Working Together:

A Guide to Managing Multi-Generational Teams

The modern workplace is increasingly multi-generational. With global life expectancy doubling over the last century and the removal of mandatory retirement ages, five generations now coexist in the workforce. This age diversity, while offering valuable perspectives, also presents unique challenges.

Generations at a glance:

While acknowledging individual differences, research suggests some general characteristics associated with different generations in the workplace:

Silent Generation

(born 1928 – 1945)

Baby Boomers

(born 1946 – 1964)

Generation X

(born 1965 – 1980)

Generation Y (Millennials)

(born 1981 – 1996)

Generation Z

(born 1997 – 2012)

Value their opinions and experience, appreciate loyalty, and prefer face-to-face communication. They seek clear roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority. Often have a “job for life” mentality.

Desire recognition for long hours and enjoy decision-making authority. They value social responsibility and personal development. Prefer face-to-face, phone, or email communication. Careers are often defined by their employers.

Prioritize work-life balance and prefer flat organizational structures with matrixed responsibilities and challenging work. They are often loyal to people/profession rather than organizations. Prefer text or email communication and often pursue portfolio careers.

Driven by freedom and flexibility. Value empowerment, challenging work, teamwork, and a fun work environment. Work and life boundaries are often blurred. Communicate online and via mobile devices. Many aspire to entrepreneurship.

Values remote work, flexibility, ongoing feedback, and rapid career advancement. Results-oriented, they are adept at processing large amounts of information. They favour visual communication like images and video calls over text and are comfortable multitasking across multiple screens.

These generations have experienced vastly different social, political, economic, and technological landscapes, shaping their views, motivations, work expectations, and communication styles. This can lead to intergenerational conflict and misunderstandings.

What challenges may arise in a multi-generational workplace?

Varying experiences throughout employees’ careers also impact their expectations. Rapid organizational change, driven by research and evolving best practices, means different generations have experienced different workplace norms, from recruitment and benefits to performance management. This can create a disconnect in understanding why some colleagues embrace change while others resist it. Clarity in organizational decision-making is essential to address this.

Attitudes towards work-life balance, work location, and management styles often vary significantly. Younger generations prioritize employee experience and inclusion and diversity, viewing these as essential workplace components, while older generations may have different priorities. Creating a safe space for open dialogue is crucial for bridging these gaps and fostering a shared understanding of inclusion.

Communication struggles are another key area of concern. The rapid evolution of digital communication has created a complex landscape, and not all employees, regardless of age, are equally proficient with every new platform. Assumptions about digital literacy can leave some feeling uncomfortable asking for help. Beyond the technology itself, differences in communication tone, formality, evolving language, and the use of slang or jargon can further complicate intergenerational communication. Effectively navigating these challenges requires acknowledging generational differences, fostering empathy, and promoting open communication to build bridges and create a truly inclusive and productive workplace.

Stereotyping poses another significant challenge. While generational classifications can be helpful, it’s crucial to avoid harmful stereotypes that perpetuate biases and reinforce divides. Common stereotypes, often amplified by media portrayals, paint younger generations as “sensitive” and older generations as “stuck in their ways.” These microaggressions, like assuming younger workers are always on their phones or older workers are technologically inept, contribute to a toxic work environment.

While managing a multi-generational workforce presents challenges, the benefits of doing so effectively are significant. Age diversity fosters diverse perspectives, improves decision-making, and enhances workforce development.

Benefits of a Multi-Generational Workplace:

Diversity of Perspective: A multi-generational workforce reflects the diversity of clients, customers, and colleagues, leading to a broader range of ideas and a deeper understanding of different life experiences.
Enhanced Problem Solving: Combining the fresh perspectives and innovation of younger employees with the wisdom and experience of older generations leads to more robust problem-solving. Different generations bring unique perspectives on challenges and potential solutions, fostering healthy conflict and better decision-making.
Learning and Development Opportunities: Knowledge sharing is a key benefit. Experienced employees can provide valuable organizational context and institutional knowledge, while younger employees can introduce new skills, methods, and insights into current trends and technologies. This mutual learning fosters empathy and continuous improvement.

Tips for Managing Intergenerational Workforces:

Tailored Benefits: Offer a flexible, “pick and mix” benefits package that caters to the diverse needs and preferences of different generations, from health and well-being perks to career development opportunities and financial benefits.
Inclusive and Unbiased Practices: Implement inclusive hiring practices that minimize bias, such as removing identifying information like dates of education or employment from resumes during initial screening.
Active Listening: Gather feedback from all generations through surveys and other channels to understand their perspectives and address their concerns.
Diverse Communication Styles: Recognize and accommodate different communication preferences. Avoid making assumptions about digital literacy and ensure that communication is accessible and engaging for all ages.
Individual Understanding: Be flexible and accommodating to individual needs, particularly regarding working patterns and styles. Acknowledge that older employees may have different needs related to caregiving or health.
Learning Opportunities: Create cross-generational mentoring programs to facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development. Incorporate age as a factor in inclusion and diversity training, encouraging the sharing of personal experiences to build empathy and understanding.

Managing an intergenerational workforce successfully hinges on valuing and understanding differences. Organizations can leverage the unique strengths of each generation to create a more dynamic, innovative, and productive workplace.