Generational differences may be natural and normal, but they’re not always easy to deal with in the workplace, says Jason Dorsey, best-selling author and generational research expert.
After publishing a best-selling book about millennials 20 years, employers began seeking Dorsey’s advice about dealing with this generation at work.
“Employers started calling me to say, ‘We hired your people and they’re driving us crazy,'" he says. “‘They show up late, their moms come to work, they want off for their birthday—what’s happening here?’”
That led Dorsey to research generational issues and their differences at work.
“Different generations bring different things to the workplace,” Dorsey says. “It’s not that anybody’s right or wrong. Too often, when people hear about generations, it’s either negative or how one generation is better than the other—or worse, that you must cater to one generation or the other."
Dorsey’s research examines each generation’s strengths in addition to their differences.
“If you’re a credit union manager, it starts with understanding the differences and similarities between the generations,” he says, “because there are similarities. People want to work somewhere that brings meaning to their lives and they want to feel included.”
One interesting finding: Millennials are the largest generation of employees at credit unions, Dorsey says.
In the latest CUNA News Podcast episode, Dorsey discusses the characteristics of each generation, their differences, and common misconceptions people have about each generation.
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