Generational Diversity

Name
Professor
Course
Date
Generational Diversity.
Introduction.
Nursing as a field has seen an ever-constant inclusion of individuals from different generations to work as a team towards the completion of a particular task. Since the profession has almost every member from the four generations that is the veterans, baby boomers, Generation Xers and the millennials each of this category has its way of communication, expectations, and way of doing things (Stokowski n.p). Therefore, when these distinct generations find themselves together in a team, the level of collaboration may be ineffective especially when there is no proper medium for addressing the challenges that come with such a team. Although some generational differences are slightly distinct, some are more critical and can result in impeding teamwork. Areas exhibiting a wide berth among these generations include the varying skills gaps, view on the work environment, formality expectations and communication styles (Stokowski n.p).
The disparity in technology fluency between veterans, baby boomers, and the digitally native millennials can also be a source of workplace conflict. Regarding formality, a significant difference exists between baby boomers and millennials which can make the former label the later as disrespectful thus resulting to team ineffectiveness. Millennials and baby boomers also tend to have trouble in working together due to the existence of a broad skills gap. This report thus provides an in-depth view of the traits and values which characterize each generation and how formative influences in each generation impact their effectiveness in teamwork.

The report further looks into how a team leader can successfully maintain cohesiveness in a multigenerational team as well as examining the benefits of having a multigenerational team in the nursing realm.
Multigenerational Team in Nursing.
A multigenerational team refers to one which comprises of all the four generations ranging from the veterans, baby boomers, generation Xers and the millennials. While each group has notable differences, some few similarities exist among them. The characteristics of each are described below.
Veterans. These are individuals born between 1925 and 1942 and is the oldest cohort of nurses who are still in the workforce. They represent 2% of the nurse’s population, and they possess a strong work ethic and always rely on their leader for direction and guidance. They possess practical communication skills and are highly resistant to change thus explaining their uncomfortable nature with technology (Center for Women and Business Curative Report 3).
Baby Boomers. They represent 29% of the population of nurses and are considered to be the most hardworking of all the generations. They give work a priority over their family and personal life. They are further characterized by their critical thinking ability and personal fulfillment from work as well as possessing the high level of skills. They are not technologically savvy but possess a high sense of communication concerning authority (Center for Women and Business Curative Report 2).
Generation X. These are individuals born between 1965-1980. They are considered not well studied compared to the former two generations, and they represent 34% of the nurses. Research has demonstrated that they are much technological savvy, adaptable, independent and more adaptable. They further place the low priority on work over family life and tend to question authority which is a shift from the prior generations (Centre for Women and Business Report 1).
Millennials. These individuals were born between 1981 and 1998, and they are considered the most educated of all generations. They tend to be technologically savvy and are socially conscious thus their attitude toward work is high if the work is undertaken as a team. They represent 34% of the nurse’s population, and their great limitation is being highly impatient as they value prompt feedback. They possess high communication skills and believe in networking though they lack formality (Centre for Women and Business Report 1).
Impact of having a multigenerational team in nursing.
Positive Contribution of each Generation.
Through the brief description of the four distinct generations, it is evident that each possesses at least one characteristic which is essential to creating a competent team. First, the veterans are seen to possess strong work ethics which is one of the practices needed towards effective collaboration among team members. The baby boomers, on the other hand, poses a vital aspect of being most skilled. Most of these nurses have the practical skills thus their inclusion in a team allows for the motivation of other individuals to be as skilled as these individuals (Stokowski n.p). Generation Xers also has an important ingredient of promoting teamwork which is being more adaptable and flexible. Working in a team requires one to be more flexible and accommodative of other views and deeds. Finally, the millennials expertise in technology is essential in revolutionizing the teams’ way of work into a much prompt and effective way as recent technology is well employed (Stokowski n.p).
Limitations
Since these generations have different perceptions of work, communication style and formality, these three aspects form the basis of rising tensions in a team. The veterans due to their mindset of being much experienced in the nursing field will automatically demand respect and give out most of the decisions they think are effective (Stokowski n.p) Also they may stick to traditional norms which have worked for ages and oppose any new method they are unsure. However, a millennial or generation X teammate may view this mindset as passed by events and is curious to test other new methods a situation which may arise conflicts. Millennials and Xers also lack formality and their reference to teammates or authority may not go well with the two former generations thus bringing conflicts in a team (Stokowski n.p).
The final source of conflict is communication style. While veteran prefers face to face meetings and discussions even for a two-way dialogue, the baby boomers prefer telephone as a mode of communication for two-way dialogue and face-to-face group meetings. Xers, on the other hand, detest prolonged discussions while email and texting as the most preferred forms of communication. Millennials bring complexity in the team as their communication is frequent, fragmented and mostly on social media thus bringing together a veteran and millennial present a complicated situation which will always result to conflicts (Stokowski n.p).
Building Cohesiveness within Multigenerational Nursing Team
As a team leader in a multigenerational nursing team, it is effective for the team leader to embrace strategies that bring cohesiveness among the individuals. These strategies include;
Building the Right Environment. This involves the creation of a synergistic culture where each of these generations shares and get insights from their peers. With such an environment a non-judgmental behavior is nurtured thus encouraging mutual respect (Mercier n.p).
Balancing the team’s tasks. The group leader must interact with each of the members and ask questions about processes that help in pinpointing behaviors that help or hinder team effectiveness (Mercier n.p).
Using a variety of communication methods. The group leader ought to propose a variety of communication channels which are favorable to all generations. For Gen Xers and millennials, the use of email and text is a preferred method of communication, however, for a veteran nurse a Smartphone will remain redundant and is likely to seek information from notice boards. Therefore, communicating the same information in various channels ensure complete coverage (Mercier n.p).
Conclusion
The four-generation workforce present diverse opportunities and challenges in nursing teams. Team leaders need to simultaneously remain aware that individuals from these generations have distinct needs and qualities. Integrating these qualities in a nursing team is an essential step towards establishing an effective team. Failure to properly incorporate these aspects results to challenges and hinder team effectiveness. Therefore, the fact that these four generations are currently present in the nursing field is an opportunity which should not be overlooked but instead bring teams together to advance nursing practice.

Work Cited
Center for Women and Business Curative Report. Multi-Generational Impacts on the Workplace, 2017. www.bentley.edu/files/2017/11/01/Bentley%20CWB%20Generational%20Impacts%20Research%20Report%20Fall%202017.pdfStokowski, Laura. The 4-Generation Gap in Nursing, 2013 www.medscape.com/viewarticle/781752_3Mercier, Nancy. Talent-management strategies: Bridging the multigenerational gap in nursing, 2012 www.americannursetoday.com/talent-management-strategies-bridging-the-multigenerational-gap-in-nursing/