While most managers want me to “fix” their young employees, the truth is that the younger generations greatly outnumber the older generations. As such, it’s in our best interest to learn and adapt so we can develop them to lead our companies into the future.

How much Kodak film have you used lately? …You must be willing to let go of what has worked in the past and adapt to the new consumer environment, or your business will go extinct.

they consistently named “brings snacks” as a behavior exhibited by good leaders.

Another major factor was the Great Depression they [silent generation] experienced during their childhoods, which taught them to appreciate having a job.

I will point out that it is important to treat them with respect and honor to get their best work on the job.

some people calling Gen Y the “Soccer Trophy Generation.” Much more than in previous generations, Millennials were rewarded for participation and collaboration rather than competition.

They [Gen Y] are also more accustomed to frequent praise than previous generations.

internet is always available without limits or supervision for Gen Z. This has resulted in a very independent and self-taught generation.

It’s worth noting that every generation has been accused of being “entitled” by the previous generation. It’s safe to say entitlement is more a symptom of youth than a generational definition.

both Gen Y and Z are extremely comfortable talking to their elders as equals. They have always been included in their families’ critical decisions, with their opinions having substantial impact on final outcomes. …When they are at work, they expect to be part of strategic decisions, and they expect to be invited to key discussions, even though they may have limited experience.

I have noticed that Gen X and Boomer employees can quickly get overwhelmed by having what seems like never-ending, large-scale, ongoing discussions rather than scheduled meetings.

Totally, a production fire can be put off by 3 key people who know enough of the problem area with a half hour video call. But if instead, 10+ people from different teams jumped into a Slack channel and tried to chat out a solution taking half a day. And the real owner of the area may not even bothered and the root cause has not been truly fixed. Postmortem meeting is helpful but unlikely to take on further action since the focus hasn’t been the ownership/accountability.

Helping your Gen Y or Gen Z employee understand how bad behavior at work hurts their co-workers is more likely to get their attention than bringing up how it hurts the business.

The best companies have mentor programs where young employees are formally paired with mid-level employees who can coach them through realistic expectations, corporate politics, and best practices.