To the casual observer, members of Generation Z and Baby Boomers are completely different.
They appear to have opposite values; for instance, Baby Boomers want job security above all else, while Generation Z wants to work for a cause they believe in. Generation Z grew up and is perceived as being more technologically savvy, while Baby Boomers might depend on old-school methods of communication. The divide between the generations seems wide.
Such perceptions of generational differences can have a negative effect at work. A study of workplaces in the U.S. and U.K. revealed that employees who are much younger than their managers are less productive “than those closer in age due to a lack of collaboration between employees of different generations.” Employees who have managers that are more than 12 years their senior are about 1.5 times more likely to report low productivity.
To help members of different generations work together productively, employers should recognize the value employees in each generation bring to work.
Read the full article
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