The 10 Lies of Learning: Lie #6: “But What About the _____ Generation?!?”

Continuing our countdown of the biggest lies in Learning & Development, we reach #6—the persistent myth that generational differences fundamentally change how people learn and work.

“The millennials need bite-sized microlearning!”

“Gen Z won’t sit through anything longer than a TikTok video!”

“Boomers can’t adapt to digital learning!”

“Gen X needs work-life balance in their development!”

And now… “Gen Alpha will need AI-enhanced immersive virtual reality blockchain learning in the metaverse!” (Okay, I made that one up, but give it time…)

Few topics in workplace learning generate as much breathless commentary, sweeping generalizations, and dubious claims as generational differences. Every few years, a new cohort enters the workforce, and like clockwork, the business press, conference speakers, and yes, learning professionals rush to explain how this generation will revolutionize everything.

Spoiler alert: They won’t. At least, not in the ways we’re typically told.

Before your inner voice screams “But, but but……” hear me out….

The Generational Panic Cycle

The pattern is predictable:

1. A new generation starts entering the workforce
2. Consultants and “thought leaders” publish alarmist content about how different they are
3. HR and L&D rush to adapt their practices based on these claims
4. Actual research eventually shows the differences were wildly exaggerated
5. Repeat with the next generation

This isn’t new. Consider this quote from Socrates (469–399 BCE):

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households.”

Apparently, generational panic has been with us for at least 2,400 years.

This is not an issue with the younger generation – they are in fact just…well, being themselves. The core issue is simply the insistence and even at times fear that we have to change EVERYthing because a new generation with new mindsets, approaches, behaviors, expectations, etc. is entering the workforce.

Why This Lie Persists

The generational differences narrative persists for compelling reasons:

1. It simplifies complexity
   Categorizing people by birth cohort creates a tidy framework for understanding workplace diversity. It’s far easier than considering the complex interplay of individual differences, cultural context, socioeconomic factors, educational background, and personal experiences.
   
2. It creates marketable content
   “Seven Ways to Engage Millennials in Learning” makes for more clickable content than “Evidence-Based Learning Principles That Work for Everyone.” The generational narrative creates endless opportunities for content creation, consulting services, and keynote speeches.
   
3. It validates age-based biases
   The generational framework provides a socially acceptable way to make sweeping judgments about age groups that would be considered inappropriate if applied to other demographic categories.
   
4. It absolves organizations of deeper analysis
   Blaming learning challenges on generational differences is easier than examining whether your content is actually engaging, relevant, and well-designed for anyone of any age.

What the Research Actually Shows

The scientific literature on generational differences tells a very different story from the popular narrative:

• A comprehensive review in the Journal of Business and Psychology examined evidence for generational differences in work values and found minimal support for meaningful distinctions.¹
• Research published in Psychological Science analyzed data from 1.4 million respondents across three generations and found that generational differences explained, at most, 2% of the variance in workplace attitudes and behaviors.²
• A meta-analysis in the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that age-related differences in job attitudes were more likely explained by life stage and career phase than by generational membership.³
• Studies from the Center for Creative Leadership found more similarities than differences in workplace preferences across generations, with all generations valuing similar things: fair treatment, challenging work, and supportive leadership.⁴

As organizational psychologist Adam Grant concisely put it: “The evidence for generational differences in preferences and values is wildly overblown. What we call ‘generations’ are often actually reflections of age and experience, not birth cohorts.”⁵

The Actual Differences (They’re Not What You Think)

This isn’t to say that no differences exist between age groups in the workplace. Rather, the differences that do exist are often:

1. Related to life stage, not generation
   A 25-year-old in 1985 and a 25-year-old in 2025 share many characteristics because they’re at similar life stages—early career, possibly starting families, developing professional identities—not because one is Gen X and one is Gen Z.
   
2. Reflective of technological exposure, not inherent preferences
   Digital natives don’t have fundamentally different brains; they’ve simply had different exposure to technology. As far as I’m aware, commercials and movie trailers have always been fairly short. And I’m confident that generations ago, in a cornfield or a blacksmith shop somewhere, one older experienced farmer or tradesperson used a wise 30-second-long adage to say to a younger one, “Do it this way” – sounds like micro learning to me. Preferences haven’t changed – options to generate and distribute content have.
   
   Given appropriate support, older workers adapt to new technologies quite effectively. A 2020 study in Computers in Human Behavior found that, contrary to stereotypes, older adults can develop digital fluency comparable to younger people when provided with proper training and support.⁶
   
3. About context and experience, not hard-wired traits
   What appears to be a “millennial characteristic” is often just the result of entering the workforce during specific economic conditions or with particular educational experiences. The 2008 recession shaped millennial workplace behavior more than some innate generational trait.
   
4. Continuously evolving
   Whatever differences might exist between a 25-year-old and a 55-year-old today will likely be different from the differences between these age groups ten years from now. Generations aren’t static entities with fixed characteristics.

The Real Harm of the Generational Myth

This isn’t just an interesting theory. This generational narrative causes actual harm:

1. It encourages stereotyping and discrimination
   When we attribute characteristics to entire generations, we engage in exactly the kind of stereotyping that most organizations claim to oppose. Age discrimination suits have risen 47% in the past decade, according to EEOC data.⁷
   
2. It distracts from evidence-based practice
   When L&D professionals focus on generational differences, they often overlook the robust science of learning that applies across age groups. Cognitive load theory, spaced repetition, retrieval practice, and social learning work for everyone.
   
