The Impact of Technology on Different Generational Workers

OK Boomer, Gen Z Doesn't Want Your 2000s Change Management Playbook! A leader was puzzled over why their meticulously planned technology rollout was meeting unexpected resistance from newer employees. The communication plan was comprehensive, training well-documented, and leadership aligned. The problem? Their entire change approach was designed for a workforce that no longer exists. 💼 Generation Z Has Entered the Workforce Born between 1997-2012, Gen Z now constitutes over 20% of the workforce. They're not just younger millennials – they're the first true digital natives with fundamentally different expectations for organizational change. The generational shift demands we rethink core OCM practices: ⚡ Communication: From Documents to Micro-Content Traditional Approach: Multi-page email announcements, detailed PDF attachments, formal town halls  Gen Z Expectation: 60-second explainer videos, visual infographics, authentic peer messaging When one bank shifted from traditional change communications to micro-content delivered through multiple channels, engagement rates increased by 64% among Gen Z employees. 🤝 Engagement: From Involvement to Co-Creation Traditional Approach: Change champions appointed to represent teams Gen Z Expectation: Direct participation in design, transparent feedback loops, social proof Gen Z employees are 3x more likely to disengage from changes without visible impact within 30 days. They expect their input to be implemented rapidly and visibly. 🌱 Motivators: From Compliance to Purpose Traditional Approach: Focus on organizational benefits and necessity Gen Z Expectation: Focus on personal impact, societal value, and authentic rationale A financial tech transformation that reframed messaging around customer benefit and social impact saw higher adoption rates among Gen Z than when using traditional business case messages. 🦋 Timeline: From Projects to Continuous Evolution Traditional Approach: Defined projects with clear start/end dates Gen Z Expectation: Agile, iterative changes with regular improvements Gen Z has grown up with software that updates weekly or daily. The concept of a "frozen" system post-implementation makes little sense to them. 📖 Your OCM 2.0 Playbook To evolve your change approach for the next generation: - Replace monolithic communications with multi-format micro-content - Build social proof through peer advocacy, not just leadership messaging - Connect changes to meaningful impact, not just business metrics - Implement feedback visibly and rapidly - Embrace continuous improvement over "project completion" Gen Z isn't resistant to change—they're resistant to change management that feels outdated, inauthentic, or disconnected from their digital reality. Has your organization updated its change approach for Gen Z employees? What generational differences have you observed in change receptivity? #ChangeManagement #GenZ #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #OrganizationalChange

I'm watching two generations of healthcare workers speak completely different languages about work. Older physicians: "We sacrificed for medicine. Why won't they?" Younger providers: "We want sustainable careers. Why won't you listen?" One in five physicians are planning to leave or reduce hours, and both generations are blaming each other. In residency, I witnessed a heated department meeting. A 65-year-old surgeon accused residents of being "soft." A 28-year-old resident shot back that attendings were "glorifying abuse." Both were right. Both were wrong. Having built teams across age groups, here's what I've learned: 1/ We're fighting about symptoms, not causes ↳ Older docs see laziness; younger docs see boundaries ↳ Both are responding to broken systems ↳ The real enemy is outdated infrastructure ↳ Intergenerational conflict distracts from structural reform 2/ Each generation solved for their reality ↳ Boomers: Prestige compensated for brutal hours ↳ Gen X: Technology promised efficiency (delivered documentation) ↳ Millennials: Entered $300K in debt to worse conditions ↳ Gen Z: Watched burnout destroy their mentors 3/ The math changed, but the expectations didn't ↳ Medical school debt increased 400% (adjusted for inflation) ↳ Documentation burden doubled ↳ Reimbursements declined 30% ↳ Yet we expect the same "dedication" 4/ Neither side is wrong about values ↳ Sacrifice built modern medicine ↳ Sustainability will save it ↳ We need both perspectives ↳ The conflict comes from false choices The issue isn't generational differences. It's systems designed for a healthcare world that no longer exists. We built medical training around: • 30-year careers (now we need 50) • Unlimited availability (now we need boundaries) • Personal sacrifice as virtue (now we need sustainability) • Physician as lone hero (now we need teams) The most successful teams include providers from 25 to 70. The magic happens when we stop debating who was right and started asking what worked. Older providers brought: • Clinical wisdom • Relationship-building skills • Perspective on change • Patience with complexity Younger providers brought: • Technology fluency • Workflow innovation • Collaborative approaches • Sustainability focus The solution isn't choosing sides. It's redesigning medicine for the workforce we actually have, not the one we wish we had. When we honor both experience and innovation, something powerful happens: we create systems that work for everyone. The future of healthcare isn't old versus young. It's wisdom paired with sustainability. --- ⁉️ How do you bridge generational divides in your healthcare teams? What works and what doesn't? ♻️ Repost if you believe healthcare needs both experience and innovation 👉 Follow me (Reza Hosseini Ghomi, MD, MSE) for perspectives on building sustainable healthcare teams

Millennial and Gen Z workers have a huge advantage in fluency when it comes to Gen AI – they're more receptive to new technologies than their more tenured counterparts and already use it in their daily lives.     But on the other side of this early engagement and optimism is a heavy anxiety.     A recent Deloitte survey (https://deloi.tt/4f7TqCK) showed that more than half of Gen Z workers who use GenAI at work believe that it will improve the way they work and how they manage their time.    However, they also believe GenAI will eliminate jobs, making it harder for their generation to enter the workforce.     The key to this may be held by current leadership, who can design learning and development programs for this generation to be successful in an AI-fueled environment.    Organizations that are committed to developing and upskilling talent alongside technology – rather than replacing them with it – will best reap the benefits of both