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.
一項最新調查顯示,員工之間也有“代溝”,20多歲的員工很少與五六十歲的員工交流。
由“任仕達美國”職業中介公司(Randstad USA)對3494個成年人開展的民意調查顯示,51%出生在“嬰兒潮”的員工和66%年齡較大的員工稱他們很少或從不與年輕同事交流。
就業專家擔心,年輕員工與年長員工之間缺乏交流會導致熟練勞動力的短缺,因為將要退休的“嬰兒潮一代”無法將他們在工作中積累的經驗和知識傳授給年輕員工。
“任仕達美國”營銷與運營部的營銷總監埃里克•邦汀說:“年長員工對年輕員工抱有一種成見,他們認為年輕員工不夠稱職,職業道德欠缺;而年輕員工則認為年長員工觀念保守。”
他說,不同年代員工的職業期望和就業價值觀不同,這是一個難以彌合的鴻溝。
邦汀說:“解決這一問題的關鍵在于公司要找出一個促進不同年代員工之間‘結構性’互動的辦法,但這并不是說大家坐在一起鬧轟轟地喝杯咖啡或者吃頓飯就行了。”
“公司要通過有意義的方式將大家聚在一起,比如一起做項目,這種機制遲早得建立。”
該調查共對四代員工進行了訪問,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“嬰兒潮代”和1945年以前出生的老一輩人。
調查顯示,其中三代的員工稱他們很少或從未與最有經驗的老一輩員工交流過。