Bridging the Generation Gap

In today’s workplace, five generations–Radio Babies, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Yers and the Millenials–bring unique perspectives and experiences to the job. For businesses to compete in today’s global economy, all employees must perform at their best. While friction is inevitable, managers need to tap into the energy and talent of every employee. They need to help workers set aside their generational differences or learn to work with them, and they can do this by building a “bridge between generations.” Bridging the Generation Gap by Linda Gravett and Robin Throckmorton provides suggestions and strategies to “narrow the divide between generations.” If managers leverage common values and mutual respect, they can bring together generations of workers with disparate perceptions, worldviews, experiences, and communication styles.