When Baby Boomers Meet Millennials: Finding Common Ground at Work
Contributed by Bridgepoint Consulting
Could two workforce generations be more different than baby boomers and millennials? As noted in The Next America, by Paul Taylor and the Pew Research Center, the baby-boomer generation is known mainly for its work ethic, while the millennial generation is characterized by its embracing of technology. Baby boomers work to feel safe and secure. Millennials already feel secure. Motivated by different needs, these two groups respond to completely different management styles in the workplace.
That’s why, baby boomers who try to manage millennials using the same techniques they themselves would respond to are doomed to fail. But the good news is that baby boomers who learn to adjust their management styles to respond to millennials’ unique characteristics can realize tremendous benefits from millennials’ presence in the workplace.
For example, millennials’ affinity for technology can be invaluable in helping organizations leverage technology to become more collaborative, communicative and efficient. And their desire for work that feeds their sense of belonging and self-esteem may push organizations to become more flexible and quick to adapt – both qualities which characterize successful organizations.
Success Starts With Understanding: Five Defining Features of Millennials
If you’re a baby boomer who manages millennials, it helps to first understand what they’re all about. Here are five defining features that will give you a sense of where millennials are coming from when they come to work every day.
