The Generational Melting Pot: Pound Signs, Hashtags, and Everything In Between 0 CPE

Often when we hear the term diversity we think of cultural or ethnic differences. Language barriers or even religious beliefs may come to mind. But how often do we think of different generations – generations we most likely work with on a day-to-day basis? Have we stopped to consider the multigenerational workforce that exists today and the challenges we are faced with?

This course discusses the three primary generations present in today’s workforce and what characteristics each generation identifies with. It’s no longer enough to simply acknowledge that there are differences among us – managers and working teams must acknowledge that these differences often lead to intergenerational conflict which ultimately delays or obstructs productivity and can leave workers feeling disengaged. This course reviews generational influencers, sources of conflict, behavioral styles, and offers recommendations to motivate multi-generation colleagues and encourage teamwork.

Understanding the generational melting pot we are immersed in will help teams work together more effectively, improve communication, and help organizations leverage the strengths that each generation offers. This will become increasingly important in terms of the ever-changing socioeconomic factors we are faced with.

Gaining a better understanding of today’s intergenerational workforce will equip learners with the tools they need to be efficient and successful at work and beyond. Learners will find less opportunity to pass judgement or make assumptions that can damage team dynamic, and will be more confident when communicating with people of different generations. There will be fewer opportunities to overlook generational diversity and more opportunities to thrive in the workplace. 

Prerequisites

No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course.

Learning Objective

• Identify the three primary generations of today’s workforce and define them by their primary characteristics
• Recognize the three areas in which generational conflict will likely arise as a result of Gen Xers and Millennials pushing for change
• Discover methods for encouraging employees of different generations to share their knowledge

Last updated/reviewed: March 4, 2024