Fast Company, October 1999
Generations at Work is intended to help you bridge the gap or, more accurately, gaps between people of different ages who work at your company. What's so vexing about the workplace is that four different groups are vying for roles and recognition. There are the veterans, boomers, Xers, and the nexters. The people in each cohort, the book argues, have more in common than just their age: They share memories of the same world-shaping events, the same childhood heroes, the same early work experiences. Learning about differences may be fun. But learning about cooperation is useful. And it's here that Generation at Work becomes a valuable tool.


Book Description
Walk through the tightly packed, hierarchically flattened corridors of America's businesses and what do you hear? Not the sounds of harmony. Instead, you'll probably hear the grumbles of irritation as people with wholly different ways of working, talking, and thinking have been tossed together side by side, cubicle by cubicle. It's the teeth-gritting sound of generations in collision. Charlie, for example, is 61 and desperate for some clear, straightforward guidance from his 43-year-old boss Mary, who, in turn, is using her trademark heartfelt, buzzword-laden management style in an attempt to radically alter Charlie's work processes. Jane, meanwhile, the 29-year-old technical wizard of the team, sits sullenly in her cubicle, unimpressed with either of them, and they with her. None of them understands the other. None of them knows how to communicate with the other. And it's causing headaches and havoc for managers trying to mold this hodgepodge of ages, faces, values, and views into a productive, collaborative group. Now, with GENERATIONS AT WORK, there's clear, concrete help. Written by a team of distinguished cross-generational authors, this groundbreaking book supplies fresh, provocative insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. Both sweeping in scope and highly specific, the book gives you: * Astute profiles of four distinct generations: Learn about the Veterans (b. 1922-1943), Baby Boomers (b. 1943-1960), Gen Xers (b.1960-1980), and the Nexters (b.1980-), including their demographics, the events that shaped their lives and times, predominant traits, work styles, and key messages to keep in mind when recruiting, developing, and motivating these members of your workforce. * Illuminating case studies in generational peace: Go behind the scenes of five major companies that treat generational mixing as an asset. * A powerful practice exercise: Solve the plight of Charlie Roth, a fictionalized manager facing a cross-generational crisis--then read how 7 outside experts tackled the problem. * Hardhitting answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational workplace--plus much more! For anyone struggling to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, GENERATIONS AT WORK helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations--and offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally together for the organization, not against each other.


Download Description
Supplies fresh, provocative insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. Profiles four distinct generations and their prominent traits and work styles, and offers key messages to keep in mind when recruiting, developing, and motivating members of each generation. Includes real-life case studies of five companies working in intergenerational harmony.


Book Info
Provides creative insights and solutions to issues of recruitment and motivation of the workforce, one of the biggest challenges in our industry today. Teaches how to reach across the generation gap and into the new world of business and work. DLC: Diversity in the workplace--U.S.


Card catalog description
"Generations at Work supplies insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. The book gives you: profiles of four distinct generations; case studies in generational peace; a practice exercise; and answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational workplace."--BOOK JACKET. "For anyone struggling to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, Generations at Work helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations - and offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally together for the organization, not against each other."--BOOK JACKET.


From the Back Cover
In our age-diverse workplace of conflicting work ethics, dissimilar values, and idiosyncratic styles, this groundbreaking book supplies fresh, insightful strategies for understanding--and overcoming--generational differences. "The sounds you hea--young people voicing their frustrations with the over-the-hill gang, seasoned executives disparaging the impatience of the kiddie corps--are the sounds of generations colliding. This book teaches you and your company how to reach across the generation gap, and into the new world of business and work." --William C. Taylor, Founding Editor, Fast Company "A quick, insightful read...full of humor and practical tactics that can be applied to daily situations immediately." --Deidra Wager, Executive Vice PresidentRetail, Starbucks Coffee Company "Generations at Work provides creative insights and solutions to issues of recruitment and motivation of the workforce, one of the biggest challenges in our industry today. It is clear that there is a new face to workforce diversity which organizations must recognize and respond to if they are to be successful in the new millennium. Generations at Work will give you a tremendous advantage."--Neil Gulsvig, Senior Vice President, Organizational Development and Training, Beverly Enterprises "This is truly one of the most unique times in the history of the American workforce. With four different generations converging upon one place, everyone needs to be equipped with practical ways to deal with all the differences. Generations at Work is a great tool to get you up to speed on this important issue. Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak offer simple and practical hands-on advice to turn the promise of this diverse workforce into success for your organization." --Ken Blanchard, co-author, The One-Minute Manager "With the aging of America, every workplace will soon be coming to grips with the challenge of managing 'age diversity.' In Generations at Work, the authors do a wonderful job of clarifying the needs and values of all working generations while offering invaluable guidance on how to maximize productivity among them." --Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., author, Age Wave and Age Power, President, Age Wave LLC "Generational conflict in the workplace isn't new and it isn't going to go away. Generations at Work sorts through the stereotypes and delineates the strengths and weaknesses of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters. This book provides the practical advice managers need to turn conflict into harmony." --Susan Mitchell, author, American Generations: Who They Are, How They Live, What They Think "The definitive guide to understanding what makes other generations tick. An on-target blend of theory and practice." --Bradley Richardson, author, JobSmarts for TwentySomethings "The best book out there on generations in the workplace--a book not just to be read, but put into practice." --Neil Howe, historian and coauthor, The Fourth Turning and Generations


