Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

Motivating employees can be one of your biggest challenges as an employer, but learning how to inspire each individual -- especially those with quirky personalities -- is the key to a successful organization.

Whether it’s a raise, a promotion or simply the chance to work on a new project, all people are motivated differently, that is undeniable. People have different priorities in the workplace, the intern is hungry for experience, the young sales rep trying to meet goals for that juicy bonus, the VP struggling to balance home and work life.

For the past 18 months, the Profiles Research Institute conducted an ongoing study to help organizations bridge employee generational gaps.

In the past, managers were generally older than the people they managed. In recent years, we have seen this is no longer the case. Research clearly shows that this presents some unique challenges and that these managers need help  managing multi-generational workforces to avoid conflict and a decrease in staff morale.

The aging workforce presents both challenges and opportunities to organizational leaders. America's population is getting older at a faster pace than at any time in the nation's history. The Census Bureau says that an American turns 65 years old every 13 seconds and that some 10,000 boomers retire every day. It's estimated that 70 million people will be 65 or older by 2030—nearly doubling the 34 million today.

Nearly eight million jobs have been lost in the Great Recession, according to the Department of Labor. The un employment rate has been hovering between 9 percent and 10 percent for nearly two years. Meanwhile, senior citizens will account for 20 percent of the U.S. population by 2030. This demographic explosion may wind up helping a struggling economy catch its breath. However, it presents both challenges and opportunities to business leaders as they navigatethrough change.

New Research on Today's Multi-Generational Workforce.

The workforce is currently hosting a 'clash of the titans': four generations are attempting to coexist and cooperate in the workplace. Managers are forced to find ways to overcome communication differences, work-style obstacles and the technology gap in their organization.