Today’s workplace contains multiple generations working side-by-side, each bringing its unique perspective and expectations. No wonder we have plenty of opportunities for generation gaps.

Challenge yourself to worry less about generational labels and instead ask yourself, “How are they different? Similar? And how can that knowledge help me keep them?” You may be surprised.

Based on Career Systems International’s research with the Jordan-Evans Group, we’re not all that different. In “What Keeps You: A White Paper About Engaging and Retaining Talent,” we see that the ranking of most stay factors are somewhat consistent across age groups. However, the data does reveal some interesting patterns:

• Being engaged by exciting, challenging and meaningful work is increasingly cited with age. In fact, respondents over 51 years old trumped all other age groups, with 67% citing this stay factor as the most important.
• Frequency of responses for career growth, learning and development steadily decrease after age of 40.
• Supportive management/great boss ranks #2 or #3 for all age groups except for those under 25.
• Doing work they perceive to be fun is most cited by workers 30 and under.
• Pride in organization, its mission or product matters most to workers over 51.

And while all this data is great, it is no replacement for conversation. Retention is essentially an individual activity. Find out what each of your talented employees want, regardless of his or her generation and ask, “What keeps you?”

Interested in learning more, download our “What Keeps You” white paper.