Having a workplace where different generations work together can sometimes be a recipe for disaster.

You’ve got traditionalists who are determined to use pen and paper, frustrating millennials, then there’s Gen Z workers who prefer instant messaging and emails to getting up and having a conversation with a coworker in the next office. Tensions flare, work processes get overridden, and arguments break out over the best way to work and communicate.

Every generation has different values and work outlooks on work and some biases can creep in, fuelled by negative stereotypes. 

It can be hard for different generations to understand each other because the contexts they grew up in shape their attitudes towards work. While Traditionalists have lived through big worldwide conflicts that make them value loyalty, Boomers had to face economic crises alongside Gen X. Millennials and Gen Z have been shaped by technology since birth, making them more tech-savvy and geared towards self-growth. 

It’s important to keep a business diverse, especially when adapting to changing times. Marketing and sales have gotten smarter, businesses are quicker when it comes to spreading the word, and getting a pulse on your business is as easy as logging into social media, something older generations may not understand. But don’t discount them, these older generation team members also have years of experience they can impart on the younger ones, making it an opportunity for success, but it only works if there is mutual respect and willingness to get along. 

Business leaders, directors, and equity partners need to be able to handle these different generations and understand their needs. When they can help resolve conflicts that arise from different points of view, they will be able to use their team’s diversity to create incredible growth.

How do different generations view their work?

Different generations working together have different points of view about their careers and what they do at work. This is influenced by how they grow up and their surrounding environments as well as what their personal needs are at this stage in their lives. Here are some qualities and nuances of each generation: 

• Traditionalists make up the smallest percentage of workers (many have already stepped into retirement). They were brought up to respect their elders, so now see their seniority as their own time for respect from the younger generations. They want to focus on retirement and in-person interactions.
• Boomers prefer a traditional office environment and are often labeled as workaholics. They’re loyal to their companies and love job security because they were born post-World War II when the economy took a big hit.
• Gen X is resistant to change, they like rules and regulations but not at the cost of personal autonomy. They have reached the age of settling down and having families, something that younger generations might not aspire to yet. 
• Gen Y/millennials want to feel valued as workers and are active learners who value a good work life balance. Their focus is on career growth and they will leave if they feel they’re directionless and stuck. 
• Gen Z prefer to work with millennial managers and are independent. They have grown up with advanced technology and communications a regular part of life. They prioritise salary (like millennials) knowing they’ve inherited a planet that’s financially struggling. 

It’s easy to see how different generations clash given the values they have. Some are in direct contrast to others, like how traditionalists want respect from their younger colleagues while younger generations don’t necessarily believe in that hierarchy, as long as the work gets done efficiently. 

Why is it important to bring them all together?

While it might be easier to just group all the generations together and have them work separately to avoid arguments, you are not going to get any business growth by segregating your team. As well as failing to bring the strength of the team together it also creates cliques and further exacerbates the stereotypes that different generations have about each other, leading to more conflict and less productivity.

When there is workplace harmony, team members are able to grow and learn from each other’s strengths and viewpoints by exchanging lessons and values.

Misunderstandings are common among multigenerational staff so having conflict resolution in place with your HR department or even with you as a business leader is crucial. Fostering active listening and open communication will be the best way to approach differences in opinions.

Part of being an emotionally intelligent leader is empathising with your staff and listening to their grievances. If they have a problem with another staff member from a different generation, listen to them carefully and try to figure out a solution together. 

A multigenerational team that’s led by a leader who’s empathic and encourages workplace harmony and collaboration will make for a more cohesive, productive work environment. 

5 ways to get a multigenerational workforce to work together

Getting a multigenerational staff to see eye to eye and find mutual respect can be much easier said than done, but as a leader it’s important to equip yourself with the tools to assist in smoothing things over. Here are five tips you can refer to in order to get them to get along. 

1. Dispel old negative stereotypes 

Media and entertainment programs love stereotypes and caricatures. They are more than happy to blow generational typecasts out of proportion, creative negative stereotypes that people come to believe are true.

• Traditionalists are hopeless with technology
• Baby Boomers live for work
• Generation X are skeptical and negative
• Millennials are spoiled
• Generation Z are addicted to technology

By encouraging your staff to be more open to one another, you can help them overcome these biases and get to know each other as individuals. When you see and comment on things that are beyond what the media shows, your team will start to overcome the stereotypes and work together.

2. Understand how each generation communicates

With the advancement of technology and the internet, some communication styles have been drastically changed. Traditionalists and Boomers may not have had the chance to adapt to these changes and still prefer face-to-face conversations and written notes. Those who were born with the internet are more used to instant messages. 

This table outlines the differences between each generation’s communication styles.

In order to best converse with each other, there needs to be a compromise. Gen Xers may have to adjust to Boomers and embrace telephone conversations. Group meetings can incorporate technology but nothing too advanced for Traditionalists. It all comes down to how each generation can meet in the middle to make sure everyone gets the message. 

3. Foster cross-collaboration and learning

Teaming people from different generations together can help create a learning environment.  As a business leader you will need to be careful that this doesn’t become an avenue for arguments. Instead, help them focus on what the others are good at, and show how they can each contribute. 

When doing analyses, allow them to exchange ideas and express themselves one by one (without cutting each other off). This way they create a network of ideas that the whole team can interact with. 

During planning or suggestion phases (i.e. finance or marketing) let everyone weigh in and mix a traditional top-down approach (that older generations are used to) with collaborative components.

4. Understand each other’s strengths

Highlight your staff members’ strengths in a business. Each generation can bring something to the table. The younger ones are incredibly internet and technology savvy as they’ve been brought up with technology their whole lives. They can run social media, find quick fixes, and contribute to, or even revise outdated aspects of the business.

Older generations have years of experience in business and know how to set rules and create limits to stay on track. By having them at the management helm, they can help narrow focus and make sure that they’re steering the business in the right direction. 

5. Encourage activities that bring all the generations together

You can do a lot to encourage activities that bring everyone together and motivate your team to get on board and interact. Ask your HR staff (or a happy-go-lucky team member) to prepare workplace wide activities and icebreakers in addition to any team or department activities you already have in place. Happy staff that feel comfortable greeting each other and having lunch together makes for a more productive workforce.

We can see as many as five generations working together in our current office environments, bringing in vastly different work values and opinions for how to operate. While multigenerational workplaces can be difficult to manage, it’s important to find ways to get your team together and overcome stereotypes for increased harmony and workplace productivity. With a little patience, empathy, and the right push to open conversations and see the positives, you can lead your team to growth and success in the workplace.

If you need help in finding ways to get the best out of your team, give us a call.