Analyzing Generational Differences and Communication in the Workplace

This report delves into the critical role of communication in addressing generational differences within businesses. It highlights how varying perspectives and approaches, shaped by environmental factors like technology and socio-economic conditions, can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. The report defines different generations (Silent, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z) and their unique characteristics in the workplace. It emphasizes the importance of a multi-cultural communication strategy to bridge the generation gap, using a case study of a family-owned consultancy firm to illustrate real-world challenges. The analysis identifies the reasons for conflict, primarily the generation gap and poor communication, and proposes solutions like continuous learning, clear communication, and understanding different viewpoints. The social presence theory is introduced as a tool to enhance communication. The report concludes by emphasizing the need to adapt to the evolving workforce, particularly the influence of Gen Z, to ensure business sustainability.

COMMUNICATION AND
GENERATIONAL
DIFFERENCES
STUDENT NAME:
INSTITUTE NAME:

INTRODUCTION
• Communication plays an important role in every business as it not only allows for the free and right
passage of information, but also ensures that the information is understood well (Buleen,2015)
• Communication is essential for any business to thrive as it brings people and ideas together, which
contributes towards the growth of the company in the longer run
• Effective communication is specially needed in business which have grown over generations. This is
required to eliminate any misunderstanding which arises out of generation gap, and save the business
from falling apart. This problem is witnessed particularly in old organizations which are taken over by
the younger generation ! (Galowich, 2018)

GENERATIONS OF BUSINESS
• Silents : Born before 1946
• Baby Boomers: Born between 1946 and 1964
• Generation Xers (Born between 1965 and 1980)
• Generation Ys or Millennials (born after 1980)
• Generation Z of Post Millennials (born after 2012). (Mars,2019)
Each of these groups have their own understanding and approach towards the business. These people
work in a different manner as their approaches are affected and influenced greatly by the environment in
which the business thrives

(Blagul, 2017)

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING
BUSINESS APPROACHES
Following are the factors which influence the working of the business which change from generation to
generation:
• Technology
• Socio-economic factors
• Political and global policy factor
• International trade regulations (Myers and Sadghiani, 2010)
• Changes and growth in consumer behaviour
• Availability of the resources

GENERATION GAP IN BUSINESS
• The generation gap is a term used to describe those distinct differences as they apply to a variety of
subjects, from spending habits to work ethic to problem-solving techniques which are expected in
people of different generations (Gregory, 2019)
• People of different generations are wired differently as they have a different approach towards
everything which relates to the business because of the difference in their mindset which again has
been cultured by the environment they have grown up in

COMMUNICATION AND GENERATION GAP
• Communication plays an essential role in bridging this generation gap in the business. If the organization
does not have a decent and well established line of communication it becomes difficult to sustain the
business because of the constant difference and conflicts in opinions
• It is important to define a multi-cultural strategy to accommodate different generation on the same
page and channel the success of the organization in the best possible manner; this can happen only
when the communication is clear between all the levels or generations (Venter, 2017)

HOW TO MANAGE
GENERATIONAL
DIFFERENCES IN THE
WORKPLACE
The current work-place and for the coming
years will be run by Gen Z. These are the
people at the brim of technological
revolution who have seen the past and the
present evolution of technology (Blagul,
2017)
In order to sustain business alongside
them, it is important to build a
temperament which focuses on growth in
terms of technology and people both!
(Kitchen and Proctor, 2015)
(Blagul, 2017)

CASE STUDY
• ABC Pvt. Ltd. Is a consultancy company based in America running from the past 50 years. It was
established in 1967 by Mr. Bowman. Mr. Bowman had a very cohesive approach towards business and
believed in taking everyone together.
• His focus was to make ABC a global consultant and reach out to the Asian market as well. The
expansion of the company was going good until his health took the best of him and he had to
prematurely retire and give the reigns of his company to his son and his grandson.
• It is year 2010 and both the new leaders of the organization are running the company in a very
conflicting way. While Mr Bowman’s son is trying to maintain his father legacy and bring in change, the
grandson is hell bent on firing old employees and bringing new and fresh people with energy to the
company.
• Because of this, the conflicts are constantly increasing in office as well as the house.

CASE STUDY
• The grandson has his own way of working which is pretty relaxed. He is mostly never on time to the
office, but is rather exploring other avenues of understanding the customers on field or in some other
way
• This has irked the gran patriarch as he does not identify with this way of working and does not want this
new influence on the organization as well

CASE STUDY
Now the questions worth pondering over in this case study are:
• The reason behind this fall out?
• How can this situation be fixed?

ANALYSIS: REASONS FOR FALLOUT
Generation Gap
• All three belong to different generations, hence, have a different approach towards the business as
well
Communication
• The three generations are not communicating well at all. Hence, they are not able to understand each
other (Smith and Nicols, 2015)