With many professionals working longer in life than they used to, and some pursuing what are called “encore careers,” some organizations are seeing up to five generations working at one place at one time. While this provides a depth of experience, skill sets and energy, it also presents unique challenges. Each generation has its own way of thinking, working and processing information. How can you effectively motivate all of them at once and encourage them to work together well?
Tip No. 1: Throw the stereotypes out the window. Often one of the biggest reasons professionals from different generations don’t work together effectively is due to preconceived notions about how a certain generation behaves. Millennials can feel baby boomers are technologically impaired, inflexible and closed-minded, while baby boomers might say that millennials are entitled and lack a strong work ethic. The best way to avoid the negative consequences of making assumptions about people’s behavior is to avoid doing it yourself. As a leader, it’s important to eliminate stereotypes in the way you express yourself and in the way you treat your employees.
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Instead, it’s important to evaluate each employee based on their own merit and be mindful of doing so. Too often we succumb to stereotypes without realizing it. So pay attention to the assumptions you’re making about each of your employees, one by one. For example:
— Is Bill, a baby boomer, really unable to work with technology or does he just need a little guidance to get the hang of the new operating system at work? Avoid treating him like he doesn’t know what you’re talking about when giving him instructions, and avoid having someone else complete the task. Instead, take a few minutes to show him how it works or ask someone else to do so. Empower your employees of any age to solve problems on their own, making them feel dignified and equipped to do their job.
— Is Molly, a millennial, really entitled or does she just want to be commended for the work she has accomplished? She may have a personality type or strength that is motivated by or leveraged best by providing kudos. Give her sincere commendation when she has done her job well. This will provide her with motivation to complete her next task.
To effectively evaluate your employees, take the time to get to know them. You can do this by dropping by during their lunch or breaks or spending a few minutes chatting with them after meetings. If a stereotypical comment is made while you are present, change the tone of the conversation by pointing out something positive about the person. Viewing your employees this way and reacting appropriately can help you provide them with what they need, encouraging professional growth no matter the generation.
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Tip No. 2: Don’t assume everyone is on the same page. When assigning team projects, avoid making general statements about the tasks and processes needed or assuming that everyone processes information the same way. Different generations might understand generalizations in different ways, leading to unnecessary clashes when they try to work together.
Before assigning tasks, take the time to review your instructions for the following:
— Ensure they are clear and specific.
— Avoid trendy abbreviations or acronyms.
— List a deadline by date and time.
— Ensure everyone’s role is clearly defined and the point person on the project is identified and understands their role.
This may require some extra effort on your part, but when instructions and expectations are clear, your team will be able to work together more effectively regardless of their age.
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Tip No. 3: Find common ground. To help your employees work together, help them to find common ground. When there is a motivating factor or goal that speaks to all of your employees, they are more likely to come together to achieve it, no matter how different their strengths or personality type is. It is your job to determine what that motivating force could be. Think about the following:
— Will this project have a positive effect on society in general? For example, do you want to implement a new process to reduce environmental waste?
— Will their project help your clients of all age groups? Pointing out the benefits for older clients and new clients will avoid any inner feelings of favoritism.
— Does the project address a common value important to all of your employees, such as family, personal fulfillment or communication?
Tip No. 4: Play to their strengths. While avoiding stereotypes, it is true that every generation has its own skill set. When pairing teams or assigning projects, make sure everyone is able to do something that they are good at. For instance, if you are working on a new social media campaign, it may be helpful to team up a millennial who knows how to hashtag with a baby boomer who has more experience with client relationships. The baby boomer can provide insight on what clients respond to while the millennial can help with phrasing for better social media exposure.
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