Generational Expectations at the Workplace

This article discusses the different generational expectations at the workplace and provides strategies for managing conflicts and promoting harmony. It explores the characteristics and preferences of each generation, including veterans, baby boomers, generation X, generation Y, and generation Z. The article also offers practical measures and interventions for addressing generational differences and creating an inclusive work environment. Additionally, it highlights the importance of continuous training and development, open communication, and meeting employee expectations for promoting workplace harmony and retention.

Running Head: GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES AT THE WORKPLACE 1
Generational Expectations at the Workplace
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In the workplace, the employees’ behavior, attitudes and work values may be influenced
by their economical, historical, cultural and even age differences. This is an element that should
not be overlooked then. As a result, there may arise conflicts and tensions in the workplace if the
different generations do not understand or fail to acknowledge the divergent characteristics of
each group. This can lead to disharmony in the organization. It therefore becomes important that
the employers learn how to manage the often conflicting views and expectations from these
assorted age groups. There is need for appreciation and understanding the linkages between
employee expectation and provision in the workplace in planning and arriving at solutions.
(Alsop, 2013).
There has been advanced healthcare which has resulted in an extended lifespan hence
people working longer. In workplaces, there are up to five generation ranging from Baby
boomers to generation Z. As a result there arises a challenge in managing the older workers and
at the same time attracting and retaining young employees mainly Generation Y and Z. There
would be chaos and disharmony if employees from one generation blames others in different
generations when there is failure to achieve goals whether personal or collective. (Kapoor &
Solomon, 2011).
In the workplace there exist differing generational expectations. First, there are the
veterans. This generation includes those workers who were born between1922 and 1945. They
are also referred to as the as seniors or traditionalists. They grew up with a sense of duty and
view work as an obligation which needs to be respected. (Espinoza & Ukleja, 2016). The
veterans prefer a clear leadership through control and command and strongly value ethics and
discipline in the work environment. (Chamberlain, 2016). They also prefer communication

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formally maybe through a memo. They also have training and experience in high-value skills and
tend to be mission driven.
The Baby Boomers are those employees born between 1946 and 1964. They can be
considered as also having good ethics in the workplace. In contrast to the veterans, baby boomers
prefer and embrace teamwork. They also would like to be involved in the decision making
process in the workplace which means that they prefer consensual leadership in their workplace.
Baby boomers are diligent, dedicated, self-motivated and also expect a promotion based on their
loyalty and seniority. In communication, baby boomers expect a personal touch best achieved in
person contrary to the veterans who prefer a memo.
Generation X in the workplace are those employees who born between 1965 and 1976.
They have been reported to be expecting that they will less be successful materially than their
parents (Bovée & Thill, 2012). Often, they are seriously underemployed and have a different
relationship to work. They view work as a contract and prefer self-reliance and doing things their
own way. From this expectation, they would stem conflict with the veterans who would want to
be respected as they in the workplace challenge those around them. They expect to see all as
equal and are not easily going to abide by the laws. They expect immediate feedback on how
they are performing in their duties at the workplace and also expect to be rewarded when they
have achieved or performed well. (Ng, Lyons & Schweitzer, 2018)
Generation Y are those born between 1977 and 1997. They are have a participative work
approach and see work as means to an end. They seek to strike a balance between work and
family. Generation X also have high work expectations, are goal oriented and seek achievement.
They are motivated when they are working with creative and innovative people and can
multitask. Generation Y expect to climb up the ladder and or get promoted and would resist hard

