Whether you are hiring in Salt Lake City, or you are already managing in a multi-generational workplace, you’ll need to understand the differences between each generation. This will help you be successful in day-to-day operations and in your Utah recruiting efforts.

Today’s workforce is the most diverse in history. Currently there are four key age-specific demographics in the workplace.

Anyone born before 1946 will fall into the category of traditionalists. While the majority of this generation has left the workforce, this group still plays a significant role in influencing younger generations.

This group is not afraid of hard work and has no problem with delayed gratification. They also have a strong military connection, and a respect for authority.

After the Traditionalists come the Baby Boomers. This group was born between 1946-64. This generation has dealt with mergers and layoffs, so Salt Lake City staffing agencies have been recruiting Baby Boomers for years.

Baby Boomers are not likely to leave a job quickly, because they often feel a loyalty to their company. This group measures a good employee by how many hours a week an employee logs and how long the employee is at their desk.

Anyone born from 1965-77 falls into Generation X. Salt Lake City recruiters can tell you that this generation is known for being natural skeptics and follows the mantra of “actions speak louder than words.”

Generation X employees pride themselves on being the least supervised generation, and not easily affected by changes. Like Baby Boomers, Generation X is loyal; however, their loyalty is to individuals, not corporations. Utah executive searches place this generation mostly in middle management positions.

Generation Y employees do hold higher management positions, but they also fill most of the entry-level jobs. This generation, born between 1977 and 1995, was raised by parents who monitored and praised their child’s every move. They also expect instant results since they grew up with technology constantly at their fingertips.

Learning to work with Generation Y employees can be challenging for Salt Lake City employers who don’t take the time to understand what motivates this demographic. As strange as it may sound, Generation Y and Traditionalists are the two groups that work best together. The biggest conflict in the workplace is between Generations X and Y due to their different parenting styles. With the two older generations leaving the workforce, Utah recruiters suggest the conflicts between Generation X and Generation Y be addressed early.

Now that you know all about the multi-generational workplace, do you need advice on how best to build your Salt Lake City team? Contact us to see how we can help you recruit highly qualified candidates from any generation.