Method to Motivate Multigeneration Workforce Essay

Tags: baby boomers united states organizational development personal values

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The multigenerational workforce in the United States presents a critical challenge for managers because each generation requires different expectations. Over the last few decades, the U.S. workforce has become so unique and diverse involving the mix of generation, gender, and ethnicity for the first time in the history of United States, workplace demographic spans four generations. The 2008 and 2009 U.S. economic crisis makes many older workers delaying retirement leading to a rich mixture of generation across different sectors. Consequently, this shift affects the workplace culture since values, attitudes as well as workplace style differ across a different generation. Moreover, each generation brings their work behaviors, values, motivation and relationship styles to the workplace assisting in enhancing the organizational development. Despite the benefits associated with the multi-generation work environment, a present of diverse generation can bring a challenge to managers with respect to communication, respect and work styles. Organizations can still derive positive productive benefits from the generational cohort provided that they design work environment for the benefit of all generations. An effective management of each generation is critical to ensure that all employees obtain benefits from the work environment. In this sense, an understanding of the characteristics and features of each generational cohort will assist managers to meet the needs of all employees.

Statement of Problem



The present employment landscape in the United States is presenting workplace challenges for managers based on the presence of multigenerational work environment. A few decades ago, the structure and generation of workers were different organizations was separated by rank and status. Generally, executives and directors are older employees while the middle managers are middle-aged. However, the front line employees were the youngest member of the organization. The issue is different in the present work environment where the workforce has become unique because all the four distinct and different generation work together, and side by side where each generation brings a diverse approach to the company.

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The convergence of the generational cohort includes the baby boomers who have postponed their retirement because of the current economic condition. Many traditionalists still remain in the workforce because of the intention and necessity to make the ends meet. According to Schullery (2013), the present workplace consists of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y and Generation Z. The Baby Boomers are born between 1946 and 1964, Generation X are born between 1965 and 1979, and Generation Y born between 1980 and 1999 while the Generation Z are born from 1996. (Schullery, 2013). Thus, the present workforce consists of employees aged between 19 and 70. The unique challenges are that the percentage of workforce aged below 25 is dropping by 13.2% while the number of workforce above 55 years of age rise by 7.6%. The general business problem that each generation has a unique communication style which is challenging for managers to motivate a different generation of employees. Moreover, unique requirements of this diverse generation in the workplace environment is presenting challenges for the business managers and human resources professionals. A more specific problem are that some managers lack the business strategy to motivate each generational cohort. While it is generally agreed that each generational cohort has different characteristics unique to other generation, there is still a shortage of academic literature providing the strategy to motivate each generational cohort.

Research Question



What strategies do managers use to motivate each generational cohort?

Bursch, & Kelly, (2014) advise business leaders to focus on the common ground and similarities of a different generation. The authors argue that Baby Boomers are loyal, achievement oriented, and diligent. On the other hand, Generation X are distrustful of authority, individualistic, and lacking loyalty. However, Millennials value leisure than work, and want meaningful work. Some of the differences of….....

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Reference


Bennett, J., Pitt, M., & Price, S. (2012). Understanding the impact of generational issues in the workplace. Facilities, 30, 278-288.

Bursch, D. & Kelly, K. (2014). Managing the Multigenerational Workplace. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Head, B. (2014). Generationally-Tailored Leadership Practices Relationship to Engagement. A Confirmatory Study of Leadership Practices and Their Impact on Engagement as it Differs by Generational Cohort and Assumed Cohort Preferences. A Dissertation Submitted to the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Schullery, N. M. (2013). Workplace engagement and generational differences in values. Business Communication Quarterly, 76, 252-265.

Tomislav, H. & Nina Poloski, V. (2014). Work design for different generational cohorts: Determining common and idiosyncratic job characteristics, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 27 (4): 615 -- 641.

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