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I was asked recently to write an article on the potential for conflict between older and younger people (addressed to women) in the workplace. Even women suffer from the Prince Charles syndrome: waiting so long to take the reins that the chance may even pass them by. “Why won’t those Boomers realize it’s time to go?” some of them think.

First, from my experience working with the four generations of all genders at work today, this is not a women’s issue but affects men equally. There are a few aspects of the problem, however, that do have a uniquely female angle. Specifically, some older women feel the younger women don’t recognize and appreciate how hard they fought for changes in the workplace and for work/life flexibility that the younger women take for granted and expect. (I am not suggesting that workplace policies have reached anything near nirvana – just that some major changes have come about as women fought and men realized they needed the talented women and saw the importance of progress for their wives and daughters.)

However, this lack of appreciation is not the crux of the matter. Boomer women are sticking around for two credible reasons: 1) they like the fulfillment, feeling of making a contribution, challenge and social opportunities work brings; and 2) they may very well need the money. In some cases there is a third reason as well: uncertainty that successors are well prepared to shoulder their greater responsibilities.

Economic reality meets career desires. The recession has given many organizations a breather from brain-drain threats. At the same time, many Boomers would like to keep on working for a long time more, even if they can afford to retire. Surveys in 2004 and 2005 when the economy was robust and retirement funds were healthy revealed that about 80% of Boomers wanted to keep working after age 65 in some capacity – reinventing retirement.

While personal priorities will dominate each individual’s decisions, there’s a bigger picture need for restructuring. Even in a booming economy things won’t go back to what they were 20 years ago because the generational cohorts have different worldviews and expectations for their careers and work lives. And, significantly, they don’t understand each other’s perspectives and influences very well. When that understanding is achieved and accepted on an emotional level, we can move to greater cross-generational respect and collaboration.

REMOVING POTENTIAL CONFLICT

Achieve role shifts and transitioning that benefits clients/customers and the organization as a whole. I am not in favor of involuntarily removing productive people, who do not wish to retire, but for the sake of providing opportunities to the generation waiting in line, senior professionals’ roles and responsibilities need to shift at some point.

Shifted roles must come with respect attached. The transitioning process requires employers to rethink value and compensation for functions that were assumed to be provided gratis in the context of professional roles. Too often financial rewards come only from performing other functions that leave little time for knowledge transfer, mentoring, training and coaching. Financial disincentives need to be eliminated to reduce conflict.

The trick is to capitalize on Boomer knowledge and experience without alienating the bottlenecked Gen Xers and later, Millennials. One answer is to pay Boomers still in place now to transition their valuable acquired wisdom, contacts and skills before they up and leave with these precious assets or fail to pass on the baton and client bonds. That will prepare Gen Xers to thrive when the bottleneck opens as Boomers transition out over time.

If knowledge transfer and coaching is not built into transitioning roles which are made attractive by according them respect and providing work/life flexibility and engaging challenges, how will the next generation of leaders and managers get prepared to succeed? Willingness to prepare the next generation and shift roles through gradual transition can avoid generational conflict as both generations reap the benefits.

The real enduring challenge is building sustainably strong organizations that engage and retain the most productive talent of every generation. It will take frequent dialogue, listening, mutual mentoring and empathy. Organizations have to assess and re-think the connections between attitudes and expectations and the policies and financial and non-financial incentives that foster attitudes in order to prevent tensions among the generations and provide continuing opportunities for all to make meaningful contributions.

©  Phyllis Weiss Haserot, 2011

Please share your thoughts on our blog www.nextgeneration-nextdestination.com or to me at pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com. 

Phyllis

* The generational chronology for easy reference: Generations are defined by the similar formative influences – social, cultural, political, economic – that existed as the individuals of particular birth cohorts were growing up. Given that premise, the age breakdowns for each of the four generations currently in the workplace are approximately:

Traditionalists:                           born 1925-1942   

Baby Boomers                            born 1943-1962

Generation X                              born 1963-1978

Generation Y/Millennials            born 1979-1998

For coaching, training and special programs on inter-generational relations and maximizing the potential of young professionals, call Phyllis for an exploratory talk or complimentary coaching session at 212-593-1549. See http://www.pdcounsel.com/solution-multi-generational-challenges/ and http://www.pdcounsel.com/about-us/what-we-do/ . We also provide *Next Generation, Next Destination* succession and transitioning planning programs and services for baby boomer senior professionals and their firms.

Phyllis is available to speak at your organization or at firm retreats on inter-generational relations and organizational effectiveness topics. Call or e-mail for a list of topics or to custom-tailor your own.

Check out *Next Generation, Next Destination*, our blog about succession/transitioning planning and the generations. Visit, comment and subscribe by RSS feed or e-mail. http://www.nextgeneration-nextdestination.com.

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Phyllis Weiss Haserot

Practice Development Counsel
Consulting/Coach to the Next Generation
Creator of *Next Generation, Next Destination* and *Cross-Generational Conversation*

60 Sutton Place South, New York, NY 10022
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