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With multiple generations among your staff, how do you create a harmonious work environment? Try these tips:
• Be respectful of the ideas and experience of others, whether they’re older or younger than you are. Help them understand your viewpoint by trying to understand theirs.
• Don’t assume older workers resist new ideas out of stubbornness or that younger workers push new ideas just to be pushy. Initiate open discussions to learn why people adopt certain positions, and then work to find a compromise.
• Being in authority doesn’t make you an authority on everything. To gain a broader perspective, seek advice and input from older and younger members of your staff.
• Don’t form cliques with employees your own age, which could leave other workers feeling excluded and defensive. Try to bond with all employees equally. You may find you have more in common with someone many years your junior or senior than with those closer to your own age.
• Tailor reward and motivation efforts to individuals rather than choosing a one-size-fits-all approach that may be more appropriate for one group of workers than another.
• Use a variety of recruiting methods—both high-tech and traditional—to ensure you draw a generationally diverse labor pool.
• Establish mentoring programs that pair workers of different ages, giving them a chance to learn from one another.
—Adapted from Employee Recruitment & Retention