Bridging the generation gap: Inclusive strategies to embrace diverse skills
With the increasing potential for co-workers to have an age gap of 50 years or more, there’s a new aspect of diversity that must be addressed: intergenerational.
Although workplace harmony could be disrupted by co-workers whose formative years were drastically different, Esade professor Carlos Royo says there are some simple strategies to follow to create strong, skilled intergenerational teams. Writing in Harvard Deusto Business Review, Royo has outlined the strategies and policies that can help organizations turn age gaps into competitive advantages.
Recognize differences but avoid labels
The outlook of a generation is determined by the social, economic and political events that shaped their lives. Although Royo stresses that a generation doesn’t define a person, he says recognizing and embracing these different backgrounds is important. And, while there will always be an overlap between generations, Royo explains they are each broadly associated with a set of values and negative biases.
Companies can build on the unique capabilities of each generation to establish meaningful and complementary relationships
Acknowledging these for what they are, he says, can help create strong teams where skills are valued, rather than belittled.
Silent generation (1928-1945)Background: War, hardship, scarcity Values: Loyalty, commitment, hard work, respect for authority Negative biases: Out-of-touch, live in the past, critical of change Workplace contribution: Valuable experience and foresight in the face of crises |
Baby Boomers (1946-1965)Background: Profound global change, creation of economic and political blocs Values: Attention to title and status, demand for respect from subordinates Negative biases: Authoritarian, dismissive of other generations, no digital skills Workplace contribution: Unwritten knowledge gained by decades of experience |
Generation X (1966-1980)Background: Economic recessions, rise of capitalism, advent of IT, advancing equality Values: Individualism, opportunity, professional growth Negative biases: Individualistic, lack of work-life balance, power-seeking Workplace contribution: strong leadership skills, bridge the technology divide, results-focused |
Millennials (1981-1996)Background: IT boom, destabilizing global wars, terrorism Values: Independence, autonomy, entrepreneurship, work-life balance Negative biases: Transitional generation with financial insecurity, struggle to emancipate from parents Workplace contribution: Good education, talented, innovative |
Generation Z (1996-present)Background: Recession, pandemic, authoritarian leaders, hyper-connected, social activism Values: Individuality, respect for diversity, ethical consumption, mind-body balance Negative biases: Pampered by parents, prioritize short-term rewards over long-term goals, online dependency Workplace contribution: agile, disruptive thinking, digital-focused, strong initiative |
Unique advantages
Rather than feeding stereotypes, Royo stresses acknowledging these differences will help to break them. By creating horizontal teams, he explains, organizations can draw on each generation’s unique abilities and skills to create unique, meaningful and complementary relationships.
This move away from hierarchical structures can encourage a mix of learning styles, with the older generations' tendency for a ‘teacher-learner’ approach complemented by the more recent trend for creative teamwork. Skills can also be shared across the ages, with Gen Z mentoring Baby Boomers in IT, for example, and Baby Boomers providing important context and experience to Gen Z.
The added benefit, says Royo, is that the enhanced internal knowledge will feed into internal promotions and knowledge retention, ultimately benefiting the competitiveness of an organization.
Positive policies to promote an ageless workforce
Of course, none of this will happen by accident. Breaking down established barriers requires a strong policy framework, and Royo has identified five key areas for leaders who want to ensure intergenerational diversity.
1. Recognition
The value of recognition is universal, but each generation has a preference for how it is received. Older generations seek public recognition such as awards or new challenges rewarded with remuneration. Millennials value flexibility and wellbeing, while Gen Z’s recognition is based on feeling culturally integrated and connected. Policies should accommodate a range of recognition and reward programs.
2. Leadership
Leadership policies should acknowledge the major differences between the authoritarian style preferred by the Baby Boomers, the executive reward-based style favored by Gen X, and the participatory, affiliative, two-way feedback styles practiced by Millennials and Gen Z. Policies which directly address and allow for the different styles, particularly with a mentoring approach that encourages joint solutions, will help to bridge the generational divide.
3. Communication
How do you adapt the same key organizational messages in a way that will be welcomed by a group of people with ages that could span five decades? Again, acknowledge that differences are present and accommodate them. Gen Z will favor online materials, the Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face meetings, Gen X and Millennials perhaps a mix of both. Communication policies that cater to all preferences will ensure everyone has a voice.
4. Atraction and engagement
It’s a given that recruitment should avoid age bias. To aid this, the focus should be on the functions of a role and the skills required to fulfill it rather than the image of an ideal candidate. Corporate imagery should include a wide range of age groups to illustrate the whole workforce is valued — not just the young attractive members. For organizations whose employees are all a similar age, recruitment should focus on attracting complementary talent. Retention policies could focus on internal promotions so younger employees become the next generation of older ones.
5. Knowledge management
Knowledge isn’t just gathered through formal learning: in a successful intergenerational workforce, everyone learns from each other. Peer coaching, mentoring, sharing best practices among teams and ensuring learning is adapted to the style of the learner will all help to retain knowledge and talent within the organization.
In an increasingly aging population, diversity practices must go way beyond simple exercises in equality training. To be competitive, organizations must ensure a diverse range of voices and opinions are welcomed, and put the policies in place to support them.