A new survey revealed many telling truths about the current situation in the workforce, including the fact that most workers still prefer to be managed by an older leader.

Kelton, a leader global insights firm, conducted the survey.  The results were released by Addison Group and helped to further explain various generation preferences, the importance of the managerial role and Millennials’ appetite for leadership.  The survey was commissioned to gain more insight, which is exactly what it did.

HR experts feel that the more managers can understand about what Boomers, Generation X and Millennials want and need in the workplace, the more they can accommodate their workers to increase their retention rates.

Millennials will ultimately make up a majority of the workforce by 2015, and it appears that this age group is quickly promoted into management roles.  Seventy percent of workers prefer to oversee someone younger than himself or herself.  Often times, when a Millennial is promoted, this doesn’t happen.        

The data showed that managers who foster growth and wellbeing are preferred over those that have more authoritarian characteristics.

Millennials, out of all of the different age groups, seem to have the most focus on interoffice relationships.  This group was twice as likely to hope that they are perceived as their direct report’s best friend.  All age groups, however, agreed that honest feedback, trust and experience are some of the top characteristics they look for in a manager.

The survey also found that in order to attract new candidates while retaining top talent, a work environment needs to be created that fosters and encourages career development and collaboration.