Managing employees at work is difficult enough. When they appear to have differing values, attitudes and beliefs from each other and from the people supervising them, tension may arise. Within a context of skill shortages, Australian management needs to optimise the retention of skilled employees, irrespective of generational cohort. Yet insufficient is known about how best to manage the different generational cohorts and what may be behind their differences, if anything. This paper provides a literature review of research to date examining generational differences in retention motives and provides insight to the enhanced management possibilities of the generations at work. With improved understanding may come improved management and retention, an important goal in the competition for talent and skills.