Gen X Vs. Millennial: Bridging the Generational Gap in the Workplace
I’ve worked for good bosses, bad bosses, and everything in between, so I’ve become a student of behavior. In a recent role, I was assigned to a supervisor who happened to be a Millennial. It was eye-opening in many ways, as a Generation Xer, to note the differences from the Baby Boomer management style I had been “brought up on” since I entered the white-collar workforce at age 20.
As a Generation Xer, I was brought up in the Boomer management culture — but there are still Gen X-inspired differences in the way I approach the workplace as a manager and employee. I have worked successfully with many Millennial colleagues and with at least a couple of managers and recognize some interesting differences in how the generations approach management.
Among the generations in the workforce today, Millennials and Generation X cohorts bring diverse perspectives, values, and work styles to the table, often leading to fascinating dynamics in the workplace. Recognizing that in today’s modern workforce, we find ourselves in a unique situation where multiple generations coexist and collaborate, I asked a few other Gen Xers about their experiences working with Millennial bosses.
To be blunt, I learned that generations can often butt heads.
