by Emme Chadwick December 31, 2021
In today’s workforce, we’re seeing a shift that has never been seen before. Gen-Xers, Millennials, and Baby Boomers are all blended together in one workplace. This generational gap can either raise businesses to the top or bring them down to a lower level. Working with different generations and understanding the strengths they bring to the table can help ease the generational gap in the workforce.
Bridging the Generational Gap
Different generations bring certain qualities to the table that others may not, one thing that’s important to remember is how we use those positive traits to our advantage. Hiring a young millennial may seem like a daunting task, but if they are a qualified individual, why not give them a shot amongst the older applicants? On the other side of this argument, many people will argue that Baby Boomers are hard to work with and can be set in their ways. Although this individual may have years of experience above the other applicants and can provide you with more knowledge in the field. When this happens, the generational age gap begins to fade and we begin to learn from each other.
“It’s not about a fountain of youth it’s about a fountain of life” - Jennifer Gligoric
The layers of biases and prejudicial attitudes have plagued the workforce for as long as we can remember. As these statements stack on and we continue to develop our businesses, we may start to gain biases of our own. The most important thing to remember when building your business is don’t judge a book by its cover (or age in this situation). Everyone has something to offer and if they meet your requirements, it may just be the perfect match.
“These were all protective things that were said to us but they are not relevant to now and who we are today” - Judy Wong
Knowing Your Entrepreneurial Worth
As we start out in our initial phases of any entrepreneurship opportunities we may begin to doubt our abilities and what our skills are worth. This is a common feeling that almost everyone goes through, you don’t want to overcharge new clients but at the same time, you need a paycheck at the end of the day. Understand that if you’ve been working for companies up until this point, they charged a fine price for your services and you should feel comfortable doing it too.
“Do you think those companies that you worked for and you gave your all to, do you think they charged nothing for your services?” - Judy Wong
Once you begin to doubt yourself it can be a slippery slope into undercharging what you’re worth and the talent you have. Small business entrepreneurship can be extremely successful if you’re willing to see the worth of your services. By undercharging, clients may not take you seriously and after it’s all said and done, your paycheck is significantly less than what you may have been making at your other job.
One thing is for sure, we don’t want to spend the rest of our lives working for someone else. As entrepreneurs, we need to understand the changes that are coming and adjust accordingly. A new age of entrepreneurship is beginning to dawn and the faster we hop on the quicker we can start seeing a bigger cash flow come to our pockets. Your job shouldn’t make you feel weighed down, it should allow you to enjoy life.
“The bottom line is we want to feel alive again” - Judy Wong.