The workplace today is very diverse. Diverse in terms of how organizations implement their work schedules, work set-up, or employee compositions. As we think about it, majority of the organizations (if not all!) consist of several generations -- from youngsters to boomers.
Some organizations are dominated by boomers and other companies are swamped with youngsters. Some say that it's best if the workplace has a lot of boomers since they are the experts in the field and the youngsters can learn from them. On the opposite, others argue that it's better to have youngsters since they produce more "creative juices".
If you find yourselves in any of the situations mentioned, it's still important to address the needs of employees in any generation. In fact, it has been studied that each generation has different approaches to work and they have their own set of qualities.
Yes, there are benefits to having a multigenerational workforce. Some of them are the following:
1. Multiple perspectives
- We look at issues and problems from different angles. Moreso, we solve them from various perspectives. Sharing these perspectives and having a healthy discussion on the best path to take would help the team solve their issues and concerns.
2. Problem-solving abilities
- Employees of different generations have various experiences whether in life or at work. When summed up, these diverse experiences might provide solutions to the team’s challenges.
3. Learning/mentoring opportunities
- Employees have different sets of strengths and weaknesses. The youngsters can learn from the older ones and the older ones can learn from the youngsters as well.
Given all these similarities, differences, and benefits, how do you meet them in the middle? How do you make the most of having a multigenerational workforce?
Learn more about managing multigeneration in the workplace by attending our webinar entitled "BXYZ: Managing Multigenerational Workplace as a Competitive Advantage" this coming February 21, from 9am to 10:30am.
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