generation gap blog

My company works with all types of companies to find and hire a variety of different people.  We hire across the board and work within different fields. What Building Team Solutions has noticed, along with our clients, is a difference of how work is viewed based through the eyes of different generations.

In fact, the generation gap often becomes a major point of contention for most employers. Why is this? Well, again- work is viewed differently and each generation has different expectations of the job,  of their peers, and of themselves. Their needs are different, too.  Working out how to cater to and mix multiple-generations within a company is tricky and there is no black and white answer.

First, you need to understand what the different generations are;

• The Veterans, born 1922-1943. Their earliest memories and influences are
associated with the Great Depression and World War II.
• The Baby Boomers, 1943-1960. They were raised in an era of extreme
optimism, opportunity and progress.
• Generation Xers, 1960-1980. They came of age in the shadow of the
Boomers.
• Generation Nexters, 1980-2000. Those born of the Baby Boomers and early
Xers and into the current high-tech, robust economy.

We here at building team solutions have some tips to help you cater to the different generations. Again, always check with your company’s lawyer to ensure any action you take is well within the law.

1.  Be accommodating.  We don’t have a text book answer for how to bridge the gap. So, why do employers try to implement text book policies? If one group is responsible enough to work from home while another group prefer to work at work- see how you can make this work.

2.  Nourish retention. You want to keep all your good employees. You don’t want to lose employees because your company is unable to serve multiple generations of workers. Figure out what policies are working and which ones to toss out.

3.  Create choices.  Let your employees feel appreciated by providing them with choices. Even if the choice is parking space A vs. parking space B.

There is no easy answer here. However, these tips should help start the conversation on how your company can help bridge the generation gap at work.

Britanie Olvera, CEO