Strategies for Working with 5 Generations

In this article published in Canada, the 5 Generation phenomenon is alive and well there as well as in the United States. Why should we care about the generational diversity in our workforce?

In The Psychology Foundation of Canada and Desjardins Financial Security, Managing to Manage Across Generations at Work, “Research has shown that bridging significant differences between the generations with effective workplace strategies creates more successful organizations; employees are happier, healthier and more productive, and organizations are more competitive and improve their bottom lines.

Now, more than ever, the key to a competitive and successful organization is properly understanding  and managing diversity in the workforce. Every generation wants work-life balance, interesting work, a good salary with benefits and flexible hours of work. However, research shows that these aspects of work need to be designed differently for each generation in order to be effective.”

In Leadership & Management chapter of the book “10 Answer Keys, Communicating with the 5 Generations in the Workplace,” we give some succinct ways to help those in the Leadership and Management roles develop a sound strategy:

• Before implementing new workplace strategies, processes, and/or rules, consider where you are at, where you are going, and who are the people that will get you there and in the end is this the right avenue you should be taking? Gaining the input of your employees in this is critical to the degree of success you wish to attain. 

• Ask for employee feedback on a regular basis and demonstrate your ability to take action upon their suggestions. Your ability to gain organizational results as well as employee retention is based upon these actions. 

• Encourage communication…as proven in the Conflict Resolution chapter. 

• Invest time, money, and resources in determining the engagement of your employees. These results will run parallel to the organizational performance and employee retention numbers along with being tied to profitability of the organization. 

• Encourage mentorship programs – not just the senior members to the junior members. We all have something valuable to learn from each other. Absolutely consider the generational preferences when delivering this information. 

• Be aware of sudden changes in performance and results by an employee. Don’t just dismiss it as a generational issue, dig deeper – show sincere interest – be a resource for additional training and support. If not by you, but find the appropriate resources to address the problem. 

Regardless of generational or cultural diversity, successfully implementing these strategies will help organizations to thrive when it comes to managing, supporting and communicating with employees.