How do different generations get along in business?

A distinctive approach to your generation

A study conducted by market and social research organisation Ipsos Mori reveals how baby boomers and Generation Y perceive themselves. It found that Generation Y is often described by the following adjectives: technologically literate, materialistic, selfish, lazy and arrogant. Generation X, on the other hand, is described in the opposite way: respectful, well mannered and ethical. The strange thing is that millennials themselves share these descriptions of their generation. As many as 44% of Generation Y said that their generation is materialistic, 37% admitted to being selfish and 33% agreed that their generation is lazy. The good news is that in the business world, Generation Y is more likely to give feedback, use multiple channels to make decisions and have a higher academic background.

Different career paths

L. Duksaitė-Iškauskienė, a partner at the executive and highly qualified search firm Master Class Lietuva, says that baby boomers are a one-job generation – they are loyal to their workplace. Based on research data, she points out that in the Western world, only 27% of these workers are left, and the number is rapidly declining as they approach retirement. On the other hand, as retirement ages increase, this is a lifeline for companies, as they are able to retain these workers longer.

L. Duksaitė-Iškauskienė cites the post office as an example of a traditional work model, where much of the nature of the work has remained unchanged, and the Generation Xers who have worked there for a long time have a good understanding of how to do everything properly. Generation Y and Generation Z no longer have the opportunity to work in the same job, as the labour market is changing rapidly, so they need to be able to adapt.

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