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Different Generations Want the Same Thing?
By aheinrich | June 28, 2010
I came upon an interesting post the other day on the CRM Learning blog titled The Myth of Generational Workforce in the Workplace. The blog post reviewed new research on the multigenerational workforce by Jennifer J. Deal, a research scientist with the Center for Creative Leadership.
Deal argues that the stereotypes associated with the different generations are just that. After surveying more than 3,000 corporate leaders for her book Retiring the Generation Gap: How Employees Young & Old Can Find Common Ground, she found that all generations of working age value the same things – family, respect, leaders who are trustworthy, opportunity to learn, and feedback.
While this may not surprise any member of the four generations in the workforce today, what may surprise at least some is what Deal found out about how the different generations react to change. Her research indicated that resistance or acceptance of change had less to do with age and more to do with what personal impact the change would have on the individual.
The CRM Learning blog quotes Deal, “The so-called generation gap is, in large part, the result of miscommunication and misunderstanding, fueled by common insecurities and desire for clout.”
Sounds like a fairly easy fix then, right? Just improve communication, create a more open environment where employees can express their concerns, and find ways to ensure that promotions occur with a consideration as to their affect beyond the individual being promoted. But wait…aren’t those steps management experts have been espousing for at least the last two decades?
Evidently, the old adage “the more the world changes, the more it stays the same” continues to be valid today; regardless of what generation you belong to.
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