3. It wastes organizational resources
   Companies invest in generation-specific learning initiatives that show minimal returns because they’re addressing a largely imaginary problem while ignoring real learning design issues.
   
4. It creates artificial divisions
   By emphasizing differences between age groups, organizations inadvertently foster workplace tensions and undermine intergenerational collaboration.

What Actually Matters in Learning Design

Instead of fixating on generational differences, focus on principles that improve learning for everyone:

1. Individual differences matter more than generational ones
   Research shows that within-generation differences are far greater than between-generation differences. Personality, cognitive style, prior knowledge, and intrinsic motivation explain far more variance in learning preferences than birth year.
   
2. Good learning design is good for everyone
   Clarity, relevance, appropriate challenge, feedback, and application opportunities enhance learning regardless of the learner’s age. A 2018 meta-analysis in Educational Psychology Review found that these principles show consistent effects across age groups.⁸
   
3. Choice and autonomy benefit all learners
   Rather than prescribing different approaches for different generations, provide options. Some millennials prefer long-form content; some boomers love bite-sized learning. Give people choices about how they engage with material.
   
4. Context trumps generation
   When and where learning happens matters more than when the learner was born. Learning embedded in workflow, connected to immediate needs, and supported by the environment works better for everyone.

What This Means For You

If you’re an L&D professional:

1. Be skeptical of generational claims: When you hear “Gen Z needs X” or “Millennials want Y,” ask for the evidence.
2. Focus on learning science: Principles like spaced repetition, retrieval practice, elaboration, and concrete examples work regardless of when someone was born.
3. Design for flexibility: Create learning experiences that allow for different access points, paces, and modalities—not because different generations need them, but because all learners benefit from appropriate choices.
4. Carefully consider deployment support: Think deeply and laterally about your learners’ “tech exposure”. Heavy exposure to line workers? Make sure they have access to the technology needed to consume on-demand content. Rolling out an app? Make sure it’s to an audience that is nimble with mobile tech. Are you relying heavily on MS Office applications for your delivery? A lot of recent college grads may have never seen Outlook, Word, or PPT.
5. Measure what matters: Track application and impact rather than generational satisfaction differences.

If you’re a business leader:

1. Challenge generational stereotypes: When someone attributes workplace issues to generational differences, ask whether there are more evidence-based explanations.
2. Promote intergenerational collaboration: Create opportunities for employees of different ages to work together on meaningful projects.
3. Support individualization: Focus on personal development plans that address individual needs rather than presumed generational traits.
4. Beware of fads: Be particularly skeptical of products and programs marketed based on generational claims.

A Better Framework: The Adaptive Organization

Instead of building generation-specific learning initiatives, create adaptive learning ecosystems that:

• Respond to demonstrated needs rather than presumed preferences
• Offer multiple paths to mastery
• Provide appropriate scaffolding based on skill level, not age
• Focus on universal motivators: autonomy, mastery, purpose, and connection
• Continuously evolve based on evidence rather than generational stereotypes

The Path Forward

The next time someone in your organization raises the “But what about the _ generation?!?” concern, try responding with:

“That’s an interesting question. The research actually suggests that generational differences are much smaller than commonly believed. What specific learning needs are you concerned about, and how might we address those for all our employees?”

This reframes the conversation from presumed generational traits to actual learning needs—a much more productive direction.

In our next installment, we’ll explore Lie #5: “We have a pizza problem…” and the dangers of ambiguous training requests. Until then, take a closer look at your organization’s generational assumptions. You might be surprised by how many are based on myth rather than evidence.

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Josh LeFebvre on LinkedIn

Josh is the founder of Kay/Allison - a firm solving corporate learning and talent development challenges.  He provides strategic advisory, interim/fractional leadership, and complex project management services in the learning and development field.  His 25 years of experience has demonstrated a focus on business impact and clarity punctuated by thoughtful analysis and plain-spoken recommendations.  He is a long standing collaborator with Smartfirm and can be reached through our team or directly at joshlefebvre@kayandallison.com.

References

[1] Costanza, D. P., Badger, J. M., Fraser, R. L., Severt, J. B., & Gade, P. A. (2012). Generational Differences in Work-Related Attitudes: A Meta-analysis. Journal of Business and Psychology, 27(4), 375-394.

[2] Rudolph, C. W., & Zacher, H. (2017). Considering Generations From a Lifespan Developmental Perspective. Work, Aging and Retirement, 3(2), 113-129.

[3] Ng, T. W. H., & Feldman, D. C. (2010). The Relationships of Age with Job Attitudes: A Meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 63(3), 677-718.

[4] Deal, J. J., Altman, D. G., & Rogelberg, S. G. (2010). Millennials at Work: What We Know and What We Need to Do (If Anything). Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 191-199.

[5] Grant, A. (2019, January 5). Tweet. Retrieved from Twitter.

[6] Czaja, S. J., Boot, W. R., Charness, N., & Rogers, W. A. (2019). Designing for Older Adults: Principles and Creative Human Factors Approaches. CRC press.

[7] U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2020). Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) Charges.

[8] Wisniewski, B., Zierer, K., & Hattie, J. (2020). The Power of Feedback Revisited: A Meta-Analysis of Educational Feedback Research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10.