"Millennials really want a work-life balance that's seamless; they want to be able to communicate with their friends while they're working," says Kline. The older generation, in contrast, wants "to be productive from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and focus only on work." Those tendencies recently convinced Kline to hire a boomer -- not a millennial -- for a help desk maintenance job with the steady hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"When we looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, we felt that a baby boomer was more equipped to handle that type of position," says Kline.
Cherry-picking aside, companies must still make some cultural adjustments to successfully mix millennials and boomers in the workplace. Your company's willingness to make those adjustments will affect its ability to recruit and retain talent.
"From a baby boomer's standpoint, it's a big change to see a really bright guy come in at 10:30 a.m. wearing shorts and sneakers and start work," says Kline. "Breaking down that barrier is a big challenge."
Just ask Horne, who dedicated his entire career to a single employer. "Kids coming out of school have no work ethic," he says. "They think life is a video game and that you get paid because you show up."
John Martin, a 62-year-old iBank quality assurance specialist, is more tactful. "My approach to working is much different than that of today's millennials," he says. "A great number of them think there are unlimited jobs out there, and so they approach work a little more casually than people of my generation."
Defining 'Professional'
It's this perception among boomers that deeply offends Nathan Williams, a 30-year-old Serena software engineer who identifies with the millennial generation. "There's the misconception that we're just not professional. But the truth is, we have different ideas of what it means to be professional, and a casual attitude is part of that."
In fact, Williams says millennials' easygoing disposition encourages creativity and "a willingness to break boundaries" that contributes to tasks such as product development.