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Aim: This study investigated whether generation Y nurses (1981-1995) adopt a different attitude about work than generation X caregivers (1966-1980) and baby boomers (1956-1965)., Background: Employees' positive attitude to work engagement is a competitive factor for clinics. In age-diverse team structures, possible different attitudes can lead to conflicts., Methods: As part of a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study with the survey instrument AVEM-44, health and nursing staff, as well as nursing directors and ward administrators, were interviewed., Results: A total of N = 992 individuals (n = 312 nursing directors, n = 259 ward administrators and n = 421 nurses) were included in the study. Nurses and executives viewed generation Y as being less willing to give oneself out and as attaching less importance to work than generation X and the baby boomers. On the other hand, professional ambition was more important to generation Y than the older generations., Conclusions: Transformational leadership behaviour represents an approach to guide employees of different generations individually and to harmonize different attitudes., Implications for Nurse Management: To lead employees transformationally, it is necessary to know generation-specific differences concerning attitudes towards work., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)