Generational divide
While COVID-19 is often blamed for office changes and the struggle to return to work, the truth is that issues with the latest, adaptive workforce existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, indicating that the work environment is now adapting to the needs of various generations of staff.
Now we have baby boomers (born 1946–1964), Gen X (born 1965–1980), Gen Y (born 1981–1996), and Gen Z (born 1997 and later) all vying for a seat at the table. It’s dynamic, to say the least, with a lot of noise about adapting to the growing demands of the newest generation entering the workforce. Researchers, polls, and surveys lean toward creating the sort of environment the workforce expects, but they don’t offer any solution to bridging the generational divide.
Over the past five years, it has grow to be increasingly clear how far apart we are in so many ways. I hope I have handled the changes well, but I have definitely learned more about how to build a multigenerational team. Unfortunately, as business owners, we are in uncharted territory without a “one size fits all” approach to accommodating 4 generations in the office. As we work to bridge the generational divide, although I could write an entire book on the subject, I’ll share personal experiences that help shape my very own perspective. Stories for the ages, pun intended!
YOU SAID WHAT?
“Oh my God, Julie,” said one of my younger employees, in her early 20s, as she walked into my office. “I’m so tired this morning. I met a guy at a bar last night. We ended up at my place and stayed up until almost 5 a.m. I hope he calls me today. It’s not like me to have a one-night stand…”
The words were still spilling from her lips. I looked up from my computer station and nodded as if I used to be actively listening.
Rarely, if ever, am I speechless. I mumbled something like, “Oh, excuse me, but Susan just called me on Skype and needs to talk to me about a client right away. Okay?”
“Of course, the last thing you need is to hear about my dating life.”
She smiled as she left my office.
So many emotions and thoughts raced through my head at once. Should I know this information? How should I react? Could I be held accountable for not reaching out to her? Do I appear like her best friend? What style of person or worker shares this sort of private information with the CEO of a company as casually as if we were discussing our favourite Starbucks drink? Is this rude? Does this violate some HR policy? Gen Z or not, this is not an appropriate conversation to have at the water cooler.
Generation Z is often called digital natives, a generation that has grown up with access to information at their fingertips and with social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, among others. No personal conversation is seemingly off limits and no detail is spared. Where along the way have we lost the common respect for boundaries in communication, not only with management but also with employees?
After being exposed to her dating history, I overheard her telling it to other employees, which caused some discomfort inside the team. No one in the office seemed particularly interested in her story of sexual exploits, which I used to be pleased about. However, as an employer, I had to address what was considered acceptable in our workplace and what was not acceptable from a political perspective.
In retrospect, when I used to be in my early 20s, I used to be in a long-term relationship with someone who was friends with my boss and his wife. The 4 of us were in a similar social circle around our skilled endeavors. My boyfriend and I made the decision to keep our relationship completely private, ensuring that our personal lives didn’t mix with our skilled lives. As a young woman in business, I used to be friendly enough with my coworkers that we’d swap weekend plans or stories, but I absolutely didn’t share who I used to be or wasn’t dating.
I vividly remember when my relationship ended, my boss told me about my ex-boyfriend’s dating life and travel plans for the following weekend. In order to keep my cover intact for almost two years, I went to the ladies’ room, hid in a stall and cried. I pulled myself together and returned to the office without anyone noticing. Other than a few photos from work events, there was no digital trace that our relationship even existed. To this present day, I ponder if my boss or his wife ever knew.
We spend more time at work with our coworkers than with our friends and family. Getting to know each other is a part of that social experience. While I hope to create an environment where we are able to share personal celebrations, like the birth of a child, or commiserate over a death, I’ve learned that setting boundaries between our personal and skilled lives is simply good business.
It’s also necessary to note that if an worker is willing to not only cross the line, but clearly cross it, it says a lot about the impact that person may have on your team, your customers, and the overall perception of your organization. When you end up speechless, find a way to end the conversation. Not responding is often the best response.