Generations at work

This early pioneering study of generational diversity (first published fifteen years ago) is still fresh and relevant. The key issues of generation difference in the workplace is now considered to be one of the top leadership challenges of this decade and is widely reported in the global national press as the babyboomers (reluctantly) retire, x generation are taking on more leadership responsibility and the Millennials (or ‘Nexters’ as Zemike, Raines and Filipczak refer to them) are now a firm and dominant group in the workplace.

This is a detailed, well researched book that sets out each of the four main generational groups’ profiles, perceptions, defining moments, shared values and work ethics and carefully illustrates that a lot of the conflicts that you find in organisations are generational. The book’s principle idea is that as leaders, through understanding generational issues and motivations, we can limit the amount of tension and conflict caused by generational issues.

As well as fascinating insights into how each generation has been shaped, the book offers some highly practical ways (through personal stories/insights, organisational case-studies, expert panellists and Q&A) on how to effectively contain and manage the inevitable generational clash. Unlike the generations that this book writes about, the research and analysis in this book has not aged and it is extremely important and relevant reading for any modern leader leading a complex cross-generational enterprise.