We’re at a unique moment in history in terms of generational diversity— for the first time ever, four distinct generations of employees share the workplace.

Unlike earlier manufacturing, hierarchical-based organizational structures— the older folks were bosses who did not mix with the young staffers on the floor— today’s staff— old, young, and in between— work side-by-side on the same project teams. And, often, there’s role-reversed reporting structures, with a younger manager as direct report to an older team member.

This flat organizational structure, while providing a healthy diversity of viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, can also lead to conflict as a result of miscommunication, misperception, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation. If left unresolved, such conflict can lead to enough negativity to send people packing at worst and, at its best, create an inefficient, non-productive work environment.

If your firm is like most A/E firms and employs Radio Babies, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and GenYers (sometimes called Millennials), then you probably have this problem.

The most significant conflict in today’s A/E workplace is that between firm owners, who are more likely than not to be Baby Boomers or Radio Babies, and the two younger generations, Gen X and Gen Y. I believe that the solution to this conflict is to stop blaming other generations for being who they are, and to start understanding what they want in the workplace so you can provide it.

I’m speaking now to firm owners and leaders— you can complain all you want about how things were different in your day (doesn’t every older generation say this about every younger generation?) but, unless you’re willing to find ways to attract, integrate, and retain the younger generations, your firm will not grow, your firm will not flourish, and, in fact, your firm will not survive.

Quick definition of generations: Silent Generation or Radio Babies (born 1925–1942), Baby Boomers (born 1943–1960), Gen Xers (born 1961–1981) and GenYers (born 1982–2002). The premise here is that while we don’t want to stereotype, we can make some generalizations regarding groups of people whose perspectives and priorities were forged by the climate in which they grew up. While everyone retains their identity as individuals, groups of people frequently share world views influenced by the economic, social, cultural, and political environment of the times in their formative years. In addition, major events can significantly impact generational perspectives.

Here’s an example of a scenario where generational responses to the same situation can differ: Let’s say a young project engineer with one year of experience at your firm decides to leave to search for greener pastures. He does not have a new job waiting for him, just knows that he wanted to test the waters. On the day he quits, he goes home and tells his family. His older sister, a Gen Xer, says, “How could you leave a job without another job lined up?” His parents, Baby Boomers, say “How is that going to look on your resume?” and his grandfather, a Radio Baby, says “How can you leave your company like that? Where’s your sense of loyalty?”

To understand these varied reactions, and to better understand how to attract and retain individuals from the younger generations in your workplace, it’s necessary to delve deeper into the core values of each generation. As firm leaders, you need to first understand how your generational experiences influence your own perspective and your values in the workplace, and how that impacts your judgment about other people. And to be successful in hiring and keeping the younger generations, it’s essential to understand their core values and how they impact their preferences in the workplace. Remember, their preferences may be different than yours. The key to success is not the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) but the Titanium Rule (Do unto others as they want to have done unto them), according to Claire Raines in Connecting Generations.

Generational profiles as sources of conflict:

Radio Babies: This generation, born in the ‘30s or ‘40s, is “The Greatest Generation,” according to Tom Brokaw. Raised in the Great Depression and in the shadow of WWII, this is a group of people who are used to sacrificing for the common good. As a result, in the workplace, they are extremely loyal to the company. This demographic has a real problem with what they perceive as the “disloyalty” of the younger generations, who tend not to have the same qualms with changing jobs.

Radio Babies hold leaders in high esteem as a result of respect for the military and political leaders of their childhood, and thus prefer to be treated themselves as leaders with respectfulness and formality. Formality, as it turns out, is fairly low on the priority scale of most folks in the younger generations (especially GenY). And the directness of the GenXers (they have opinions and are not afraid to use them) could be interpreted by many Radio Babies as lack of respect for authority.

In addition, the Radio Baby generation tends to thrive in a hierarchical work environment, which is not the picture of today’s workplace. They may resent the fact that their younger colleague or boss did not “put their time in” like they had to when climbing the ladder.

