Adopt me because I adapt well - techniques for Generation Z to prevent workplace conflicts

Seriously, what's wrong with being in online game with my buddies the whole night before the university entrance examination? I have prepared for the exam, why my parents can't get it that this is important to me? Such and similar situations make you feel that your parents just don't understand you and your need to become independent begins to grow.

 

Slowly the time will come to find a job and to be independent of your parents. In fact, I think what happens is that with new job, you also get a new family in addition to the existing one. No worries, if you are aware of a few basic things you can manage your new family with almost no disagreements.

 

Welcome aboard, Generation Z. What do you need to know to reduce the number of the workplace conflicts caused by generational differences? Before looking into what I mean by getting a new family let's take a quick look at two areas that are important to get the right job response and have been heavily influenced by your family background.

 

First of all when you are going to choose a job try to remember what made you happy on playgrounds, if you can't remember, ask for your parents' help. Were you the person who assigned the task to the others or who preferred to play in a team? Were you the one who got the sanding shovel at all costs or the one who gave it to the others? Have you been a solo player or a team player, did you love to be in control or being directed?

 

The core of personality is established between the ages of 4 and 6 years, although significant personality changes can still occur under optimal educational conditions up to the age of approximately 10 years. Long term personality development is shaped by the family dynamics and leadership style experienced in the young adult's childhood years. Based on this information, several studies have confirmed that the following parallel can exist between the parenting style and the subsequent leadership style. For example, those raised in authoritarian parenting style lean toward autocratic leadership, those raised in permissive parenting style tend to represent in the future a democratic leadership style, those raised in neglectful parenting style tend to represent Laissez-fair leadership style, for instance the helicopter parenting matches up with micromanaging supervision style.

 

It is worth examining objectively what upbringing style we grew up in, what leadership style we need to conform to, or is our leadership style effective enough? This allows you take step towards change if you need and to remove additional conflict sources from the list. If you have decided to change do not hesitate to ask for a support of a specialist. As you can see, the behavior had infiltrated us at a young age and changing it requires time, energy, patience and guidance.

 

Second of all, several studies have shown that there is a basic principle - the people most satisfied with their work are those who find a fundamental match between their employer's values and their own. Take the time to name what are the values in your existing family and how different are those from your own value system? What values are important for you? Consider, for example, that the environmental protection is important to you, but the company you want to join is primarily cost-effective, putting environmental protection in the background. Unless you are applying for the position of environmental department, leave this windmill fight to Don Quixote and continue seeking for a company where you feel fitting better.

 

Now we are ready to dig deep into topic of by getting a job means having a new family. Why do I say that? The owner or the trustee of the company is the representative of the realisation of a dream, such as, in the case of the family, the parents are. In case of a company, it is in the interest of the "parents", in other words the leaders to run the business successfully and for this purpose employees are expected to do their best at all times. This is pretty much in line with normal family life. So there's this new family with full of 'siblings', 'aunts' and 'uncles' of different ages you need to cooperate with, because that's the key to the success, it's the guarantee that you'll get your salary and personal recognition. What does it take to make this collaboration as smooth as possible?

 

What do I mean when I talking about colleagues like siblings? In a family there are those games what siblings play between each other unconsciously. I have a good news: you as a Generation Z is not in that bad situation, because you are considered as a last born child. Everyone's attention will be on you for a while. Either because they don't know how much danger you pose to them, or because they're wondering how much expertise you actually have. Don't go into the game with the firstborn who has been there for a long time. Yes, he has already proven, you will have time, too. If the middle borns are jealous on you be aware that they never experienced anything first like the overachieved first born, and they don't hog the spotlight like the attention-seeking last born, You, Gen Z., focus on your professional development with understanding of sibling games but try to avoid being involved into them.

 

What about the other relatives? Considering that five generations can be presented at the workplace, we have to touch the matter of inclusivity, diversity and exclusion. In 2021 the share of different generations on workplace is following: Silent or greatest generation make up approximately 2% of the workforce, Baby boomers approximately 25%, Generation X approximately 33%, Millenials make up 35% of the workforce and your Generation Z is around 5%. Obviously you are going to join the minority along with Silent generation. However your situation is special because while the Silent generation is leaving, others have been able to get to know their standards of behaviour, and they have even raised offspring. While you as Gen Z will be surrounded by a relatively high number of people of the almost same age as your parents. Remember they often make you feel at home that they don't understand you. But in this environment you have to achieve certain goals together with them. As you might expect, having a variety of backgrounds, experiences and generations under one roof can pose several challenges that can lead to conflict and loss of productivity. This isn't the goal. The recognition of the fact that each individual is different and making them feel valued for their unique identity and capabilities are key to diversity and inclusion. How you as a member of Generation Z can prevent the conflict situations and contribute to profitability?

 

Conflict at the workplace is inevitable when people with different values and opinions come together. That is not always bad thing, but unaddressed issues will often fester, cause emotional stress and negatively impact the business.

 

The most important is the style of communication, when it comes to communication you have to think about with whom you have to agree on something and justify what type of communication can work for both of you - some generation follow a more formal and standard approach to communications, some prefer to be connected online or via mobile. If you got a project put this topic into agenda and find an agreement on it.

 

Learn about behaviour of different generations, take as a rule that do not make others feel negatively stereotyped because of their age as this can be the first step to building a conducive environment for a productive multigenerational workforce.

 

Working in teams from various ages and backgrounds makes up more innovative and effective teams. Be present in your teamwork with openness, willingness, compromise and mutual respect, reduce the stress by understanding the other generations, this way you can prevent disputes, reduce the anxiety that will have positive effect on productivity, health and wellbeing of team members.

 

Beyond understanding others, it is very important to communicate what is important to you, what counts as motivation for your generation. Remember you are minority on the labor market. The Millenials (Generation Y) in some ways were the pioneers and prepared the ground for you, because it introduced a number of norms into the work environment that had not been accepted until then, such as using online tools for personal purpose during working hours, looser dressing, tattoos, looking for a greater balance between work and family. However, touching on the latter point, which concerns the time management, you definitely need to state what is your expectation, because it has become a hot topic, especially after the home office experience during the pandemic.

 

Being Generation Z you have better experience with technology than any other generation, show willingness to share your knowledge.

 

If you feel that the expectation towards you is not clear or you need more feedback, inform your superior.

 

Becoming an employee of a company is a bit like being adopted into a new family, however, you are lucky to have a choice. If you know who you are, where you came from and where you are heading, if you are able to communicate your needs clearly and stand up consistently for them, if you understand the games between siblings, if you practise the inclusivity, diversity and exclusion regarding generations, you will have higher chance to be happy with your new family, eliminate a lot of conflict situations and contribute to productivity.