Did you know that no less than five very different generations will be sharing the workplace in the year 2020?
That’s an unprecedented state of affairs, and one that is already leading to some major challenges in the workplace. Very often, inter-office conflict and miscommunication has roots in generational differences. Whether you are in leadership, part of a team, or even on the outside looking in, you should know whether your organization has internal obstacles that make communicating across the generations more difficult than it has to be.
ASSESSMENT: IS YOUR WORKPLACE GENERATIONALLY CHALLENGED?
Take this simple five-point assessment to find out whether your organization would benefit from a program for improving intergenerational communication.
- You have heard, read, or seen someone in your organization over the age of 45 express resentment, disappointment, surprise or even anger about a younger colleague wanting too much too quickly (for example, “He’s only been here three months and he expects a raise/promotion.”). TRUE/FALSE
- You have heard, read, or seen someone in your organization over the age of 45 complain about not receiving recognition or positive reinforcement in the workplace. (For example, “Would it kill her to give me a compliment once in a while?”). TRUE/FALSE
- A younger employee has shown up for work in an outfit, wearing a hairstyle, or sporting some form of body adornment, that caused older employees to talk about him or her in an unflattering way. TRUE/FALSE
- A group of senior employees or volunteers were asked to take part in a project overseen by a younger manager, and things didn’t go well because the older employees didn’t feel they were being shown the proper respect. TRUE/FALSE
- A promising younger employee has accumulated significant experience with your organization in a very short period of time, and then left to work for another company with little or no advance notice. TRUE/FALSE
If you have experienced, observed, or heard about even ONE of these workplace issues, the odds are good that you have a generational communication problem in your workplace, but haven’t yet taken action to address it. To identify the real problems that gives rise to experiences like these, and to begin the process of building a workplace environment where good communication among the generations is a daily reality, check out THE GREAT WORKPLACE REVOLUTION.
Click here to learn more about the five generations that will be sharing the workplace in the year 2020 (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation 2020).
KEY TAKEAWAY: It is beneficial to appoint a generational coach/campaign to facilitate learning the languages and ways of each generation.
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