Book Review: When Generations Collide

by Lynne C. Lancaster, David Stillman, Harvey MacKay

After reading dozens of articles on this topic, I didn't think I needed to read an entire book, so I was all ready to "skim" the 300+ pages. But I ended up reading the entire book and found it packed full of humorous and on-the-mark anecdotes about generational conflicts at work. I found example after example that explained a lot of the behaviors and interactions I've witnessed since entering the workplace in 1991.

One of the primary focuses of this book is on attracting and retaining employees. Each generation is concerned with different components of the overall benefits package (retirement benefits for Boomers and Traditionalists and paid time off and educational reimbursement for Xers and Millenials). This book directs your organization to look at not only the benefits that if offers, but how they are communicated to the team so that each generation is aware of them.

This book is a must read for Recruiters, Human Resource and Benefits professionals, and a value-added resource for most everyone else, if for no other reason than it helps you laugh at yourself.