1. You Don’t Know Me!
Five Generations in the Workplace
Karen Lindsey-Lloyd
K2L Consulting
Integrated Leadership/Team Communication Solutions

2. What is a Generation?
 A society-wide peer group,
born over approximately 20
years, who collectively,
generally possess common
behaviors and traits.
• Generations are shaped by history and events,
technological advances, social changes, economic
conditions, popular culture, regions of the country
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3. Traditionals
 Born 1930-1945
 The oldest generation in the workplace. May not
be technologically savvy.
 Very socially and fiscally conservative. Do not
always enjoy change.
 Many are still in the workforce because they
enjoy working, but some are there because they
have to be for financial reasons.
 Their life and work experience gives them a lot to
offer but they are rarely asked.
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4. Baby Boomers
 Born 1946-1964
 Enjoyed the booming, optimistic times post World
War II.
 Value hard work and long hours as the means to
success and thus work ethic is extremely
important to them.
 Boomers need to be noticed for their hard work.
 Varying degrees of comfort with technology and
its purpose. Some are technologically savvy.
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5. Generation X
 Born 1965-1977
 Raised by Baby Boomers who worked long hours
and were the first generation to experience the
impact of widespread divorce and layoffs.
 Gen Xers are very independent and dislike rigid
schedules.
 Most value being efficient and getting work done
quickly.
 Want greater balance between their social and
work lives than their predecessors--ushered in a
more creative, open workplace.
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6. Gen Y or Millennials
 Born 1977-1990
 First generation to grow up with advanced
technologies (social networking, cell phones, PDAs,
etc.) Very comfortable with technology in every aspect
of life.
 Tend to be opinionated but are very creative and
expect to be challenged.
 Grew up in very stable times. Have seen working
parents and are more confident.
 Less able to communicate face-to-face and apply
critical thinking skills. Rarely willing to admit they don’t
know something.
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7. Gen 9/11
 Born 1990
 Youngest generation in the workplace. Has only
seen the world through the prism of the 9/11
tragedy.
 Grown up with war and uncertainty and tend to
view the world through that lens.
 See the world with less optimism then many of
the other generations.
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8. Common Generational Conflict
SHRM Survey 2007
1. Work Ethic (Gen. X, Y, Millennials)
 What does it mean to be “on time” for
work?
 Higher salary expectations
 Different definition of professional attire
than Boomers
 Why not use text messaging for every
communication? Email viewed as old.
 Don’t understand “Paying dues” (i.e.,
expectations for pace of advancement vs.
experience/ seniority)
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9. Common Generational Conflict
2. Organizational Hierarchy
 Older employees tend to accept hierarchies
and respect a chain of command
 Younger employees may resist formal
structures, ignore hierarchy
 Younger workers tend to prefer more
informal relationships with supervisors than
previous generations (friends on Facebook)
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10. Common Generational Conflict
3. Dealing with Change
 Younger employees tend to adapt to change
more easily than older employees (but not
all)
 Younger employees typically embrace
rapidly changing technologies at work
without formal training
 All generations challenged to accept
different ways of accomplishing work
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11. Common Generational Conflict
4. Managing Technology and Communication
 Each generation has different levels of comfort with
technology in the workplace
 Not all who are 40 plus are technology dinosaurs, not all 20
somethings are technology wizards
 Competing views on using E-mail/cell phones/
iPhone/Blackberry/Text messaging in the workplace
 Varying opinions on Web, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter
 Strong views on appropriate communication forms
necessary for transmitting important information broadly
 Understanding when face-to-face/verbal communication
is necessary vs. texts, email
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12. Differences between
College and the Workplace
 College is about you and
your learning and
development. Improving
yourself is the goal of most
college activities.
• Work is focused on your or your team’s
contribution to reaching a business or institutional
goal. You reach your goals by helping the
organization reach its goals, but your personal
goals are not typically the central focus.
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13. College vs. Work
 At college you could
mostly hang with peers of
your own choosing.
 At work there may be a
mix of ages, races,
religions and you don’t
always get to pick with
whom you’ll work.
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14. College vs. Work
 During college, the focus
is on earning grades.
 Work focuses on some
identifiable output that you
are responsible for, but it
is not specifically just
about you or up to you
alone.
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15. College vs. Work
 College activities are usually
highly directed; someone tells
you specifically what is
expected and what you need
to do.
 Work requires more self-
direction, problem solving and
critical thinking in reaching the
organizational goals in your
area of responsibility.
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16. College vs. Work
• College: many
assignments are content
based; expected to learn
certain fact-based material
for the test, assignment, or
other graded evaluation.
 Work: requires more complex critical thinking,
combines content skills with intellectual and
observational skills. Requires verbal
communication and conflict resolution. The
feedback or praise is not always immediate or
clear.
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17. What does it mean to me?
•Turn the searchlight
inward. Respect the
differences, don’t judge,
find similarities.
•Seek wise counsel from
across the generations.
Not just your own.
•Maturity is a decision.
Not an age.
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