Global HR Guru Josh Bersin in his wonderful book Irresistible, which discusses the Secrets of the World’s Most Enduring & Employee-Focused Organizations, asserts: “Irresistible companies eliminate age bias and promote generational diversity not only because it is the right thing to do but also because it significantly benefits the organization as a whole. Research shows that multigenerational or generationally diverse teams innovate better, feel safer, and enjoy a more collaborative climate… In irresistible companies, diversity and inclusion are not just HR programs; they’re also critical to creating the right work environment.”
A multigenerational workforce may be considered as one where employees of different generations work, and multiple generations may be witnessed in organizations simultaneously. As HR professionals, designing systems, practices & processes for engaging multigenerational workforces may be a critical factor in determining achievement of business goals as those workplaces would have higher productivity, lower employee turnover and a more creative & friendly workplace for all stakeholders.
Let’s do a bit of analysis on traits of different generation workforce.
Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) today may be found in senior advisory positions and may be seen to derive a direct link between hard work and outcomes, values and long-term results and company goals & commitment. Boomers have always been keen on handwork to achieve success, preferred more structured & clear goals to achieve, aspired for stability in jobs/roles to achieve success, have been most loyal (amongst all generations) and believed in their experience and competencies.
Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) may not exhibit same level of organisational commitment and may work towards personal brand building as well, want more autonomy and reduced direction and supervision, want individuality to be recognized, have leadership talent, are high on learning new technologies and have had a good education.
Gen Y (born between 1981 and 1996) may show loyalty more to their own competency development than organizations in which they are working, may be due to the uncertainties they might have experienced in their career, want to be judged on outcomes they produce, and now many Gen Y are looking for stability and job satisfaction rather than just climbing the career ladder without any career goals. They are more flexible in approach, tech-savvy, and able to integrate work-life balance.
Gen Z (born after 1996) are more tech-literate employees, have entrepreneurial instincts, have multitasking potential, are more independent, and look for their own gains in organisational tasks (meaning of gains here may not be restricted to financial gains only but which may include within its scope areas such as multiskilling or learning different tasks, etc.), look for instant rewards and their career aspirations are more than other generations and, thus, may have a shorter tenure in organizations.
Combating Challenges of Multigenerational Workforce
As we just did analysis of different generations, so now let’s look at challenges that arise when these generations work together in an organization along with some combat strategies that may be deployed by organizations.
1. Stereotyping and Its Destruction
Just as we have stereotypes on gender, ethnicity so also stereotypes on generations float in organisation’s culture, sometimes even in national or international culture. Some of these stereotypes may be: Baby Boomers may not be proficient in use of technology or are interested to ‘run’ to workplace in post-covid scenario, while other generations might prefer ‘hybrid way of working’, another stereotype may be that Gen Z employees may ‘lack in interpersonal competencies’ and so on. Stereotypes may help in understanding behavioural archetypes, may facilitate in developing insights on being more self-aware, non-judgemental, more open and non-defensive in approach. Acknowledgment and sensitisation to such stereotypes may lead to employees becoming more lenient and sensible in way they relate and respond to one another and also destruction of many such stereotypes due to increased interaction.
Employees of different generations carry their own speciality and uniqueness in terms of their experience and competencies. Different generation workforce needs to know these, learn from these, and utilise these for better organisational outcomes, while systems should be created (and nurtured) so that employees not equipped with certain skills may learn such skills from different generation managers/employees without any feelings of shame, suspicion or lack of trust. For example, generation which entered workplace remotely during pandemic may not be comfortable with handling conflicts in person and for such skills they may get mentored/upskilled by their experienced seniors.
Collaborative decision-making with a concept of lifelong learning may be another strategy that may help in destruction of many stereotypes. But, such acceptance and appreciation for generational diversity should not only be part of any organisation’s sensitisation programme through orientation/onboarding workshops, rather it should be a way of life.
