Managing conflict across generations in the workplace

Abstract

The current American workplace is made up of members of four distinct generations: "Veterans" (born between 1922-1943), "Boomers" (born between 1943-1960), "Generation X" (born between 1960 - 1980), and "Generation Y" (born between 1980 and 2000). Members of each generation bring to the workplace very distinct assumptions regarding technology, expertise, and rewards. This thesis explores the nature of differences in assumptions across all four generations. It takes the two most relevant to the current work environment, Boomers and Generation Y, and analyzes how their different approaches to technology, expertise and rewards cause conflict in the workplace. After conducting a literature review on conflict and change management at work, I propose a process for preventing and mitigating generational conflict at work.