17. Generational Diversity in the Workplace Diane M. Holtzman The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Evonne J. Kruger The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Charles D. Srock The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey For the first time in history, four distinctively diverse generations are employed in our workforce: Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials and soon to be entering our workforce are the 23+ million individuals in Generation Z (Schroer, 2010). Depending on the years used to define the Generation Z cohort, soon we may have five diverse generations in our workforce (King, 2010). These cohorts frequently collide in today's workplace, creating environments characterized by individual and generational enmitywhere attitudes of "Us" versus "Them" and "every man and woman for himself and herself" surface (Zemke, Raines, & Filipczak, 2000, p. 5). The adversarial atmosphere impedes the energies, productivity, teamwork, and collaborative problem solving required by complex and competitive global markets. To foster organizational environments that are positive and productive, employers must be aware of the strengths and assets that each generation as a group brings to their organizations, and become skilled in dealing with individuals from each generation as subordinates, supervisors and customers. Each generation tends to have different attitudes about work ethics, career development, work/life balance, job expectations, communication styles, training, adaptation to and use of electronic technology, rewards and compensation (Center for Generational Studies, 2006). According to Lancaster and Stillman (2002), . .. different generations of employees won't become more alike with age. They will carry their "generational personalities" with them throughout their lives. In fact, when hard times hit, the generations are likely to entrench themselves even more deeply into the attitudes and behaviors that have been ingrained in them. (p. 8)Demographers agree about the overall profiles of the distinct cohorts in the workforce, but disagree on the years of birth and cohort names. The workplace behaviors associated with this generation are still evolving but it is known that Generation Z individuals have grown up and been influenced by access to the newest communication tools such as the internet, cell phones, MP3 players, and IPods. This generation uses technology and is dependent upon it. Although Gen Zers are well connected, it is predicted that they will be weaker in terms of interpersonal skills and experience more unemployment and downsizing and may distrust corporations and have less loyalty to 111 organizations than previous generations (Generation Z, 2010; Generation Y and Z, 2010). . The oldest workers, those 44.2 million born between 1922 and 1943 are termed "veterans," the "swing generation," or the "great generation" depending on the social observer. The term "greatest generation" was used by the journalist Tom Brokaw to describe the generation that grew up during the Great Depression and who fought in World War II (Brokaw, 2004). . The baby boomer generation, approximately 77 million people, has been defined both as those born between 1943 and 1960 and those with births spanning the years 1946 through 1964.. The 52.4 million generation Xers have been defined as being both born between 1985 and 1980, as well as between 1960 and 1980. . The Generation Y cohort is termed the Millennials and Generation Nexters. At 77.6 million, they are now the largest generation. Some place their births between 1980 and 2000, others between 1981 and 1999 [Filipezak, 2000; Lancaster &Stillman, 2002; Zemke, Raines). . The generation that follows Gen Y is called "generation Z," the \"digital generation, generation 9/1 1"' and the "iGeneration"; and includes those individuals born after 1994 but before 2004 (Generation 2,. 2010]. Others state that Generation Z includes those born after 2001 [Working with Generation Yano' Z, 2010}. . Those born within a year or two of the start of a new generation are called "'cuspers\" because they \"stand in the gap between the two sides . . . [and] become naturals at mediating, translating, and mentoring" (Lancaster &Stillman, 2002, p. 39). As Generation Z individuals begin to enter the workplace. there will be employees from the Swing 112 As Generation Z individuals begin to enter the workplace, there will be employees from the Swing Generation and the Baby Boom Generation who continue to be in the work force. in an article in Business Week, Coy (2005} found that starting in the mid1980's, older Americans chose to keep working which can be attributed to improved physical and mental health, the desire to stay useful and the need for organizations to hold on to experience. Even executives are making career switches ratherthan retiring because they become bored with retirement and miss a sense of productivity and