A group or team mentality is developing across generations because of the economic downturn.
If the recession continues to worsen, the group mentality is likely to continue, according to the article “Generations Learning How to Communicate at Work” on Sun Sentinel.com.
Cam Marston, a Generation X and author of “Motivating the ‘What's in It for Me?’ Workforce,” teaches the four generations in the workplace how to communicate with one another.
The matures – 64 and up – and baby boomers – ages 45 to 63 – are workaholics. GenXers – ages 30 to 44 – and Millennials – 29 and under – are more interested in balancing life with work.
The group mentality began with the older generations who thought they must “band together to become successful.” Younger generations, starting with Gen X, moved to a focus on the individual because that’s how they were raised, Marston says. Parents told them they were special and showered trophies on their sixth place soccer team, for example.
Some generational differences mentioned in the article:
- Millennials want to be coddled and rewarded.
- Matures want to be heard.
- Boomers and matures with younger bosses want to be treated with respect.
- Younger generations are more vocal about what they want.
- Boomers and matures like to have information delivered in person rather than by e-mail, while GenXers and Millennials prefer e-mail.
- GenXers and Millennials like communications to get straight to the point, with consistent and positive messages.
I liked the article's emphasis on the generations working better together because I've read so much on the Internet about intergenerational squabbling and boomer bashing. However, Marston said in the article that the more cooperative team relationships would likely diminish after the recession.
