By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Learn how to foster collaboration across generations in the workplace with these five practical strategies.
For the first time in history, five different generations are working together. While having a range of ages in the workplace brings diverse perspectives, ideas, and experiences, it also presents new challenges that employers haven’t faced on this scale before.
One of the biggest challenges multi-generation workforces present is around communication. With each generation typically having different communication styles, communication barriers are forming between employees. These barriers can impact employees forming positive work relationships, resulting in reduced collaboration and productivity.
According to the London School of Economics, employees with age gaps of more than 12 years with their managers are 1.5 times more likely to report lower productivity. While this could be partly down to different ways of working and communicating, negative stereotypes and perceptions could also play a part in employees not working together.
With the impact of a multi-generational workforce already being felt in many businesses, what can your business do to help improve collaboration between employees?
Help employees understand generational differences
Bridging the gap between different generations starts with helping employees understand what generational differences look like in the workplace. If employees don’t know how their colleagues prefer to communicate or why they work in a certain way, they could make assumptions or stereotype someone based on their age. Educating your workforce on generational differences can help prevent employees from making these harmful stereotypes, which in turn can help to improve collaboration and bridge the productivity gap.
Create an environment of open communication
Creating a safe environment where discussing ideas and sharing different perspectives is encouraged can help nurture a more collaborative workplace culture. When employees feel safe to speak up and share their thoughts, everyone gets a chance to bring their unique experiences to the table and learn from others. This can help employees work together more productively as they can learn from one another while working to achieve a common goal.
Encourage skills and knowledge sharing
While a multigenerational workforce presents certain challenges, it also brings huge opportunities. One of which is the opportunity for skills and knowledge sharing. While older generations may have extensive knowledge from years of experience in a particular industry, younger generations may bring new perspectives on ways to do things into the workforce. Encouraging employees to collaborate and share this knowledge not only helps employees develop their own skills – it can also lead to better creativity and problem-solving.
Take practical steps to support employees working together
Alongside educating employees on generational differences, providing more opportunities for connection and collaboration can help bring together employees from different generations. For example, skills workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions are a great way to get employees together to learn from one another.
With many businesses now working in a hybrid way, online collaboration is more important than ever. However, some employees may not feel confident using online tools and software. Offering training and support to all employees ensures everyone can contribute in this way, improving online collaboration between employees.
Introduce mentoring (and reverse mentoring)
Mentoring is a great way to bring employees from different generations together. It gives employees an opportunity to build positive, supportive relationships that benefit both the mentor and mentee. As well as introducing traditional mentoring opportunities, you should also consider reverse mentoring – where employees early on in their careers mentor more senior employees.
By giving employees opportunities to better understand and learn from one another, mentoring can help build respect between employees from different generations, break down stereotypes, and encourage open communication.
Ultimately, the key to improving collaboration is going beyond stereotypes and encouraging flexibility in working practices. Enabling different communication methods within the workplace and helping your workforce better understand one another can help employees collaborate more effectively and find good compromises that work for both parties.
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If you want to start the conversation about collaborative ways of working with your employees, we can help create engaging communications that resonate with every generation within your workforce. Talk to us.
Tune In: Uniting the multi-generational workforce
Our CEO Sally Pritchett will be joined by two expert speakers for an insightful exploration into the voices of the multi-generational workforce – uncovering strategies to improve relationships, enhance communication, and boost productivity.
Join the guestlist: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/somethingbig/1216229