Management of Employees from Different Generations - Challenge for Bulgarian Managers and HR Professionals

Abstract

People from at least three generations,  sometimes even four, work in the modern  organizations. They have different  expectations, ambitions and approach  to work and this puts managers and HR  professionals in a difficult situation.  The article is divided into two  main parts. The first part attempts to  characterize the different generations of  employees on the basis of literature review  and survey results arrived at by US and  European researchers. In the second part  of the article are presented results from a  study conducted by the author on basic  characteristics, values, preferences and  work habits of Bulgarian officers from three  generations - Baby Boomers, Generation X  and Generation Y. Survey findings cannot  be generalized as inherent to all Bulgarian  representatives of the three generations,  because the study does not claim to be  representative.  The purpose of the research carried  out by the author is to outline the profile  and professional preferences of different  generations of surveyed employees and to  identify the challenges Bulgarian managers  and HR professionals face in managing and communicating with people of different  generations in the workplace