How to manage age diversity in the workplace

Age diversity brings a difference in point of view

A difference in views may be particularly noticeable surrounding attitudes to work. For example, understanding of work-life balance, location of work, and management styles.

Recently, there’s been an increase in prioritising inclusion and diversity and the employee experience for workplaces.  This is not something that older generations may have seen as a workplace priority before.

When it comes to recruiting and being an attractive employer to new talent, younger generations see good inclusion and diversity practices as essential, rather than something that’s ‘nice to have’.

Younger generations are more likely to have had access to spaces designed with these conversations in mind, whilst older generations may not have had the opportunity, or the terminology, to share their opinions and learn from each other in the workplace.

Creating a safe space, that values open and honest conversations, and recognises that colleagues from different generations may have different starting points, is key to managing age diversity in the workplace. The important thing is to understand these differences and bring the generations on an inclusion journey together.

Different generations have a variety of work expectations

Age diversity in the workplace brings a significant variety of experiences in the employee lifecycle. This can impact the expectations of different generations when they join a new workplace.

There has been more research, knowledge sharing and increased awareness of best practice in the field of organisational development, and indeed the business case for inclusion and diversity. This means many employees are experiencing huge organisational change.

From the style of interview questions at recruitment, to what’s available in employee benefits packages, to the way performance is evaluated, with five generations of age diversity in the workplace there will be a wide range of contrasting employee experiences.

A lack of understanding between different generations

This combination of different views and expectations can result in a lack of understanding between colleagues and a disconnect between the diverse generations in the workplace.

Some people may not understand why their colleagues are pushing for change within an organisation. Others may not understand why their colleagues are reluctant to change ways of working that have been in place for years. Clarity around organisational decision making is important to combat this.

Do not stereotype employees from different generations

It can be helpful to broadly define the different types of age diversity in the workplace, but it’s important we don’t fall into the trap of stereotyping the generations.

Often age is a characteristic that gets overlooked when it comes to inclusion and diversity, but we see harmful stereotypes come into play across all generations.

We see these stereotypes exacerbated in the media, with younger generations portrayed as ‘sensitive snowflakes’, and older generations as ‘stuck in their ways’.

This plays into our unconscious biases and reinforces those generational divides. Microaggressions are common in society and in our workplaces, and age is no exception.

Do any of these age-related stereotypes seem familiar to you?

• ‘Gen Z are always glued to their phones’
• Using the term ‘boomer’ as an insult
• Job adverts describing their culture as ‘young and vibrant’
• Younger co-workers being spoken over
• Jokes about older people not being able to use technology
• ‘Millennials are entitled’

Communication and language in an age diverse workforce

Communication is key to a successful organisation, and yet this is where we see some of the biggest challenges when it comes to effectively managing age diversity in the workplace.

Digital communication is now at the forefront of most organisations, and rapid investment and expansion in technology have meant there are more ways to communicate than ever before.

It’s important to recognise that for some employees, especially those who are long-serving within their organisation, communication styles will have changed multiple times during their working life.

It’s also important to recognise that not everyone from younger generations knows how to use new platforms, or apps that are introduced, and assumptions that they do may lead to people feeling uncomfortable asking for help or support.

It’s not just the method of communication that can be a challenge for age diversity in the workplace, but the tone of voice and level of formality may also differ between generations. It’s also important to consider evolving language, especially when we consider changes in terminology used in the inclusion and diversity space.

There may also be generational differences between slang used by younger generations, and business acronyms or jargon used by older generations, so the words we use regularly when communicating can contribute to a generational divide.

The benefits of a multigenerational workplace

There is a clear business case for managing intergenerational employees effectively and overcoming the challenges that age diversity in the workplace can present. There are many learning opportunities between the generations that can positively impact organisational culture.

Age diversity in the workplace leads to diversity of perspective, better decision making and increased opportunities to develop our workforce.

Age diversity brings wider perspective

We know that having a diverse workplace also allows us to be more representative of our clients, customers and colleagues. Representative of age diversity is a part of this and contributes to diversity of thought, helping workplaces to see different perspectives and reflect on different life experiences.

Improved problem solving skills

Having a multigenerational workforce means we benefit from having a mixture of fresh innovation and ideas, balanced with the wisdom and learning from those employees with years of experience.

We solve problems better when we are challenged, and healthy conflict leads to better decision making. The different challenges that generations have faced throughout their lives, will help us better identify barriers in situations, and also be better equipped to consider the impact of potential solutions too.

Learning from colleagues in different generations

A key benefit of a multigenerational workforce is the potential for knowledge sharing. Longer serving employees can help younger generations understand the context of your organisation and ensure that industry knowledge is passed down.

Younger generations can bring new ideas, skills and methods to the workplace, and educate their co-workers on these.

Being willing to understand, listen and learn from colleagues across the generations helps to increase empathy, and will enable employers to unlock the potential of age diversity in the workplace. There’s always more we can learn from each other!