Workplace demographics have been undergoing dramatic change during the past several years and with the arrival of Gen Z, more and more organizations are looking for guidance on how to navigate those shifts. I wrote Clash of the Generations: Managing a New Workplace Reality in the hope that it would be a useful tool for […]
Look Out, World! Generation Z Is Here!
Every generation brings something new to the workplace. —Kathryn Minshew Born in 1997, the youngest members of Generation Z have recently begun entering the workforce. Although we don’t know yet exactly how big that generation will be (demographers haven’t yet established its endpoint), odds are good that it will wind up being a pretty […]
Managing the Generations, Part 2: Valuing the Wisdom of Age
Just as more seasoned workers need to embrace the enthusiasm and new ideas of new recruits, younger employees also need to learn how to see things from the perspectives of their more seasoned colleagues. In some cases, for example, a workplace veteran might take a suggestion as a personal affront by the younger coworker: the […]
Managing the Generations, Part 1: Appreciating the Contributions of Youth
During a recent training class I conducted for a client in Seattle, a Millennial employee vented to me that what she heard most often from older workers was “No, we can’t do it.” She was frustrated by their apparent lack of openness to new ideas, particularly in one situation in which her proposed solution to […]
Why an Age Diverse Workplace Is Important
Everyone’s talking about workplace diversity today, and for good reason: when you expand the range of perspectives, experiences, and characteristics of your team, you also extend your reach toward innovation and overall excellence. But gender and ethnicity dominate many of the discussions about diversity—and companies need to start talking more about an age diverse workplace […]
