A Generation Y employee was reprimanded by her boomer-era boss because
of the casual way she talked to the president of their firm. You see,
this employee spoke to the president the same way she spoke to the
receptionist, and believed that treating all of the office staff the
same way was a sign of respect; however, her more seasoned boss was
horrified by her lack of etiquette and justly let her know.
This
scenario points to the difficulty of navigating generational
differences in the office, and also to the importance of learning to
work effectively with co-workers of all ages. “Generational differences
have been named as a major concern in office settings,” says career
expert and cofounder of SixFigureStart
Caroline Ceniza-Levine. “This is the first time we have four
generations in the workplace. Each generation has different defining
events, attitudes toward work, communication styles, and other
differences that naturally pose challenges in close settings like the
office.”
The good news is that young women can bridge the generation gap. Here’s how.
