Career Services - Finding a Job: The Multigenerational Workplace

Workplaces have always had multiple generations working side by side. There's the fresh-faced younger generation of newcomers, the established middle generation that holds most of the management roles and the older generation of senior executives who are 30 or 40 years into their careers. Each of these distinct age groups comes with their own generational differences, which can cause some friction among colleagues and bosses. The modern workplace is no different than those of years past, with Generation Y, Generation X and baby boomers all coexisting in the same office. But as more boomers work past retirement age, and tech-savvy millennials continue to graduate and enter the workforce, the stark differences in the values, communication styles and work habits of each generation are becoming increasingly pronounced. With post-millennials— known to some as Generation Z — quickly approaching college age, the next generation will be joining the ranks of working professionals within the next few years — meaning that a four-generation office will soon become the new norm.  The resources listed here will assist you in navigating successfully within a multigenerational culture at work.