Abstract
Employees nowadays are more diverse than ever before, and that diversity is manifested in differences in generational cohorts. It has been observed that an organization is composed of distinct age groups, which represent employees of distinct generational cohorts. The key goal of this study is to render an observation and insight into differentiation and comparison in work values, communication style, and leadership style of distinct age group employees at workplace likely boomer, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z. The finding of the study depicted the variations among generations (Boomer, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z) as well as the variation in their styles of leadership, communication, and values of work. The current study has explored only three characteristics. In the organizations, not only is the investigation of distinct generation necessary, but the similarities among them need to be acknowledged. Another limitation is that there is a very less empirical investigation conducted on generational differences.
Top1. Introduction
Nowadays, in the organization, one of the most significant issues is Generational diversity. The experienced workforce is delaying retirement while the younger Generation workforce continues to participate in the organizations. Each Generation is bringing its demands and needs to the workplace. The records of the current group of workers from distinct Generations are working beside each other and closely with those people who are as younger as their youngsters and as old as their parents (Zemke et al., 2000). There are various unique characteristics of each Generation such as views on authority, attitude towards work, and communication style (Coulter and Faulkner, 2014). Macky et al., (2008) found variations in personality profiles across Generations and variations in attitudes toward jobs. The term Generation (also “cohort”, or “Generational cohort”) is described as “a group of people born within similar historical and sociocultural environments, who experience the same formative experiences and make unifying similarities as a repercussion” (Lyons and Kuron, 2014). It may be seen as a form of diversity that influences the place of business which needs to be taken into consideration together with different dimensions of diversity to better understand personnel (Lancaster and Stillman, 2002). The Generational cohort has unique values, characteristics, and skills based on their experiences of life-defining events. The commonality of reports makes Generational identities, which can be the point of view that every cohort has on life, love, work, family, politics, and society (Kovary, 2012). There are four Generations in the organization which are confronted with four distinct, and rarely conflicting techniques to work. When the Generations reach work conflict, the effects are escalated turnover. In the current business organization, there are five generational cohorts noted such as boomers (born 1943–1960), Generation X (born 1961–1981), Generation Y or millennials (born after 1982) (Strauss and Howe, 1991), and Generation Z or post-Millennials or centennials (born 1997-2012) (Dimock, 2019) (see Table 1 & 2).
1.1 Definitions
“Generations is defined as an identifiable group that shares birth years, age, location, and significant life events at critical development stages (times)” (Salahuddin, 2014). Generational difference is coined as differences in the values, beliefs, and opinions among different Generations of people” (McNamara). Distinct age groups are classified as boomer, Gen X, Gen Y or millennials, and Gen Z or iGen or centennial.
Table 1. Classification of generations
| S no: | Name of the Generation | Birth period |
| 1. | Boomer | 1946 - 1960 |
| 2. | Gen X | 1960 - 1980 |
| 3. | Gen Y or Millennials | 1980 - 1995 |
| 4. | Gen Z or iGen or Centennial | 1995 - 2010 |
Source: (Zemke et al., 2000)
Table 2. Classification of generations
| S no: | Name of the Generation | Birth period |
| 1. | Baby boomer | 1946 - 1964 |
| 2. | Gen X | 1965 - 1980 |
| 3. | Gen Y / Millennials | 1981 - 1996 |
| 4. | Gen Z / iGen | 1997 - 2012 |
Source: (Dimock, 2019)
Key Terms in this Chapter
Communication Style: The process of conveying and taking in ideas and opinions in distinct ways.
Leadership Style: The behavioral approach employed by leaders to influence, motivate, and direct their followers. A leadership style evaluates how leaders implement plans and strategies to accomplish given objectives while accounting for colleague expectations, and the well-being and soundness of their team.
Work values: refers to an accumulation of qualities, principles, ideals, and beliefs that relate to the workplace. They underpin the motivation, attitude, and behavior that influence the employees' working style and the decisions that they make at work and throughout their careers.
Generations: The current living generations at the workplace are the baby boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965 - 1980), millennials (1981 - 1996), and Generation Z (1997 - 2012).
Generational difference: refers to the difference of opinion about beliefs, thoughts, actions, policies, or values between one generation and another. In other words, it means the chasm that separates the beliefs and behaviors of the employees of two distinct generations.