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March 21, 2017 | 0 |
Samantha: “Hey, did you see the new automation tool they have introduced? It’s so cool!”
Padma: “Another tool, Yet again! One day these tools will replace us and we won’t have any jobs. Back in the day, things were so very different…”
Samantha: “Ummm but this tool is going to make our life so much simpler and we will be more productive…”
Padma: “What do you know about productivity? I have spent 15 years here and I know how to get things done. Go play with your new tool!”
Diversity & inclusion goes beyond the traditional dynamics related to gender. It is time we wake up to the reality that the generation gap is only going to widen further as more and more employers seek young talent. The millennials constitute the largest workforce and not paying enough attention to related dynamics is something that organizations cannot afford. Hence it is critical to bridge the generation gap for organizational effectiveness.
For a person who has spent decades in an organization giving it their 100%, it is a significant change to suddenly work alongside and compete with someone much younger. Right from the working styles to experience to mind sets, everything is going to be different.
Together these two groups bring to the table a combination of rich experience, wisdom, lots of curiosity and passion to learn, tech savviness, creativity and energy. Having said that when there is such a significant generation gap at the workplace, it is natural to have differing perspectives and mind-sets that give rise to conflicts. Here are the 5 key areas where one can observe contrasting difference in perspectives at workplace:
Loyalty
Social Interaction
Communication Style
Working styles
Maturity
So the fundamental issue here as in all cases is the difference in perspectives, m
ind-sets, and lack of awareness driven by value systems and unconscious bias. The need for Gen Y and Gen X and in some cases even older generations working together for business success is the need of the hour and the only way to make that happen is to establish awareness.
Here are some things that each group could consider while dealing with the other.
Gen X
Gen Y
It all begins with accepting and being aware of one’s perspectives and biases. If that is done, half the battle is won. Millenials and Gen X will need to work together in a mutually inclusive manner for many more years to come until the advent of an entirely new generation in the workforce. As long as we accept that reality, become more aware and navigate through these differences effectively. we are all set to make the world a great place to work!
About the author: Tanuja Prasad
Tanuja is a diversity & Inclusion consultant at Dimenzion3 and works on various diversity projects with our clients. She is a true representation of millennials at workplace and is generally amused at the dynamics this generation gap brings. She frequently writes on topics related to diversity & inclusion.
DimenZion3 is the leading consulting services company in Diversity & Inclusion. To know more about our work, do visit our website (dimenzion3.com)
For enquiries, you may write to us at talent@dimenzion3.com