IB BOOKS
Issue No. 39 - February/March 2008
Breaking down generational barriers at work
by Pamela Brombal
A typical workforce has different people of different ages and generations – Baby Boomers, Generation X & Y - and much has been written about the working habits and stereotypes of each.
Are Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) really workaholics who care more about work than their families? Do Generation X (b. 1965 – 1979) have a negative attitude to life and work? Are Gen Y (b. 1980-1995) too self-confident and outspoken?
Leadership consultant and author Avril Henry dispels the common myths about each generation and helps people understand the differences that exist between generations in Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders Today: Breaking down the generational barriers at work.
Based on years of research, focus groups, workshops and Avril’s personal experience in HR director roles, the book offers tools to solve many problems employers face in attracting, managing, motivating and retaining employees.
Australia has entered a new era where skills shortage is the norm and the balance of power has shifted from employers to employees.
We have also seen significant shifts in the social demographics and values over the past 35 years that have had a profound impact in the workplace.
Each generation has a different view on work, leadership, family and work-life balance, and generational diversity.
Understanding the distinctions is difficult. Many in high level management are Baby Boomers – who have had vastly different work experiences than today’s youth.
“I realised that generational diversity was contributing to further conflict in the workplace between managers and their subordinates, as the younger generations X and Y were no longer willing to simply accept a command-and-control style of management and leaderships,” says Avril.
“Baby Boomer managers could not understand, and were unwilling to accept younger workers challenging their authority. This fuelled the conflict and increased staff turnover r...
