Generations Gap

Greg Hammill, author of “Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees” , discusses in this article the generation gap that occurs in the workplace between veterans, baby boomers, generation x and generation y. Each of these generations has their own ideas and traditions set forth by their time, as well as social and personal ideas. This is the first time in our history where there are four generations working together in the workplace. With this high a number of different people working in one place there are bound to be differences. The rules or guidelines for not just work but life, for each generation are different. These differences can cause problems in the work place making it difficult to impossible to continue working with the other generation. The task here, as suggested by Hammill is to find a common ground on which all of the generations or just a few can work together. For all four generations, they have their own ideas of what the core values, family, education, money and communication should be like and entail. However working to understand these “personal and lifestyle characteristics” is crucial in balancing the work place. Hammill continues on to discuss the workplace characteristics of all generations which only adds to the variety found in ideas, implementation, and work ethic. However learning how to use these differences “effectively or to their advantage”, is the way to finding true success.

This article, I found extremely appealing. Not only did I not realize that during my lifetime four generations are working alongside each other, but I did not realize that these generations were so different. Almost everyone can take a look at other generations and find differences, but to see the generations as having gaps so large between them that the work place can’t be helped is absurd. Hammill suggests that there are ways to help these situations but I find him to sound negative. I wish that he would try to see it not just as differences but also in similarities between the two and how to use the good to iron out the “bad”. The point of this article, for me as a future teacher, is to inform me of the differences and hardships I will encounter in the workplace. Although there are going to be many challenges, seeing them as bumps in the road and not road blocks is important. I do realize I am traveling down the path to a teaching profession surrounded by people who either don’t know how to drive (teach) or people who won’t drive effectively for all. The problem with a lot of situations where generational gaps occur is the notion that people claim to not understand the differences when they simply don’t want to understand the differences. I sincerely hope that through my education, my positive and optimistic life attitude, I can bridge the gaps and see others the possibilities that lay ahead in working together.