intellectual challenge (San .Jose Business Journal, Report, 2007). Others remain in the workforce longer because they are not financially prepared for retirement (Moore, 2010} especially with the recession that began in 2008. Each generation has unique perspectives and values about work and the work environment. in traditional hierarchical organizations, generations tend to be more segregated as experienced individuals rise to higher positions with experience. In general, older employees tend to be in upper and uppermiddle management, middleaged employees in middle management and occasionally in upper management, and younger employees in lowerto more central levels. However, as organizations flatten into more horizontal structures, a \"mixing\" of generations occurs that profoundly influences organizational processes. As teamwork increases, intergenerational differences spark interpersonal conflict, creating issues surrounding collaborative problem solving, motivation, communication, training, and supervision. Thus, because of its impact on organization effectiveness, generational diversity must be added to traditional discussions of diversity in the workplace. The nomenclature and the time frames for the cohorts that follow are those defined by Bon Zemke, Claire Ftaines, and Bob Filipczak (2000} and Baines (2002}. Generations in the Workplace The Profile for Veterans: Born between 1922 and 1943 The core values of Veterans include dedication, discipline, sacrifice, hard work, duty betore pleasure, delayed rewards, conformity, consistency and uniformity, a sense of history, and an orientation toward the past; respect for authority, adherence to the rules, preference tor hierarchy; patience; conservative spending, and a deep sense of personal organizational and national honor. Veterans were influenced by world events that included the 1929 stock market crash, Dust Bowl; and Great Depression in the 1980s; Franklin Roosevelts presidencyparticularly his optimism and the New Deal which brought Social Security and other social programs; the rise of Hitler and tail of Europe; Pearl Harbor and the United States at war; victories in Europe and Japan; and the Korean War. Assets olhaving Veterans in the workplace include their stability, orientation to detail, thoroughness; loyalty, and consistent hard work. Their liabilities include their difficulty coping with ambiguity and change; reluctance to buck the system, discomfort with conflict and reticence to disagree with those in positions of authority. Messages thafmotivate Veterans include, \"Your experience is respected here; it's valuable to the rest of us to hear what has, and hasn't, worked in the past." When communicating with Veterans, employers should use inclusive language, written or face-to-face communication, and more formal language. In their leadership style, Veterans are directive, use command-and-control leadership, and use executive decision-making. They want to take charge, delegate and make the bulk of the decisions themselves (Aldisert, 2002, p. 25; Zemke, Raines, & Filipczak, 2000, pp. 29-32). The Profile for Baby Boomers: Born between 1943 and 1960 The core values of Baby Boomers include optimism, team orientation, personal gratification, health and wellness, personal growth, staying young, hard work, and involvement. Boomers were influenced by: the Mccarthy hearings in 1954; victories over polio and tuberculosis; the struggle for Civil Rights from Rosa Parks, through school integration; Martin Luther King, Jr.; the involvement of students in voter registration, bomb shelters, and nuclear power; easily accessible birth control; John F. Kennedy's presidency, including the establishment of the Peace Corps; the Cuban missile crisis; astronauts in space; the assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy; the Vietnam War and student protests that culminated in the Kent State University shootings; founding of the National Organization for Women; and the disgrace of Richard M. Nixon.113 Assets othaving Boomers in the workpl'ace include their service orientation, willingness to \"go the extra mile,\" ability to establish and maintain good working relationships. desire to please, and their team spirit. Liabilities include frequent lack of budget orientation, discomfort with conflict to the point of conflict avoidance, reluctance to disagree with peers for fear of harming working relationships, comfort with process frequently overshadowing the need for goal attainment, being overly sensitive to feedback, being judgmental of those who see things differently, and selfcenteredness. Messages that motivate Boomers include, '\"r'ouire valued here,\" 'We need you,\" \"I approve of you,\" and "Your contributions are unique and important." When communicating with Boomers employers should use an open, direct style; answer questions thoroughly; avoid controlling, manipulative language; use faceto face or electronic communication; and convey