"I don't need a Gen Y-er texting instead of building business relationships," says Mark Cummuta, who has served as a divisional CIO and director of business systems and information security for Platinum Community Bank. "They run the risk of eroding what we've been doing to build a relationship of trust between the business and IT."

Why the Flashpoint Is Now

Generational clashes in the workplace are nothing new. What is new is the extent to which the retirement of the Boomers will leave employers scrambling to recruit and retain the talent they need. The American Society of Training and Development is predicting that 76 million Americans will retire over the next two decades. Only 46 million will be arriving to replace them. Most of those new workers will be Generation Y-ers.

No wonder that managing the generations effectively is emerging as one of the CIO's most important challenges.

Cummuta has experienced this challenge firsthand. "Dealing with these generations is part of your job as a manager and a leader," says Cummuta, who writes a blog for CIO.com.

CIOs, however, often focus more attention on technology and process than on staff. Yet people are inarguably a CIO's most vital assets. IT departments need a high-octane mix of talent to deliver the improvements and innovation necessary to keep the business competitive. That mix can combust if IT leaders don't understand and respect the needs of each generation of workers.

To address the workforce challenges of the future, CIOs must transition their departments now. This means preparing staff and addressing issues that may be preventing, discouraging or undermining their ability to work in a collaborative manner.

"In the Marines, you can't be selective; you have to take everyone," says Cummuta, who served in the Corps. "Then, you have to build a cohesive team. As a CIO, you have to do the same thing."

Best Practices for Managing the Generations

CIOs have to acknowledge the generational tensions their employees may be feeling. To get everyone working together, they need to understand the unique strengths and weaknesses of each generation and identify the points of friction among them.

To jump-start that process, we've put together a package of stories that explore this IT generation gap. In "Bringing Out the Best in Generation Y", leadership consultant Deborah Gilburg profiles what's been called "the most high-maintenance, yet potentially most high-performing generation" ever and outlines best practices that can help CIOs recruit, manage and retain this technologically skilled pool of young workers.