“Millennials would rather sit in a camper van in Portugal than contribute anything to society … Stop the idealistic chatter, take responsibility and contribute to society.” This message showed off in an article (1) written by someone who would most likely identify himself as a “baby boomer” given his year of birth (1962). However, baby boomers are labeled the “profiteering generation”: “they frustrate our (Gen X, Y, Z) careers because they hold the best positions. We pay the toll of their aging, because we have to work longer to keep pensions affordable. They can still retire early and thus force us to work longer, while they themselves have all the time in the world.” (2) Not to mention the newest generation entering the job market: Generation Z (or “Gen Z”). Gen Z’ers want to be in control of their future and are more creative with their time. They have no intention of working overtime and, above all, want to be of use and be able to add immediate value. This means that as soon as they feel that a job does not suit them or does not adequately meet their demands, they immediately quit or simply do not show up. Thus, Gen Z’ers are undoubtedly spoiled and lazy. (3)
With the entry of Generation Z into the labor market, the discussion around the generation gap has flared up again. We hear it in the media, but above all we hear it – as People & Culture consultants -back from our clients in different organizations. Organizations are struggling to find and retain the right talent and leaders are wondering how to deal with the (in their eyes changing) work ethic of young talent. So we decided to dive a little deeper into the concept of “generations. Because what exactly are generations, and is the ever-escalating discussion surrounding the generation gap legitimate? Do our generations and their work ethics really differ as much as the media suggest? And if this is indeed the case, how can you as an organization respond to this?
A quick step back. What is the definition of a “generation” anyway? Most definitions in sociology are influenced by the work of Karl Mannheim. In 1923, he wrote an essay stating that a generation consists of “different individuals who share common (historical) events and experiences because they were born in the same historical period and socio-cultural context” (4). Thus, a generation is a group of people born around the same time who shared certain life-changing events during a critical developmental period or stage of life (childhood, adolescence) (5). These shared experiences during critical developmental periods would in turn lead to unique norms and values, outlook on life and certain behaviors within the same generation. The period at which one enters the labor market would then continue to determine which work-related norms and values one considers most important. (6)
Currently, four generations can be distinguished in the labor market:
Baby boomers (born between +- 1946-1964)
Generation X (born between +- 1965-1981)
Generation Y (also called millennials. Born between +- 1982-1998)
Generation Z (Gen Z, born between +- 1999-2015)
Much has been written and said both in the media and in academic research about the differences between generations. We made a summary of the different descriptions and claimed corresponding work ethics of the above generations. You can find this sub-article here: https://rvdb.nl/blog/generaties-werkethiek.
Although different generations in the workplace is a hot topic in the media and in organizations, there is also criticism of this popular construct. Often (deviant) behaviors or differences between employees who differ in age are dismissed as “generational differences. But are we really talking about a generational difference, or are the differences more likely to stem from age, period or simply personality differences?
Take the example of the millennial in the RV described in the introduction. This is a typical example of a fallacy around the concept of the generation gap. The fact that today we can do everything “remotely” and cannot imagine work without a laptop or cell phone was unthinkable 30 years ago. The changing society has allowed us to work from Portugal. That this is being anticipated is not due to the generation an sich, but to having the ability to. The fact that millennials and Gen Z’ers are often not yet “attached” to a house or children gives them, unlike (most) baby boomers, the opportunity to work from Portugal. Had the baby boomers been at a different age stage, they probably would have also grabbed the opportunity to work (temporarily) from abroad with both hands. So this has little to do with the difference in work ethics between our generations, but mainly with the changing society and the world around us. So here one speaks of a period difference or difference in age stage rather than a generational difference.
In addition, scholarly articles seem to measure the construct “generation” incorrectly. To measure the work ethic of a generation (and thus a gap between generations), you would have to do a longitudinal study with different age groups (i.e. measure groups of 18-, 30- and 50-year-olds both in 2000, 2010 and 2020). However, no research has ever been done this way. So scientifically, the “generation gap” has never been proven (7).
This article further explains the (scientific) critiques of the construct “the generation gap”: https://rvdb.nl/blog/wetenschap-generatiekloof.
So from a scientific perspective, we can say that differences in work ethics between generations – and thus the “generation gap” – has never really been proven. Measurement and thinking errors are common and the concept of “generation” is so broad that it is difficult to really conclude anything about it. But what are we talking about?
Because that there are tensions in the workplace is something we hear a lot back at different organizations. The “younger” generation – as mentioned in the introduction – is indeed seen as lazy and are the first ones out at 17:00. The “older” generation is seen as authoritarian, not very innovative and focused on “how” the work is done. Although actual differences in work ethics between generations have thus not been significantly proven, we do see that the current period (digitalization, globalization, sustainability and COVID-19) has indeed created a need to organize work differently. Employees entering the labor market today do indeed have a greater need for flexibility and autonomy; whether this is due to their generation, age or the current zeitgeist.
