Cohabitation in Multigenerational Workplaces : Leader-Follower Relationships between Millennials and Baby Boomers

Abstract: Due to a demographic change in today’s society, it often occurs that people from different generations cohabitate in workplaces with each other. Due to this change, we observe a re-orientation of society and its beliefs and values, which affects not only organizations themselves, but also the work relationship between younger and older generations and explicitly the relationship between a leader and a follower. Generational diversity evolves, which can have a positive but also a negative impact on the workforce in organizations. The aim of this master thesis is to give an insight of how generations experience their leader-follower relationships in multigenerational workplaces, on the example of Millennials and Baby Boomers. For this purpose, a tendency to an inductive research approach was chosen. Firstly, a theoretical background is comprised, which includes a description of generations as well as leader-follower relationships. Secondly, a qualitative empirical study was pursued, with interview participants of the Millennial as well as Baby Boomer generation, in either leading or following positions. Based on the empirical data, nine areas of experience were discovered. These include open communication connected with honesty, work climate, mindset towards change, learning from each other, appreciating each other, respect, trust, intensity of relationship and preconceptions. The experiences of Millennials and Baby Boomers in leading as well as following positions can be categorised in these areas. The findings shall serve as a contribution for leaders as well as followers who cohabitate with each other in multigenerational workplaces. The study provides an insight of what Millennials and Baby Boomers value and expect in their workplace today, with the help of which a positive work climate can be ensured.