Multigenerational Workforce Conflicts

In the 21st century, the health care workforce is made up of four different generations of workers, who now operate from many different cultural perspectives. As a health care manager, it is important for you to understand how to manage conflict within and between these groups. In this assessment, you will evaluate strategies to support the multigenerational health care workforce and help them work in a harmonious fashion.

Imaginethat you manage a department in a health care organization of your choosing. The organization recently merged with another, layoffs occurred, and departments are now being consolidated. Your department now has employees whose ages span four generations, in which three different cultural groups are represented. Conflict is brewing between them. The conflict is affecting performance, shift scheduling, and cooperation with other departments. Your supervisor requests that your presentation includes addressing strategies to effectively manage your multigenerational workforce, especially as it relates to conflict in workstyles.

Writea directive to address these conflicts. Do the following in your directive:

• Assess the situation that your department is facing.
• Create clear and reasonable expectations and goals to achieve cohesion, cooperation, and communication between the four generations of workers in your department.
• Lay out a strategy to overcome these conflicts and improve workplace performance.
• Explain how success will be measured based on your strategy and goals.
• Consider using tables, matrices, or other visuals.
• Evaluate what leadership traits you need to incorporate to lead your diverse department.