A national survey commissioned by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) has found that working Americans in the Baby Boomers generation and their Gen X and Millennial counterparts value each other in the workplace to a surprisingly high degree. This comes in response to a demographic shift that is said to be making the nation’s workforce older.
The national survey of almost 2,000 rank-and-file employees and business decision-makers, Ipsos Public Affairs, showed there was a striking consensus with older and younger workers in that the best workforce contains representation from across generations.
“The way we tend to discuss generational difference in the workplace focuses on just that – our differences – and the issues they present for employers,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA. “This survey surprised us showing that a majority of employees, regardless of age or station, believes that each generation is valuable in its own right.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted the shifting demographics in the workforce, saying about 39 million Baby Boomers will be working in 2018, making up 23.8 percent of the workforce.
Notably, almost one in five older employees said the best ideas at work typically come from younger employees. Overall, 32 percent of American workers believe that the best ideas at work typically come from younger workers and their managers are split on this– 51 percent agree and 49 percent disagree with the statement.
But age stereotypes do exist—most managers and workers agree in general that older workers are more resistant to change in the workplace. Younger employees are 80 percent more likely to think so than their middle-aged (71 percent) and older (62 percent) colleagues.
On September 28th, the FCEDA will host “America’s Aging Workforce: A Fairfax County EDA Symposium” to explore these demographic shifts in the workplace. To read more about this symposium and to purchase tickets, visit www.americasagingworkforce.com.
