When Clifton Gunderson LLP began rolling out a new tax computer software program, Peter Jacobs admits he was less than thrilled.
Jacobs, 53, managing partner of the Heartland Client Service Center at Clifton Gunderson in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said not only did he lack the time to devote to learning something new with all of his other duties, but he simply didn't "want to do the stuff, quite frankly." Reaction was much more receptive among younger Clifton Gunderson employees.
Recent Coe College graduates Laura Cuckler, 24, and Connie Lira, 23, quickly began learning shortcuts and helping others who were struggling.
"It was so easy for me. I didn't have any problems. When it was rolled out, we picked up on it pretty quick," Lira said.
Having grown up surfing the Internet, instant messaging, using Excel spreadsheets and doing Power Point presentations, learning another tech program was a breeze for these two. So much so, in fact, that Cuckler and Lira were tapped to help train Clifton Gunderson employees across the nation as the software was rolled out in other offices.
Both of them were thrilled to have been picked for the assignment.
"It makes us feel like we're bringing something to the table," Lira said.
The technology gap is just one of the marked differences between the generations in the workplace today. And the number of generations has never been higher. For the first time in American history, four generations are working side-by-side in the workplace.
"There are three generations in many companies and four in some, but in times past there were two at the most," said Kevin Leicht, professor of sociology and co-director of the Institute for Inequity Studies at the University of Iowa.
Not only are people living longer, they are working longer, too, given that mandatory retirement has gone by the wayside, he said.
While there are plenty of benefits to the multigeneration work force phenomenon for employers, there also are challenges. Because each generation tends to have different priorities, human resource officials say that now, more than ever, they must have a range of benefits to satisfy the different generations that often want different things.
The risk of misunderstandings also increase since each generation tends to look at things differently.
"This is a huge challenge or issue for us," said Karen Brown, corporate director of diversity at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids.
"Everyone grew up in a different time of life and who they are is shaped by that time frame in which they grew up," she said.
Because younger generations are less loyal to an employer, it has forced companies to work harder to retain these employees.
"From a human resources perspective, you have people who are always being lured away. They don't have that loyalty. They might be offered more money and even if they like working here, it doesn't stop them from leaving," said Jo Ann Binzen, human resource manager at Stamats in Cedar Rapids.
It's all these generational differences that have many Corridor companies, including Rockwell Collins, offering information sessions on the topic. The idea is that the better the generations understand each other, the better they can work together.
"Yes, it's a challenge, but it's even more of a challenge if you are not conscious of it," said Bob Freeman, human resource director at Kirkwood Community College.
Rockwell Collins' Brown said no one generation is easier or more difficult to manage than another, but knowing and understanding the differences between them can be helpful, especially for those who must manage them and foster teamwork.
"People in general are difficult to manage. It's not because they are part of a certain generation or not," Brown said. "What's challenging is the lack of understanding. Here's another ingredient we're throwing in the pot." But family is one commonality Stamat's Binzen has seen in every generation.
"In all four generations I think family is their No. 1 value. That has not changed, but how they are willing to deal with that is what we're seeing," she said. "I think all generations are trying to find that work-life balance." Younger employees are used to multitasking and everything moving at a faster pace. Human resource professionals said young employees also expect to move up the ladder quickly, which causes some friction when they are not shy about telling a boss they want his or her job. That's a difficult attitude to accept for older employees who grew up valuing seniority.
Younger generations also are changing the attitude toward work.
Human resource professionals said younger generations don't place as much emphasis on how and when the work gets done, just that it gets done. That's a stark difference to those used to the 9-to-5 mentality and has employers grappling with how to adjust, whether it's allowing nontraditional work hours or flex time or telecommuting for certain types of jobs.
Some younger workers believe they work more effectively and efficiently from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., which begs the question, "is it really about face time or getting the work done?" said Brown from Rockwell Collins.
At Clifton Gunderson, employees said it's important for each generation to listen to each other because each generation can benefit from another. The younger generations bring innovative ideas and those who have been there for years bring institutional knowledge that can never be replaced. And the younger generations' technological skills can make a huge difference in the workplace.
Toby Lawrence, 43, partner at Clifton Gunderson, said he's in awe at the younger generation's technological adeptness, but he also appreciates that generation's inquisitive nature and the fact members aren't afraid to ask questions.
"The key is realizing we can learn from each other because there are differences in how we were raised and how we grew up," he said.
Source: The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Powered by Yellowbrix.
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