Corrections – Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomers
Many have been paying attention to the warfare that
surrounds them. There is nothing new about conflict in the workplace but this
cultural battle is about relinquishing control of leadership and key positions
in the administrative hierarchy which have been shifting for quite some time
now. The war is not about which generation can do the best job but rather which
generation has the abilities to do the best job of formulating harmony and
unity within the workplace to get the job done.
Most workplaces rely on the world of technology and savvy
people who can run it. Corrections is no different but their emphasis on
technology is in specialized fields which are computer generated and filled
with complex and hard to understand software demands many baby boomer
generation leaders have difficulties understanding. Their main business is
still the management of people.
This technology drives generational wars and causes tension
in the workplace many aren’t addressing in the proper manner. Instead of
dealing with it they are ignoring it causing tempers, frustrations and lower
morale with the ultimate price of an increase in employee turnover and impair
the agency’s ability to produce positive benchmarks for the mission.
We have to work on setting new rules so that those playing
in the sandbox can get along without in-fighting or at the very least, play
better with each other. There has to be a pervasive trend to discuss and solve
these problems in order for the agency to meet its public sector
responsibilities and expectations. There is no doubt that relationships between
generations are at an all-time low as we speak and something needs to be done
to reverse this drift.
The perceptions are flawed as one generation called the
other a “bunch of whiners” or “instant gratification” groupies that feel they
are better than the other and show their arrogance and entitlement in the open
unlike the baby boomers who are more discreet about their own flaws. The
perception of baby boomers being self-absorbed workaholics carries with it a
stigma that offends the other generations causing deep rifts in productivity
and commitment to get the job done as a team.
Having said all that the focus appears to be on better
communications and minimizing the traditional trash-talking events that occur
on the job. Working with different age groups in itself is problematic but
having conflicts stimulated by generational tension impacts the use of
technology and work ethics. Thus finding a bridge for this generational gap is
of the utmost importance.
Baby boomers came up with the phrase “working hard or hardly
working?” Research is showing that this generation believes or feels that
younger generation people do not have the same work ethics as them and causes
them to have to put forth more effort to get the job done. This is one of the
main causes for the friction between them.
The younger generations rebuke this ideology that they don’t
work hard and express a frustration they are not given credit for the work they
do because they are viewed to be lesser in energy and commitment than the older
generations. Thus this conflict or friction is based on perceptions and not
facts.
Each generation has a preferred method of communicating. One
prefers face to face while the other prefers emails or text materials. Some prefer
social media and others would rather use the telephone. This causes a mixed
reaction and communication gap that is difficult to revive if there is no
consistency or system in place to keep it at an expected level of proficiency
and efficiency. Failing to communicate causes abrupt hurt feelings and impacts
the relationships in negative ways. It also impacts relationships both personal
and professional.
Why are we having critical flashpoints in the workplace
today? What makes it so serious that we have to come up with the solutions
quickly and not ignore this problem? Retirements of traditional leadership
roles need to be filled with new leaders who possess qualities that keeps the
agency running at a high efficiency point. The need to scramble and recruit
from the inside and outside is now. Corrections has to do its part in finding
the proper replacements for top echelon staff such as wardens, deputy wardens,
chief of security, program managers and other critical department heads to keep
the momentum going.
The time to transition is now. The time to mix these
generational leaders has become essential in preparing for the future. The
agency has to develop a strategy that prepares staff for higher
responsibilities “while addressing issues that may be preventing, discouraging,
or undermining their ability to work in a collaborative manner.” Current leader
must understand and respect the needs of each generational work to address
these future needs.
Best practices should include recruitment from the inside and
outside of the agency. There needs to be an instrument in place that evaluates
employee’s unique strengths and weaknesses of each generation and identify the
friction points between them. Their focus should be on building a technologically
skilled pool of young workers who have demonstrated the ability to work in
harmony and retain them for employment or promotional opportunities as they develop.Focus should also be pointed to the biases that exist and
create these workplace tensions.
Management should find a way to manage the influx
of new incoming generational workers with the means to integrate and
collaborate with each other in an increasingly pace to see how their
relationships build or bond. The fact they are generational should not draw
away from the fact they are people or humans. On the other hand, baby boomers
need to be aware how their biases can get in the way of progress and need to
work on those issues so that they are managed collectively.
The important thing to remember is that age does not define
a person but rather age may draw unique skill sets as well as work and life
experiences. Age defines demographics and not a person. There are after all is
said millions of people, each who contributed their own uniqueness. Rather than
focusing on age we must focus on character, personalities, behaviors and attitudes.
This mixing should create an alignment of work skills instrumental in the
workplace and we should practice who to get along with people rather than focus
on the technologies alone.
Reference:
http://www.cio.com/article/2437236/staff-management/gen-y--gen-x-and-the-baby-boomers--workplace-generation-wars.html
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