As the discussion around generational differences in the workplace continues to influence organizations’ approaches to people management, global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company has conducted a critical examination of generations in the workplace and their practical implications to offer clarity on the sometimes-divisive subject.

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – Though the concept of generations is deeply entrenched in North American society and modern perspectives of workplace culture, an increasing number of academics and well-respected research institutions are questioning the validity and serviceability of generational differences, explains McLean & Company in its new research, Making Sense of Generations in the Workplace. The firm’s recently published resource contains insights and new perspectives to support HR leaders in determining what, if anything, must be done at an organizational level to address generational differences in workplaces across nearly every industry.

As organizations seek to adjust their approach to people management to better meet the needs of employees in a new age of work, more attention has been placed on generations and the differences between them in recent years.

“The discussion about generations is inescapable and exists through several lenses, including social, economic, political, and organizational. No aspect of generational differences exists in a vacuum. Rather, each reinforces the others, causing the phenomenon of generational stereotypes to intensify,” says Janet Clarey, principal director of HR Research and Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “For example, the recent social interest in generations has led to business consultants pushing the concept to sell their services. This push inflates interest in generations, which in turn can risk adopting a one-dimensional approach to people management that ignores the critical and varied complexities of employees’ identities.”

In the new resource, McLean & Company advocates that organizational decisions should not be made based on assumptions or concepts of generational stereotypes, as doing so risks missing vital aspects of employee identities and invites an undesirable amount of risk for the organization. Instead, HR and organizational leaders should consider the variety and complexity of employees’ diverse identities when making talent decisions.

To support leaders seeking to apply a holistic approach to people management and make sense of generational stereotypes within their organizations’ unique context and needs, the firm has organized its resource into three sections:

1.  Section one: Critical examination of generational differences. 

The first section presents findings from empirical investigations, reviews of relevant literature, and interviews with leading experts in the field to put forth arguments to challenge the very concept of generations as a valid means by which to categorize and explain people. 

Additionally, this section notes that the construct of generations is further complicated by the fact that it cannot be accurately measured in isolation due to the many factors that are so closely intertwined with it. These factors include:

1. 1. 1. The age effect – Variation associated with aging attributable to life stage, maturity (e.g., career stage, family status), and physical changes (e.g., general health and wellness).
      2. The period effect – Variation associated with societal, historical, or cultural shifts in a specific period, such as widespread technology accessibility.
      3. The cohort effect – Variation associated with groups of individuals based on shared experiences of major events, such as birth year or coming of age around a particular period.

2.  Section two: Psychology and media as catalysts.

The second section explains what has contributed to the rapid emergence of generational differences as a social and workplace phenomenon. Psychology and media are examined as two catalysts through which humans have come to rely on generations as a way of organizing and giving meaning to the world.

For example, the human brain seeks to simplify and make sense of complex environments. One of the ways in which this is done is by relying on heuristics, which are mental shortcuts employed to quickly make judgments about surroundings or solve problems without requiring immense cognitive effort. In this context, organizing complex people by generation is an application of heuristics.

3.  Section three: Implications for the workplace.

The third section outlines potential risks associated with improper application of generational stereotypes and provides approaches to navigate them in workplace contexts. Despite the limitations, generations are something organizations must reckon with as they continue to be a popular construct.

As such, organizations must approach the concept of generations with sensitivity and awareness of the implications generational stereotypes pose and learn to navigate and manage the permeation of generational stereotypes within the organization.

McLean & Company recommends checking any assumptions being made based on generational differences to ensure unintentional biases are not applied in a workplace environment.

To access the full resource, please visit Making Sense of Generations in the Workplace.

Media interested in connecting with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights and commentary on generations in the workplace, generative AI in HR, HR trends in 2024, the future of work, and more can contact Senior Communications Manager Kelsey King at [email protected]. 

About McLean & Company

Through data-driven insights and proven best-practice methodologies, McLean & Company offers comprehensive resources and full-service assessments, action plans, and training to position organizations to meet today’s needs and prepare for the future.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE McLean & Company