In any workplace you will have employees in a variety of personalities and ages. Our office alone from youngest to oldest has an age gap of 30 years. So how do you manage a multi-generational workplace? Here are a couple tips our COO Will Murphy learned in his years of owning a company.
Speak in a Generalized Way to Hit all Topics
Come up with a scenario where it works on all angles. For example, when it comes to social media, not everyone knows every platform or is as tech savvy. Older folks may not be familiar with using different platforms, terminology, etc. Tackle this by starting with the basics and then diving deeper into the topic.
Set Up a Foundation
Create a system that works for all age groups. You need a “plug and play” system meaning people need to plug in and it works. You won't have the perfect system right off the bat. People will fall behind and that’s okay. Tweak your system until it works effectively with everyone across the board.
Cater to Every Kind of Person
Everyone is different. Different generations like different things. Understand things from their point of view. If they’re not happy you’ll lose them as an employee. As a manager, it's important to listen to your employees’ feedback so you can create the best environment as possible. To be an effective leader you have to be open to making changes. In the end, this is your team. You want them to be for you not against you.
There is no perfect recipe on how to tackle a team of different age groups from different generations. It falls on whether you can be flexible enough to handle them. Notice strengths, weaknesses, and place them where they can do their best.
Most importantly, treat everyone equally. You don't want to be the reason they lose motivation. By doing this, you will build respect between you and your employees creating harmony within your workplace. Have you mastered managing a multi-generational workplace? Maybe you've had trouble juggling your employees yourself. Let us know in the comments!
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