Incorporating generational diversity

AORN Journal,  June, 2005  by Sharon A. McNamara

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On Sept 11, 2001, when airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania, people across the globe stopped to think about what it meant to each of them as individuals and as a world community. Deena Metzger, a storyteller and healer in Africa thought at the time, "here we are doing rituals for healing, and someone else in the world was doing a ritual of destruction. I said, which story am I going to live in?" (1)

I think Metzger's words are appropriate to our story as perioperative nurses who participate daily in the surgical rituals of healing. As healers, we take courses in age-specific competencies and diversity to better prepare us to minister to the people who come to us for care. We practice in an environment that is not always healing to ourselves, however, because our colleagues, including surgeons, other nurses, and staff members, sometimes behave in destructive ways. Understanding diversity in the work force and in AORN can help us interact in a more productive, nurturing manner and create a culture of true caring when confronted with differences. Which story are you going to live in?

BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP

Generational diversity affects our workplaces and our Association. Never before have there been four distinct generations active in the workplace. The unique experiences of these generations can create not only age discrepancies but value differences, gender issues, tension between cultures, and problems with team building and active participation in general. The events in members' lives and how they are perceived mold unique work attitudes. If you fail to accommodate these differences, your staff turnover rates, chapter membership, or Association membership could spiral downward.

Although generation gaps make it difficult to work together, it is not impossible. The key is to gain an understanding of the different generations and how they interact. We can find ways to understand who members of the various generations are and the "clash points" or "hot spots" where generations are most likely to collide. (2) We also can examine human resource trends that affect an organization's ability to bridge the gaps between generations. (2) Multigenerational leaders need to become masters at matching the diverse needs of workers or volunteers with the diverse needs of the workplace or Association.

Currently, two-thirds of the members of the nurse workforce are older than 40 years of age; the average age is 45 years--47 years for perioperative nurses--and one-third of nurses younger than age 30 plan to leave their jobs in the near future because of dissatisfaction with scheduling, mandatory overtime, high stress, or poor management. (3) A major part of a nurse succession plan for both health care facilities and AORN has to include an understanding of what each generation brings to the table, what their needs are, and how we can meet those needs in the workplace and at AORN.

DEFINING THE GENERATIONS

There are four generations currently in the workforce. They can be defined as Traditionalists or Veterans, who were born between 1925 and 1943; Baby Boomers, who were born between 1943 and 1964; Xers, who were born between 1965 and 1980; and Yers, who were born after 1980. (2,4)

Traditionalists. The Traditionalist generation lived through the roaring 20s, the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. They saw the rise of labor unions and were the first suburbanites. More than 50% of the men in this generation are war veterans, so they tend to be patriotic and have great faith in American institutions. (4) They are fiscally conservative and loyal, have a dedicated work ethic, are respectful of authority, and follow the rules. Their reward is a job well done, but age and experience definitely count; you must pay your dues as you progress up the ladder of success. (4)

This generation is retired or approaching retirement and has a philosophy of transitioning. This easing into the next stage can cause conflict with other age groups competing for the same jobs, especially when 72% of the Traditionalist generation plan to work after formal retirement. (2) If you have a project that requires resource conservation, close attention to detail, or traditional thinking, Traditionalist team members are your answer. (4)

Managers and leaders need to find creative ways to accommodate these professionals who have vast experience, competence, wisdom, and knowledge. There may be different capacities, schedules, and hours that will accommodate their depleting physical abilities. Consider offering job sharing plans or four-hour shifts for lunch relief or shift over runs. Look at whether the workplace provides ergonomically safer, easier ways to work. Do retirement and health insurance plans offer incentives to work past retirement?

Baby Boomers. At 80 million strong, the Boomers are the most competitive generation. They experienced Vietnam, the Salk vaccine, integration, the Civil Rights Movement, space travel, moon landings, John F. Kennedy's and Martin Luther King Jr's assassinations, and birth control pills. These individuals were taught that they could achieve anything. They are idealistic and optimistic free thinkers, will question authority, and live life in the fast lane. They often are referred to as the sandwich generation because they are caught between taking care of their elderly parents and their own children or their children's children. They have the least amount of disposable time. Most Boomer women are in professions related to nursing or teaching because these were socially acceptable careers for women when they were growing up. (2,4)