The workforce now consists of four generations including Baby Boomers, Gen X Millennials and Gen Z. People from various age groups tend to have different points of view on how to work, solve problems and communicate effectively as a team. And these disparities don’t have to be problematic for your company. Harnessing the strengths of the multigenerational workforce is one of the biggest opportunities available to today’s small businesses.
Leaders can draw on generational diversity to create more inclusive, collaborative, productive company cultures. By understanding the unique communication styles, skills, perspectives and experiences of your employees, your organization can avoid generational dissonance and unlock the best teamwork from talent of all ages.
September is Intergenerational Month, so here are a few ways to identify gaps to increase the cohesion of your business’s multigenerational workforce – and build a stronger culture at the same time.
Understand generational communication styles
Every age group grew up with distinct technologies and media that shaped the ways they communicate, so people of different generations tend to have their own preferred methods of communication. Instead of seeing these variances as a source of friction, business leaders should train their personnel on how to recognize their shared good intentions and common goals.
For example, recent research from Purdue Global found:
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) and Gen Xers (born 1965-1980) are both likely to use whatever communication method is most efficient, even if that means phone calls and face-to-face conversations. Gen X tends to be more informal and independent in the way they connect, while Baby Boomers tend to be more team-oriented and competitive.
- Millennials (born 1981-2000) often prefer instant messages (IMs), texts and email. They tend to be civic-minded and achievement-oriented.
- Gen Z (born 2001-2020) has a higher comfort level with digital devices and typically prefer IMs, texts and even social media messages instead of phone calls and email. The workplace’s youngest generation is globally minded and embraces emerging technologies.
What do these generational differences look like in action at your company? Sometimes they can create misunderstandings. Baby Boomers who are accustomed to formal business communication might raise an eyebrow at a younger colleague’s use of emojis or lack of punctuation in a work chat, thinking that it’s unprofessional.
Younger generations are more used to sending off quick messages on social media or messaging tools; Gen Z might feel intimidated by the tone of perfectly punctuated communication. For example, older generations are more likely to use ellipses (…) in emails, while millennials and Gen Z might view this punctuation choice as passive-aggressive. Gen Z and Millennials also commonly feel that too many in-person meetings or out-of-the-blue phone calls are excessively formal and high-pressure.
Misperceptions from these intergenerational gaps can cause tension. If not addressed with training and coaching, co-workers of different ages might start reducing their communication, which can lead to bigger missed opportunities that impact employee, team and organizational performance.
Find common ground with multigenerational motivations
Along with distinct preferences for communication mediums, people in divergent age groups tend to have different intrinsic motivators revealing why they work and what inspires them to do their best. Here are a few of the top motivating factors for each generation, according to Purdue Global research:
- Baby Boomers: inspired by duty, teamwork and company loyalty – these are a few big reasons why 49% of Baby Boomers are working past age 70 or do not plan to retire.
- Gen X: motivated by diversity, work-life balance as well as their personal and professional interests (rather than the organization’s interests). Gen Xers might be less loyal to companies than Baby Boomers, and a desire for independence can also make them more entrepreneurial – 55% of startup founders are Gen Xers.
- Millennials: engaged by responsibility, unique work experiences and the quality of their manager. The professionals of this generation want to be challenged in their jobs and grow in their careers while having fun at work and enjoying a healthy work-life balance.
- Gen Z: energized by diversity, personalization, individuality and creativity. As a digital native generation, Gen Z is more likely to embrace innovation. 67% of Gen Zers say that they want to work at companies where they can learn career-advancing skills.
When generations have distinct motivations, they can still come together and work as a team. Understanding what drives people can help your organization find the right roles and opportunities for staff to collaborate with others.
For instance, Baby Boomers might prefer to work on projects or lead teams where their long-term experience and loyalty is valued. Gen Zers and Millennials might enjoy working on creative, short-term projects where they can try new technologies or learn new skills. And Gen X employees might value flexible schedules and work-life balance more than a lofty job title.
Create multigenerational mentoring
Start formal mentoring programs and channels to build relationships and understanding between different age groups. Pair Boomers with Millennials, Gen Zers with Gen Xers or other intergenerational combinations. Getting people together who have varying career experiences – and unique life experiences – can accelerate collaboration and promote appreciation for other points of view.
Business leaders need to make time for team building activities and cultivate conversations in everyday work. Use your company’s chat channels to invite staff from all age cohorts to assume positive intent, connect over common interests and share what they’ve learned from work. Encourage people to use “naming and noting” practices to identify where their preferred styles, ideas and approaches are coming from.
Helping people of all ages have a higher level of self-awareness about why they prefer to work and communicate the way they do can also bridge generation gaps.
Everybody benefits when they give their colleagues grace, find opportunities to learn from one another and appreciate the value each person brings to the workplace. The multigenerational workforce can be an engine of growth for your company. Business leaders can capitalize on the talents of all personnel by working proactively to understand the communication tendencies and motivations of different age groups and encouraging teams to overcome misconceptions. Cultivating a culture of inclusion, learning and collaboration will be welcomed by all staff, no matter the year they were born.
Marie Unger serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Emergenetics® International, an organizational development company dedicated to realizing the potential of people within businesses, educational environments and the community. As CEO, Marie guides the companies’ operations by providing strategic direction to drive its growth. Most recently, Marie served as President of Emergenetics International. She brings more than 15 years of strategic management experience and more than 20 years of experience in education.
Multigenerational stock image by fizkes/Shutterstock
