Aims: The purpose of this review is to help the nurse leader develop an understanding of the five generations currently in the health care workforce by providing defining characteristics, general behaviours, and strategies for the nurse manager to employ for each generational cohort.
Background: Generations are groups of people born during the same 15-20 year time period who share similar experiences before adulthood, which shape long-term behaviours. Key descriptors and characteristics are provided.
Evaluation: The current generational cohorts in the health care workforce are Traditionalists (born between 1922 and 1945), baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979), millennials (born between 1980 and 1995), and Generation Z (born after 1995).
Key issues: Health care teams often comprise members of three or more generations. Intergenerational differences in team members can result in challenges; however, different perspectives provided by multiple generations can be used advantageously to strengthen the team's efficiency and outcomes.
Conclusions: There are strengths in each generation. Key differences can be harnessed to build stronger teams through comprehensive communication strategies, customized reward systems, and workplace flexibility. Examples are provided for each area.
Implications: Managers can use intergenerational differences to create a rich environment that bridges generational differences and fosters workforce cohesion.
Keywords: intergenerational cohorts; intraprofessional relations; leadership; millennials; nursing management; traditionalist.
© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.