By Gregg Wartgow, Special to AEM --
Of the six or so generations alive today, four are active in the workforce. This has created an unprecedented workplace dynamic that many organizations continue to struggle with today.
For starters, some company leaders view generational friction as a controversial, oftentimes intimidating topic. Understanding some widely accepted characteristics of each generation is a good first step toward overcoming that intimidation.
- Boomers: resilient, driven, collaborative workaholics
- Gen X: adaptable, casual, skeptical, and self-sufficient
- Gen Y (millennials): competitive, self-assured, community-minded, and goal-driven
- Gen Z: innovative, bold, and versatile with more of a worldwide view
Taking those characteristics into consideration, how might different workers respond differently in different situations? For example, everybody wants respect. But different generations might expect respect in different ways. Boomers might be happy to be left alone to do their jobs, whereas Gen Y may crave regular feedback to confirm they are meeting their goals.
“It’s vital that we make space for different generations and different thoughts in our organizations,” said Kristie Stern president of AEM member company Green Mountain Lion Corp., an executive management recruiting firm. “Along with recognizing the differences that exist, it’s important to realize that we also have commonalities. We all want to feel like we’re doing a good job and making a positive impact. I also believe everyone seeks connection.”
Learn more about AEM’s workforce efforts by visiting the association’s Workforce Solutions Page.
To that point, intergenerational differences can influence the way employees go about forging and maintaining those connections. Stern said there must be a desire to understand why you personally think and behave a certain way, and why your co-workers think and behave the way they do. When everyone adopts that mindset, intergenerational teams can be reinvigorated.
Following are some tools and methods Stern said will help lay the groundwork for this new mindset:
1. Customized Communication
Communication is where things often break down within intergenerational teams. Personality assessments are an effective tool to help teams overcome this obstacle.
“I personally like the DiSC Advantage assessment,” Stern said. “It’s an effective framework for how humans behave, solve problems, and collaborate in the workplace. If you understand your own personality a little bit better, as well as your colleagues,’ you have a leg up today. You’ll know where the potential challenges may be in working with others, as well as how to tailor your communication style based on whom you’re working with.”
For instance, if you’re a direct communicator but the other person is more driven by emotion and relationships, it’s a good idea to soften your approach a bit. At the same time, it can’t be one person or group of people constantly adapting to suit the other. It’s a mindset that must permeate throughout the team, with the best approach being to work things out as a team.
Take team communication, for instance. Some team members may prefer email as the primary mode of communication. Younger people on the team may prefer something that allows for more immediate responses, such as Microsoft Teams or Slack. When team members are traveling and you need a quick answer, texting might be the best tactic. Whatever the case, it’s important to determine what the standard method of communication will be as a team, as well as an acceptable response time. Establishing this upfront, as a team, helps avoid frustration and animosity later.
“Along with recognizing the differences that exist, it’s important to realize that we also have commonalities. We all want to feel like we’re doing a good job and making a positive impact. I also believe everyone seeks connection.” -- Green Mountain Lion's Kristie Stern
It’s very important to have these types of conversation when onboarding new employees. Stern said a company has roughly 44 days to shape a new hire’s mindset and long-term commitment. Establishing standards and setting expectations is crucial. That said, if someone ever suggests doing something different in a team meeting, don’t be in a hurry to shut it down simply because a standard has already been established.
“This is one of the beautiful things about having four generations in the workplace,” said Stern. “There is a lot of diverse thought. When you can capitalize on that, a lot of great things can happen. But when you’re a leader, you have to make sure everyone is on the same page and make the final call.”
Leaders also cannot tolerate destructive behavior. When people refuse to adopt the mindset and are constantly pushing back, they must be purged from the team—and quickly. “Tolerating bad behavior will undo all that has been accomplished by rewarding good behavior,” Stern said.
2. Growing People and Leaving Legacies
Another dynamic of intergenerational teams is the fact that workers are at different stages of their careers. It often takes a concerted effort to prevent walls from being built up between generations.
Stern recalls chatting with an asphalt producer at a recent trade show.
“Roughly 70% of their workforce was at least 63 years old,” Stern told. “They knew they had to replace a significant number of employees, but also knew it was vital to not lose all of that tribal knowledge when people retired. They had several meetings with these tenured employees to make sure they knew they weren’t being asked to simply train their replacements. They were training their replacements so they could leave their legacy. When you can facilitate that mind flip so the tenured generations realize they aren’t being pushed out, everything can change.”
At the other end of the generational spectrum, it’s important to make sure young workers feel welcomed and valued. A common phrase you’ll sometimes hear from tenured workers is, “It’s not my job to be a babysitter.” But it’s important to think about some of the characteristics of Gen Z in particular that leads this generation to think and act like it does.
“As their co-worker, you might be the first person who has offered corrective action in their entire life,” Stern suggested. “When you take that into consideration, it gets a little easier to take on the role of coach and mentor.”
Formal mentoring programs can also help bring different generations together. They can be beneficial to productivity too. For instance, when you pair a Gen Xer who’s been turning wrenches for decades with a Gen Zer who was born and raised on technology, mutual respect and growth can be forged.
“The exchange of information and flow of ideas can be a real benefit,” Stern said. “Both parties must be open to that flow, though. It’s partly the job of the leader to make sure that is the case.”
Mentoring arrangements don’t always have to take place during the primary course of business. Stern said pairing people from different generations to engage in community events is another way to begin breaking down generational barriers. As pointed out earlier, multiple generations do have a lot of differences, but they also share many commonalities. One of them is doing good for others, which is why community engagement can be an effective teambuilding tool.
Want to learn more workforce strategies and tactics? AEM members are encouraged to join AEM’s Workforce Development Committee.
3. Charting Career Paths
One stark contrast between the older and younger generations relates to career growth aspirations. Boomers were more inclined to wait for that tap on the shoulder to let them know they got a raise or promotion. Millennials and Gen Z are a little more proactive, though.
“Millennials might push themselves to the front of the line, so you notice them,” Stern said. “Gen Z will come knocking on your door as soon as they feel like they’re ready for the next challenge. Charting a clear career path is something that can help in this regard. Unfortunately, it’s something a lot of companies fail to do.”
Fortunately, charting a career path is something fairly easy to do once a company commits to it. The same can be said of managing intergenerational teams in general. By making a commitment to the mindset shift, where everyone seeks to understand how each other thinks and behaves, barriers can come down and teams can come together. And when senior leadership endorses the effort, intergenerational teams can be reinvigorated.
“Take the time to understand the people you work with,” Stern said. “Learn how to communicate effectively, embrace your differences, and build on shared strengths. When we bridge generational gaps with respect and intention, the payoff isn’t just stronger teams—it’s stronger businesses. And that’s an ROI you can’t afford to ignore.”
Looking for more member insights? Consider attending an upcoming AEM Regional Member Event to connect with resources and fellow association members to help drive better decision-making within your organization, or contact your Account Success Advisor.
Kristie Stern is president of Green Mountain Lion Corp., an executive management recruiting firm. Stern is also the current Chair of the AEM Service Members Executive Committee, a member of the AEM Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee, and a contributor to the Infrastructure Vision 2050 Task Force.
