50 - When cultures collide – bridging generational divides in the workplace

Blended

Welcome back to Blended!

Today, we’re talking about generational diversity.

Demographic change is one of the biggest issues facing contemporary workplaces. The working-age population in the US is reportedly contracting at a pace not seen since World War Two but, unlike that time, there’s no expected baby boom to compensate for it – in fact, each generation is getting smaller.

We now find ourselves with a shrinking younger population and a growing older one. But, despite that reality – showing a clear need for older people to remain in the workforce – we’ve actually seen a surge of those older people exiting the workplace in the last few years. From early retirement and what Harvard Business Review called a “caustic mix of ageism and cost-cutting measures during the pandemic,” businesses let older people go, without considering the reality of recruiting and retaining the younger workers to fill those roles. And, as a consequence, we’ve seen many organizations struggle to build and maintain reliable, resilient, and effective workplaces.

It’s clear that, in order to set themselves up for success now and in the future, organizations need to embrace generational diversity – they need to learn to bring those cultures together, leverage their varied skillsets, and build environments that allow everybody to shine.

So, our panel are diving into all of that today. They’ll be talking about what generational diversity means; labels placed onto different generations, and the typical perspectives and working styles you might expect from them; navigating difficult conversations in the workplace; and how to put a focus on nurturing generationally diverse working cultures.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[01.40] Introductions to our Blended panellists.

· Merlinda – Chief Community Strategist/Consultant at Community Sauce

· Betty – Business Continuity Management Consultant at Kildow Consulting

· Crystal – Founder and Head of Partnerships at Digital Culture Group

· Annik – Marketing Strategist and Social Media Manager

[05.40] The group explore the fundamentals of generational diversity; the labels placed on generations; navigating different perspectives and misunderstandings; and managing difficult conversations.

· Changing work environments

· Working towards shared goals

· Grace

· Acceptance

· Openness

· Embracing the natural cycle

· Generational groups, eg. Millennial, Gen Z, Gen X, Baby Boomers, etc

o Personality traits

o Perspectives

o Ways of working

o What each generation brings to the table

o Finding the balance

o Getting to know people as individuals

· Differences between America and Europe, different cultures

· Bias

· Stereotypes

· Connection

· Influence

· Misunderstanding

· Training

· Mediators

· Bringing in professionals in people and culture

· How we navigate tough conversations

· Influence of an organization’s culture

· Influence of gender

· Embracing difference

· Worth

· Judgment

· Preconceptions

· Traditional/reverse mentorship

· Sponsorship

· Allyship

· Vulnerability

“Are there differences? Yes. Are they something we have to fear, and worry about overcoming? No! Generational diversity is something we should accept, embrace – and look for the value.” Betty

“To me, the biggest concern in generational diversity is people not being open to one another. There’s where problems arise.” Annik

“Maybe it’s our way of understanding people, we want to put them in a category. Bu that’s a mistake… There isn’t one person in the world that is going to comfortably and totally fit into a box. We’re all the sum of so many different components.” Betty

“Millennials are kind of scrappy! We’re going to say what we feel, because respect is our number one priority... We had to deal with so much to change the workplace to what it is now, from convenience to diversity, we had to fight for that to happen.” Crystal

“I’ve noticed resistance to my perspective... As a Gen Zer, sometimes I feel misunderstood.” Annik

[51.24] The panel reflects on their personal experiences of generational diversity in the workplace, and what they learned.

· Ego

· Pride

· Role of therapy

· Empathy

· Lack of understanding

· Asking questions

· Responsibility

· Leadership

· Appreciating the contributions of other generations

[01.18.13] The group discussed how we prioritize generational diversity while managing other pressing DEI issues in the workplace and shared some practical tips.

In a survey by the Living, Learning, and Earning Longer Collaborative Initiative, more than 8 in 10 global leaders recognized that multigenerational workforces are key to growth. However, less than half of companies include age diversity in their DEI initiatives.

· Age-neutral language

· Eliminating age bias in hiring

· Flexibility

· Communication styles

· Customized benefits

“Companies are acknowledging that in order to diversify their hiring, they have to diversify their offerings.” Merlinda

[01.26.35] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.

“Every generation has a superpower, and when you learn how to leverage that superpower, it makes you a powerhouse.” Merlinda

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

You can connect with Merlinda, Annik, Crystal and Betty over on LinkedIn.

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