Generation Z and X: how to teach how to work together

When people talk about hiring Generation Z (those born after 1995), they almost always assume it’s about IT or marketing. Indeed, according to research by Universal, recent high school students most often go to university to study software development and information systems administration or sales. Most often, but not always. There are those who decide to try their hand at technical specialties. It is they who come to work in the “real sector of the economy” – in production or, more simply, in a factory.

Lost in Translation

Curious, unshakable in his confidence, the representative of Z is faced with colleagues with work experience of 15 years or more. He is ready to bring so many new things to increase the effectiveness of the team, there are thousands of ideas in his head, but the initiative runs into “we have been working here for 20 years, we ourselves know how to do it”.

The most frequent request for the result of team building that I receive from production companies is how to “make friends” between young people and older employees of the company. The answer is to change the format of their communication from “competition and disputes” to “mutual learning and interaction.” Is it possible? Certainly yes.

You can’t teach. Work

Why is the “training” format for a young specialist ineffective? From personal experience: “to teach” will be an adult, experienced colleague aged 45-55 years (the so-called generation X, born from 1963 to 1984). Here it is worth mentioning the “Theory of Generations” by Strauss and Howom. The bottom line is that a “new generation” is born every 20 years and is associated with key events and phenomena taking place in the world.

Shifting this theory to our situation, we get that Z will be taught by X. Two realities will collide. The first is a person who was born in the era of Snapchat and Instagram, critical, in most cases indifferent to politics, living online 24/7. And the second is a person who was born before the advent of digital technologies, who forced the Cold War, perestroika.

It is difficult to imagine how people so different will be able to conduct a dialogue on an equal footing in the process of learning. After all, they are colleagues first and foremost. In practice, it turns out that everything is slipping into the banal “I’m older and smarter. Shut up, listen and remember. Can this dialogue be structured differently? Certainly.

Play to your strengths

In 2017, the results of the study “Generations” conducted by Universum and the leadership center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were published. Sociologists surveyed more than 18 students and professionals around the world, from representatives of X, who have been working in one place for more than 20 years, to graduates of Z, who are just choosing their future place of work. Based on their answers, the main features of the generations were identified and described.

I use this information when analyzing the team I work with. Today I want to share three universal tips with team leaders:

1. Do not insist on training young employees, let them interact with senior colleagues in the process of work. Find something in which their interests can coincide and complement each other. So, the Xs remember the world without gadgets and can fully appreciate all their advantages now, while for the Zs being online 24/7 is the norm. Invite the department to jointly master a new program, the team will reach the goal faster due to the “digitalization” of generation Z and interest in the technical progress of generation X.
2. Set a task for the team that can be effectively solved only together. Remember that generation Z is focused on efficient work and almost lightning-fast results. Representatives of X for the most part always have a “plan B”, they are ready and able to perform routine work, without which no process can do.
3. Keep up to date with the progress of each team member, notice achievements, mastering new skills and draw the attention of others to this. A person works more efficiently in a friendly environment where support is felt and the value of everyone is realized.

I have seen many different commands. I can say with confidence that the most effective are those in which the difference in the age of colleagues reaches 30 years, the tasks of each take into account his strengths, and corporate communication is based on the exchange of knowledge and skills.