Managing Different Generations

“These days it is not unusual for a child care program to have employees who are as young as their late teens to as old as their late 70s,” writes Linda Crisalli, in a recent article in Exchange magazine.“While it is never a good idea to make sweeping assumptions about any given individual, it is nonetheless useful for directors to be aware of some general tendencies for people from different generations…

Generational differences often result in misunderstandings, which may contribute to poor staff morale and difficulty in recruiting and retaining new employees…Directors need to be proactive to create a program culture that’s respectful and inclusive of a multigenerational faculty.” Crisalli explains that, in general, a different communication strategy is needed for each generation of employees. She calls the four generations “The Silents, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y.” She explains that while The Silents usually prefer a “formal written memo,” Baby Boomers prefer “in person conversation,” Generation X prefers “direct, immediate conversations,” and Generation Y prefers “email, voice mail, texts.” 

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