Business Memorandum

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© 2014 Data retrieved from Ernst and Young, http://goo.gl/8pK4wo

Monday, May 5, 2014

Managing a multi-

generational workforce. By Samantha Lee

A new study shows a momentous shift in both Generation X and Millennials moving into various levels of management positions over the past half-decade. Add to this the strong presence of Baby Boomers, and it becomes apparent that the American workforce today is a veritable melting pot of age demographics. In a survey of more than 1,000 US companies, results show that each generation has its own strengths and weaknesses. The data is potentially of great importance to those who find themselves in the position of managing this cross- generational mix. The majority (75%) of respondents who identified as managers said that supervising

multi-generational teams poses some significant challenges. The study broke down the perceived strengths and weaknesses of each generational group, and this data could prove useful for those who find themselves in this kind of management position. Below are the study's findings on the strengths and weaknesses of Millennials, Gen X-ers, and Baby Boomers, respectively:

Strengths: Millennials are viewed as the

most tech-savvy who know how to use social media to their advantage. These younger workers are also viewed as being the most "enthusiastic" about their jobs. Weaknesses: Millennials scored the lowest on being a "team player," "hardworking,” and "a productive part” of the company. Strengths: Gen X-ers were perceived as the best managers. They also fared best when it comes to generating revenue, being a problem-solver, and having good team- working skills. Weaknesses: Gen X-ers scored the lowest in terms of being cost-effective. Simply put, they get paid the most on average. Strengths: Baby Boomers ranked the highest when it comes to being a productive part of their companies. They also ranked high in terms of being "hardworking,” a "team player," and mentoring others. Weaknesses: Boomers ranked lowest with

regards to being “adaptable.” It is of course important to avoid stereotyping or overgeneralizing. Still, any good manager knows the importance of managing personalities, and consideration of this kind of data is a great place to start. Samantha Lee is a staff writer for The Examiner. [email protected]