Generation Gap Causes Conflict in Some Workplaces, SHRM Poll Shows

Alexandria, Va., April 29, 2011 — Conflict between members of different generations exists in almost three-quarters of organizations, and more than half of organizations actively work to reduce that conflict, according to a new poll from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
SHRM released the results of its “Intergenerational Conflict in the Workplace” poll as the May edition of the Society’s HR Magazine published a cover story about the multigenerational workforce. Five generations will be represented in the U.S. workforce next year, the magazine noted. This is significant because “Multigenerational discord can impede workplace relationships and lower engagement,” it said.
When asked the extent of intergenerational conflict in the workplace, 44 percent of respondents said it existed “to a slight degree” in their organizations, 25 percent said “to some degree” and 3 percent said “to a large degree.”
At the same time, however, about one-quarter of the more than 400 randomly selected SHRM members said intergenerational conflict doesn’t exist at all in their workplaces. Organizations with fewer than 500 employees were more likely than larger organizations to report that it was not an issue.
Read the full story: http://www.shrm.org/about/pressroom/PressReleases/Pages/GenerationalConflict.aspx