Managing Today's Multigenerational Workforce

For the first time in history, organisations are experiencing the dynamics of having four distinct generations operating in the workplace at the same time. These are the Silent Generation or Traditionalists (born 1925 to1945), Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964), Generation X (born 1965 to 1980) and Generation Y or Millennials as they are popularly known (born 1981 to 1995). In addition, and to further complicate matters the eldest of Generation Z, also known as the iGen generation, (born 1996+) is turning 19 in 2015 and they are about to join the ranks of your workforce as well.

Generational theory indicates that individuals in a particular age group tend to share the same attitudes and behaviours as they grew up in a particular period in history and therefore have a set of shared experiences.

Generational differences have a big influence on the workplace and organisations need to understand these differences and adjust their management of different and in particular the younger generations.

Today’s organisations are generally flatter and leaner than ever before, employees of all generations – once segregated by age and position are now working more closely together. This ‘collision’ of generations in today’s working world – unless fully understood and properly managed - can create conflict and turbulence in the workplace.

Generational differences bring another aspect to the diversity equation, organisations also have to cope with the additional pressures of a highly complex and fast-changing business environment. Some of these pressures will be disruptive and even painful for organisations that are accustomed to traditional patterns of authority and channels of communication.

However, if these generational differences are understood and managed correctly they have the potential to create opportunities for synergy and collaboration that will undoubtedly give any company a competitive edge!

In a recent survey about multi-generational workforces, 97% of respondents admitted that there are significant generational differences in their workplace and that these differences have the potential to become an issue in the future. But interestingly, only 26% of the respondents had access to training or resources to help them leverage generational diversity.

That is where this training course comes in. It doesn’t matter which of the generational profiles you fall into because it has been researched and developed to focus on understanding the differences as well as the needs and expectations in each of the four main generations in relation to communication styles, employee engagement, performance management and talent retention strategies and so much more!