Having generational differences in the workplace is beneficial. Because each group sees the world and work environment differently, the members can provide diverse perspectives. Also, the employees’ diverse skill sets increase team learning, productivity, and innovation.
As a manager, understanding the values and behaviors of your employees from different generations is essential. These differences impact how your employees communicate and function as a team.
Knowing your employees’ key personality traits, communication preferences, and work styles is essential. This helps you understand how your employees prefer to be managed. Effectively managing your team improves engagement, productivity, and your bottom line.
Implement these tips to understand generational differences in your workplace and more effectively lead your team.
Get to Know Your Employees
Build relationships with your team members. Along with getting to know them as individuals, focus on what motivates each to perform their best. Also, determine how you can develop and benefit from each employee’s strengths.
Use your findings to develop effective methods to maintain fairness while managing your team members differently. Ensure you clarify each employee’s expectations and deadlines, so they understand how their performance will be measured.
Provide Flexibility
Prioritize your employees’ work-life balance. Younger generations desire as much control as possible over their professional and personal lives.
Consider offering remote or hybrid work arrangements and a flexible schedule. Also, increase your employees’ paid time off if possible. Having the ability to handle personal responsibilities during the workday encourages your employees to remain loyal to your company.
Maintain Communication Preferences
Pay attention to how your employees prefer to communicate. This shows respect for their personalities and work styles.
For instance, baby boomers tend to value in-person discussions. Conversely, Generation X, millennials, and Gen Z usually prefer email or text.
Using each employee’s preferred communication method shows you value and respect their differences. This increases the likelihood of your employees listening to you and implementing what they learn.
Offer Advancement Opportunities
Provide the training and development required for promotions. This encourages employees from younger generations to remain with your company long-term.
Younger generations often saw their parents downsized or laid off after years of loyalty to an employer. As a result, these employees typically remain with their employers for a short amount of time before finding other opportunities for career growth. Additional reasons for leaving companies include dissatisfaction with the work environment or managerial decisions.
Looking for Additional Help Managing Generational Differences?
Work with Job Store Staffing® for more help managing generational differences in your Colorado workplace. Reach out today.