2. ‘In-Group—Out-Group’ Or ‘We—They’ Attitude
Any divide or groupings due to generational diversity need to be diagnosed, planned to be eliminated through right interventions and then impact of such interventions need to be cautiously monitored. Knowledge of context, competencies and experience each age group brings need to be recognised and brought to notice of different generations. Behaviours may have some political or socio-cultural context that needs to be analysed and then functional ways of modifying it or dealing with it may be evolved.
If older generation people are not well-known to young managers they look like ‘Uncles’ or ‘Aunts’ and younger employees might feel uncomfortable taking meaningful suggestions from them. ‘Uncles’ might also treat ‘younger’ colleagues as ‘inexperienced’ while reality may be that they overlooked best of each others’ talent.
Organization Development (OD) interventions such as team building (techniques used maybe RAT, Appreciation and Concerns exercise etc.), intergroup teambuilding interventions, and appreciative inquiry may work well. Coaching and mentorships (older generation to younger generation and vice versa) may provide employees the opportunity to share their mindset and perspectives and facilitate the removal of stereotypes/misunderstandings across the generations. HR systems such as performance management encouraging respect for diversity may go a long way in creating a culture of D&I.
3. Multigenerational Workforce with Diversity in Lifestyle & Work Styles
Different generations may have different priorities and as such different expectations when they come to workplace. Generation Z may want to enjoy life, Gen Y may look for raising their children and their education may be a priority area while Gen X may have ailing and ageing parents.
Accordingly life style and work style of each generation may also be tuned to their priorities. Taking interest in life of different generation employees may help to build trust of people. Such deep dive through survey feedback interventions may provide true insights on to what employees may prefer from organisations and diagnosis of what kind of ‘tailored’ benefits may provide them a happy feeling. Creation of multigenerational teams and helping senior leadership understand and benefit from newer age perspective may go a long way in engaging workforce.
Diversity & Inclusion as a Talent Strategy
Deep Purpose: the Heart and Soul of High Performing Companies, a book recently authored by Ranjay Gulati at one place says, “Organizations understand that they must become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive places and that they must reach out to people as individuals of different backgrounds, engage with them on their terms, and make space for them…
Some companies and leaders have tried to graft individuality and related values like authenticity, creativity, and diversity/inclusivity onto their existing, conformist cultures. The results are not terribly compelling. These organizational cultures seem mismatched and contradictory—like a car whose front door has been replaced with one of a different colour…One study of companies’ formal statements about their cultures reveals that most don’t proclaim concepts related to individuality as core values. Only 22 percent listed “diversity” as an official value…”.
In an earlier interview given to SightsIn Plus, Father of Business HR, Dave Ulrich asserted, “The principles of managing talent are: ensure that employees are competent (able to do the work), committed (willing to do the work), and contributing (feel a positive experience from doing the work)..
Being competent is not just about people, but people and technology interface..talent mobility, positive accountability, attention to diversity and inclusion, career management, and retention of top talent.” What is being said in different words is that customisation of individual talent strategies at workplace may facilitate employees to develop their potential, plan their career accordingly, better align themselves with the purpose of the organization and in the run lead to building of organisational capabilities by retaining talent as well.
Final Words
The rapid pace of environmental demand has mandated need for organizations to quickly adapt to change. To achieve this, alongwith decoding the cultural DNA, organisations may have to fast-track the exploration of generational DNA to design different talent strategies for the workforce.
Future-focused organizations would need to add further value to this approach of exploration of generational DNA and focus on designing new strategies for managing a multigenerational workforce by involving diagnosis of factors that are roadblocks to positive employee experience(EX) and then designing interventions including impactful diversity training, coaching & mentoring, and other relevant and effective HR/OD systems and processes.
To conclude as Bersin says in Irresistible, “In today’s era of team-centered organizations, nothing is more valuable to employees than a sense of feeling included and respected at work…Diversity and inclusion must permeate all aspects of work and affect employee performance and engagement at all levels.”