Three Strategies For Closing The Generational Gap At Your Company

When considering the generation gap that most organizations are seeing, we first have to remember that this is not the first time that we have had multiple generations in the workplace at a single given time. While it may be true that there are indeed some differences between generations, many studies on this topic find there are more similarities than differences. So what are some things organizations should do to close any generational differences that might exist?

First, don’t segment employees by generation, this simply causes tension in the organization that doesn’t need to be there. Second, try a reverse mentoring program. Companies such as IBM have already implemented these types of initiatives and quite successfully. For example, you might take someone who is 52 and great at team building and communication but not that great at emerging technologies, and pair them up with someone who is 22 and great with technology but lacks communication or project management skills. Third, design multiple ways of working. Don’t assume all employees want to work in the same way. A great example here is open floor plans vs. cubes. The goal isn’t to pick one or the other, but rather to provide some open spaces, some areas for privacy, some cafe-style environments, etc. Having multiple ways to get work done is a huge part of the future of work and is a great way to help close the generational gap. What else would you add?

I talk about this more in the video below. Leave a comment below andsubscribe to the YouTube channel for more videos if interested.

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Jacob Morgan is a keynote speaker, author, and futurist. To see his videos, podcasts and articles, or to subscribe to his newsletter, visit TheFutureOrganization.