As a CHRO, you might have faced the dilemma of managing generational diversity that comprises from seasoned Baby Boomers who’ve seen industries rise and fall to Gen Zs who grew up swiping screens before they could spell and read.
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Standing at different stages in their lives with diverse skill sets, unique wisdom, and unpredictable triggers, handling diversity across different age gaps under one roof might have gotten you on your nerves.
For you, this isn’t just a demographic fact, it’s more or a multigenerational workforce leadership challenge that requires more than policies and perks.
It calls for empathy, adaptability, and showcases your multigenerational workforce leadership qualities.
And if you need more insights on how to conquer the differences, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This blog is a mix of insights from our latest guest on The CHRO Mindset podcast, Sajit T.C., Corporate Director & CXO Mentor and us to help you navigate these challenges and find peace on the other side of the tunnel.
Are you ready? Here we go!
Age Diverse Teams in the Workplace: Different Generations have Different Motivations | Understand in Detail
To know what drives their core to behave and react in a unique way, it’s crucial to understand their age- and work-related expectations.
- Boomers (61–79 years): this generation values stability and loyalty and secretly expects recognition for the service they have delivered to their field.
- Gen X (45–60 years): these people are outcome-driven because they are practical and independent. They expect fair management (no micromanagement) and flexibility to work.
- Millennials (29–44 years): employees belonging to this group find true happiness in purpose, growth, and a culture that supports work-life balance and brings them peace.
- Gen Z (18–28 years): it is one of the highly ambitious generations with proficiency in digital tools and technology. They want quick feedback, growth opportunities, and independence to take initiatives and work.
4 Common Problems with Generational Differences at Work [No HR Leader can Ignore]
Generational differences at work, if creating conflicts, can turn a positive culture into negative. Unaddressed generational gaps can look like:
Sajit’s Insight DropYounger generations know how to do it, older generations know what and when.
Sajit says each generation no matter how competitive you think young generation can get with tools and technology, older generations bring in the experience to rethink an action to skip potential loss.
- Collaboration challenges: Different mindsets and expectations can create problems while collaborating. For example, a Senior Sales Manager can face challenges with a newly hired Sales Executive taking frequent initiatives or modifying processes.
- Communication barriers: Due to differences in lifestyles, outlook toward work, and sense of self-importance, communication may be stalled. For example, new hires can think that their manager always rejects their ideas and mocks their efforts. So, eventually they either switch or stop building genuine connections at workplace.
- Toxic Workplace: With decreased cross-generational collaboration, there will be silos, information hoardings, micromanagement, and frequent disagreements over minor issues, creating a negative workplace generally.
- Ruined Branding & No Employee Advocacy: Employees who walk out the door due to factors like micromanagement, humiliation in meetings, credit theft, prolonged negligence, or unrecognized treatment often spread the negative word that contributes to a stale branding in the marketplace, which is a recipe of business crises in future.
Sajit’s Insight DropTrust is the rarest workplace currency nowadays.
Sajit makes a bold statement by reflecting on the lack of trust that’s a common scene at workplace. Trust should be an integral emotion to a workplace that auto-nurtures positivity, optimism, and resilience at work.
6 Smart CHRO Leadership Strategies Every HR Should Consider in Multigenerational Workforce Management
Generational differences at work are common but can become a cause of conflicts that can severely hinder business growth, innovative adaptabilities, and overall culture.
But here are several strategies you can implement to address problems without highlighting them.
- Anonymous Grievance Portal- Design a platform where everyone is free to express their grievances, whether it’s related to process, culture, or collaboration. These complaints in a harmless manner will help you to create solutions, maintaining fairness.
Tip #101- Create a grievance portal and select top leaders as counselor and senior counselor to facilitate solutions.
- Flexible Work Models- Encourage management to allow flexible work models for different generations. For example, Gen X and Millennials prefer working remotely because of similar priorities at home, and Gen Z prefer hybrid working style because they are more energetic and have a long way to explore work.
Tip #101- Allow freedom to choose the work model i.e. hybrid, remote, and in-office to keep productivity and employee engagement high.
- Reverse Mentorship- Pair a senior employee with a younger one to help them adapt to the newer mindset that’s focused on innovation, flexibility, and solutions, rather than on process, rigidity, and obsolete software.
Tip #101- Create monthly sessions where older generations learn some technology or a new tool from younger generations.
- Tailored Recognition- Generally Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials are long-tenured employees with significant contributions to the industry. Awarding honors, recognition, and promotions are not only their desires but motivate them to stay and perform longer.
But don’t miss the younger generation that shows up with innovative ideas, a fearlessness toward technology, and a completely unique perspective toward work.
Tip #101- Start a bi-monthly exercise to recognize two people from older generations and two from the younger ones to celebrate generational difference at work and showcase equal contribution of each one in business outcomes.
- Upskilling Across Ages- Upskilling programs is a smart way to showcase your multigenerational workforce leadership and keep diverse generations updated with latest skills, tools, and platforms to minimize the gaps between the people with different mindsets.
Tip #101- Make certifications, tools tutorials, and workshops on empathy and compassion mandatory for workforce to share different set of values.
- Culture of Respect, Not Stereotypes- Breeding a culture where people respect each other and laugh out small differences is not only crucial to minimize generational diversity but sustains a healthy work environment.
Tip #101- Create a strict anti-stereotype policy that advocates no judgment based on age-group and maintains positive communication within the multigenerational workforce.
Final Word for You
Generational differences at work are common more than ever with newer generations becoming qualified and ready to work. But it’s an opportunity for CHROs to play their multigenerational workforce leadership right, and plan strategies that not only remove indifferences but boost collaboration, nurture a positive environment, and gives everyone a fair chance to perform.
So, as a CHRO, you are powerful with limitless potential to resolving generational barriers and managing generational diversity. All you must do is to strive to find solutions, act on them, and be a strategic player.
Loved the blog? Take notes of the tips and pin them on your desk for a quick action the next time you overhear a generational conflict knocking at your cabin door.