X, Y, Z: NAVIGATING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES ON THE VETERINARY TEAM
JEANNINE MOGA, MA, MSW, LCSW Chief Happiness Officer, VETgirl, LLC
In the VETgirl webinar, “X, Y, Z: Navigating Generational Differences on the Veterinary Team,” Jeannine Moga, MA, MSW, LCSW, explores what generational differences mean for workplace communication, culture and management and how to build common ground to optimize engagement, productivity, and connection amongst diverse team members.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
It is important to note that these skills are not cultivated in isolation. In fact, they may be developed most effectively through an activity called “co-mentoring.” Co-mentoring links older and younger workers together intentionally such that each worker can help the other in areas where exposure to, and practice with, a skill may be lacking. For instance, a recent graduate in my current office – a member of Gen Y who is remarkably adept with social media and all things techno – has taken the reins of the office’s social media platforms and is teaching the Xers how to more effectively manage digital marketing. (continued)
AARP, 10,000 people turn 65 every day and the current workforce is unprecedented in its generational diversity, mostly because folks are both entering the workforce earlier and delaying retirement. 3 The challenge, then, is to make sure that workers, regardless of generational membership, are continually working across difference to cultivate 21st century skills . 2 What are 21st century skills? Depending on who you ask, they might include interdisciplinary problem- solving and digital literacy 4 or a host of similar competencies related to communication, collaboration, adaptability, and ethical leadership. 5
Boomers are workaholics, Gen Xers are sarcastic sourpusses, and Millennials are lazy and entitled… right? 1 While marketers LOVE to reduce groups of people into sound bites, and organizational managers are always looking for a better way to understand and motivate their workers, the stereotypes we apply to entire generations of people are rarely accurate. In fact, a significant amount of social science research has been devoted to teasing out what differences, if any, exist between cohorts of people whose birthdates expose them to shared developmental milestones and cultural experiences (the technical definition of “generation,” in case you’re curious). Interestingly, the assumptions we make about generational membership and traits – as funny and/or crass as they may be -- simply aren’t supported in the scientific literature. In truth, your membership in Generation X, Y, or Z (or even your status as a more “seasoned” Boomer or Silent Generation worker) is unlikely to matter in terms of your work attitudes 1 (motivation, commitment, job satisfaction) or work ethic. 2 What IS true is that the American workforce is now comprised of five generations of workers, and both consumers and workers are aging at a historic rate. According to
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