Recently, we spoke about the current generational conflict in the workplace that’s presenting a unique challenge for leaders. Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who have grown up with constant connectivity, have distinct communication styles and workplace expectations due to their technology use and cultural environments.

We had identified a couple of areas where organizations could work to narrow the gap: responsibilities at work and conflict management. Since then, we’ve had more conversations and further insights about the topic, especially thanks to a new book by David Yeager called 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People.

In the book, Yeager recommends shifting away from a protective, fixed mindset in order to motivate this generation. That’s because many leaders are still using an outdated, top-down management style like Taylorism to get employees to do what they want. A clear example of this is the recent push of companies such as Amazon calling for full-time return-to-office policies under the faulty premise that “butts in seats” leads to increased employee productivity.

This authoritarian approach – where employees are basically being threatened with getting fired if they don’t do as told – is simply not an effective way to motivate Gen Z or Gen Alpha. And that means it isn’t the best practice for how to get your organization to be more effective either. That’s because from a cultural perspective, employees, especially the younger generation, value working in a collaborative environment where there is transparency and open communication in the workplace. Companies should get on board and follow suit– at the end of the day, it’s an incredible opportunity for leaders to grow and get better at what they do.

To do so, you’ll want to start shifting toward a positive, growth mindset instead of a top-down approach to get employees to work. That means framing tasks and goals as something employees have the opportunity to do in order to reach their individual potential. Yeager suggests leaders act as mentors to guide young people by creating environments where they feel social belonging and support. In positive environments, younger generations are more motivated to take on challenges and build a sense of purpose from their work.

Rethinking work from the angle of this generation is especially important in the age of artificial intelligence, since automation is disproportionally helping those at senior levels become more effective at work. Meanwhile, younger people are at risk of being left behind in the AI era as they aren’t receiving the same level of training and mentorship as those that came before them. 

Recent shifts in the workplace like return-to-office policies and AI are all creating this perfect storm – and we aren’t seeing leaders contribute to finding a solution that includes this generation contributing to our workplaces in a positive, proactive way. But at the end of the day, we believe it is the company’s responsibility to drop the outdated management approaches and rethink how work is getting done so that the generations can more effectively collaborate and thrive in the workplace. To support you, we offer a range of solutions, including our Intergenerational Alignment & Collaboration workshop and several options for measuring the health of your organization through our Organizational Assessments.