Generational Differences: Gen Xers, Can You Work with Millennials?

Tough, capable and diligent vs. optimistic, idealistic and enthusiastic?

Individualistic pessimists vs. team-oriented dreamers?

Often seen as the two generations pitted against each other and judged mainly on the diversity of the culture of their youth, the Gen X vs. Millennials mentality is growing old as many are realizing that generational differences don’t have to drive a wedge between the groups — they can work together.

Generation X

Born between 1965 and 1976, the 51 million members of Generation X set themselves apart from previous generations, with strong traits of independence, resilience and the ability to adapt to different situations.

Growing up in uncertain times, we (yes, I’m of this generation) witnessed divorce, redundancy, and change — all the while learning how to make the best out of a situation.

Millennials

Children of the Baby Boomers, the Millennials are only just coming into the fray, entering the workplace having been raised in a much more child-centric era. Born between 1977 and 1998, they are very technology-oriented, confident, multi-tasking, team-working individuals.

They’re bloggers, tweeters, and web developers who celebrate and are accepting of diversity and culture. They share their information more readily than previous generations.

Houston, do we have a problem?

When considering the differences in these two generations, their strengths and weaknesses, common personality traits, ethics and values, there are some questions that arise about how effectively the two can work together.

Are ethics in the workplace generation-oriented, or do they vary depending on an individual’s situation and lifestyle choices? Are younger workers really so different from their elders? For instance, how do Millennials cope with pressure compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers? Are specific age groups more likely to show misconduct than others? What about long-term goals?

More alike than you think

Recent research by the National Business Ethics Survey (NBES, 2009) has found that Gen X and Millennials have at least one thing in common; a desire for structure, clear direction and strong, effective leadership in the workplace.

Both groups believe that hard work is about the end product — the achieved goal — rather than the hours put into it, and are willing to work together in teams if necessary to secure that final end result.

Perhaps a worrying trend, starting from the age of Baby Boomers, signifies that as each generation enters the workforce, they are less likely than their predecessors to stay in their current job and are more inclined to “window shopping.”

This is mainly due to uncertainty in the workplace, lack of company benefits/pension and the attraction of complete job satisfaction; hence the tendency to quit in a “grass is greener” sort of mentality. Millennials are twice as likely to quit within a year compared to Baby Boomers; a by-product of contemporary working environment.

Ways of working together

Team-building and mentoring schemes pairing both generations together are a proven way to improve working relationships between the two, boost confidence, communication and work efficiency.

Millennials should be mentored and respond well to extra supervision in the workplace, whereas Gen X, being more independent than their younger generations, work better with a more hands-off approach.

Gen X are strong, independent managers, and should provide structured support to Millennials looking to learn the ropes of business. For Millennials to achieve their goals, they should be prepared to communicate with their Gen X management peers, and listen to their advice.

In the Mix

Believe it or not, the recipe for a successful and engaging workforce is at our fingertips.

A varied and optimized workforce is a tribute to any successful company, and with a little bit of effort from both sides, Gen X and Millennials can come together to form a very effective team.