One of your co-workers grew up in a world without personal computers, let alone smartphones or tablets. The other has never known a life before screens. One of your employees is a big fan of avocado toast. The other owns a house.
You are part of a multigenerational team, employees who were born many years 鈥� and
many experiences 鈥� apart. Some generational differences, particularly in regard to
technology, are real. And some are stereotypes. (Millennials do not lack houses because
they enjoy avocado toast, .) Whether you are a CEO, a manager, or a project leader, you need to cut through
stereotypes, bridge the generation gap, and effectively work with people from different
decades. It鈥檚 not as daunting as it sounds: The key to navigating the generation gap is understanding how to motivate employees
of all ages.
The 5 Generations in the Workplace
There are now five in the workplace:
- The Silent Generation
- Born 1925-1945
- Ages 74 and older
- Baby Boomers
- Born 1946-1964
- Ages 55 and older
- Generation X
- Born 1965-1980
- Ages 39 and older
- Millennials
- Born 1981-1996
- Ages 23 and older
- Generation Z
- Born beginning 1997 (this generation has no defined end)
- The oldest member was 22 when this blog was written
Navigating the Generation Gap
As with all forms of diversity, a diverse age group makes your team . But it can also lead to generational differences, such as:
- Different life experiences. A baby boomer may have worked in an office setting for decades, whereas a member of Gen Z may be starting their first job.
- Different communication styles and technology preferences. Your 74-year-old co-worker, from the silent generation, might rather talk face-to-face, while your 19-year-old Gen Z intern may choose to send a text.
- Different leadership styles. Baby boomers may be 鈥渕ore accustomed to a top-down structure where young workers spend time paying their dues before voicing their opinions,鈥� but team-oriented millennials may want to have more input, explains .
Whether all of these generational differences actually exist depends on the individuals in your workplace. Get to know each of your co-workers as people, not as statistics. What are their unique skills? What technology are they comfortable using? What challenges are they facing? And what drives them to succeed? To truly motivate someone, you need to understand them. That鈥檚 true regardless of what generation they hail from 鈥� and it prevents you from unintentionally stereotyping.
If you do find that generation gaps exist, you can bridge them by encouraging older
and younger employees to mentor one another. For example, a millennial can share their
technical knowledge, and a baby boomer can help their younger co-worker gain . Most importantly, encourage each member of your team to treat one another with respect.
How to Motivate Employees of All Ages
Regardless of our generation, and we are motivated by the same core factors. Let鈥檚 take a look at how you can motivate
employees of all ages.
Offer a Good Financial Package
The first step to incentivizing your team is a fair wage, ideally Money is a crucial motivator for members of every generation, from young millennials burdened by student loans to baby boomers who are preparing for retirement.
Lift your employees鈥� financial burdens, and you鈥檒l increase their loyalty to your
company. 鈥淭o retain exceptional talent over the long term, employers must offer a
total job package that takes care of employees over their entire career and in different
stages of their life,鈥� recommends this . That means your financial package should include benefits such as retirement plans.
Commit to Employee Wellness
Think back to the last time you were sick. Were you able to perform at a hundred percent? Of course not. Physical and mental distress sap productivity, no matter how motivated you are to succeed. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 critical to help your team stay healthy.
Wellness programs can improve morale: Fifty percent of 鈥渆mployees would like to see a greater focus on well-being at their company,鈥� according to a survey cited in . As you evaluate your wellness initiatives, make sure your programs go beyond offering healthy lunch options (although that鈥檚 great, too). Your organization should be committed to employee health on a foundational level:
- Provide insurance that includes coverage for mental health care. This will save you money long-term. According to the , 鈥渢he estimated cost to the global economy is US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity鈥� due to depression and anxiety.
- Improve the . Adjustable standing desks and ergonomic workstations can make a big difference to your employees鈥� health.
- Help employees to be physically active. Offer yoga classes or simply encourage them to take .
- Give employees access to , from free clinical screenings to stress-management seminars.
