Millennials and Conflict in the Workplace: Understand the Unique Traits of the Now Generation

195 Pages·2022·5.856 MB·English

by  Cynthia Pearce LeMay

“ Dr. LeMay’s research on Millennials was mind blowing. The media ex-
ecutives left her training with a better understanding of best practices and
practical advice on how to implement change in their newsrooms on a
global scale.”
Sonia Tucker, Former CNN’s Chief of Protocol
Affairs, and current founder of Global Media Connections
“ For employers, managers and people who need a better understanding
of Millennials, Dr. LeMay’s book is a must read. There’s been so much
misinformation about Millennials. It’s refreshing to read a book that lays
it all out in real terms that everyone can understand.”
Don Jurgens, Managing Director, large financial
services company
“ As Millennials become the dominant generation in the workforce, Dr.
LeMay’s book on Millennials and intergenerational conflict provides a
wealth of information and ideas for scholars and practitioners alike.”
Stacy Campbell, Ph.D., Professor of Management,
Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University
“ Dr. LeMay’s interpretation of the data she collected sheds new light on a
subject that challenges most employers today: How to successfully engage
Millennials in the workplace. Her ability to distill the various sources of
information into a very readable book is the real value of the work. It is a
very effective guide for both executives and trainers alike.”
Louis Coroso, Former Director of Leadership and
Management Development for a large financial services
company and retired senior U.S. Army officer

Millennials and Conflict
in the Workplace
This book unravels the mysteries and confusion surrounding Millenni-
als. They are now the largest group in the labor force and their presence
redefines the workplace for many organizations. Many older workers,
who struggle to understand Millennials, often define them by stereotypes
rather than their actual attributes. The historical and social events that
occurred when Millennials were growing up are reviewed, which can
result in traits and values specific to this cohort. The research behind this
book explores the conflict styles of Millennials compared to Generation
Xers and Baby B oomers – t he unique strategies they are likely to use to
address conflict in the workplace. This book shares the results of inter-
views and focus groups providing first- hand accounts from Millennials
and non- Millennials about their work interactions. And the results from
approximately 11,000 t est- takers of the T homas- Kilmann Conflict Mode
Instrument provide fascinating findings about generational differences in
conflict styles. Millennials grew up with technology at their fingertips and
tend to avoid conflict and seek advice from their online support groups.
The book will also dig into Millennials’ powerful use of social media
and how they use it to further their causes. They have a strong desire to
know what’s happening now and find it difficult to “ turn off.” This book
explores generational differences and finds an increase in unassertive styles
in Millennial males. This work shares what Millennials want and value in
a workplace and what employers can do to recruit and retain this valuable
cohort. Millennials’ diversity, political and social engagement, and the
implications for the broader society are explored. This research fills an im-
portant gap in the research on generational cohorts and conflict manage-
ment and provides valuable information to scholars and practitioners alike.
Dr. Cynthia Pearce LeMay is a s enior- level researcher with over 30 years
of executive and consulting experience, focusing on conflict resolution
strategies, intergenerational conflict, and the Millennial generation. In the
corporate retirement industry, Cynthia last served as Vice President for
Principal Financial Group. Prior to Principal Financial, she was a member
of senior management at Northern Trust Retirement Consulting. Dur-
ing her career, she has negotiated billion- dollar agreements, participated
in union negotiations, and led a Human Resources department. She has
earned lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources
from the Society for Human Resource Management and is a certified
Mediator. Cynthia holds a Ph.D. from Kennesaw State University, USA,
where she teaches in the business school while continuing her consulting
and training business.
Millennials and Conflict
in the Workplace
Understand the Unique Traits of the
Now Generation
Cynthia Pearce LeMay
Designed cover image: © Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Cynthia Pearce LeMay
The right of Cynthia Pearce LeMay to be identified as
author of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted
or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be
trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for
identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: LeMay, Cynthia Pearce, author.
Title: Millennials and conflict in the workplace :
understand the unique traits of the now generation /
Cynthia Pearce LeMay.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2022027728 (print) |
LCCN 2022027729 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032160337 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781032160320 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003246824 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Conflict of generations in the workplace. |
Intergenerational relations. | Young adults—Employment. |
Generation Y—Employment. | Personnel management.
Classification: LCC HF5549.5.C75 L46 2023 (print) |
LCC HF5549.5.C75 (ebook) | DDC 658.30084—dc23/eng/20220616
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022027728
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022027729
ISBN: 9781032160337 ( hbk)
ISBN: 9781032160320 ( pbk)
ISBN: 9781003246824 ( ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003246824
Typeset in Bembo
by codeMantra
For my mother, June P earce – y ou are a trailblazer who
showed me anything is possible. Thank you for your
unwavering love and support throughout this journey.

Contents
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
1 The Millennial Majority 1
What’s in a Name? 1
The Sizable Millennial Cohort 2
Millennials Enter the Workforce 4
The Research 7
The Questions 9
2 Meet the Millennials 14
Who Are the Millennials? 14
Understanding Generations in the United States 15
Events That Shaped Millennials 17
Helicopter Parents 23
What We Know about Generational Diferences 25
3 How Millennials Deal with Confict 34
Millennials in the Workplace: What We Hear from Employees 34
Negotiation and Confict Resolution 36
T homas-K ilmann Confict Mode Instrument Data 39
Dominant Confict Styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, and
Baby Boomers 41
Changes over Time 46
S ame-A ge Analysis: Millennials versus Generation Xers 52