About the Author
Ron Zemke is senior editor of Training magazine and author or co-author of 23 books, including the bestselling Knock Your Socks Off Service series, Knock Your Socks Off Selling, and Service America! His work with organizations such as Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and Wendy's International bring him face-to-face with the pressures of the cross-generational workforce. He lives in Minneapolis. Claire Raines is one of the nation's leading experts on generations and the author of Twentysomething and Beyond Generation X. In addition, she is a dynamic speaker and organizational consultant whose clients include McDonald's, Sprint, Mastercard, and Toyota. She lives in Denver. Bob Filipczak was staff editor for Training magazine and the author of the landmark article, "It's Just a Job: Generation X in the Workplace." He now works in the communications department of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. He lives in Minneapolis.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Generations at Work supplies insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. The book gives you: profiles of four distinct generations; case studies in generational peace; a practice exercise; and answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational workplace.. "For anyone struggling to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, Generations at Work helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations - and offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally together for the organization, not against each other.

SYNOPSIS

Walk through the tightly packed, hierarchically flattened corridors of America's businesses and what do you hear? Not the sounds of harmony. Instead, you'll probably hear the grumbles of irritation as people with wholly different ways of working, talking, and thinking have been tossed together side by side, cubicle by cubicle. It's the teeth-gritting sound of generations in collision.

Charlie, for example, is 61 and desperate for some clear, straightforward guidance from his 43-year-old boss Mary, who, in turn, is using her trademark heartfelt, buzzword-laden management style in an attempt to radically alter Charlie's work processes. Jane, meanwhile, the 29-year-old technical wizard of the team, sits sullenly in her cubicle, unimpressed with either of them, and they with her.

None of them understands the other. None of them knows how to communicate with the other. And it's causing headaches and havoc for managers trying to mold this hodgepodge of ages, faces, values, and views into a productive, collaborative group.

Now, with Generations at Work, there's clear, concrete help. Written by a team of distinguished cross-generational authors, this groundbreaking book supplies fresh, provocative insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. Both sweeping in scope and highly specific, the book gives you:
* Astute profiles of four distinct generations: Learn about the Veterans (b. 1922-1943), Baby Boomers (b. 1943-1960), Gen Xers (b.1960-1980), and the Nexters (b.1980-), including their demographics, the events that shaped their lives and times, predominant traits, work styles, and key messages to keep in mind when recruiting, developing, and motivating these members of your workforce.
* Illuminating case studies in generational peace: Go behind the scenes of five major companies that treat generational mixing as an asset.
* A powerful practice exercise: Solve the plight of Charlie Roth, a fictionalized manager facing a cross-generational crisis--then read how 7 outside experts tackled the problem.
* Hardhitting answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational workplace--plus much more!

For anyone struggling to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, Generations at Work helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations--and offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally together for the organization, not against each other.

FROM THE CRITICS

Katherine Mieszkowski - Fast Company

Generation at Work is intended to help you bridge the gap or, more accurately, the gaps between people of different ages who work at your company. What's so vexing about the workplace is that four different groups are vying for roles and recognition. There are the veterans, boomers, Xers, and the nexters. The people in each cohort, the book argues, have more in common than just their age: They share memories of the same world-shaping events, the same childhood heroes, the same early work experiences. Learning about differences may be fun. But learning about cooperation is useful. And it's here that Generation at Work becomes a valuable tool.

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