Behavioural variances on teams are readily explainable by generational differences. With such a division, intergenerational relations are often considered a source of conflict and hence detrimental to company operations—an idea refuted by sociologist Béatrice Delay in her report “Les rapports entre jeunes et anciens dans les grandes entreprises.”
The European project SPReW has just published its results on the intergenerational dimensions of changes in the relation to work. In this framework, sociologist Béatrice Delay published a study in September showing that relations between employees of various ages are often more collaborative than antagonistic*. Conflicts are therefore more often linked to choices by supervisors and managers than to differences in the culture and values that characterize each generation. North American managers could also draw something from this study.
Mutual respect and understanding
According to Delay, parent-child relations are common between workers of different ages, and yet are rarely mentioned. Younger workers often consider older ones in a way that they would like their own parents to be considered; similarly, older employees think of their children when they work with younger people.
The interviews conducted by Delay with the various age groups highlight this mutual respect. Young people, far from being disrespectful and disloyal, seem on the contrary to avoid denigrating their elders: “Of course there are differences. . . but it bugs me when I hear people say that old people are no good. . . I imagine my parents in their place.” (Jean, 27, electrical operator, industrial company). As for more experienced workers, they make it a point of honour to help newcomers: “Passing on his knowledge is what a good father does. I need to train other people’s children just as others train my own children, it’s natural.”
“From active cooperation to co-learning”
True cooperation extending to co-learning can arise from this mutual respect. Via the various interviews, Delay shows that more senior workers like to pass on their expertise and do it on their own in most cases. It is very fulfilling for them to end their careers on a high note; the coaching role lets them stay in their jobs, while generally allowing them to avoid more tedious tasks and acquire a certain social recognition.
This willingness to pass on knowledge is also vital to newcomers. It helps them find their place in the company and supports their ambitions: “I want to get ahead, which is only natural because I’m just starting out. . . This means learning fast to advance quickly. . . and for that, you can learn a lot from more experienced workers; they can save you a lot of time.” Senior workers can not only teach new ones what to do, but also how the company works: where to go for information, and how to get it quickly. They pass on both professional skills and knowledge linked to the company’s history and organization.
In return, young grads have theoretical knowledge: “It’s always good to have young people on the team. . . They can remind us of certain things we’ve forgotten over time or perhaps never known because techniques have changed. . . Since we have to train them, it forces us to analyze what we’re doing and sometimes ask ourselves whether a certain way is the right way to go.” (Pierre, 49, environment management company).
Role of managers
These harmonious relations cannot just spring from the good intentions of the people involved. They are mainly the fruit of a corporate policy that values this passing on of knowledge and gives everyone the opportunity to feel