PTT: Generations in the Workplace

Professional Tip Tuesday

One of my favorite topics to learn about is generational differences in the workplace. I happened to catch this Levo article today, "The 4 Generational Attitudes that Make Up the Modern Workplace". I think it's so interesting to read about how different age groups think things through  based on the society they grew up in.

So what are the typical working styles of generations in the workplace? And what's the best communication style?

• Traditionalist
• Born in or before 1945
• Strong work ethic, dedicated, and traditional values of authority and respect
• Communicate in a formal and direct manner, be respectful of authority.
• Baby Boomers
• Born between 1946-1964
• Competitive, personal fulfillment through achievement and accomplishment of goals
• Communicate in a way that recognizes their efforts, face-to-face communication is best.
• Gen X 
• Born between 1965-1979
• Loyal, self-reliant, entrepreneurial - value work-life balance and sense of family
• Communicate in a clear manner, explain why something is important, and give them space.
• Gen Y 
• Born between 1980-2000
• Multi-taskers, optimistic, ambitious, team-oriented and collaborative 
• Communication can be relaxed, and informal - embrace flexibility and praise good work.

Even from that brief description, you can see how these different communication styles can be very different. BUT you can also see all of the awesome qualities a diverse team could possess. A better understanding of where someone might be coming from and how they communicate can help foster more effective teamwork. 

Also, these categories obviously aren't a complete catchall. Just because someone might fit in the Baby Boomer slot, doesn't mean they can't work better in an informal and flexible work environment. But these traits give us something to think about in our workplace communication styles. 

P.S. I am including this video because I love Ted Talks - but it's only partially relevant to this post. Enjoy!