Leading Multigenerational Teams

It may come as a surprise to learn there are five generations actively participating in today's global workforce. Whilst most organisations manage age-diversity as a part of their people and culture policies, few have prepared their leaders to overcome the challenges presented by teams of multigenerational workers.

This article explores how these five generations differ, engage, and collaborate in the modern workplace. We also discuss the importance for leaders to understand what motivates each generation, which may help achieve organisational objectives and better value individuals.

The Generations

Generations have long been accepted as an appropriate method of categorising populations based on year of birth, with each cohort exposed to similar political, social, economic, and technological events. Researchers believe these events influence each generation's opinions, beliefs, and communication style, as well as how they learn and work.

With each generation spanning between 20 to 25 years (academics are yet to agree on a set metric), Traditionalists - those born between the mid-1920s to mid-1940s - are currently the oldest, though smallest cohort in the workforce. They are followed by Baby Boomers (mid-1940s to mid-1960s), Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. 

There are several reasons why so many generations can be found in current workplaces. The most apparent is the benefits of advancement in healthcare, which has resulted in an ageing population in most western countries causing retirement ages to be pushed out - voluntarily, or by legislation (just ask the French). At the same time, cost of living pressures are delaying exit from the workforce, and can also be attributed to the newest cohort, Generation Z, entering the workforce earlier (and in larger numbers) than expected. 

Generally, each cohort has different expectations of their work place, and bring different attitudes towards work and their purpose of working. Whilst we generalise, it is also important to note that not all individuals are behave in total alignment to their generational stereotypes. However, generalisation can be an effective way to explain certain phenomena and patterns which currently impact the workforce and leaders.

The Challenges

Managing workforce diversity is not a new challenge for leaders, with most organisations successfully eradicating gender, sexuality, race, and age-based discrimination. However, the challenge with multigenerational workforces is not about discrimination, acceptance, or tolerance. 

Leaders are faced with up to five different motivational styles, approaches to work, and reasons for being at work. For example, a Traditionalist working part-time to remain occupied and top-up their retirement fund has a different purpose to being at work compared to a Millennial enslaved to the financial pressures of a mortgage, young family, and smashed avocado addiction. 

Additionally, intergenerational interactions may become strained if leaders fail to facilitate a collaborative and cohesive environment. Conflict between employees may subsequently result in increased tension and poor retention, especially as current resource shortages make job-jumping far easier. Table 1 highlights the differences between each cohort, which can also help determine where each generation may diverge and intersect. 

The Opportunities

The current post-pandemic resource issue has placed tremendous pressure on organisations operating in almost every industry. Employees delaying their exit from the workforce should be valued and offered flexible options to ensure they can still make a meaningful contribution whilst still meeting their objective of easing into retirement. 

Leaders who encourage bi-directional knowledge sharing could also better place teams to capitalise on the new knowledge of younger cohorts and the learned experiences of older cohorts. Whilst mentoring has been a long-established practice, reverse-mentoring is still a relatively new practice. With careful implementation, reverse-mentoring could help reduce the perception of authority or command-and-control structures, which are detractors for Generation Z.

Also, with Millennials making up the majority of the workforce, they are increasingly stepping into senior leadership roles. This, in itself, is an opportunity especially as older Millennials have straddled both sides of the digital divide. This generation also demonstrates a willingness to lead, and can be trusted to build cohesive and respectful team environments. Investing in developing the leadership skills of Millennials may offer dividends for organisations wanting to demonstrate agility and remain competitive. 

How will you lead a multigenerational team?

Industry has now been presented with the largest generation gap between employees, and generational differences can be instrumental in creating or destroying workplace culture. 

This article is just the start of how Edit Consulting Services can help. Over the next few weeks we will explore how leaders can better support and lead multigenerational teams including improving motivation, communication, engagement and retention, and building (or rebuilding) culture.

To find out how Edit Consulting Services can help your organisation, please email info@editconsulting.com.au or call (+61) 478 146 854.