Generations @ Work

Generations are defined by the years during which they were born, but, more importantly, also by the shared experiences of the group. For instance, younger workers today were either born after the terror attacks on September 11^th, 2001, or were very young when they occurred, making this a defining event for younger generations. Additionally, young people have always grown up with technology and social media whereas older generations have had to adapt to technology as it’s been introduced throughout their lives.

Of course, generational stereotypes vary in how accurately they represent any given member of that generation. They’re sweeping generalizations, and they can sometimes be harmful if people operate based on these assumptions rather than with an intention to get to know someone individually. One place this happens often is at work.

Kids these days

Our workplaces today are full of young people. At the same time, members of older generations are staying in the workforce longer. This means that this wide range of people is mixing, collaborating, and, at least sometimes, clashing during work each day. According to Statista, younger generations make up the majority of the workforce – 70% by some estimates. As the number of younger employees continues to swell and older employees continue to work for years longer than previous norms, everyone in the workplace will need to learn how to support each other.

There are numerous opportunities for employees from younger and older generations to learn from each other. This includes:

• Younger employees teaching older workers how to harness new technology
• Older employees teaching younger team members about procedures and processes that have worked well for the organization
• Both older and younger employees integrating knowledge from their various lived experiences to suggest improvements for the team or organization

The potential ways that employees of all ages can work together for the betterment of the larger team are truly endless. In order to achieve this type of collaboration and cooperation, however, team members of all ages must show each other respect. Similarly, managers should facilitate and encourage open dialogue amongst employees to ensure that younger team members who may have different ways of doing things or new ideas don’t feel stifled by the old guard.

Three simple questions

Every younger employee is different and will have different strengths, experiences, and goals. Finding out more about them as individuals will help managers to better harness their talents and could help older employees understand how their skillset will support the entire organization. Managers should consider these three questions in order to best support their younger employees:

First, ask How do you work best? (see video above) Now more than ever, flexible styles of working are preferred by many employees, particularly those who are younger and more used to getting work done more quickly and in non-traditional places, such as co-working spaces, coffee shops, and houses. Many younger employees may want the opportunity to work flexibly from locations of their choosing during hours that may not align with the traditional working schedule. Of course, there are limits to this flexibility, but having an open discussion about how younger employees work best can ensure that the employees feel supported while operating in line with the same expectations as the rest of the team.

Finally, ask How can I best support you? To learn more about the importance of this particular question and about why younger team members value the opportunity to answer types of questions, contact a ServiceSkills representative today and request a free demo of Generations @ Work.