Overcoming Workplace Generation Gaps

The things that shape our lives also shape how we handle situations in the work place.

Today a group of business people gathered at University Center for a seminar hosted by Lawrence and Schiller, to learn how to relate with coworkers from a different generation.

"The wisdom and the experience of the senior people mixed with the freshness and energy of the younger people it's very important. And that's when we see the best and most innovative work come out of companies," Lawrence & Schiller presenter, Kimberly Lear said.

"It's just very important to know what other generations are thinking about. What impacted them in their lives," Greg Jasmer with DakotaCare said.

The seminar, "When Generations Collide" hosted by Millennial Kimberly Lear, tackled the different viewpoints that come from being raised in different decades.

"If we can promote more of an understanding of where people are coming from, and why they work in a certain way, that's when we're able to see people overcome those obstacles," Lear said.

It's not just those you work with that can present an age gap challenge. It can also play a factor when dealing with clients.

"The more that you can know about each of those generations and what their strengths and weaknesses are, the better that you can serve your communities as a company or whatever your business is," Jasmer said.

Lear says the one thing she hopes people take away from her seminar is a better understanding and open mind.

"It's not about what's right or wrong. Or better or worse. It's that we all come at this from a different angle and when we can leverage the strengths of all of us, that's when we get the strongest work," Lear said.

Lear says another big take away from this speech is to retain your current employees, by relating to them on a more personal level.