Are All Your Team Members Within the Same Generation?

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What Generation Are You In?

Yes, there are several factors to consider when hiring members to join your micro/small business team. However, many micro and small business owners are likely overlooking one of those factors. I am talking about the factor of generational differences. 

Generational differences among individuals can quickly become evident after you have hired them to be your employees. As a business owner, you probably did not notice those differences as you conducted your interview. However, when that new hire starts interacting with you and the other members of the team, their different approaches to reacting to positives and negatives could be due to differences in their generations. 

Before I go any further, do you even know which generation you are in?

Just in case you are curious about the other generations, here are the names and age ranges: 

1. Traditionalists – born before 1946

2. Baby Boomers – born between 1946 and 1964

3. Gen X – born between 1965 and early 1980’s

4. Millennial or Gen Y – born between mid 19080s and mid 1990’s

5. Gen Z – born between 1996 and 2012

Like many of you, I have heard all of these generational terms before, but I was curious about the actual years that were associated with them so I hope that you found the years to be helpful. I researched a few different sources and these were the common years for each of the generations. 

Experiences with Different Generations in the Workplace

Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics report that all 5 generations can be found in the workplace. However, by 2030, there may be very few Traditionalists.

This is important for us to know as business owners for several reasons. It doesn’t matter if you currently do your own hiring, have an HR person on staff, or work with an HR agency. There are generational differences that can impact how you build and grow your team within your business.

There was a point in time when people stayed in the first job they ever got or with the same company for 30 plus years. However, that occurrence is happening less and less. For instance, what is the longest number of years that you stayed in one job before working for yourself?

Generational differences are a big part of the reason why many people are no longer staying in their first job or the same company for 30 years. 

You might be wondering what does generational difference have to do with the productivity and efficiency of your team. I am here to tell that it can impact it greatly!

Before becoming your own boss, think of the organizations and companies that you worked for. Now think about those team dynamics that you remember. Yes, think about the things you liked and the things that you didn’t like. Now think about the differences in age in those team members. Do you see any similarities?

I know that I remember working in organizations where a lot of the staff was 10 to 20 years older than me and they had been working in those organizations between 7 and 25 years. Something that stood out for me with many of co-workers was that a lot of lot them had so many issues with using different types of technology.

I was surprised at first because I thought that since those individuals were older than me, then they should know more about things that I do. But that was not the case for their knowledge of technology.

I quickly realized that if I could help some of my teammates improve their technology skills, they would be more likely to help me with understanding some of the organizational systems. And it worked!

Another thing that I realized working on committees within professional organizations was that I worked better with people who were closer in age to me. By that I mean that we were by far more productive. We were collaborative.

Whereas, when I worked on teams with those who were 10 to 20 years older than me, many of them seem to keep a lot to themselves and were very competitive. They seemed so defined by their accomplishments and status within the organization.

I remember speaking with those same individuals about working in other organizations in the state, out of the state, or in another country. Many of them did not see the reason for wanting to leave their current place of work. The thought of “starting over” scared several of them. Plus they were worried about losing their benefits. 

The 5 Generations in the Workplace Today

This brings me to what I wanted to share with you, which is some of the common traits that we can find in each generation.

1. Traditionalists – born before 1946

Traditionalists grew up with parents who experienced the Great Depression. These individuals tend to be described as hard working with a strong willpower. They also tend to value loyalty and respect. 

2. Baby Boomers – born between 1946 and 1964

Baby Boomers have been described as goal-oriented and competitive at times. When I think of some of those previous coworkers that I mentioned earlier, the majority of them are Baby Boomers. They were very goal oriented when it came to seeking promotions and status. They were also very competitive. 

Another common trait that has been observed in Baby Boomers is that they value human relationships. 

3. Generation X – born between 1965 and 1980

Those who are born within Generation X are likely to be the most flexible on your teams. They not only work hard, but they play hard too. This means that they may have a good work-life balance. Those in Generation X may be described as being individualistic. So they are more likely to be work independently and may even be unconventional in their actions. 

4. Millennial or Generation Y – born between 1981 and mid 1990’s

Many of you reading this article might be Millennials and not even realize it. Millennials value collaboration and teamwork. Unlike Traditionalists and Baby Boomers, Millennials are observed to change often. For Millennials, salary is not the only valuable reason for joining and staying in an organization. In today's workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that Millennials are currently the largest generation in the workforce. 

5. Generation Z – born between 1996 and 2012

Individuals in this generation are also known as Digital Natives and tend to be very tech-savvy. For many of them, they have been exposed to technology from their first day of life. This is the generation that only knows a world where cell phones and computers exist. This generation grew up with parents who were dealing with the Great Recession. Those in this generation value job security and financial wellness. 

By the way, all generations worry about stress levels.

Summary

The key thing to remember about the generations is that individuals in each generation experienced something major that shaped how that generation developed. I mentioned the Great Depression and the Great Recession, but there were other historical events that occurred that shaped the experiences within each generation. Some of those historical events include the World Wars, industrialization, segregation, civil rights movements, increases in school shootings and other mass shootings, and the bombing of the World Trade Center.  These are just some of the many historical events that have influenced each generation. 

Knowing a person’s generation can help you understand their responses during an interview and understand their interactions with other team members. But do not fall victim to generational bias!

This means, do not automatically think that EVERYONE within the same generation is the same. What I shared with you are some of the general common characteristics that have been researched and found among the generations. These are not the only characteristics that are found in the respective generations. We still need to get to know those that we are working with on our teams in our businesses. 

If you have generational differences within your team and you want to improve your team's efficiency, submit your coaching application and see if your team qualifies for a customized coaching program to meet your specific needs.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article.

Regards,

Dr. Priscilla "Dr. P" Kucer

Solutions+Actions=Results! (SoAR!)