How to bridge the generational gap in the workforce, without feeling like you’re “babysitting” or giving away participation awards…
For the first time in history, there are as many as FIVE generations in the workplace.
Traditionalists – born 1927 to 1946
Baby Boomers – born 1947 to 1964
Generation X – born 1965 to 1980
Millennials – born 1981 to 2000
Generation Z – born 2001 to 2020
A multi-generational workforce comes with its own unique set of challenges (and opportunities)…
The older generations tend to:
-Feel like they have to “babysit” the younger ones
-Think other generations lack a good work ethic & need more of the “touchy/feely” stuff
-Value results & tend to keep their personal & professional lives separate
Younger generations tend to:
-Value relationships, learning/being coached
-Appreciate & adapt quickly to advances in technology
-Look for quicker/easier ways of doing things
-Constantly question how we do things
Now, these are definitely generalizations here.
There are individuals who pertain to one generation who may have similar values/experiences to those in another.
But, generally speaking, this is what many leaders report they see showing up in the workplace.
Each generation has had different life & work experiences that cause them to form values & expectations.
The workplace has definitely changed.
It’s transitioned from the Industrial Revolution to the Information Age & that, coupled with everything going on in our society, contributes to more complexities.
What motivated you when you started working (or even now) may not be the motivator for employees in your department.
As a leader in an organization, if you want to be successful, you must learn to ADAPT & EVOLVE to leverage a multi-generational workforce and bring out the potential of every team member.
My BEST advice is that you MUST learn to be a GREAT COACH leader.
It’s not about “babysitting” or “giving away participation awards.”
Coach leaders approach things differently than a traditional leader & it works across ALL generations.
This means:
-Listen to really hear people
-Stay curious & don’t make quick assumptions
-Ask more questions to learn the REAL reasons people are showing up the way they do
-Have deeper conversations around thinking & values rather than just behaviors & results
-Be ok challenging the status quo
-Be open open open
This doesn’t mean you abandon your good judgment.
And if you’re in manufacturing, use your 5 why’s in the area of diagnosing people’s challenges similarly to diagnosing the root cause of a process issue.
Trust me, taking coach-approach works & you’re more likely to get to the root cause so that every employee is bringing the best version of themselves to work every day.
***If you learn great coaching skills, the ‘generation’ your employees belong to will become irrelevant.***