The baby boomers think Generation Y expects everything handed to them on a silver platter and can’t understand their work ethic. Generation Y workers are incredibly tech savvy and multitask like no other generation has before. Generation X is caught in the mid- dle of baby boomers who haven’t retired yet, and don’t want to any- time soon, and Generation Y “kids” who are trying to leapfrog over them in the organization.

Each generation has value to add, as well as shortcomings. The trick is to understand that everyone is trying to do the best they can with a different set of values. As a leader, treating all generations the same can lead to disastrous results. Understanding and accepting generational differences will improve recruiting, retention, and productivity.