Who is there with you when you look around your office or team? What differences are there in age, gender, ethnicity, and seniority? And while you are thinking about this, what do you notice about your interactions with colleagues who are a different generation to yours?
‘According to UK Government statistics, 76% of working-aged people (16- to 64-year-olds) in England, Scotland and Wales were employed in 2022. This means for the first time in recorded history, there are multiple generations in the workplace:
Gen Z (1995 – 2012)
Millennial (1980 – 1994)
Generation X (1965 – 1979)
Baby Boomer (1946 – 1964)
Silent Generation (1927 – 1945)
With the possibility of multiple generations in the workplace, how can we bridge the gap for a harmonious workplace/environment?
Today, I’d like to encourage you to celebrate and embrace the differences between the generations while also seeking to identify areas of commonality. To recognise the opportunities that intergenerational workplaces offer and avoid some potential pitfalls.
I should declare my bias – I firmly believe that, in many ways, the younger generation will face challenges that we can’t yet imagine. Perhaps it is time to reimagine the role of work within our society, but that is a topic for another time.
In the meantime, what opportunities do multigenerational workplaces offer?
First, it might be helpful to understand some of the generational differences in values, priorities, power and aspirations. I recognise that I cannot generalise and speak for all individuals. We are all different. Still, within each generation, there will be some things they are likely to share.
Understanding differences between generations:
Context is critical here, and I say this as a Baby Boomer – I grew up with some privileges due to the timing of my birth – no university fees, a grant I could genuinely live on (though I still managed to rack up some debt after four years.) the ability to buy my first home as a single woman by the age of thirty. These are just a few.
But this will be different for Millennials and Gen Zs – who grew up with and are generally more comfortable adopting and using new technology – to a large extent; Gen Z’s know no different. The world of technology and its impact on all our lives has been phenomenal. And now, with the advent of AI, how will this impact the workplace and how people work together? The implications for education and work are huge – but again, that is a topic for another day.
Recently, I have noticed some discussion about the laziness of Gen Z’s – that somehow they don’t want to put in the hours, don’t appear to value hard work, or expect too much. My observation is that there are differences in the aspirations and values of the younger generation, and this got me thinking about the psychological contract, which, in short, refers to the unspoken agreement and understanding between employer and employee. For the silent generation and perhaps for some Baby Boomers, the understanding was that if you worked hard, kept your head down and were loyal, your employer would look after you. You would have a job for life. For later generations, that was not the case, and for Gen Z’s, I am not even sure there is that understanding. Work for them is far more uncertain and complex to gain a foothold in – hard work may not be perceived to reap the same benefits.
Click here to read what the CIPD says about the Psychological Contract.
My point here is that I think it is useful to view the landscape through the eyes of each generation – what understanding of work have they grown up with? What does work mean to them? What might they expect from it? The answers to these questions will differ – no generation has a monopoly on the proper worldview, and each generation is likely to operate according to their own.
In his article, You need to know the 7 types of power if you want to succeed, Mark Murphy describes Information and Expert Power as the best power sources in this day and age.
I have referred to this article before, but I wonder what role power plays in multigenerational workplaces. Which type of power is each generation most likely to wield? Consider the power and possibly the privileges you enjoy being a member of a particular generation – how might someone view you? Identify and recognise the power you already have, and then consider how you can wield it in the wisest way possible. Where might there be an imbalance?
Finally, what about virtual and hybrid working? Might this have a disproportionately negative effect on the younger generations? At the start of their careers, will they have the same opportunities to network and build relationships that we, as Baby Boomers, had? I suspect there might be a greater prevalence of isolation amongst the younger generations. I have talked about a lack of belonging with Gen Z’s and Millennials. I think they are potentially more lonely than other generations. So, what could you as a leader do to bring people together?
Strategies for embracing the differences:
Avoid making assumptions about the motivations of each generation, especially Gen Z – despite what you might read in the press, remember you are interacting with an individual, not a whole group.
Avoid stereotyping – we cannot dismiss a whole generation as lazy. We cannot say that all baby boomers are marking their time until retirement.
Be open to learning something new from each person you meet. That new idea and way of doing something may come from an unexpected and surprising source.
Respect different experiences and perspectives – age does not always confer wisdom. But equally, don’t dismiss the more deeply rooted experience that might come from those with a longer work history.
Actively look for strengths – we all have them. It may be that Millennials and Gen Z are more willing to take on new technologies, and Generation X has a deeper appreciation of organisational culture and how it works. We cannot make assumptions about a whole generation.
Avoid patronising and talking down to people; remember that everyone brings something to the table. If your organisation is trying to access a particular market, it might be a younger staff member who can help with the language and your approach.
Think carefully about your team members’ preferences in how they communicate. How can you accommodate the different styles? What can you do to facilitate the differences to create a win-win for everyone?
Finding areas of commonality:
There is no quick fix here; this will be about making the time for conversations and creating opportunities and spaces for people to mix and share experiences.
Consider how you can build trust within and between the different generations – what might speak to them most? Taking the time to talk and listen to team members is more likely to create understanding and build bridges.
Are there opportunities to bring the different generations together for more informal interactions?
What projects could members of the different generations collaborate on? How might they learn from each other?
On our recent webinar – Engaging Generational Differences to Create Harmonious Workplaces, one of the panellists, Geetha Ramachandran, gave an example of a meeting within an organisation set up between recent graduates and those about to retire. The learning and positive feedback that emerged from that intentional encounter were immense.
You can find the link to the webinar here.
Reciprocal mentoring is another approach you can adopt – where younger and older staff members can mentor each other in a space that provides mutual learning and support. If you opt for this, remember that both parties are equals within the mentoring relationship – both have something to offer, and both have something to learn.
To read more about the benefits of reciprocal mentoring, please visit here. I’ve also found a case study from Bristol University that might interest you.
And finally, because I am a coach, here are some questions to consider:
What biases might I have about the different generations?
How might the world of work look through their eyes?
What assumptions am I making about the different generations?
How could I find out more about the lived experience of each generation?
How can I foster psychological safety and positive working relationships within my team?
What is happening within and around my team?
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences – Audre Lorde
We ignore what different generations have to say and offer at our peril.
Until next time.
Janice Taylor
Janice is a resilient career coach who has spent the last 20 years working in partnership with her clients as they build their self-confidence, enhance their resilience and successfully manage change. She values the ability of individuals to take control and ownership of their lives and career.
