Managers challenges in a multigenerational team

Abstract

Nowadays, managers have to lead teams with people across different generations like Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials. This means managers have to adjust to different ways of working influenced by each person's age. Each generation has different work habits and goals, which might not always match well in a team. The author has worked in a team with people from different generations and wonders how their manager managed to get good results despite the differences. The author wants to be a manager someday, so researching this topic will help them in the future. This paper wants to look at the problems managers face when leading teams with people from different generations. It will study the different values, ways of communicating, and work preferences in these groups. By understanding these challenges, this research hopes to improve teamwork and make companies work better. This paper based itself on a framework that defined the multigenerational work environment in 5 main concepts: informed management practices, work values differences, multigenerational work environment, low generational work-value conflict, high generational work-value conflict. To achieved these goals, this study is using a qualitative analysis through archival research based on secondary data from relevant sources. The result shows that due to generational preferences and values, managers are facing many challenges that they have to face so they can reach their goals. Otherwise, it is nowadays valuable to form a cross-generational team because each one has specific abilities and experiences that they can share with their colleagues.