A great deal of the difference between these communication styles can be attributed to the evolution of electronic technology. As Generation X and especially the Millennials have come of age, they have been immersed in an environment that allows them to communicate in ways in which older generations did not have access. The upside of this is that it can allow for more efficient communication. The downside is that the non-verbal parts of communication have been removed. While older generations have taken note of this phenomenon, younger generations don’t see a real difference. This manifests itself in the workplace when someone in their fifties, for instance, prefers to call on the phone and his younger counterpart favors e-mail. It irritates both of them and impacts productivity.
Contributing to this challenge are those who choose to screen all their calls using voice mail, pagers and e-mail. While this is far from a generational phenomenon, it has taught those new to the workforce that this practice is acceptable.
A secondary factor is the evolution of community. Over the past 50 years, Americans have become increasingly individualistic and therefore want to feel less dependent on each other. There are a host of reasons for this including fear of strangers, the increased pace of life and the diversity of culture. The upshot is that people drive around behind the darkened windows of an SUV, avoid eye contact with those they don’t know and guard their privacy zealously. Young people, growing up in this environment, have naturally emulated these practices and become detached themselves.
As for dealing with these challenges, employers need to understand that this is not a passing phenomenon. Younger generations will continue to drive these changes as time goes on. One of the best ways to address this is to encourage the generations to dialog about how these differences might be better handled. Bring it up at meetings. Pose case studies about typical communication disconnects. Make sure it’s out in the open. But this is an evolutionary process that will require constant vigilance.