Few things are as controversial in the working world right now as the looming skills shortage and the generational conflict in the workplace. Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) are gradually retiring, and Generation X (1965 – 1980) now represents about 35% of the workforce and over 50% of managers. Meanwhile, GenZ (1995 – 2010) is entering the job market with fresh ideas and perceptions. The generational change also poses a challenge to electrical engineering. How can this transition happen smoothly? How can we overcome prejudices and enable successful cross-generational cooperation?
Generation X and Generation Z: Who are they and what distinguishes them?
If you research the current generations of employees, you come across a number of clichés. Although some of these preconceptions are completely unfounded, you cannot deny that there are certain differences between employees of different age groups. It is important to acknowledge and understand these differences in order to promote effective collaboration and a harmonious work environment.
Generation X
Generation X comprises the population group born between 1965 and 1980. It comes after the so-called Baby Boomers and represents a transitional generation characterised by significant social and economic changes. In working life, Generation X is characterized by a high degree of independence, flexibility and adaptability. This goes back to their experiences in the times of the economic miracle, when new technologies and globalization led to far-reaching restructuring of the working world. In this respect, Generation X represents a turning point: it breaks with traditional career biographies of the Baby Boomers and lays the foundation for today’s digital work culture.
Generation Z
Generation Z, also known as GenZ, struggles with preconceptions such as fickleness, a high attitude of entitlement, technology dependency, and a low work ethic. It is the first generation to grow up entirely with new technologies and digital media. Generation Z comprises the population born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s. GenZ grew up in a time of technological progress and digitalization and has experienced a strong influence of the Internet, social media and mobile technology.
Potential for conflict in the workplace: How do the generations differ in the way they work?
The good news first: the different generations don’t have such different ideas and expectations of their working life. In its report “Different Generations, Same Ideals,” the HR consultancy Egon Zehnder and Kearney shows that the generations are actually more united than divided. The 8,000 employees from different generations surveyed in the study consistently stated that personal well-being, stability and work-life balance are more important to them than money.
Yet different generations have different approaches and work styles that can lead to misunderstandings. Combined correctly, however, cross-generational teams combine the best of both worlds.
Leadership style
One of the biggest differences between generations is also the most important for leaders – leadership style. Because Generation X still grew up in a hierarchical corporate culture and made their career there, they place a high value on corporate culture. GenZ, on the other hand, strives for flat hierarchies, an open communication and feedback culture. The younger generation wants to be involved in decisions and have the opportunity to contribute.
Best practice: Create a leadership approach that takes into account the needs of both Generation X and GenZ. Provide opportunities for your employees to get involved and help shape decisions. Implement regular feedback and communication mechanisms. Demonstrate understanding of different leadership approaches and encourage open dialogue about leadership practices to get the best results for your team.
Communication
Generation X grew up in a time when face-to-face interaction and direct communication were dominant. They often prefer direct communication with face-to-face conversations or phone calls. Yet GenX is far more tech-savvy than their predecessor generation.
The younger generation has a different way of communicating than their older counterparts. They tend to communicate more, faster and often more directly. Generation Z has grown up with digital technology. For them, there is no longer a clear distinction between virtual platforms and face-to-face meetings. GenZ therefore communicates increasingly via digital communication tools such as chats or social media. With the different communication styles, misunderstandings and the feeling of “not being understood” can occur.
Best practice: Define clear communication rules for yourself and your team or even for the entire company – i.e., which information is disseminated via which channel. This way, everyone knows on which channel they can find and share which information. This way you can prevent misunderstandings regarding the communication style.
Different motivation
Generation X is considered resilient and independent, likes to work hard to achieve goals, and has a clear idea of the path to goal achievement. The traditional career ladder is an example of this. Nevertheless, the separation of work and leisure has a high priority for the GenX. The GenZ is less interested in leadership positions than in a sense of purpose at work. A reasonable balance between working hours and free time is also important to them, for example through flexible and individual working hours. Specialist teamwork is more likely to motivate the younger ones than climbing the career ladder all by themselves. These differences may lead older employees to think younger ones are jumpy and less willing to perform. Conversely, the younger workers may label the older workers as rigid, ego-oriented, and hierarchy-based.
Best practice: Recognize that different generations have different work styles and motivations. Define a framework for working hours and home office days for your team that accommodates both generations. Harness the potential of both: Generation X is typically willing to invest in and work on a task or project for the long term. GenZ often prefers quick results and has a high learning speed. Both generations can learn from each other. Generation X can teach GenZ to develop perseverance and patience in a project, while GenZ can teach Generation X to be more agile and work as a team to take on new projects.
Want your employees to design from the home office for a change? Here are our tips for working from home and how to license WSCAD ELECTRIX from the comfort of your own home office.
Best practice for managers
How can older managers integrate younger employees well into existing structures and at the same time let them contribute new ideas and approaches, and how can young managers respond to older colleagues and their needs?
Leading with prejudices is bad
Each generation struggles with its own advantages. But prejudices do not form a basis for cooperation. Each employee and his or her needs should be considered individually and not simply pigeonholed into one generation. Respect, tolerance and openness will get you further than clichés.
Communication as the key to success
In interpersonal relationships, especially in the workplace, communication plays a crucial role in resolving conflicts. No one wants to feel misunderstood or unheard. It is important to recognize that both the values and life experiences of the older generation and the innovative ideas of younger employees are valuable. By sharing and integrating these different perspectives, a company can both leverage proven quality and processes and shape its corporate structure for the future. The key to successful collaboration lies in open and respectful communication, where everyone values the strengths of the other, regardless of the generation to which they belong. Talk to your team about what it needs to work well together and create individual framework conditions for your team.
Mentoring
Every employee, regardless of generation, brings valuable knowledge and views to the team. Promote exchange and cooperation among employees, for example, through an internal mentoring program. Traditionally, experienced employees pass on their knowledge to the young, but older employees also benefit from exchanging ideas with their younger colleagues. At the same time, a lot of prejudices can often be quickly dismantled in direct contact.
Tips for Generation X bosses with GenZ employees
- Mentoring and participation:
Encourage young employees and pass on your knowledge, but let the GenZ participate in discussions and developments. GenZ have new ideas, new approaches and want to bring them into the workplace. - Open communication:
Create an open and transparent communication culture. Dialogue at eye level allows different perspectives to be respected and innovative solutions to be found. - Flexibility and adaptability:
Be open to new ways of working and technologies. Engage in dialogue and find out together what can be implemented for your team and your company.
Tips for GenZ bosses with Generation X employees.
- Value experience and expertise:
Value the experience and expertise of your employees and don’t put them on the sidelines. Older employees in particular have already experienced a lot and often act more calmly in hectic situations. This helps the entire team. - Technology integration:
Generation X is a very tech-savvy generation, even if they have a different usage pattern than younger people. So embrace the latest tools on your team if it makes collaboration easier. But at the same time, make sure Generation X employees have the support and training they need to use digital tools and platforms. - Collaboration and mutual learning:
Encourage collaboration so that employees of all generations can learn from each other without prejudice. Sharing knowledge and skills creates a dynamic work environment that benefits from diverse perspectives.
Conclusion: The key to successful intergenerational collaboration is communication.
The most successful strategy for effective intergenerational collaboration is open communication. By having everyone share their needs, expectations and ideas, companies can leverage the strengths of each generation to profitably foster teamwork.
In this spirit, WSCAD invites you to shape the future of electrical engineering across generations!
