Goodbye to retirement, hello modern times

Significantly, gen Xers have more difficulty with multi-generational projects. Boomers are more tolerant, probably because Gen Ys are closer in age to their children and veterans to their parents.

Generation Y is a highly expressive, over confident group of risk takers. Full of energy, people in this group are full of creativity, innovation, global perspective, inclusiveness and immediacy. These are important energies for an organisation to harness. Generation Y will have trouble with such issues as absences related to their lifestyle decisions, respectful communication and, occasionally, the consequences of their lifestyles or risk taking. Some employers would also say they have issues about their functional literacy, especially their spelling.

All up, however, each generation brings its own strengths to the organisation and each has their set of unique challenges.

This means managers will have to ask some important questions. What are the main issues for each generation? What’s the learning style of each generation? What is the right mix of benefits and recognition for each generation? What can each generation learn from one another? What do leaders and managers need to know about each generation?

Smart resellers will design programs around this, creating alternative work arrangements like part timing and shorter working weeks to accommodate boomers, and implementing the flexibility that generation Y expects. It will mean accommodating employee differences and working to meet their specific needs and preferences.