Multigenerational Team

As you will learn, an inter-generational workforce provides many opportunities and challenges. While generational differences can and do lead to frustration, conflicts and poor morale, they do not have to. This

Each generation has developed a set of values and postures that are different from one another. Organizational settings should understand these generational differences in order to be more effective in leading a multigenerational workforce (Al-Asfour & Lettau, 2014). Leadership Training on the Generational Gap & Age Discrimination solutions are an important issue concerning creating a training programs to combat age gap problems in the workplaces. This might help to lower discrimination violations and complaints in the workplace and to the Human Rights Commission. Society in America has become much large in age gaps in labor this is not myths, but a mere reality that needs plans for solutions.

There are many challenges facing managers and leaders in current workforce. The variety of cultures, races and generations in today’s environment is making work harder. “Managing will also get even more difficult because of globalization, multi-generational workforce, dependency on technology, unethical behaviors and practices.” (Kaifi,2013,pg.217). In this paper I will talk about the three generations that we have had over the past sixty years – the Baby Boomer Generation, Generation X and the current Generation Y, known as Millennials. This rich mix of generations in the workforce can be attributed primarily to labor shortages experienced in many industries and the rising average age of retirement.

To take a case in point, when discussing diversity in the workplace the main topics discussed are culture, gender, and race. Consequently, the topic of generational diversity in the workplace mostly becomes a forgotten type of diversity to discuss. During the course of LMM328-17: Diversity and Intergenerational Effectiveness, Ms. Sams construes that generational diversity does not focus solely on how each of the four generations’ (Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials) diverse experiences and characteristics influences the manner of how generations apply themselves in the workplace.

The four generations make up a dynamic and challenging workforce. The differences each generation brings will create exciting changes through organizational change and a shift in management¡¦s perspective on personnel issues. Only by understanding and respecting the generational differences, can Management successfully accomplish the blending of these four disparate generations into a unified workforce.

Currently the workforce is facing an anomaly; working individuals are likely working alongside coworkers born in different generations. In the near future, the Baby Boomer generation will transition into retirement. This event will open many upper level positions, which the Baby Boomer generation currently holds. The Baby Boomer generations represents 78.3 million individuals in the current population, with the Millennial generation representing 92 million in the current population. When this transition occurs, many Millennials will be given the opportunity to advance in their profession, and secure top-level management positions. Are Millennials prepared to transition into these upper level positions? This report will examine the (a) the multigenerational workforce, (b) the Baby Boomer generation, (c) the Millennial Generation, (d) workforce challenges, and (e) gap bridging recommendations.

Professor Vasanthi Srinivasan also noticed some friction between generations. Srinivasan is the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, chair of corporate responsibility and governance, has an MBA in human resources, and has a PhD from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. In her article, “Multi Generation in the Workforce: Building Collaboration,” she writes, “Informal groups of ‘old timers’ have experienced significant critical events in the early stages of the organization, and ‘new recruits’ who often come with higher qualification and skills are likely to be seen as ‘outsiders’” (Srinivasan 49). These differences could cause generations to doubt one another and avoid communication in the workplace.

As the globalization of work continues and the generational age groups change, the focus on understanding and “leveraging” the skill differences between the groups is becoming more and more critical to the success of a business. Organizations must continue to motivate and engage this multi-generational workforce for the best performances.

Being assigned to various roles from subordinate to assigned leadership positions, I have noticed that the work environment and project teams are not constructed in a manner to capitalize on the strengths of the current generation that are entering the workplace. This is not only true for USAREC, but also most mainstream organizations. I have witnessed symptoms and the results from not understanding how to benefit from creating the environment to capitalize on generational traits dealing with the millennial.

As indicated by Forbes, the normal work environment now accommodates four generational eras in one place, including Veterans (born in or before 1946), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1979), and Millennials (1980-2000). Today, the old dog and the young pup need to work congruously to reach their end goals. These diverse generational and work perspectives can be advantageous. However, as you can imagine, such perspectives can be slightly hard to explore.

The workplace is ever changing. There are currently four generations in the work environment today, and because of longer life expectancies it will soon by five as the youngest generation enters the workforce joining the current four. Generational transitions in the work environment cause the shift of power to be handed from one generation to the next. These transitions are complex but they have never bypassed a generation. Today 's workplace is overlooking an entire generation, that generation is Generation X. Current power holders, Boomers, are bypassing Generation X and handing the reins to Millennials. Failing to utilize Generation X is a mistake, and managers can maximize employees my utilizing this overlooked sector of the workforce.

The workforce of today incorporates employees from not one but several different generations. With each of these generations, there comes the challenge of being able to manage them effectively in the workplace. Each generation is motivated by different factors and responds differently to management styles. Human resource management of today requires being able to identify the generational differences, managing the generational differences and being able to bring them all together to produce the most effective working environment for the employee and the success of the organization they work for. In the article about Mixing and managing four generations of employees Hammill talks about how to find the perfect unity between all four of the generations in the workplace. While Jacobson discuses the characteristics of each generation, and how to properly manage each generation. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) covers the topic as a whole. SHRM explains each generation in detail and what the generation believes in, and how each generation would work together best.

Today’s workforce environment is comprised of a wide variety of Millennials, Generation Xers, Baby boomers, and even some Traditionalist. Organizations are learning that there can be challenges when working with a diverse age of employees. Every age and generation has different and unique characteristics and values that prove to be challenging and advantageous. What motivated one generation of workers will not necessarily motivate another. In an organization age has an impact in many aspects such as hiring, promotions, workload, innovation, creativity. Each age group can bring something to the table in a positive and negative way. No matter the age or generation that an individual is from they all want equality in the workplace.

The workforce is aging dramatically and organizations are experiencing four generations in their workforce. It is not uncommon to see Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and Seniors all under one roof.

Workplaces in our current era are a mix of different generations with different qualifications, experiences, self-strengths and limitations. These differences lead to positive things like development, and negative such as collision. Generations that call themself co-workers have known as Veterans (Traditionalists), Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y (Millennials). According to Greg Hammill, “This is the first time in American history that we have had four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace.” (Hammill, FDU Magazine). If these generations combined, this can give opinions from their experience that younger generations may not know and that will result a perfect modern organization. Hammill also declared, “Generational differences can affect everything, including recruiting, building teams, dealing with change, motivating, and managing, maintaining and increasing productivity.” Generations has made their own life-expectation, so every generation tend to know every thing that they made through in their lives even if the younger generation are majoring these things. In keeping with Hammill’s article, the sequence of generations with their behaviors and communicating with the others based on the generations that came before them. In my research, I will describe the generations and some of their values and differences when it come to one workplace, comparing each type with the other also is part of this paper.