On top of that, there are certainly big differences in work ethics looking at different time periods and time periods. Society is changing and that does something to how we look at work. For example, since the MeToo movement reared its head around the world in 2017, there is more focus on treating each other decently and setting and also guarding boundaries. In addition, the digitization of the past 30 years allows us to be available for work 24 hours a day, making work-life balance an important issue today.
Organizations feel this: employees and executives, HR departments and CEOs. The world of work has changed and “people” expect something different as well. Regardless of the term we attach to it; we work in a different way. And that sometimes falters.
So, the good news is: generational gaps do not exist. But, expectations of work and its design are changing. With Gen Z controlling 27% of the (global) working population by 2025, it cannot be ignored that desires, expectations and ways of doing work are often a topic of conversation (8). And it is precisely that topic of conversation that we can steer a little more often in the positive direction.
How it was “before” is not how it is “now. We talked above about a changing society: the major influence of social media, the MeToo movement and the still unknown impact of two years of COVID-19. Clinging to “how it was” does not help organizations. Instead, it puts differences in work-related norms and values under a magnifying glass. Many organizations report that they are unsure how to deal with these changing norms and values in practice. Based on our experiences at various employers, we have listed a number of practical tips:
– Stay in the conversation. Try to enter the conversation openly and without prejudice. Tricky? Tricky. A preparatory (online) training course on prejudice or “unconscious bias” (the trendy variant) helps. Awareness of biases you have as a human being is a great first step before entering the conversation.
– Organize a focus group. Make sure that employees of different generations talk to each other about what they need in their work and how this translates into cooperation and communication with each other. Another example is using formats in which employees write down their individual priorities and/or preferences of ways of working and share them with the team.
– Focus on connection. Above all, look for the positive characteristics of different generations and those that match. Research shows that companies that can connect the ideas of young people with the experience of older generations innovate and grow the fastest (9).
– Be flexible. If your employees need something different (more flexibility in working from home, going abroad a few months a year, shorter days), look for opportunities to facilitate this and don’t immediately dig your heels in by looking at existing policies (created by “older” generations). That flexibility and new ways of framing work, by the way, is something that all employees (regardless of “generation”) can benefit from.
– Also make your expectations as an employer clear. For example, a common frustration is that employees who just enter the workplace immediately expect high salaries. Make clear how salaries are structured and how people can grow in their careers. That ensures transparency in what you can offer and creates clarity for your new ambitious talent.
– Train your leaders. The new generation has different expectations of work and the way they want to be coached. They want to be taken less by the hand and thus more autonomy, but a focus on (equal) coaching. In some cases, this requires a different leadership style: one that relies more on interaction, collaboration and co-creation and less on someone who determines. It is important to think carefully about which form of leadership you want to see in the workplace and to train your managers in it.
– Embrace ways of working more efficiently and organizing work differently. Developments like ChatGPT mean that work can literally be done differently. Moreover, the new generation of employees enjoy engaging in other money-making activities (online shops, influencers, etc.) in addition to their regular jobs. As a result, they may not need to work full-time and organize their work life differently.
To conclude, we spoke to recruitment and Gen Z specialist Sten van der Heijden. He too highlights the changing world of work, Gen Z’s entry into the job market and how companies can respond. Curious? Click here to read the interview with Sten.
Whether or not there is a scientifically based generation gap, times – and therefore work, its design and the needs of employees in it – are changing (continuously) and we have to deal with that.
People talk amongst themselves and psychologically like to form an “us” against “them. So once your employees believe there is a generation gap (even if they are more likely to talk about an age or period difference), it’s up to you as an employer to address this and start the conversation about it. Differences between people, ages and stages of life – and the prejudices about them – are ancient. It’s easy to fixate on these differences, because that way we can easily blame someone else or a whole other generation. It is more difficult to look for similarities that exist between the different generations and sincerely listen to what different employees (think they) need in their work and in collaborations. However, similarities certainly exist. What’s more, they have a unifying effect. So keep talking to each other at all times, listen to each other and keep in mind that each person has different needs regardless of his or her age or generation.
We are all human. We are all different. We all have prejudices, no one excepted. Whether you are working very hard from your camper van in Portugal, enjoying an early retirement after years of effort, or are already outside before 5 p.m. to quickly move on to your other (work) activities; let’s try to understand each other a little better so we can work together instead of against each other.
De Ruiter, M. (2022), Volkskrant: Love to work, but there’s more to life
Festing, M., & Schäfer, L. (2014). Generational challenges to talent management: A framework for talent retention based on the psychological-contract perspective. Journal of World Business, 49(2), 262-271.
Stassen, L., Anseel, F., & Levecque, K. (2016). Generational differences in the workplace: a systematic analysis of a myth.Behavior & Organization, 29(1).
Els Holsappel, E. (2014). How do we close the generation gap? Trade journal logeion.
Schmeets, H. & Witt, S. de (2017): Population trends: Reported tensions in society and own experiences with them.
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