Generations: coexisting turmoil

Summary: Coexisting generations leads to conflict and stress. But differences can’t be denied.


Companies, like individuals, find high performance hard to sustain. The surveys say only about 5 percent can keep it up for a decade or more.

The threat

Globalization raises concerns about the effects of increasing diversity - race, culture, nationality, gender and skills - on the organization and its performance. Technology is getting ahead of people development.

Those used to sameness don’t readily accept ideas or processes that may threaten comfort zones. The fear of losing control raises the resistance to newness.

Coexisting groups

Now the challenge is furthered with four generations coexisting in the workplace. These groups are also all used to different periods of time and work attitudes.
These member groups are also all used to different things.

For example:

• ‘Traditionalists’ (born before 1945) are familiar with mass productions and assembly lines.
• Baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) have experienced cold war competiveness.
• Generation X (born between 1965-1979) have grown up with the confusions between colonialism and globalization.
• Millennials or Generation Y (born 1980 onwards) are used to worldwide Internet, diversity and business process outsourcing.
  

Coexistence leads to conflict and stress.

Differences abound

So each group carries into the system different experiences and understanding of economic, sociocultural, political and technological change. When beliefs and perceptions vary, so do outlooks and behaviours.

Differences of age, organizational experience, attitudes and creativity are most glaring with the newest entrants to the workforce, the Millennials. The fingers of blame commonly point at them, as responsible for the organizational turmoil forcing change!

New perspective

But evolving differences can’t be denied. Technology alters lifestyles and structures. High-speed computer connectivity encourages the ‘www’ relationships.
People constantly surfing the ’Net are far more aware of the outside world than about immediate neighbours or relatives. They don’t anchor on specific people or places, but have a global perspective - much less ideological, much more issue-based.

Stressed employers

The tech savvy think and act in ways that upsets the organizational status quo. The hierarchical leadership style of generating the ideas, using powerful language and sticking to task is also being eroded.

Authority structures are shaken by the conflict. So, survey reports say, up to 60% of employers experience stress at work.

Cont’d 2…growing virtually