Summer Bryant, DNP, RN, CMSRN, president-elect of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses () and managing consultant with , said, “Some strategies work regardless of a nurse’s generation. We can usually find something in common with others. This is essential in building teams.”

Participating in formal and informal team-building activities can provide opportunities for staff to uncover some of the shared commonalties they have, Bryant said.

Staff meetings are an example of a formal environment for staff to learn more about each other.

“One practice I use is to ask each staff member to state one thing they did the past weekend,” Bryant said. “This reveals their interests in movies, TV shows, sports teams and hobbies that others in the group also have.” Bryant also encourages staff to meet informally outside the workplace. “These gatherings can be powerful as people are typically more relaxed,” she said.

“Different generations process information differently, so I customize how I share information with the group while addressing staff as one unit,” she said. “It’s important teams understand they can also learn from each other. If there’s a more efficient way to do a task, I encourage them to share.”

Stress goes up for nurses and patients when they don't interact well because of generational differences, according to Alfaro-LeFevre. “Posting articles about generational differences where nurses congregate or posting online can promote understanding of generational tendencies,” she said.

Establishing behavioral expectations is the foundation for building teams, according to Bryant. “Requiring staff to show respect for one another is essential,” she said. “If difficulties arise between staff, I encourage them to talk it over before I get involved, unless it’s a safety issue I need to address immediately. Finding projects they can work on together can help nurses mentor and get to know one another.”

Encouraging empathy and learning to walk in someone else’s shoes can provide insight and help understand each other better. “If someone is having difficulty with a new policy, procedure or coworker, I’ll tell them, ‘Let me help you with this,’” Walz said.

Different generations can have various work styles. “Because of this, I encourage staff to see the positive traits in their coworkers regardless of their generation,” Sharifi said. “Pointing out examples of good work to the entire team at a staff meeting is one way to achieve this.”

Communication from leadership must be clear so all staff receive the same message, according to Bryant.

“Miscommunications can pave the way for misunderstandings,” she said.

Alfaro-LeFevre added, “Recognizing generational communication preferences can reduce frustration and improve results. If you know your millennial colleague responds best to texts, send a text. If your baby boomer coworker prefers phone calls or face-to-face communications, do that.”

Sometimes people can make quick, negative assumptions of others and their actions that aren’t accurate, according to Walz. “Whether in a leadership or staff role, attentive listening and assuming positive intent is imperative, he said.

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