Josh Peace Talks about the Intergenerational Gap
If you have ever had the occasion to browse through the help wanted ads or through the listings on a recruitment site, then you have probably noticed that a good many of those listings have language that caters to millennials. This has caused a great deal of friction in the workplace because it is like saying that the only new recruits worthy of consideration are the very young, newly out-of-school execs. Josh Peace, leading US marketing entrepreneur, looks at this as a real problem and here he talks about how to deal with that perennial intergenerational gap.
“I have noticed that in an effort to recruit new raw talent the industry has gone overboard to cater to millennials. Unfortunately, there are two mistakes right there that should be addressed. In the first place, raw talent doesn’t necessarily mean that this recruit will be more malleable than a boomer who many believe would be set in their ways and untrainable in new endeavors. Both are erroneous assumptions and should be nipped in the bud. The second mistake in ads that cater to millennials is like saying that only their input is valued because they are the generation being sought. This seems to tell those boomers seeking employment or already on staff that they are no longer seen as having anything of value to offer.”
Josh Peace says that instead of focusing on the differences between the generations in terms of speaking their language, HR and company directors should seek ways to engage everyone in a way that addresses the intergenerational gap. For example, boomers were raised up thinking that tenure was rewarded because of all the loyal service they gave but millennials, in response to feeling threatened since there is no way they could achieve tenure, feel that innovation and sheer ambition should be rewarded. Josh Peace says “There is a place for both of those merits and a good manager well see the merit in both and reward both accordingly.”
What Josh Peace is suggesting is that instead of seeking to engage young millennials who are sometimes difficult to engage, managers should focus on what the company expects and then put their language into a generic phrasing that appeals to all generations. By signaling one over the other you are always going to be placing one at a disadvantage. The challenge going forward is to find ways to engage all generations without pandering to anyone.
