back! Thoughts or comments? Please share - would love to hear!