Generational Breaks: Why Leaders and Managers Need a New Paradigm – an op-ed by Élodie Lajouanie, Senior Consultant & Executive Coach at Grant Alexander – Leadership Development, for Focus RH
23.04.2025
“I can’t handle it anymore, I don’t understand them.” This senior executive is experienced, talented, and dynamic—but lately, nothing seems to work. Her challenge? The “younger generation,” which she perceives as disrespectful, unstable, and insufficiently committed to professional life. Situations like hers are common among managers and leaders, and they are deeply detrimental to business success, generating stress, tension, and ongoing blockages.
Is intergenerational management really possible when two worlds coexist so differently?
Moving Beyond Denial
Generational breaks in the workplace are well documented, as are their causes—most notably the digital revolution. Technology has transformed how we communicate and challenged traditional perceptions of professional time and space: both the workplace (24% of employees over 50 want to work five days a week on-site, versus 10% of those under 35) and working hours (schedules, vacation organization). These shifts are real, frequently discussed, but are we fully aware of their implications?
Not entirely. Many leaders and managers adopt a posture of “resistance,” hoping younger employees will eventually “fit the mold” of their predecessors or “do like everyone else.” This is especially true in France, where, according to IGAS, managerial practices tend to be more vertical and hierarchical than in other European countries.
This approach is a mistake. What we are witnessing is not a temporary phase—it is a profound transition. Ignoring it fosters daily value conflicts that can be costly:
For new employees: demotivation, disengagement, and turnover.
For managers: exhaustion from fighting the inevitable.
For the organization: teams unable to collaborate effectively, resulting in lost productivity and cohesion.