“Every generation needs a new revolution.”
— U.S. President Thomas Jefferson (1762-1826)
“We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.”
— American feminist and author Gloria Steinem (b. 1934)
Boy — do we rock at work. For a generation that perceives itself as laid back, it turns out we appear to be particularly industrious and diligent. That’s the finding of a study released this fall by EY, the financial services company formerly known as Ernst and Young. EY polled more than 1,200 white-collar workers in the U.S. from different generations to try to determine what each group was thought to be good at — and where each was thought to be weak. The report identified three cohorts — millennials aged 18 to 32, Generation X, aged 33 to 48, and baby boomers (you know who you are). As is usual in these surveys, what applies south of the border probably applies here, too.
Nearly 70 per cent of the respondents ranked baby boomers highest in terms of productivity and more than 73 per cent described us as “hardworking.” As well, more than half saw us as willing team players who are good at mentoring younger workers. Generation X just narrowly beat us out (80 per cent versus 76 per cent) in the “better managers” category. However, boomers edged out Gen X as the best generation to “manage in challenging times” by a margin of four percentage points. What’s more, about two-thirds of those surveyed said our “executive presence” was terrific, whatever that means. (Perhaps we give good meetings.) At any rate, it’s encouraging to know that in the workplace, we’ve still got it.
The bad news? It seems we don’t adapt to change easily. Just 12 per cent of respondents thought boomer managers were best at dealing with diversity — the poorest showing in the three groups. Nor are we particularly flexible: less than one-quarter of those polled thought we excelled in that attribute. Only 10 per cent of those questioned rated us high for adaptability. And a paltry 16 per cent cited “inclusive” leadership skills as a strong boomer trait. It seems the age group once known for breaking racial and sexual barriers has atrophied to some extent — at least, on the job, where conservative values appear to reign. Maybe that’s inevitable. Maybe it’s just sad.
Not surprisingly, the study also found millennials to be the most comfortable with new technology. Some 70 per cent of those polled said this group was the most likely to take full advantage of social media, compared with only six per cent of boomers and 24 per cent in the 33 to 48 age bracket. But respondents also perceived this group to be slackers — not very good at generating revenue. Apparently, this newest generation in the workforce also doesn’t have a reputation for building solid relationships on the job: just 13 per cent believe these whippersnappers play well with others.
And what about Gen Xers? The group following us seems to be taking charge with some authority. It is seen to be the best at managing, generating revenue, problem-solving and adapting to new techniques. Its constituents excelled in the “collaboration” category, too, although they didn’t fare well when it came to being regarded as earning their salaries. Their “executive presence” was found wanting, too. Guess they just don’t have the gravitas that we possess — as of yet, anyway.
“While every individual is different,” the authors of the study said, “the survey revealed perceived strengths and weaknesses of both the members and managers of each generation that can be instructive as companies work to effectively manage, engage and strengthen the generational mix.”
Amen to that. What’s most encouraging about the findings is that — just as in society at large — a combination of wisdom and fresh ideas works together to help us move forward. Young people can shake us out of our complacency and our hidebound biases. We, in turn, can teach them patience and the value of skill-building.
There’s nothing terribly new in all this. Throughout the history of progress, apprentices, journeymen and experts all had a role to play. It’s part of the evolutionary process. And it’s beautiful.
Follow Rosa Harris on Twitter: @rharrisa
