The Generation Gap at Work As offices go, the editorial suites at Time Inc. are pretty laid back. T-shirts are fine. Shave if you like. Slides, sneakers or heels - your choice. Yet there's a limit to what passes for acceptable appearance, and I was sure a recent bunch of college interns had breached it spectacularly with their nose rings, tattoos and low-rise pants. These were bright, ambitious kids. Why the blatant show of disrespect? My younger colleagues wondered too. But they were more amused than aghast, and it occurred to me that there is a widening generation gap when it comes to interpreting casual Fridays. And that's not all: Young folks are putting their stamp on the workplace in ways far more reaching than their wardrobe. And we boomers don't necessarily like it. We're all part of a new-age experiment: four generations working side by side yet often speaking a different language. Think that's an exaggeration? Go ahead. Try to decipher this twentysomething text message: WU CMIW that was CLM or maybe CS. (What's up? Correct me if I'm wrong. That was a career-limiting move or maybe career suicide.) Boomers, the older "silent" generation, and younger ones known as X and Y bring vastly different histories, values and work habits to the job. These gaps have led to stereotypes that hinder our ability to get things done. Nearly 60 percent of HR managers at large companies say they've observed office conflicts that flow from generational differences, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Tensions typically stem from perceptions of loyalty and respect - as in, we think the kids don't have any. Yet the latest research shows that we may be compatible after all. Debu...