Generational Expectations At The Workplace 4
work. They also have high regard and interest to leadership to advance career wise. They also
expect job rotation instead of a more demanding promotion. Equally, they prefer teamwork and
collective decision making, instant feedback, trust and transparency.
Generation Z in the workplace include those employees born after 1997.They have a
different understanding of the world comparing to other prior generations in the workplace. They
embrace technology and also want to be their own boss rather being directed and controlled in
the workplace. This generation is loyal, open minded and responsible. Often, they view their
colleagues as having curiosity and competition. Due to their transformation by technology, they
are seen as competent and accept new ideas which will make them better employees. They
expect everything to happen fast and are impatient and have a short attention span. Generation Z
expects better standards of living, wealth and prestige than previous generations. (Kinicki &
Fugate, 2016).
As the expectations, behaviors, values, beliefs and attitudes of the employees in the
workplace differ across the generations, there is likelihood that conflict, disharmony and strife is
likely to occur. The employers therefore should be on the forefront to devise strategies that will
deal with such misunderstandings with aim to enhance harmony at the workplace in a number of
ways.
The employers or the management can take practical measures and interventions to
address the differences. Mainly and often, perceptions are based on a person’s beliefs, ideas,
attitudes and intuition and how one views others and not necessarily depending on facts. The
management should therefore come up with a mechanism of dealing with these expectations and
perception in the generations such as educating the employees on the uniqueness of each
generation and how they can appreciate and acknowledge the differences existing irrespective of

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the position of job. Employees should be made to understand the uniqueness of each generation
and to appreciate them. (Hendricks & Cope, 2013). It is almost inevitable not to have such
generational gaps in the workplace. There is thus need for regular training on such issues.
Creating a more inclusive work environment can also lead to harmony in the workplace.
The management should create an inclusive environment whereby all generations will be heard.
This starts with the leadership where all the generations are represented and issues dealt with in
an amicable manner. No generation should feel neglected or isolated in the workplace. The tasks
in the workplace should also be designed in a way such that there is cooperation between the
older and young employees. For inclusivity, the older employees can mentor and coach the
younger which will improve their morale and sense of belonging in the organization. The
management can also encourage the young employees in Y and z to assist the veterans and Baby
Boomers to solve their challenges. (Riggs & Riggs, 2018).
Continuous training and development can also be important in promoting harmony in the
workplace in the sense that all the employees across all the generations in the workplace are up
to date and competent in the tools of trade and working. (Strawser, 2019). This can reduce the
conflicts especially where the young employees in generation Z are equipped and able to use
technology whereas the Baby Boomers are not skilled in technology and its usage in the
workplace to effectively accomplish tasks. The workplace is dynamic and keeps changing and
thus all employees should be retooled and be abreast with the current changes. There will be
reduced blame games as all employees will have same skills and competencies needed to
successfully accomplish tasks.
Encouraging open communication also is key in promoting harmony in the workers in the
workplace as open communication channels are important in sending information and receiving

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feedback. To encourage harmony in the workplace, the employees should be able to
communicate with fellow employees and to the employers without any barrier. This will inspire
the members to voice their ideas and suggestions which will be used to improve service delivery
and goal attainment. To be able to communicate effectively to the members on the mission and
vision of the organization will pull them in one direction thus harmony in terms of relations,
ideas, and duty will be enhanced. (Özçelik, 2015). All the employees need a sense of purpose for
them to be useful organizational members and to help them attain their career goals and
professional growth. They need to contribute and impact positively to the organizational growth
daily. There is need to make them aware of the common goals and purpose and how well they
can work together to attain the goals.
Encouraging the employees to learn from each other also promotes workplace harmony.
In building a positive culture, willingness to learn from each other is essential. Different
employees in the various generations possess different skills and knowledge which they can get
to share with others in the workplace. (Espinoza & Ukleja, 2016). It is important for them to
share new knowledge, skills, values and ideas which can help the organization grow. The
employees can consult each other within or outside their generations to get advice or in
coordinating activities.
Retention in the workplace can also be promoted by establishing a good work and life
balance and employers in the workplace should recognize that there are differences, needs and
expectations among the different generations that need to be met. This will sustain motivation by
attending to the employee’s needs. There is need to understand life outside the organization that
as well shapes the employee. To retain workers, there is need for introduction of flexible

