From Boomers to Zoomers: Challenges in Managing the Multigenerational Workforce

The four generations of still active people in the workforce (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z) have particular perceptions about important social, cultural and economic matters, and each generation has a specific working style developed in different cultural and technological times. To absorb such a gradient of the tech evolution is a considerable challenge for anybody. In times of crises, though, the different styles tend to melt and unify in order that society as a whole can cope better with adversity. The coronavirus pandemic years, for instance, required a concerted reaction, even though the effects on each generation were different. This study intends to identify the challenges experienced by managers in engaging and managing different generations in the workplace. The research design is qualitative and exploratory in nature and based on a sample of interviews with 17 managers in Romania and the Netherlands. The study found that managers should, in the first instance, understand the different generations and their personalities. Managers must then take the time to approach each employee as an individual, with their individual needs and goals. Particularly managers in the Netherlands emphasised the importance of a more individualised approach and respect for diversity. Our study demonstrates that vague contours of a “Generation R” can be discerned.