flexibility. in their ieadership styl'e, Boomers are collegial and consensual, but sometimes authoritarian. They are passionate and concerned about participation, spirit, humanity in the workplace, and creating a fair and level playing field for all. Because Boomers grew up with conservative parents and worked in their early careers for commandandcontrol supervisors, they often slip into that style when collegiality fails. Many Boomer managers lack sophisticated communication, motivation, supervision, and delegation skills [Aldisert, 2002, pp. 2526; Zemke, Ftaines, &Filipezak, 2000, pp. 0391}. The Profile for the Gen Xers: Born between 1960 and 1980 The core values of the Gen Xers include appreciation of diversity, ability to think globally, the balance of work and home, technoliteracy, espousing the idea that work should be fun, having a casual approach to authority, selfreliance and independence, and pragmatism. The Gen Xers were influenced by the lollowing events: the struggle for women's liberation and gay rights, the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis, personal computers, the Three Mile Island meltdown, disenchantment with nuclear power, successive recessions accompanied by massive layotfs, the Iran hostages episode, erosion of America's world dominance and respect, the Challenger disaster, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, AIDS, Operation Desert Storm, and the fall of communism. Assets of having Xers in the workplace include that they are adaptable, technoliterate, independent, not intimidated by authority, voracious learners, iinancially savvy, multitask oriented, experienced team members, and creative. Liabilities include that they are impatient, have poor people skills, are cynical, have low expectations about job security, are less willing to make personal sacrifices at work, and resist being micromanaged. Messages that motive Gen Xers include, "Do it your way,\" "We've got the newest hardware and software,\" and "There are not a lot of rules around here." When communicating with Gen Xers, employers should use electronic communication as the primary tool, write in short sound bytes, present facts, ask f feedback, share information immediately, use an informal style, and listen. In their leadership styles, Xers are uncomfortable with bureaucratic rules and procedures and tradition chain-of-command systems. They know that sophisticated and demanding customers expect their need be met immediately. The Gen X leader is skilled at supporting and developing a responsive, competent t that can change direction, or projects, quickly. They are egalitarian and not hierarchical in their thinking. addition, they are adept at accessing information electronically (Aldisert, 2002, p. 26; Zemke, Raines, Filipczak, 2000, pp. 92-126). The Profile for the Millennials: Born between 1980 and 2000 The core values for the Millennials include a sense of civic duty, confidence, optimism, achievement, sociability, morality, collaboration, open-minded, street smarts, an appreciation of diversity, respect for community and authority, okay at staying connected to others and the world through communication technology. The Millennials' sphere of seminal events and trends includes violence such as the terrorism of September 11th, the shootings at Columbine, and the Oklahoma City bombing; the increased use of technology; busy lives; the President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal; and years of service learninthroughout elementary and secondary school. Assets ofhaving Milienniais in the workplace include their optimism, tenacity, heroic spirit, multitasking capabilities, technological knowhow, collaborative skills, and their being goal oriented. Liabilities include their need for supervision, mentoring, and structure, inexperience in handling difficult interpersonal issues, need for constant feedback and praise, distaste for menial work, lack of skills for dealing with ditficult people, impatience, and overconfidence. Messages that motivate Miiienniais include, "You'll be working with other bright creative people," "You 114 and your colleagues can help turn this company around,\" "Your boss is in his (or her} sixties,\" \"Your schedule will be flexible." When communicating with Millennials, employers should use descriptive language and action verbs, not talk down, show respect, use electronic and visual communication to motivate, promote constant feedback, use humor, and be encouraging. in their ieadership styie, Millennials combine the teamwork ethic of the Boomers with the can-do attitude of the Veterans and the technological savvy of the Xers. Resiliency is one of their strongest traits. They are very comfortable dealing with Boomers. Their learning preferences include teamwork, technology, structure, entertainment and excitement, and experiential activities. (Aldisert, 2002, pp. 2729; Raines, 2002; Zemke, Raines, &Filipczak, 2000, pp. 127150; Zust (ndD