- Let your team know it鈥檚 , including mental health days. Be supportive of employees who may need to take extended
sick leave to recover from medical emergencies.
Allow Employees the Autonomy to Work on Passion Projects
Employees are galvanized by three main factors: . We鈥檒l get into all three of these later, but let鈥檚 start with autonomy, which is about allowing employees the freedom to be self-directed.
When you offer team members the time to pursue passion projects, they become to succeed. (A good example of this is , which gives employees 鈥減rotected space in which to tinker.鈥� It鈥檚 led to the creation
of Gmail, among other things.)
Offer Opportunities for Growth (Mastery)
Now let鈥檚 dive into mastery. This key motivator is why it鈥檚 important to offer professional
development opportunities, which can . For example, USF鈥檚 Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education (CTPE) offers training that can be tailored to your team鈥檚 needs and delivered on-site or
on campus.
Provide a Sense of Purpose
When you clock into work each day, do you feel like you are part of something meaningful, or are you counting the minutes until 5 p.m.? The answer to that question will determine how motivated you are to get out of bed on Monday morning. The same is true of your employees.
鈥淧eople who consider their work to be a calling 鈥� tend to be than those who think of their work as 鈥榡ust鈥� a job,鈥� according to from the book How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim Your Sanity, and Embrace the Daily Grind.
Help your employees understand why their work is important. To define your organization鈥檚 purpose, you answer the following questions:
- 鈥淲hy does the organization exist?鈥�
- 鈥淗ow does the organization achieve goals differently from competitors?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat difference is the organization trying to make in people鈥檚 lives?鈥�
- 鈥淲hat are you asking your employees to strive for?鈥�
Foster a Work-Life Balance
When your team members are burnt out, they aren鈥檛 motivated. And it鈥檚 pretty hard to inspire an employee who鈥檚 missing their child鈥檚 first piano recital. The good news is, you can improve your organization鈥檚 work-life balance through providing:
- Greater flexibility in , such as remote work. In , employees were offered the chance to work 鈥渨herever, and whenever, they chose so long as projects were completed on time and goals were met.鈥� Not only were these employees just as productive as their counterparts, they were happier, healthier, and more likely to remain at the company. Even their children were healthier, suggesting that this workplace flexibility benefited the entire family.
- Paid leave. This includes fostering a work culture where employees feel comfortable actually using their vacation days.
- Extended , as necessary, for big life events or emergencies.
- Reasonable workweek expectations. This is better for the overall vitality of your
team and the company as a whole.
Communicate Frequently and Effectively
Whether you鈥檙e the CEO of a multimillion-dollar organization or the leader of a group project, you need to know how to communicate effectively with your team:
- Speak so that people want to listen. , suggests you achieve this by communicating with honesty, authenticity, integrity, and love (i.e., kindness and compassion). We鈥檇 add clarity to that list: Employees need to understand the project goals and how to achieve them. To do this, find out how each person in your team , and communicate in a way that meets their learning style.
- Understand how to use different communication technologies (from office chats to work management tools), and ensure each team member is comfortable using them, too. Never look down on an employee because they don鈥檛 know the latest messaging software; offer them the training or mentorship to become proficient.
- Listen to your team members, and include them in the conversation by asking,
- Offer praise for a job well done, with a personal gesture such as a .
Cultivate a Culture of Respect
You can give your employees everything from financial incentives to creative autonomy, but if they don鈥檛 feel respected or safe, they obviously won鈥檛 be motivated. Take an honest look at how you can increase the inclusivity and diversity of your workplace:
- Consider your HR practices and offer training to .
- Provide training to reduce instances of .
- Ensure employees feel comfortable , especially if you are in a management position.
- In all areas of the workplace, strive to create an environment that
When you understand and value each member of your team, you鈥檒l create a workplace culture where employees of all ages thrive. We鈥檙e always happy to answer your questions about this program or our other professional development opportunities. Contact us through our website or give us a call at 813-974-0950.