Every individual is the epicenter of knowledge. They inherit the wisdom of the generations gone by and imbibe their essence in the ones to come. Here we look at how one can leverage generational wisdom in a workplace.
One can find the lasting impressions of the era impressed on them. For instance, the traditionalists (1928-45) who make up 2% of the workforce take pride in patriotism having lived through freedom struggles and a World War. They are orderly, resourceful, and make the best out of basics. Whereas the latest Gen Z that makes up 3% of the workforce are independent and inclusive, with a preference for a loose system of command. Growing up in an increasingly virtual world, they have choices that other generations did not. Now, the workplace being a melting pot of such diverse cohorts, how does one establish team harmony?
Quite unsurprisingly, nearly half of employees (45%) report having experienced or witnessed ageism, according to a Glassdoor survey. Specifically, it was found that younger employees (52% of ages 18-34) were more likely than older employees (39% of ages 55+) to have witnessed or experienced discrimination based on age. This tension between employees can affect team performance by limiting collaboration. It can accelerate attrition and result in high employee turnover.
To tackle generational diversity, here are 3 points to keep in mind:
Invest in eye-openers: Understand that most of the tension stems from inadequate knowledge. Workshops to dispel ageist biases serve as eye-openers. These workshops can be curated with activities that allow the self-expression of each generational cohort.
Propagate the unpopular: Consider you have a social media campaign to run. One might consider the tech-savvy millennials team for the job. But pause there and include older generations in the team. The benefits are two-fold:
-The older generation makes up the majority of the spending customer base, rife with experiential ideas to enhance the campaign experience. This dispels the millennials’ impression of older generations being disinterested in modern technology.
-Upon working together, the generations learn to function in harmony, understanding nuances and dispelling biases in the process.
Busting biases: If you find yourself nursing a bias against an employee from another age cohort, pause to understand. Discuss to understand the possible (usually plausible) explanation behind an action.
For instance, one of the common aspects of a millennial that the older generation report as uncomfortable is constant immersion in their phones. The myth was dispelled when it was clarified that the mobile phone was used to take notes of the talk. On the other hand, the millennials understood that such an action caused discomfort and resorted to better means.
Leveraging the power of generations is key to unleashing harmonious, effective workplaces.
Register now for ‘Power of I’, Avtar’s cutting-edge annual conference to witness a power-packed panel discussion ‘Generational remixing in India Inc.’ on August 26 between 3.35 pm and 4.30 pm.
