How can managers help bridge the generation gap?
Managers need to be cognizant of the age gap of the audience when making a presentation, running a meeting or creating incentives for an employee. For example, a baby boomer might be motivated by a bonus, but a member of Gen X may prefer more vacation time. It is also important that the generations take time to learn each other’s communication styles. Gen X and Y workers need to learn how to conduct face-to-face meetings and when to pick up the telephone rather than send an e-mail. This training can easily be accomplished through coaching, a method to which Gen X and Y employees are very receptive. That said, it is also important that the older generation work to incorporate more high-tech communication tools in the workplace, such as video-conferencing for clients or employees in remote locations. Those employees in Generation X, in particular, come into the workplace with a lot of confidence and perceived ideas about how things work. Baby boomers or the Silent Generation must resist
