Generation Gap

I'm hearing a lot about the generation gap in business;the split.
that young people are not working well with theirSecond, during the cost-cutting and downsizing years
elders, and there may very well be a lot of truth inof the 1980's and 1990's companies abandoned the
this. Following World War II, the "Greatestmentoring system, whereby older employees worked
Generation" took over and dominated business likewith younger people to teach them the business.
never before. The 50's and 60's were the go-goWithout such mentoring, the younger generation
years that propelled the American economy. Duringpushed the envelope over how business was
the 1960s' the "Baby Boomers" started to rebel andconducted. Hence, the rise of individualism and
attacked the taboos of the day. Nonetheless, theychanges in the workplace such as dress and social
eventually acclimated into the corporate cultures andattitudes.
learned from their elders. But a generational splitInterestingly, mentoring is starting to experience a
occurred during the 1980's and 90's, and I attribute itresurgence as companies find it to be an effective
to two reasons:approach for developing employees and promoting
First, when the PC was introduced in the 1980's ateamwork. Mentoring is a good approach for helping
new generation of younger workers were introducedthe younger people make the transition into the
to program and maintain them, A split then occurredcorporate culture and ultimately take over the
in the Information Technology field whereby the "oldbusiness. It's natural and should be encouraged.
guys" took care of the mainframes and the "youngActually, we have had progressive classes of
guys" stood in the opposing camp. Both thought theyworkers for literally thousands of years, e.g.;
were right and wouldn't cooperate, hence the split.apprentices, intermediaries, and master craftsmen.
Ironically, both groups were right as we needed bothThe one good thing resulting from the latest talk of
technologies. But management didn't see this andgeneration gaps in business is that it is forcing
allowed the division to grow and fester. This carriedcompanies to rethink social attitudes in the workplace.
over into other parts of the work force where newSuch discussion is inevitable as companies have to
attitudes challenged older and more established ones.learn to work as a team as opposed to a group of
In other words, technology played a significant role inindividuals.