Baby Boomers: Baby Boomers represent one-half of Americans and 53% of workers in today’s workplace. They were raised in a hopeful world, free of war, and in an economic boom. They were mandated as the generation that would make the world a better place. And they took that mandate seriously: they are optimistic, driven, career-motivated, and highly achievement-oriented. While climbing the career ladder, they weren’t afraid to put in heavy hours and sacrifice weekends and family time. So the demand for “work/life balance” from the younger generations doesn’t usually sit well with this generation. It’s interpreted as lack of work ethic and unwillingness to “pay your dues” when, in reality, it’s simply a different value on life versus work.

Another trait of Boomers is a tendency toward teamwork— they often grew up in big families and crowded classrooms, and learned to share resources and manage well in groups. In fact, they were the first generation to be graded on their ability to work as a team on report cards (“plays well with others.”) This team focus leads to meeting intensive work environments, and frequently decision by consensus. The independent and autonomous Xers just may not respond well to such leadership— and the Boomers judge that the Xers, as a result, are not team players.

Finally, Boomers tend to prefer personalized connections and communications. E-mails and instant messages, while efficient and status quo as acceptable communication to the younger generations, feel cold and impersonal to Boomers. Responses generated electronically are often interpreted by this generation as aloof and uncaring, when in fact, they’re meant to simply be efficient.

Gen X: Gen Xers were born during the only population decline in the 20th century and grew up frequently as latchkey kids, often in single-parent homes. Xers often watched their overworked parents struggle financially, and get laid off despite their loyalty. They were influenced by a declining economy, Watergate, the Challenger disaster, and the dot.com bust.

It’s no surprise this generation is also nicknamed the “skeptical” generation. It also explains the source for their loyalty issues that are such a problem with the older generations. Many Xers vowed their kids would not go through the same neglectful childhood they had, and hence their high value on work/life balance.

In addition, their nerves from growing up and getting their first job in a recession lead them to want to develop “portable” careers— having a solid base of transferable skills making them highly employable in different settings. This is at heart a job security issue. In the workplace, Gen Xers are often very autonomous workers, and require proven competent leaders before they give their trust. Quality, efficiency, and functionality are important to them. To attract and retain Xers, you’ll need to provide developmental opportunities, flexibility, and a fun and informal atmosphere.

Gen Y: The Yers (sometimes called Millennials) are the most ethnically diverse and best educated generation in history, and the most mysterious generation to A/E firm owners. “Who are these people and what do they want?” asks one of my clients. Their interest in technology and ability to multitask are unparalleled— yet it may mean their face-to-face communication skills are lacking. It also means they are easily bored.

In the workplace, they are as ambitious as the Boomers, and as civic-minded as the Radio Babies. In the workplace, Millennials are looking for guidance in their career path, and excel in a positive and achievement–oriented environment with lots of feedback.

They are used to very busy lives with multiple paths, and prefer diversity and an ability to contribute meaningfully— they do not respond well to busywork and having to pay their dues, simply because their boss had to at their age. This group has been given the message from adults their whole life: “you are special”— third-grade graduation ceremonies, trophies for everyone on the soccer team, No Child Left Behind, etc.

They require the feedback they’ve been used to from parents, teachers, and coaches— and if you don’t provide it, they will look to get it somewhere else. They seek awards, certifications, and tangible evidence of credibility, but are turned off by formal, too slow, and overly structured environments.

If we revisit our original scenario with the young staffer quitting his or her job and his or her family’s reactions, we can begin to understand how perspective can cause people to interpret a situation differentially.

The Gen Yer was dissatisfied with their job— maybe it was over too much busy work, maybe not enough flexibility, but they had no issue with going somewhere else to get what they wanted. The older sister, the Gen Xer, was concerned about career security— no card-carrying Xer would quit their job without a back-up plan. The ambitious Boomer parents were concerned about the work ethic and how changing jobs early in a career would affect their resume and ability to climb the ladder successfully. Finally, to Grandpa, the issue was loyalty— plain and simple.

If A/E firm leaders, invariably of the Boomer and Radio Baby generations, sincerely want to fill open positions, plan for leadership transition, and look toward retirement, they will need to consider how their world views are different than those of the younger generations that will fill their shoes. Different is just different— not better or worse. If we can stop judging, and instead acknowledge and embrace the generational differences, we can cease the war, and begin to achieve more harmonious, productive, and profitable workplaces.— LORI OAKES-COYNE (lcoyne@zweigwhite.com)

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