With five generations employed today’s workplace, leaders must foster inclusion and collaboration across the board. Roisin Loughran explains how

As Generation Z enters employment age, there can be five generations in some workplaces: the Silent Generation (1946–1954), baby boomers (1955–1964), Generation X (1965–1980), millennials (1981–1996) and Generation Z (1997–2012).

It might be assumed that having so many different generations under one roof can be challenging, to say the least, but are these challenges based on broad stereotypes and preconceptions, or are there real differences and issues arising? 

What if we look beyond the stereotypical generational differences, challenge our bias, and focus on the opportunities to maximise the potential and power of all five generations in our teams?

Substantial leadership

The Centre for Creative Leadership recently studied the preferences of five generations within the workplace. It concluded that “effective leadership is less about style and more about substance.”

Regardless of generational background, all employees want to be valued, respected and have opportunities to develop. 

For leaders, engaging with and unlocking the power of their multigenerational workforce involves fostering a collaborative, inclusive culture, enabling a safe place for teams to learn from each other, actively engaging across generations, and ensuring open communication and connection.

Leaders who invest time in understanding what matters most to individuals, irrespective of generation, and acknowledge their employees’ unique skills, strengths and talents, establish a good foundation of trust and respect. 

Setting aside time for employees to share their experiences, discuss business challenges and generate ideas together helps to develop a deeper understanding of the part everyone can play in team success.

Leaders who embrace these open and creative conversations within their teams will be rewarded with a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Constant learning

We all desire a sense of belonging at work, a safe place, without fear of repercussions for asking questions or making mistakes. To advocate for psychological safety at work, leaders may share “failing forward” stories – positioning missteps as an opportunity to grow and develop together. 

Leaders should encourage all colleagues to learn from one another, fostering ongoing coaching and mentoring. 

Consider the least experienced and most experienced employees.

While the least experienced may have received formal qualifications more recently, or be more tech-savvy, the most experienced may be subject matter experts or have learned experience crucial to delivering the service of the organisation. 

Imagine the opportunities if both these groups shared their knowledge and skills – what would that mean for that organisation? This ‘reverse mentoring’ is invaluable for businesses today and can be an effective and meaningful way to create lasting connections across generations.

Communicating effectively

Communication can prove a challenge for leaders due to the diversity of the workforce. To address this, in his recent book, Supercommunicators – How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, Charles Duhigg states an essential truth: “To communicate with someone, we must connect with them … If we know how to sit down together, listen to each other and find ways to hear each other … we can thrive”.

The prize here is clear. A recent report indicates that age-inclusive organisations tend to have 10 percent greater employee engagement compared to those with less age diversity.

In its 2020 report, The Relationship Between Engagement at Work and Organisational Outcomes, Gallup indicated companies with high employee engagement see a 23 percent increase in profitability. 

Inclusive leadership

Therefore, by understanding employees of all generations and adopting a collaborative and inclusive leadership approach, leaders will reap the rewards of their diverse, multigenerational team's unique perspectives, experiences, and expertise – enabling those leaders to drive their team forward and ensure sustainable growth.

Roisin Loughran is an associate director of People and Change at Grant Thornton