As organisations endeavour to cultivate inclusivity within their workforce, the significance of generational diversity has emerged as a prominent topic of discussion in the quest for a thriving workplace environment. Different generations bring in different viewpoints and ideas, which lead to innovation and competitiveness, something that is vital for any organisation to stand out and grow.

If all employees were from the same generation, with the same values and motivations, the organisation may become homogeneous in terms of thinking, leading to group polarisation, which can, in turn, result in poor decision-making and action (Heaslip, 2017). A multigenerational team is said to also increase productivity — different generations working together can solve a problem more quickly by combining their skills (Managing multiple generations: expectations and best practices, 2022).

Rewarding Experience

Furthermore, working with people of different generations can be rewarding in terms of personal as well as professional growth — with older employees learning from the digital native generation of millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), and younger employees gaining advice and direction for their future career paths. This mutual mentoring can also create stronger work relationships, building trust among employees (Gay, 2017).

This concept has been demonstrated in the movie The Intern (2015). In the movie, Jules Ostin’s startup launches a programme hiring senior interns. Ben Whittaker, one of the selected seniors, navigates a youthful workplace and becomes invaluable, guiding younger workers and helping his boss achieve work-life balance. This shows the importance of generational diversity in the workplace. Many companies focus on hiring younger employees for productivity and efficiency, overlooking the unique skills of older generations. The Baby Boomer generation (born between 1955 and 1964) brings loyalty, reliability, strong business ethics and valuable experience to organisations. Their expertise can be passed on, creating a valuable resource pool.

However, multigenerational workforces come with their own disadvantages. Different generations tend to have different values, attitudes, needs and motivations. According to Cennamo (2005), younger generations such as Gen Y and Gen Z place more importance on freedom-related work values (such as flexible work schedules). While the older generation of Baby Boomers gives more importance on good relations with supervisors, younger generations prefer security in their profession, ie, they are more likely to leave their current job and switch to another that offers more benefits (Hansen and Leuty, 2011). This is unlike the older generations who link job security to tenure in the company for which they worked. Younger workers are also more likely to value social connections and networking opportunities at work (older workers are less likely to do so since they probably already have established social circles by their age) (Hansen and Leuty, 2011). In such a situation, how does one retain and satisfy such a wide variety of employees?

Equal Attention

Embracing generational diversity starts with the hiring process. Traditionally, organisations rely on workers’ age and generation to decide what they would be good at. However, this enforces stereotypes that aren’t always true. This can further lead to stagnation of employees, where certain people are given only a certain type of work, because others assume that they don’t possess the skillset, instead of allowing them to learn and grow by giving them different responsibilities. Company management should focus equally on catering to the needs of baby boomers as well as millennials.

For example, offering health benefits (on-site health checkups, telemedicine) for Gen X employees (born between 1965 to 1980), or financial planning and advice for those employees just starting their careers (Heaslip, 2022).

Collecting feedback from all employees is essential to assess whether the existing facilities and benefits align with their needs. Moreover, organisations should ensure that employees receive adequate training in formal communication channels and practices to minimise miscommunication and foster inclusivity. To promote understanding between different generations, organisations can form cross-generational teams that facilitate familiarity with each generation’s unique perspectives and requirements.

Bridging the Gap

Alternatively, organising formal awareness or ice-breaking sessions specifically designed to bridge the generational gap can also be effective. Ultimately, the key to embracing generational diversity lies in fostering mutual respect. Valuing co-workers’ opinions and boundaries and respecting their individual needs and motivations are what is vital for different generations to collaborate well.
Various forms of workplace diversity such as ethnic, cultural, racial or gender diversity have always been important. In addition to that, generational diversity in the workplace is also crucial for fostering innovation, enhancing problem-solving capabilities, and creating a vibrant and inclusive environment.

While challenges may arise from generational differences, effective management through open communication, mutual respect and promoting collaboration can help organisations harness the immense potential and collective strengths of a multigenerational workforce. Where diversity flourishes, innovation soars!

This article has been authored by Isha Barve, FLAME Scholars Program Student, and Prof. Moulika Mandal, Faculty of Psychology, FLAME University.