Generations at Work

Managing the Clash of Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers in the Workplace

By: Ron Zemke, Bob Filipczak, Claire Raines

Narrated by: Joe Geoffrey

Annoyed with your workmates and flustered with your staff? Don't understand how they think, act, and communicate - especially the twentysomethings who ask questions all the time and want confirmation that they're doing great? All these difficult people may be nothing more than diverse demographics. Friction among Traditionalists, Boomers, Xers, and Millennials has spiked, as four distinct generations are tossed side by side, cubicle by cubicle - and nobody speaks the same language.

Generations at Work offers a refreshing way to root out the causes of workplace clashes and bridge the generational gaps. Now updated to include the Millennial newcomers to the workplace, the audiobook serves as both a sweeping overview of generational differences and a solutions-based managerial guide to molding each group into loyal employees who work effectively with everyone, from tech-savvy, high-needs young people to conformist, hardworking seniors.

Packed with original research and eye-opening insights, you'll find explanations of what makes each generation tick, key phrases and tactics for motivating each, best practices from companies with generations-friendly cultures, in-depth interviews highlighting problems and solutions, a field guide for mentoring Millennials - and many more valuable tools for turning today's multigenerational workforce into an organizational asset.

©2013 Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, Bob Filipczak (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"Learning about differences may be fun, but learning about cooperation is useful. And it's here that Generations at Work becomes a valuable tool." ( Fast Company, review of the first edition)

Not Much In the Middle

I love the topics on the changing workforce. This book was good but I was a little frustrated how the narrator struggled through the Generation X chapters.In some places you could actually hear the type recorded clicking off and on. The voice literally sounded critical everytime Generation X was mentioned. Xers have a lot more to offer than what this book mentioned.

Having personally experienced a limited job market after graduating college and business scandals in the eighties, and choosing between having children and a career in the nineties, I don't think my relationship in the workplace or community has ever wavered.

Millennial entrepreneurs make up most of my business clientele, I was hoping the authors of this book would have focused more on the collaboration of these two groups. I think it's unfortunate the way boomers continually refer to these successful business owners as "kids." I honestly feel that this is one of the reasons that non-profit community organization (such as Lions Club and Rotary) are experiencing much lower membership. Why would anyone who has limited time want to join a club and be treated as though they have no creative opinion?

Contrary to what this book says, as a business consultant, I find most baby-boomer top level managers with short-timers attitudes. They are constantly distracted on their phones texting or surfing whether in a meeting or conference more than any other generation. Boomer business owners are constantly whining about leaving or selling their businesses but don't listen when you try to advise them on the best way to do so.

I would be interested in the update of this book considering now the Z's have entered the workforce.

Compelling stories but lacking relevance in 2024

Unfortunately this book is lacking relevancy in 2024. It is missing critical data on Gen Z on the workplace. I still enjoyed what I learned about the silent generation, boomers and genx but as a millennial that is 14 years into a career the content for millennials was outdated. I did know this going into this book though so just set proper expectations that the millennial point of view will be newly in the workforce.