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working hours, compassionate leave and good relations which will imply that the employers
highly regard the employees in the workplace.
The employers should meet the workers expectation. The different generations have
different expectations which may be in terms of needs, salary and conditions. The healthcare
managers thus are obliged to provide a work environment which is safe and conducive for the
employees in the different generations to thrive. Alongside this, they can retain the employees in
the workplace by meeting their needs. This include job satisfaction, compensation and
remuneration and recognition. The healthcare managers should provide a safe environment free
from discrimination, danger and harassment.
Assuring the employees of job security is also an important strategy to promote retention
and reduce turnover of the employees. Employee Turnover is an integral part of running a
business and is inevitable in any kind of industry. The employees would want to stay in a place
where there is job security and are not likely to be fired anytime without proper procedures in
any given circumstance and situation. One of the major strategies of retaining employees in the
workplace is job security. Employees need to feel safe and secure and not stressed about the
future of their jobs which can hamper performance and lead to turnovers. (Buckley, 2017).
Compensation and incentives also retain employees. After working, employees expect to
be compensated in terms of financial and other material and nonmaterial resources. This can also
serve as a motivational purpose for the employees. Staff compensation can also include indirect
compensation such as payment for days or time not worked such as holidays, vacation, sick leave
and breaks. It can also involve insurance covers, security plans, and employee services such as
food and recreation programs. This thus improves retention by increasing motivation, enhancing
employee loyalty, job satisfaction and increased productivity. (Hendricks & Cope, 2013).

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Healthcare managers can also promote employee retention by matching company
values with their personal values. This can be enhanced by having an elaborate recruitment
and selection process which will ensure that they get to fit the right people into the right
jobs.. This serves as a purpose in the job and reduces chances of making a bad hire at the
same time increasing the possibility of getting the right employee thus easily retained for
long due to compatibility. (Nahavandi, Denhardt, Denhardt & Aristigueta, 2014).
Recognizing diversity and culture is a strategy of attracting new employees from the
generations. If the employees then perceive the organization as supporting and encouraging
diversity, then they would be attracted to the workplace compared to an organization that does
otherwise. The healthcare managers should recognize and appreciate diversity of the employees
and then encourage them all to apply for the job positions at the workplace. (Paludi, 2012)
The healthcare managers can also redesign the salary which not only retains employees in
an organization but also attracts new employees to the organization when they perceive that the
organization is offering a competitive salary to its employees and thus would want to also be
employed in the organization. In fact, good salary will attract more qualified and potential
employees to the organization. In Generation Z for instance, money is much more important, and
they share with each other about what they make. Therefore salary attracts new employees to the
organization.
To attract new employees, the healthcare managers need to strategize on age differences
of employees. They need to be aware of the various expectations of the generations. For
example, Generation X expect a balance between life and work thus healthcare managers need to
consider these. In Z, there is an emphasis on goal attainment. The older workers can be used as
mentors or trainers. Therefore based on the differences in the expectations, the healthcare

Generational Expectations At The Workplace 9
managers can attract new employees by strategizing on the employees’ age differences. The age
differences in the workplace can be demanding and challenging but also rewarding.
Training and development programs in the workplace can also attract new employees
from all the generation gaps. The healthcare managers need to offer continuous training and
development to update the employees with new skills and competencies for effective and
efficient service delivery. (Grubb, 2016). This should be viewed as an investment by the
organization. When the organization is known to offer training and development to its
employees, then others will be attracted to such kind of organizations. For example, if it is on
technology, the Baby Boomers will be well retooled to enable them accomplish tasks depending
on their nature. (Snell, Bohlander & Vohra, 2012).
Offering career progression can also attract new employees to the organization. Other
than training and development which can enable employees effectively perform tasks, employees
would be looking to advance career wise. (Torrington, Hall, Taylor & Atkinson, 2017). They
could not be looking to do the same thing for a long time and thus there is need to advance
through promotion and advancements. The organization should be able to offer this chance and
be a stepping stone where the employees can be self-actualized to attract new employees..
(Sauser & Sims, 2012).
In conclusion, with the advanced healthcare and extended lifespan, people are working
longer in the organizations and different generation gaps namely the Veterans, Baby Boomers,
Generation X, Y and Z does exist in the workplace. Although they are unique and special in one
way or the other, there have been problems and issues in management of the older worker sand at
the same time attracting and retaining young employees mainly generation Y and Z. (Deyoe &

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Fox, 2012). The healthcare managers are also faced with a task of coming up with strategies to
promote harmony in the workplace, attract and retain employees from the five generational gaps.

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