Workers aren't bridging the generation gap because 20-something employees rarely chat to those in their 50s and 60s, according to a new survey.
The poll of 3,494 adults by employment services group Randstad USA showed that 51 percent of baby boomers and 66 percent of older workers report little to no interaction with their younger colleagues.
Employment experts fear the lack of communication could create a shortage of US skilled labor because retiring baby boomers aren't passing on their knowledge and experience.
"Older workers stereotypically view younger workers as not as competent and not having such a work ethic," said Eric Buntin, managing director of marketing and operations for Randstad USA. "Younger workers view the older as not thinking outside the box."
He said the different generations of employees do not have the same expectations of work and values of employment, which is a difficult gap to bridge.
"The key is that organizations find a way structurally for generations to interact but it can't be a rah-rah coffee or lunch," Buntin said.
"It has to be bringing them together in meaningful ways so they're engaged in projects together and that has to be managed in the course of time."
The survey examined four generations, Generation Y, born between 1980 to 1988; Generation X, born 1965 to 1979; baby boomers born in 1946 to 1964 and matures born before 1945.
The survey also showed that three of the four generations said they have little to no interaction with the most experienced workers -- matures.
一项最新调查显示,员工之间也有“代沟”,20多岁的员工很少与五六十岁的员工交流。
由“任仕达美国”职业中介公司(Randstad USA)对3494个成年人开展的民意调查显示,51%出生在“婴儿潮”的员工和66%年龄较大的员工称他们很少或从不与年轻同事交流。
就业专家担心,年轻员工与年长员工之间缺乏交流会导致熟练劳动力的短缺,因为将要退休的“婴儿潮一代”无法将他们在工作中积累的经验和知识传授给年轻员工。
“任仕达美国”营销与运营部的营销总监埃里克•邦汀说:“年长员工对年轻员工抱有一种成见,他们认为年轻员工不够称职,职业道德欠缺;而年轻员工则认为年长员工观念保守。”
他说,不同年代员工的职业期望和就业价值观不同,这是一个难以弥合的鸿沟。
邦汀说:“解决这一问题的关键在于公司要找出一个促进不同年代员工之间‘结构性’互动的办法,但这并不是说大家坐在一起闹轰轰地喝杯咖啡或者吃顿饭就行了。”
“公司要通过有意义的方式将大家聚在一起,比如一起做项目,这种机制迟早得建立。”
该调查共对四代员工进行了访问,包括1980年至1988年出生的“Y代人”(80后)、1965年至1979年出生的“X代人”、1946年至1964年出生的“婴儿潮代”和1945年以前出生的老一辈人。
调查显示,其中三代的员工称他们很少或从未与最有经验的老一辈员工交流过。