From Generation Z to Baby Boomers and beyond, you may be employing a number of different personality types. There can be challenges when working with a team of many different ages. Your team will have varying opinions and approaches, and a great manager can’t expect every employee to work the same way. Here are some strategies to help create connections and promote a successful team dynamic.
Maintain Respect
One of the quickest ways to lose team unity is when respect isn’t present in your company culture. Your team needs to stay open to listening to different opinions and show that every member of the team is valued. Whether your new hire is 18 or 65, they have something important to contribute, and they need to be treated as such. Respect is often established simply through a worker feeling acknowledged. Make sure every staff member has input and a time to voice thoughts and concerns. This helps build trust and rapport, especially when workers don’t have a lot in common.
Fortify Communication
When you’re running a multigenerational team, it will be essential to communicate effectively. This means keeping your message the same, but disseminating it in a few different ways. When you need to update your team on something important, such as shift schedules, relay it via multiple methods. Send a quick email with the schedule as soon as it is available, but also post it where everyone can view it in the workplace. If workers need reminders to complete a task, send text messages. Follow that up with a post-it in their workplace. Some employees are tech-oriented, others prefer pen and paper. Communicating more than once helps you feel secure knowing that you’ve done your part.
Hire for Fit
Be sure to hold your hiring process to a high ethical standard to avoid discrimination. Do not break hiring laws by asking about age, but also stay focused on what your team needs, not what you feel like you should be looking for. Take a second look at your job posting – are you eliminating applicants purely through your language? If you’re focused on years of education and credentials as opposed to hard and soft skills, you may be missing out on the right candidate.
We Can Help You Lead Your Multi-Generational Team to Success
If you’re looking for more tips on how to hire to fill out your multi-generational team, check out Job Store Staffing®. Our experts can help today. To learn more about hiring effectively in Colorado, contact the pros. Visit our website today to learn more.