The demographics of developed countries and the composition of todays workforces mean that many managers are supervising four generations, and most organizations are recruiting and retaining workers of all ages. As the youngest, most technologically savvy generation”the Millennials”has come on the scene, a lot of energy has been spent trying to understand their habits and motivations in order to attract them and maximize their productivity.

Pew Research Centers report Millennials: Confident, Connected, Open to Change is a fascinating, comprehensive look at the values, attitudes and behaviors of Americas next generation in many areas, including work.

Of equal interest is the analysis that compares and contrasts the Millennials with Gen X, the Boomers, and the Silent generation. The full study is a reflection of America at a point in time, and a reminder of how multi-dimensional each generation and each individual is.

It may be that the differences among the generations come as much from life stage issues as from unique personalities and novel experiences. With these insights, better understanding of our workers and our candidates can improve the efficacy of our talent management practices. And good talent management drives better performance from talent of all ages.