Generational Wars: Managing a Multigenerational Office

Baby Boomers, Generation Y, Millennials, and GenZ are the current workforce and having them all in the same room can get a little sticky. Here’s a guide on managing a multigenerational office.

Sometimes office arguments can get a little heated. But there are ways to tackle this situation. Once you understand how each of these generations work, it is not difficult to avoid discords in the workplace due to conflicts of interest. But knowing how to handle each generation can make your work easier. Whether you're in HR or a manager or even just a curious employee, this article will help understanding and managing the multigenerational workforce. 

Why Do They Clash?

Before diving into resolving the generational wars, you must first understand why generations clash. The most obvious answer is, of course, the different ways of thinking. The ideologies of each generation are different. So when one generation comes across something from another that they do not agree with, an argument can take place. 

Not all offices have a multigenerational workforce. There are offices that only prefer one generation working for them. A certain number of years of experience is necessary in some offices which filters out the younger generations. But offices that do not have this requirement have a multigenerational workforce. 

Intergenerational cultural differences also affect this factor. When one generation is used to a certain thing, they do not want to accept that other generations have changed said thing. This leads to disagreements. This can be seen in cases like empowerment of sexualities, ethnicities, cultures, etc. by the younger generations, which the older generations were not used to. There can also be conflicts regarding how certain things are supposed to be done. 

Managing a Multigenerational Office

In this blog, you will understand the mentalities about work of each generation, which will help you manage them. 

Baby Boomers: 

Baby Boomers are the oldest working generation right now. The important thing to know about this generation is that they value hard work more than anybody. They believe in work over life. Baby Boomers are hard shelled and want to stand their ground when it comes to forming an opinion. They believe in power in seniority and work to provide. 

This generation needs to be handled with a lot of understanding and patience. Because the world is evolving and it is all new to them, they can panic and resolve to what they find comfort in. Instead of explaining to them, understand their points and try to integrate their ways of working in the meetings. 

Generation X:

This generation saw their parents’ live to work mentality and adapted the work to live ideology. One important thing to know about this generation is that they are flexible and value trust and loyalty. Gen Xers are also hard workers who prioritise their families. 

Dealing with this generation at a workplace is quite simple because they are resilient and are open to understanding. The best way to appeal to this generation is to bounce ideas off them. People in this generation are in their 40s and 50s. They are in the middle of the age groups and relate to both- the boomers and the millennials. 

The Millennials:

Generation Y, or more commonly known as the millennials, have made a name for themselves in the world. They are a generation with a lot of experience with technology. They are incredibly flexible and understanding. This generation gels more with their younger counterpart, GenZ. They know how to deal with difficult situations. This generation prefers to work for a good standard of living. 

Millennials are the one generation that will not have problems with their workplace. They are the one generation that can adapt the most. They will know how to resolve feuds and can come up with solutions on the spot. This generation appreciates mutual respect and understanding. They also believe in equality in all aspects in the workplace. 

GenZ:

This is the newest generation to enter the workforce. GenZ’s mentality can be a little difficult to understand, but they are more than happy to tell you. This generation believes in learning and teaching. They want to voice their opinions and do not like to be wronged. This generation’s ideology has been carved by the millennials; and has further been shaped by the new world. So they are the most open minded and inclusive generation. This generation has learnt from the previous generations and have understood to prioritise their health over work. 

Since this generation is extremely new to the corporate world, it is important to show them the ropes. This generation appreciates people who are willing to teach them without patronising them. As the youngest working generation, it is easy for them to be looked down upon by the older generations. A way to deal with this is to encourage them instead of humiliating them. 

How To Manage Everyone Together?

It is normal for some of the generations to not get along with each other. But the difficulty arises when ideologies clash over work. When this happens, 

1. Remember to keep things professional and try to understand everybody’s points. 
2. There should be no bias or conflict of interest over your own generation. 
3. Know that everybody is an employee, and should thus be treated equally as employees. 
4. If someone fails to understand, patiently explain professionally. 
5. Remind them that the office is a professional setting and there should be no personal grudges to be held. 

Conclusion:

It is important to remember that no matter what generation the workforce is from, they are all human, and thus should be treated this way. If there are any signs of people being patronised, it should be nipped in the bud. Everyone learns from experiences so nobody should be discredited or stonewalled. All opinions should be heard and considered before a decision is made.