The other morning I participated in a corporate presentation entitled “Successfully Managing Four Generations of Employees.” Highlighted were the stylistic differences and workplace values of people across the different generations populating today’s business environs.

The representative groups and their birth-year bands were broken into “Veterans / Depression Era” (1922 – 1945), “Baby Boomers / Sandwich Generation” (1946 – 1964), “Generation X” (1965 – 1980), and “Millenials” (1980 – 2000). Each group was characterized by differences in the context of their family life focus and world events that shaped their consciousness; work styles, employment characteristics, and motivation; benefits, recruitment and retention issues; and how to connect with them effectively.

In work styles, Veterans favor obedience and hierarchical advancement over individualism. Boomers value both personal growth and team orientation, and traditionally, loyalty and company commitment. Generation Xers are highly independent, thrive on diversity, and will move on if employers fail to meet their needs for high levels of responsibility or creativity. Millenials, who are much more global in their scope, expect effective structures that support their goal and achievement orientation.

As the presentation developed, I couldn’t help connecting it to the recently posted research studies by both Catholic University’s Life Cycle Institute and St. Michael’s College (VT) highlighting the respective religious differences between each of these generational groups and what they portend for the future of the American Church. An article on ‘Bookend’ generations was printed in an early March issue of the National Catholic Reporter.

I’ve become more and more fascinated with social interactions as they impact globalization, work life, education, and religion. I am also drawn to understand more deeply the historical crosspollination of different societies across the globe and in different timeline bands. I often wish I had been more schooled in sociology and world history. It is often my intuited sense, however, more than in-depth research that has driven many of my insights and conclusions over the years.

I have been struck before while watching news presentations of events at the Vatican or semi-annual US Conference of Catholic Bishops meetings how incredibly similar these men are to the profiles of the boards of directors of Fortune 100 corporations. Both groups are highly represented by almost exclusively white male Depression Era executives. The Boomers who’ve progressed in their ranks have sacrificed much to prove their commitment and corporate loyalty. In command hierarchically, they drive their ships often disconnected from the lives of folks at the bottom rowing valiantly.

In the immediate future, however, one glaring difference between these men is their growing appreciation for the diversity of their “workforces.” Corporations are being forced to grapple with the multi-generational values intersecting in their offices daily and impacting their bottom-line stock market results. Corporations unable or unwilling to change have seen themselves slowly but surely driven from the top of the Fortune ranks as employees opt out for more supportive, more progressive organizations, or start their own entrepreneurial ventures. Unless they find ways for differences in approach and style to collaborate, there will be no workforce to drive them forward.

Sadly, there is no short-term complementary marketplace corrective to our Church’s Veteran Era executive style. Tradition reigns, obedience is demanded over individualism, command and control are prized. There is no global appreciation of generational or cultural issues. No concern for recruitment or retention of those outside the mold. There is even less understanding that we should be learning how to connect effectively in a world growing smaller every day. As long as there is another, albeit smaller, group willing to be controlled, there will be no perceived need to change.

On the other hand, there is a great opportunity for members of the CORPUS community to minister to the growing number of individuals and generational groups not being able to find supportive parish communities. We must, however, mirror a clearer example of the Jesus who embraced old and young, women and men, Jew and gentile, sinner and saint… and find ways to reach out in service across generational divides.

Namaste.

Russ Ditzel
ADSUM: May – June 2007