Understanding Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers: A New Approach to Workplace Communication
In this episode of The Empowered Woman Podcast (Episode 461, if you’re keeping track), I joined Marta Spirk to talk about workplace communication across generations and how understanding where each generation is coming from can help leaders build stronger, more supportive workplace cultures. We explored how the experiences of Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have shaped what they expect from work and how they like to communicate once they’re there.
I shared why it’s worth moving past generational stereotypes (yes, even the avocado toast ones, Millennials, I see you) so we can recognize the strengths each generation brings to the team. Baby Boomers often bring years of institutional knowledge and a preference for talking things through face to face, and Gen X tends to bring a strong independent streak. I talked about Millennials as workplace translators, since they’re often the ones bridging traditional workplace norms and what younger employees expect, and how Gen Z entering the workforce during COVID shaped the way they learned to work and build professional relationships from day one.
We also got into how empathy and curiosity can change the way coworkers relate to each other, and I shared a story about my husband and his Gen Z intern (yes, my marriage made it into the episode). Pulling from my leadership coaching work, I talked about why building confidence and communicating effectively matter so much for professional growth. When you’re good at your job but can’t speak to your expertise with confidence, the people making decisions about your next role often don’t get to see what you bring.
Better workplace communication across generations usually starts with understanding the people behind the different perspectives. When you pause to understand where a reaction or behavior on your team is coming from, you’ll often find it’s rooted in something solvable, and it gets a lot easier to respond instead of react. Give the full episode a listen!