The shifting generations within the work place, are having a profound effect upon business and how teams operate. As gen Y begins to infuse the workforce they bring with them values and perspectives that differ significantly from the Baby Boomers who are beginning to leave the workplace in droves. Adaptive and forward-thinking businesses are finding ways to accommodate for this ’shift change’.

Mentoring and coaching will become more important as a way to effectively transfer all the ’soft’ information and skills between the generations. Other management strategies to assist gen Y in taking over the reins are:

• Providing training in time management
• Offering community involvement opportunities
• Creating a system, for frequent public praise for performance
• Creating many opportunities for team involvement
• Customizing the career paths for employees

Knowledge management is a core issue. Beyond internal mentorship and coaching programs, building communities of practice provides many advantages to businesses struggling to maintain their effectiveness. Coordination of individual strengths and high levels of collaboration have rapidly become building blocks of highly successful teams.