Intergenerational Perspectives: Increasing Productivity in the Workplace

It’s 5 PM on a Friday evening and Senior Partner has just received a phone call from
a major client. The client is one of Senior Partner’s most lucrative. Her good friend, General Counsel, informs Senior Partner that he needs a draft of a private placement memoranda and subscription documentation for a venture capital deal on his desk by Monday. 

Senior Partner is a Baby Boomer, part of the generation born during the height of WWII and came of age in the 1960’s and 70’s. The idea of making a last minute request or working through the weekend causes her no pause. As a matter of fact, she is pleased that her client thinks highly enough of her skills as a lawyer to turn to her with this high profile assignment. Senior Partner is a member of the generation that feels that “work is its own reward.” She receives great personal satisfaction from a job well done. Senior Partner sees this assignment as an opportunity to showcase her team’s responsiveness and high level of thoroughness. 

However, Senior Partner’s team is not made up of Boomers which account for approximately 28-35% of lawyers in a typical law firm. Two associates are Generation Xers (born between 1965 and 1979) and one is a Millennial or Generation Y (born after 1980). She has learned from experience that the members of her team do not approach assignments such as these with her same enthusiasm. 

The Gen Xers, while adaptable, creative and independent thinkers, are generally adverse to excessively long hours and will embrace the assignment only if it represents an opportunity to expand their knowledge. On the other hand, Millennials (those who have come of age in the 90’s and 00’s) will want the whole team involved in every aspect of the assignment.  While their teamwork and inclusive approach to problem solving are refreshing, they will need constant feedback every step of the way.

Senior Partner recognizes that she may have to do some creative management to get the optimal result not only for her client, but for the future cohesiveness of her team. 

The dilemma that Senior Partner faces is not unique and is one that is receiving greater attention in law firms across the country. Our current workforce has the most intergenerational employees working together the country has ever seen. Understanding how these generations interact with one another is critical to the success of your organization. Therefore, analyzing what motivates and detracts from each generation’s work experience is becoming a vital part of many law firm retention initiatives and management training programs. 

• BABY BOOMERS:  This generation was born between 1943 and 1960 and came of age during the turbulent 60’s and 70’s. They are an optimistic group with boundless energy. First and foremost they value hard work and loyalty.  Baby Boomers are also fiercely competitive.  As the largest generation to ever enter the workforce at one time, they have always had to compete for jobs and promotions. Their self worth is closely tied into their career achievements. They give the most respect to those who have “paid their dues” and resent those who they perceive as expecting everything handed to them. 
• GEN Xers:  This group is extremely comfortable with technology because it has been a part of their lives practically since birth. They always rely on technology to get things done. In addition, this generation has lived through increased divorce rates, experienced watching their parents endure layoffs from jobs after years of loyal service and, as a result, has been taught to question and even distrust authority.  Therefore, the Gen Xers are often skeptics who have an innate distrust of institutions and the political establishment. They believe in relying only on themselves because others can be unpredictable and undependable. Work, while important, does not define Xers as a group as it does Boomers. Gen Xers do not expect employer loyalty. Therefore they are comfortable with changing jobs frequently if they find positions unchallenging or not conducive to outside interests. Their hard work and resourcefulness often ends at the close of business of a standard workday.
• MILLENIALS:  This group is just entering the workforce and would represent the last two summer associate classes. Millennials value teamwork and have a high level of self-worth.  From a young age they have participated in “play groups” and other highly structured activities so the input of many is eagerly sought after by Millennials. They are also enthusiastic to learn and are very inquisitive. According to one Legal Recruiting Manager from a large Atlanta law firm, “Millennials are changing the overall recruiting methods and work environments of law firms.” “They bring their whole self into the workplace and so there is this expectation that employers will understand and be flexible in allowing them to handle any issues that arise in their personal lives. Even if it’s during working hours,” she says. As a result of this holistic approach to work, Millennials by and large value diversity more than any other generation before it. They are vested in the success of the group so much so that if one member of the summer class does not get an offer you might find that they all decline to become Associates in the Fall. This was unheard of in years past. 

Once the value, beliefs and attitudes of different generations are identified, strategic training methods can be put into place to maximize the potential of cross generational teams. It is absolutely essential to understand the context that created the perspectives of each generation. Therefore, like in most situations, communication is critical.

For instance, in the scenario outlined above, Senior Partner should assign to the Gen Xers, the aspects of the project requiring the most autonomy. Instead of insisting on frequent in-person meetings, a Boomer who is open to receiving status updates via email would be more appreciated by a Gen Xer. Also once given a deadline, demanding a Gen Xer to remain in the office until the assignment is completed can build resentment. Gen Xers crave flexibility and want control over their time. If they are in the office for 8 hours and choose to complete the bulk of the assignment from home during the evening, so be it.

In order to maximize productivity and efficiency, once deadlines and preferences are communicated to the Gen X Associates, they should be given the freedom to complete the task as they see fit.

As for the Millennial Associates, they should be assigned tasks that are clearly defined.  Also Partner should be prepared for frequent questions about the nature of the project.

In addition, finding opportunities to provide praise is key to obtaining high qualify work product from the Millennial Associate.  Millennials thrive on feedback. Lastly, Senior Partner should expect communication to primarily take the form of email. Similar to Gen Xers, Millennials prefer the immediacy of email.

Gen X and Millennial associates should always remember that Boomers value a strong work ethic. Displaying excitement and commitment for the project at hand will make a positive impression on a Boomer Partner. Furthermore, associates of both generations should make an attempt not to rely too heavily on email. While communicating in that manner may be more efficient in many instances, a Boomer values “face time.” Therefore in-person meetings to discuss the progress of the assignment will always be appreciated by a Boomer. Lastly, Boomers emphasize teamwork in the workplace. They have knowledge and insights that can be invaluable to an associate’s career. Actively asking for feedback and opportunities to go above and beyond will work well with a Boomer Partner’s work style. 

Today’s workforce spans three generations.  Each generation has been shaped by the political, social and economic experiences of their youth. By understanding these influences and how they play out in the workplace, managers and colleagues can create more productive and enjoyable work environments. In their management initiatives, firms that actively seek to recognize and diffuse often inherent tensions between generations while integrating the positives of each generation are well positioned for future success.