Millennials in the Workforce

Can a generational gap make a significant difference in a work environment?

The short answer is yes.

In a recent literature review, Myers and Sadaghiana suggest that successfully integrating millennial workers (people born after 1981) into a vocational setting depends to some extent on the varying attitudes expressed by people of older generations.    Specifically, how older workers view work-life balance, workplace confidence, and workplace communication can all impact levels of productivity and conflict between employees.

The reviewers identify the following attitudes:

·         Work-life balance – This term encompasses what an individual sees as an appropriate amount of time to be working and to be doing other activities.  Older generations may lose sight of finding a work-life balance, and tend to work more hours, striving to build a career based on their efforts.  In contrast, Millennials are often motivated toward having work-life balance, and being flexible with locating a career.  This difference in opinion may lead to varying negative attitudes toward each other.

·         Confidence Levels – It has been shown that many of those within the Millennial generation are highly confident.  However, the literature review details, “The idea of [Millennials] paying their dues by working hard to demonstrate their worth before they are given significant tasks is likely to be resisted” (Myers & Sadaghiana, 2010).  In other words, Millennials may not see the purpose of working on smaller, less meaningful tasks.  Instead, they may be more motivated to work with larger goals and projects. This resistance may lead to older generations of employees seeing the Millennial worker(s) as overly confident in their abilities as they have not been interested in working on less difficult tasks.

·         Communication Levels – Studies have provided evidence that Millennials prefer frequent feedback and communication about various relative subjects with supervisors.  Despite the desire to build a stronger line of communication, this may feel “burdensome to many senior and seasoned organizational members” for understandable reasons (Myers & Sadaghiana, 2010).

Despite the information provided here, it is important to note that this is not a hot to guide to bridging the generational differences within a workplace.  However, a fairly recently posted blog article about methods regarding the generational gap can be found here if you are interested in further reading. 

While other attitudinal differences exist between generations in a vocational setting, the most important piece of information is to be aware of these differences.  Awareness can lead to a better understanding, and potentially help to sidestep different forms of conflict which may arise.      

Myers, K. K., & Sadaghiani, K. (2010). Millennials in the workplace: A communication perspective on millennials’ organizational relationships and performance. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 225-238.