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The huge differences in opinion over whether a Paul Hastings associate’s slide of “nonnegotiable expectations” was problematic has underscored this reality: Managing today’s multi-generational workforce is mind-bogglingly difficult. If you are a GC, I am not telling you anything you haven’t already noticed. In a recent column for Corporate Counsel, business strategist Scott Steinberg summed up the challenges. “In effect, for the first time in history, we now have five generations in the workplace—all of which learn, work, communicate and consume information in vastly different fashions, which begs the question: How can we better communicate with, engage, and inspire all these audiences.” Perhaps there’s been at least a smidgen of improvement since 2017, when Thomson Reuters surveyed 135 legal department workers for “The Generational Shift in Legal Departments,” a report that concluded legal department leaders were flat-out overwhelmed. “Capturing baby boomers’ extensive experience while making the most of millennials’ traits and skills is a delicate balance, but the vast majority of legal departments are not striking the right balance, or worse, not even acknowledging the challenges facing them,” the report concluded. It’s easy—but misguided—for legal department leaders to fall back on cliches about how generations differ when they try to set the tone for their departments, Law.com’s Trudy Knockless reported last week.
