Transformational leadership to promote cross-generational retention.

As the current nursing shortage intensifies under the weight of an aging population, retention of front-line staff is becoming paramount. Studies have consistently demonstrated that the leadership style of nurse managers plays a significant role to this end. This paper describes some of the challenges that managers encounter in their dealings with the contemporary multigenerational workforce - including the baby boomers, generation X and generation Y (the "millennials"). A review of research findings suggests the insufficiency of a single leadership approach to nurse management compared to more tailored generational strategies. Application of the transformational leadership model provides the background and tenets from which solutions are proposed for multigenerational management.