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How to Create Harmony among Generations in the Workplace

· Work,Business,HR,Personnel,Office

Modern workplaces employ a diverse range of employees with varying skill sets, educational backgrounds—and birthdates.

It is quite common to find a workplace that includes younger millennials, Generation Xers, and baby boomers (who may or may not be approaching retirement). Theoretically, these groups should peacefully coexist thanks to their varying perspectives and experience levels. However, in many workplaces, the generational divide is a real problem that leaves management and C-suite executives wondering how these groups can possibly work together.

For HR professionals, finding the right balance during the recruiting and hiring process can be challenging. It is sometimes difficult to gauge an applicant’s personality and communication style during an interview, as applicants typically want to look as appealing as possible and therefore may not want to reveal their true feelings about working with others. Research has revealed that both baby boomers and millennials have strong opinions about each other, opinions that are often concealed until the two groups have to work together.

For instance, according to a survey compiled by performance management software company 15Five, about 40 percent of millennials believe baby boomers are less open to communication than their peers. The same study indicated that baby boomers find millennials overly outspoken and opinionated in the workplace.

Read on to see how forward-thinking companies are considering the strengths and weaknesses of each group to foster cohesiveness in the workplace.

workplace personnel

Creating a Unified Workplace with Different Perspectives

So how can companies bridge the gap between millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers? The key to bringing groups together at work lies in understanding their differences. Generally, millennials and Gen X employees value a flexible work schedule that puts work-life balance at the forefront, while baby boomers tend to prioritize productivity and profitability above all else. Meanwhile, ambitious millennials often occupy managerial roles, which can cause further tension between them and their older colleagues.

These differences can cause tension in the workplace, driven by frustrations on both sides. During the recruiting process, HR professionals are charged with identifying a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses while making sure their company culture looks as engaging as possible. According to ERE Recruiting, companies must not underestimate the value of an engaging workplace; multiple studies have shown that an engaged employee—regardless of age—is directly tied to productivity and overall morale.

By focusing on engagement instead of differences among employees, companies can begin to move away from the inherent problems of a multi-generational workforce. Team-building activities and anonymous surveys are valuable tools for gathering employee feedback—plus, they give employers a great starting point for understanding where employee frustration lies and what solutions may be most effective. Finding out what makes employees of all ages tick is one of the keys to bridging the generational gap.

Bringing Generations Together

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Learning what employees value in the workplace is just part of the puzzle. It is essential to take what we know about each generation and use those characteristics to foster a better work environment. There is no denying that ideals, perceptions, and goals vary among groups, so acknowledging these differences is essential.

Understanding what drives employees of all generations involves looking at a few key characteristics:

What employees value: Baby boomers have obviously lived longer than their younger counterparts, and often, their values change based on their tenure at a company as well as their personal and career goals.

Different communication styles: Different generations have different viewpoints on preferred workplace etiquette as well as what is acceptable both inside and outside of the workplace.

How they spend their time outside of work: Priorities inevitably shift as employees progress through diffident stages of their lives and careers; these priorities will naturally be different for millennials and baby boomers.

Employers can take everything they know about the various generations on a general level and apply it to what is known about the company culture to encourage inter-group understanding. The easiest way to do this is by creating mixed terms that include employees of different ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.

Also, collaborative projects allow each generation to gain different perspectives of their coworkers and help employees to understand the importance of working toward a common goal.

The Takeaway

Improving communication across generations is no small task, but it is possible with the right approach. Having a well-rounded workforce that works well together is a sure way to boost productivity and minimize turnover, so it is imperative that companies embrace these differences rather than ignore them. Consider developing multi-generational work teams and encourage mentorship opportunities whenever practical. By exposing different generations to each other, it will be easier to cultivate a workplace culture that attracts new talent and retains tenured employees.