FUEL OF CONFLICT
1. PERCEPTION OF CHANGE: Technology seen as greatest advancement in the workplace.
2. WORK ETHICS AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Each generation perceives how to work and how long to work differently.
3. ORDER OF HIERARCHY: Break in order of hierarchy conflict arises and respect deteriorates.
Although tension and conflict is inevitable among the three generations, in a study of seventy knowledge workers, many noticed more positive aspects of intergenerational relationships such as transition of knowledge and using technology to increase workplace efficiency.
- Boomers: resistant, prefer face to face communication.
- Gen Y: “first adapters” and highly dependent on technology.
- Gen X: feels like technology reduces freedom, feel expected to work at anytime.
2. WORK ETHICS AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Each generation perceives how to work and how long to work differently.
- Boomers: work long hours, see younger generations as lazy and dependent
- Gen X: “care more about “outcome than process,” value work-life balance and autonomy/
- Gen Y: results oriented believe flexibility is fundamental.
3. ORDER OF HIERARCHY: Break in order of hierarchy conflict arises and respect deteriorates.
- Boomers: individualistic, require little feedback and insulted when a younger generation manages them
- Gen X: indivdualistic, and require little feedback
- Gen Y: feel “lost without guidance” (Glass, 2007)
Although tension and conflict is inevitable among the three generations, in a study of seventy knowledge workers, many noticed more positive aspects of intergenerational relationships such as transition of knowledge and using technology to increase workplace efficiency.