With Gen Zers expected to make up 30 percent of the U.S. workforce by 2030 and more Baby Boomers retiring later in life, intergenerational business teams are becoming the norm. However, in response to this shift, employers face the challenge of cultivating harmony and cohesion between employees from different age brackets.
Effective communication is crucial for the success of a multi-generational team. Here are some tips for utilizing cross-generational communication methods to benefit your business and fellow employees (and, ultimately, yourself).
The Communication Styles of Different Generations
It’s well-known that each generation has its distinctive way of communicating. This is also true in the business world. Understanding the unique communication styles of different generations can foster a more cohesive workplace culture. Generally speaking:
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964): Prefer to have face-to-face or phone conversations since they were not raised with mobile devices or other remote technology
- Generation X (1965-1980): Operate with a “time is money” attitude, which lends itself to a preference for concise written and visual communication
- Millennials (1981-1996): Came of age with the early onset of cell phones, the internet, and social media, which results in a preference for virtual communication
- Generation Z (1997-2010): Digital natives who expect instant virtual communication and accessible feedback to solve problems in real-time (like, immediately)
Build Cross-Generational Communication in the Workplace
With an overview of the communication styles of each generation, this knowledge can help you create a cohesive intergenerational workforce or team. On a larger scale, this could improve the economy and increase gross domestic product by almost 20 percent, but it can also yield positive outcomes for your own business.
Valuable Collaboration
Collaboration is crucial to success in most workplaces. Building intergenerational teams allows employees from various age groups to connect with those with different characteristics and learn from their perspectives. This can be critical to your success, as it’s likely that your customers represent a range of generations. Having a variety of perspectives internally will help you grow your business with external buyers and partners.
And in the process of collaborating to achieve key goals, for example, a Gen Z employee could learn about the value of patience from a Baby Boomer, who takes time to process information, formulate an answer, and then deliver it in person instead of just sending an instant message.
Increased Productivity
More experienced members can share their knowledge and experience with younger workers in a team that spans different generations. This has the potential to shorten new hires’ learning curves, which, in turn, can boost their confidence and job performance. Streamlining this development could significantly improve the productivity of the entire team.
Innovative Solutions
Mentorship and knowledge sharing are mutually beneficial and reciprocal. All generations have valuable traits to teach one another. While older employees may be resistant to change, younger generations tend to be more adaptable. Millennials and Gen Zers are more likely to experiment with new ideas or technologies, which can lead to innovation, help more seasoned employees adapt, and contribute to workplace evolution.
Bridging Intergenerational Communication Gaps
Cross-generational communication requires all team members to interact with self-awareness, empathy, and mutual respect, even if they don’t agree or understand. Here are three tips to help bridge communication gaps so your team can reach a common goal.
1. Adapt to Various Communication Methods
Providing a range of internal communication formats allows employees to select the most suitable method for each recipient. For example, Baby Boomers may prefer new initiatives to be announced in an in-person meeting, Gen Xers may like critical points summarized in a concise email, and Millennials may prefer a Slack message they can read on their phone screens. Offering multiple communication options ensures that everyone can easily understand the information.
2. Embrace New Technology Platforms
Even though some older employees may be hesitant to adopt every new technology, embracing digital transformation is crucial. Cross-generational mentorship can be a valuable asset as you introduce new platforms. Younger employees can help older teammates use remote tools like video conferencing software and automate emails with artificial intelligence. With technology evolving literally every day, this really could mean that the youngest members of the team can teach their peers who are only a few years older.
3. Leverage Diverse Experiences and Strengths
The most successful professionals will embrace each generation’s diverse experiences, strengths, and qualities and use them to the team’s and business’s advantage. For example, if Gen Z employees excel at solving problems, they can contribute their ideas to overcome challenges. Likewise, if Baby Boomers demonstrate resilience and resourcefulness, encourage them to share their knowledge with the rest of the team. Every age group has something valuable to offer, whether a unique perspective or a specific skill set, that can help others learn, grow, and ultimately succeed in the workplace – making your team more well-rounded and more prepared to take on new challenges.
Coworking Spaces Foster Cross-Generational Connections
Co-working spaces, like Endeavor, are ideal environments for nurturing cross-generational bonds. These settings often feature open floor plans promoting organic connections and employee collaboration. With fewer physical barriers, networking, and mentoring opportunities become more accessible, not just with your direct teammates but with a wider variety of professionals.
If you aim to grow intergenerational awareness and enhance communication between all members on your team, Endeavor is a great space to host a workshop, schedule intentional one-on-one time with a coworker, or gather a remote work team for an in-person coworking week. Contact us to learn about our coworking memberships and see how we can help your inter-generational workforce thrive.
