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Bridging the age gap is an essential skill managers and executives must master to maintain workplace harmony and lead a high-performance team.
Not one or two, but five distinct generations (from the Traditionalists and the Baby Boomers, all the way to Gen Z) coexist in today’s fast-paced labor market. They follow different trends, nurture different values, and use different technologies.
The challenges posed by those differences make managing multiple generations effectively all the more essential.
This article will provide you with helpful information about the generations working together in your office and warn you of some pitfalls a multigenerational team faces in their everyday work.
It will also help you understand why age-diverse teams can be an unstoppable force.
The Five Generations at Work
For the first time ever, no less than five generations populate the modern office.
In the twentieth century, technology progressed so rapidly that people born mere decades apart grew up with entirely different life experiences.
Additionally, aging has slowed down. This means that workers are more and more likely to stay employed well after the traditional retirement age of 65.
The generations that constitute today’s workforce are:
- Traditionalists—born 1925 to 1945
- Baby Boomers—born 1946 to 1964
- Generation X—born 1965 to 1980
- Millennials—born 1981 to 2000
- Generation Z—born 2001 and later
Furthermore, the proportions of the generations in the workforce are constantly changing.
Currently, the most prominent generation at work are the Millennials, who make up 35% of the workforce. On the other side of the spectrum, Traditionalists represent only 2% of all employees.
They are gradually phasing out of the workforce into well-deserved retirement.
Obviously, such a diverse workforce presents employers with a few challenges.
Members of different generations expect to be managed differently and will require agility and diversity in approach.
For this reason, managers need to learn as much as they can about what makes each generation tick.
Different Generations, Different Motivations
Employee needs and expectations vary according to what age group they belong to. By taking this into account, you have a much better chance to motivate your team to do their best work.
Millennials, who grew up in the shadow of the Great Recession, understandably value job stability and appreciate training opportunities.
Similarly, members of generation X are most likely to prioritize balancing work with parenthood. So it makes sense that they would respond well to day-care programs and work-life balance.
It’s also interesting to note how technology impacts work engagement.
Baby Boomers have had to adapt to the widespread use of new technologies. Substituting face-to-face communication with digital channels can make them feel disengaged at work.
On the other hand, Gen Zers are full digital natives.
It comes as no surprise that around 49% of Gen Z employees report that they feel more engaged in a digital work environment, compared to 41% of Millennials.
Adapting work benefits and requirements to the employee’s age group can do wonders for increased engagement and motivation at work.
However, the work doesn’t end there. Significant age differences can cause substantial differences in opinion. Be on the lookout for intergenerational workplace conflict.
Ageism, Stereotypes, and Intergenerational Conflict
Bias against people of different ages represents one of the biggest challenges to optimal performance in age-diverse teams.
In addition to causing conflict between colleagues, stereotypes and prejudices can cloud your judgment and prevent you from hiring the best candidates and promoting deserving employees.
We’re all familiar with age stereotypes.
Boomers are dinosaurs and too set in their ways, Millennials are lazy and entitled, and Gen Z can’t do anything without posting about it on TikTok first.
We forgot to mention Gen X, but everyone forgets to include them anyway.
Age stereotypes can be harmful. They wreak havoc on workplace relationships and have a detrimental effect on mental health.
In fact, ageism, or the practice of discriminating against older coworkers, has become such a problem that workers aged 40 and older are now protected under US legislation.
It works the other way too.
Younger employees face discrimination because of a perceived lack of experience. This can bar them from promotions and managerial positions, which breeds frustration and resentment.
Instead of focusing on perceived deficiencies, such as fear of technology in Baby Boomers or inexperience in Gen Zers, employers should focus on the strengths each generation can bring to the table.
The truth is, teams that use their members’ age to their advantage are unstoppable.
Age Diversity Is the Key to Success
With good management, age-diverse teams have the potential to deliver the best possible performance.
Age diversity is cognitive diversity.
Mixing people of different ages is beneficial to team performance because it allows every task and every problem to be examined from multiple points of view and solved using a broader set of skills.
Working together, older and younger generations also enjoy higher work satisfaction and emotional wellbeing.
More experienced employees enjoy passing on their expertise, while younger team members gain to learn a lot by having a mentor.
It comes as no surprise that some of the world’s top companies seek ways to bring older and younger generations together to boost the productivity and the happiness of their employees.
An interesting example can be found at Mastercard.
Several years ago, the credit card giant founded a mentorship program for older employees to learn about social media from their younger colleagues.
That way, employees had a chance to learn a new skill while promoting intergenerational solidarity.
Diversity in the workplace is always the way to go. This holds true for multigenerational teams. With a bit of good management, there is nothing they cannot achieve.
Conclusion
With no less than five distinct generations in the workplace, managers and team leaders really have their work cut out for them.
Age differences among team members require agility and variety in approach to make sure everyone’s needs and expectations are met.
Unfortunately, age-based bias and intergenerational conflict are a danger to the performance of the team.
However, with the right guidance, an age-diverse team has the potential to become an unstoppable force of innovation and productivity.
When putting together a team, make sure you include perspectives and skill sets from as many age groups as possible. The results will be well worth the effort.
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Joe Peters is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and an ultimate techie. When he is not working his magic as a marketing consultant, this incurable tech junkie devours the news on the latest gadgets and binge-watches his favorite TV shows. Follow him on @bmorepeters.
