leadership

In the majority of UK workplaces, you will find young apprentices and graduates, through to experienced employees working beyond retirement age. This diversity can be the strength of an organisation. However, I speak with leaders who state they struggle with managing a multigenerational workforce. So, what do we need to make it work? Age Diverse Workforce People are living longer than ever before and many are working longer. Some enjoy what they do and choose to stick at it for a sense of satisfaction, belonging and purpose. For others, it’s necessary to cover costs and retain their standard of living. The result is that it is increasingly common for employees to range from 17 to 70 years old. Now, it’s no revelation to state that the expectations, values, priorities, working styles, motivations and perspectives of a 17-year-old are likely to be distinct from those of a 70-year-old. What’s more, both of these will differ from individuals in the generations between. So, how can leaders go about managing a multigenerational workforce? It’s a question that often comes up in my leadership training and coaching sessions. More specifically, people have raised challenges with: So, I’ll share my thoughts on these workplace challenges. How to Reduce the Friction Caused by Different Attitudes & Approaches in a Multigenerational Team My first point is that diverse and inclusive workforces are an asset. We need different skill sets, life experiences, viewpoints and ideas to drive the future of the business. The challenge is harnessing a broad range of expertise and opinions so it positively impacts productivity. Find the Common Ground To achieve this, leaders need to effectively communicate the company goals and encourage everyone’s input on how these can be achieved. In reality, people of all ages want meaningful work, opportunities to learn, develop and progress, and for their contributions to be recognised and appreciated. So, that is what you need to deliver as a manager. Address the Causes of Friction It’s equally important to understand the underlying cause of friction and address it. In my experience, harmonious team dynamics are challenged when individuals perceive that a situation is unfair. Other common issues include individuals feeling their role is threatened or that their opinions are not heard. Therefore, as a leader, it is important to: How a Younger Manager can be Taken Seriously in Performance Reviews with More Senior Employees. In a recent leadership training session, a delegate stated their biggest challenge was a performance review with older team members, specifically one woman. He felt that she didn’t take him seriously and was dismissive of the questions he asked and the suggestions he made. Firstly, this isn’t just an issue relating to age. Every leader will face resistant employees, as we’ll never see eye to eye with everyone. I see this as a case where more time needs to be invested in building mutual trust and respect. In discussion, we decided that he could hold team meetings to discuss and agree on actions. The reason is that peer agreement on roles and responsibilities may be more effective and seem fairer than direct delegation. Equally, follow up meetings, where everyone in the team is held accountable for their part in the process, avoids anyone feeling that they’ve been targeted. However, if team meetings are not a viable option, consider the following points: Employee-led Discussions A performance review is a collaboration. It’s a two-way discussion to learn more about each other, so is a great opportunity to discover more about the motivations, expertise and potential of your team. Yet, that isn’t everyone’s experience and some enter the discussion fearing that they’ll be reprimanded or questioned. So, the barriers are up. As a result, your job is to reassure and collaborate to bring the barriers down. None of us like being told what to do, so try ditching the suggestions and instead give the individual greater ownership of what could happen. Let them lead with the solutions. Here’s an example: “I’ve noticed you’ve brought in a lot of new business this year. Thank you, that’s just what we need. It’s important that we don’t lose sight of our loyal customers either. What do you need in place to make time for a monthly call with all your existing accounts?” The more ownership we give people, the better. For example, when you agree on actions that they’ve come up with it increases the likelihood that those actions will get done. How to Avoid Generation-based Workplace Silos People naturally gravitate to people like themselves. That includes people from the same department and people of a similar age. However, as a manager, you want to benefit from cross-department and cross-generation collaboration. Remember, everyone in the team has something to learn from each other. Collaboration is where fresh thinking and experience can be drawn on to spark ideas, inform decisions and drive innovation. Avoid Stereotypes & Assumptions There’s plenty of information about the different generations, their values and strengths. However, I think these risk us grouping people based on generalisations. When we assume capabilities and values based on stereotypes, we drive people into silos. I’m a fan of Team Dynamic Assessments, which offer a non-biased understanding of each team member. They help to inform the right individuals for a role or project based on their strengths, not their generation. Address Discrimination As a leader, it is not enough to encourage collaboration. You also need to address misunderstandings, assumptions and ageist discrimination. There will be times when different approaches cause disagreement or ill-feeling. This can be triggered by a tone of voice or intolerance for a different way of doing things. Being approachable, delivering timely responses and handling issues fairly and respectfully will help the team to gel. The Importance of Leadership Training for Those Managing Multigenerational Teams One of the most important factors for a successful multigenerational workplace is an effective line manager. They play a vital role in building an inclusive company culture where the youngest, oldest and everyone in between