Conflict at work is, regrettably, inevitable. And it can easily undermine employee engagement and derail productivity. That’s not good for business. And sometimes the difficulties people experience getting along are attributed to generational differences.
The contrasts between various age groups working in an organization can be immediately obvious. People may dress and speak differently, interact differently with technology, and have various goals and beliefs. All these characteristics are often labeled “generational.”
The interaction of people born over four or five decades in the same workspace is often expected to be problematic. The Baby Boomers (1946-1963) maybe won’t understand Gen Xers (1963-1979) or Millennials (1980-2000), let alone Zoomers just entering the work force (born after the year 2000)!
However, recent research has called this conventional wisdom into question.
Generational similarities exist, too
Research scientist Jennifer J. Deal suggests that the value differences associated with each generation no longer hold true.
Regardless of age, Deal says, “everyone wants to be able to trust their supervisors, no one really likes change, we all like feedback, and the number of hours you put in at work depends more on your level in the organization than on your age.” Further, family matters most to every generation. And, people of all generations want to learn and develop.
She bases her comments on seven years of research surveys with more than 3,000 corporate leaders (for the full details, check out her book Retiring the Generation Gap: How Employees Young & Old Can Find Common Ground).
Author Haydn Shaw suggests “statistical generalizations are an aid to conversation, not a substitute for it. When it comes to understanding another person, nothing replaces conversation.” In his book Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart, he sees value in generational research so long as it doesn’t define someone in shortcut categories.
So, where does that leave us when we’re thinking about generational conflict at work?
Getting at the root of “generational conflict at work”
According to Deal, “the so-called generation gap is, in large part, the result of miscommunication and misunderstanding, fueled by common insecurities and the desire for clout.”
A study by SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) looks at it in terms of “different life stages and career stages.” In a guide for navigating generational conflict at work, SHRM’s authors observe, “what we need and want depends on our circumstances at a particular point in time. Our life stage and career stage affect what we want, expect and need to be happy and productive at work.”
With this in mind, it’s easier to view conflict at work in terms of “power and control” rather than generation. For example, a lot of work conflict stems from a struggle for better work-life balance. Especially in the wake of the pandemic and improvements in technology making it easier for people to work anywhere and anytime, this is a source of tension. Yet disagreements around working from home or how time is managed aren’t specific to age. Rather, it reflects a need for control and the different levels of power to call the shots.
Communication and management styles matter too
At the root of most other conflicts seen as generational? Communication and management styles. Yes, you’ll still find people attributing these to age differences. But, ultimately, everyone wants to be treated fairly and with empathy. Employees of all ages are going to want to work with a manager who is more inclusive, supports the team, and gives useful feedback.
As for communication, being direct and establishing expectations resonates across generations as well. Prominent types of miscommunication include:
- Unclear objectives or expectations
- Rumors
- Poor phrasing
- Time zone problems
- Blaming
- Micromanagement (even if it’s accidental)
And you can’t really attribute one of those to a specific age group. It’s a cultural concern. With job shopping on the rise, and company culture evolving rapidly, according to LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends Report, this needs addressing, regardless of generational mix.
Addressing conflict, generational or not
The intergenerational workforce isn’t going anywhere. In LinkedIn’s 2020 Global Talent Report, 89% of talent professionals saw that as a good thing. Knowing that it isn’t the root of conflict at work can help people look at the different generations in an organization more positively. Still, that doesn’t do away with conflict at work overall.
That’s why we’ve recently published articles that help individuals navigate conflict at work, and advise managers on how to resolve team conflicts. And next, we’ll consider whether work conflict is actually always a bad thing (yep, that’s another myth that we should give a second look).
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