Wow! If that picture doesn’t tell the story, then let me expand on the power of having five generations in the workplace – working together, sharing challenges but most importantly, sharing success.
Let’s explore. For the first time in history, many workplaces span six generations: from the Traditionalists who are still working — and in many cases still holding onto key leadership roles — to the teenagers of the emerging Generation Alpha who are eagerly pursuing their first summer jobs and high school internships (Not pictured above). In between are the Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y (often called the Millennials), and Generation Z. What an assortment!
This reality leads to creating a workable and successful strategy for how to make your organization come alive through tapping into the gifts and perspective collectively together. My guess is that you have tasked your HR department to create an incentive plan that is specific and motivating to each generation, while at the same time, find a way to bring them together because there is strength in numbers and collaboration. It is important to look at this from multiple perspectives
It is important to consider both age and generation when designing an understanding for what each generation needs along with their age. Age and generation are often mixed up. Age effects give us a snapshot of how individuals differ based on where they are in the life cycle (e.g., Teenager, emerging adult, or in the last third of their lives). Generations, on the other hand, are associates of individuals who were born at a similar time and had their worldviews shaped by the same key national/global events, trends, and social forces (e.g., economic recessions, wars, social movements, breakthrough technologies) in their determinative years. Just know that their perspectives will be different based on what they were facing at the time of life when a breakthrough was experienced.
Diversity can make our organizations and teams smarter, more innovative, more positively challenged, and ultimately more profitable. As life expectancy across the globe increases and many organizations struggle with some type of mandatory age requirements. It can be tricky to ensure that your organization’s playing field is level for people of all ages/generations to thrive. It can be challenging to ensure that job applicants and employees alike don’t feel like they must hide their age or apologize for being a member of their generation just to get access to opportunity in your organization.
If we look at generations as experiences, knowing that each generation has had a different set of “experiences”, then we come from a place of inclusion and respect vs. the alterative of being disgruntled and judgmental. We can commit to exploring these generations as a source of wealth and experiences, then we are already well-ahead of the situation. Very often we encourage our generations to look at the possibilities. This puts each generation at a place where they are inquisitive, developmental, and learning. All generations want purpose, and this provides the framework and possibilities for just that. We can learn from each other and contribute to bringing those lessons to improve what is right in front of each other.
Bottom line. Each generation is important. We need to create an equal playing and learning field so that each generation has the opportunity to be seen, valued or understood, and recognized in the workplace.
To learn more about Generations in the Workplace or about available training, contact Training Edge at info@trainingedge.com or contact Barbara Ann Sharon, Chief Training Officer at 610.454.1557.
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