GENERATION TRAP

Avoiding pitfalls of managing team members from different age groups

Leading a team is challenging, but leading a workforce composed of several generations takes those challenges to a new level.

From communication to cultural expectations, Baby Boomers, Gen X-ers, millennials and Gen Z-ers can seem as though they come from different planets. And now that more Baby Boomers are working past their typical retirement ages, there can be age differences among team members of more than 45 years.

Everyone has his or her own values, motivations, experiences and work styles, and the differences between them can be made wider by significant age gaps. The ability to lead a multigenerational team to success is an essential skill.

If not managed properly, multigenerational teams can crack under the weight of misunderstandings and misaligned expectations.

Managing teams of different generations means creating a culture that embraces those differences while playing to your team's strengths.

Give all of your employees the opportunity to do what they do best, but encourage them to respect and appreciate each other and push their fellow team members toward success. Here are some tips to manage different age groups.

Change your leadership tactics, but maintain a consistent leadership style

When managing multiple generations, the key is to recognize that no single management tactic will be a good fit for everyone on your team. An annual performance review won’t cut it for a lot of Gen Z-ers, who often crave more frequent feedback, and weekly self-assessments may drive Gen X-ers, who likely just want to get on with things, right up the wall.

Changing the techniques you’ve used to manage employees for years or decades isn’t easy, but it may be one of the most important steps you take. Different personalities coupled with different generational expectations mean that no situation will ever be resolved with a one-size-fitsall approach.

While leadership tactics may vary, however, one leadership style may offer all the flexibility you need. Alison Gutterman, CEO of Jelmar, explains that “servant leadership is quickly becoming the new normal in management style. While many organizational charts view hierarchies from the top down, servant leadership, or putting the needs of others first, flips it on its head.”

You can adopt this leadership approach by focusing on being self-aware, always asking how your actions affect others and working to improve your listening abilities. In addition, strive to coach your team members rather than seeking to control their actions. It’s not about you.

Banish generational myths and stereotypes

Age isn’t the only diverse aspect of today’s workforce, but it’s one of the more interesting ones.

Michael S. North, assistant professor of management and organizations at NYU’s Stern School of Business, points out several persistent myths that generations often believe about others, especially at work. In reality, younger workers don’t outperform older ones, and older workers aren’t slow to learn new methods and technologies.

Those myths overshadow what experienced Baby Boomers can teach younger co-workers, and the innovation Gen Z-ers can inspire in older ones. But a tech-savvy Gen X-er can teach a Gen Z-er to use a new app and an empathetic millennial can show a Baby Boomer how to give more useful feedback.

To cast generational stereotypes aside, avoid labeling employees (even if it’s only inside your own head).

Instead, find commonalities between co-workers of different generations and focus on managing people based on their strengths, not their ages, and train your managers to do the same.

Be open to flexible scheduling and remote work

According to Sara Sutton, CEO of FlexJobs, the rate of people quitting jobs over lack of flexibility has doubled in the last few years. However, this doesn’t mean you should force employees who prefer traditional schedules to start working from home.

Instead, communicate openly and honestly to find out what employees’ preferences are, discuss what roles may benefit most from more scheduling flexibility and implement the technology needed (messaging platforms, task-tracking apps, etc.) to make it possible.

You may find that this is another area in which it pays to discard the stereotypes. For some Baby Boomers and Gen X-ers, a traditional 9-5 schedule feels right, while others are telecommuting pioneers who prefer working from home.

Millennials may enjoy starting work at 11 a.m. while parents with young children may appreciate knowing that their workday truly ends at 5 p.m. So, establish policies that clearly outline your rules for flexible work hours without regard to generation.

Ferret out the biases in your recruitment processes

Fostering an environment conducive to leading your workforce of different generations is important, but if your team lacks that diversity to begin with, then building it up is just as essential. Surprisingly, the AARP recently reported that only 8 percent of CEOs include age in their efforts to promote diversity and inclusion at their companies.

This is often just an oversight, which you can avoid by carefully re-evaluating your recruitment processes. For example, use an A.I. program to screen for age-biased language in job postings, whether it's “digital native” or “ninja” on the one hand, or “established,” “veteran” or “experienced” on the other.

Train recruiters and hiring managers in identifying these biases to avoid making age a negative factor with potential employees.

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