CONFLICTS between generations in the workplace could result in damaging legal disputes for employers, an employment lawyer has warned.
Viv Du-Feu, a partner with Cardiff and London-based international law firm Capital Law, warned that with younger and older generations increasingly likely to be working together, not enough employers understand inter-generational conflicts and as a result are unable to come up with proactive policies to manage them.
Recent research showed that one in four people of retirement age cannot afford to leave their jobs and will have to continue working indefinitely, with the number of older employees rising by 97,000 in the past year alone.
Mr Du-Feu said: “There are now 1.33 million workers above retirement age in the UK so our workforces are becoming increasingly age diverse.
“Tension between the generations can really disturb harmony in the workplace as the gulf widens between baby-boomer management and a younger generation with very different values, motivations and work ethic.
“This gap isn’t a passing problem and unless senior managers learn to deal with it effectively this conflict can – and does – seriously undermine unity, productivity and individuals’ job performance.
“In extreme cases it can lead to claims for harassment or unfair dismissal due to conflict and age discrimination.”
Mr Du-Feu said younger generations were geared to working in a fast-paced environment, accessing information quickly, with almost constant online communication via text, Facebook and email, causing frustration and exasperation in older colleagues who “don’t get it”.
“Younger generations thrive in the technological world. They grew up with touch-screen technology, mobile phones, PCs and the internet.
“There is even research to suggest that exposure to technology in their formative years means they are wired up differently to previous generations.
“They are able to process lots of information very quickly and multi-task in a way that baby boomers can’t comprehend.
“Time is a currency for this group of workers and an important motivator. Consequently, lack of manners and respect is a constant complaint of the baby-boomers who invented the term ‘workaholic’.
“It’s easy to see how generational diversity can cause problems in the workplace and employers must adapt to this change. Business and human resources professionals need to recognise how these changes are impacting the work environment and the relationships within them.
“Understanding what makes each generation unique is the first piece of the puzzle.
“Striking a balance across the generations can be difficult but proactive companies will have the advantage over those that are unprepared for or fail to identify these trends”.
Mr Du-Feu said one of the key advantages to understanding generational differences is the ability to plan for the future.
He added: “By understanding what makes each group tick, business leaders can look at their future labour requirements and develop communication and hiring strategies that play to the interests and motivational drivers of the groups from which they want to recruit.
“This is one of the most incredibly powerful tools in the corporate tool box and one more managers should concentrate on acquiring.”
