Top 5 Ways to Master the Multi-Generational Workplace

As a human resource professional, executive coach, automotive executive and part-time university instructor, my greatest challenge over the last three years has been helping current and future leaders motivate and retain talent.

The last three years have had an unprecedented impact on workplaces. As the COVID-19 pandemic changed where and how many people worked, and number of generations co-existing in the workplace continued to grow, many employees started to re-evaluate their careers and lives, leading to what economists call “The Great Resignation.”

Let's start with understanding what The Great Resignation is and then dive into how you can rise to the challenge it presents in the face of a multi-generational workplace as a leader.

What is The Great Resignation?

The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit is an economic trend of employees voluntarily resigning from their jobs on masse, which began in 2021.

Why Does it Happen?

Employees are looking closely at where they want to live, how they want to work, how they want to be led, their mental health, and how they impact their communities and their world. This is heightened by the financial pressure of inflation on many generations, such as older workers, newcomers, those just entering the workplace, and lower-skilled workers.

How Does It Impact Organizations?

The cost of The Great Resignation can be excruciatingly painful for businesses trying to recover from the pandemic. It’s estimated that the cost of losing an employee is around one-third of their annual earnings.

What Can I Do About it as a Leader?

This great resignation is real and it’s here in Canada.  So how do leaders insulate their workplaces from the Great Resignation? With five generations co-existing in the workplace, this unique configuration has created a dynamic workplace where individuals have varying interests, motivations, and outlooks, all of which impact workplace culture. Leaders must adapt and adopt new skills on how to engage, motivate, inspire and retain the generations.  

Top 5 Ways to Master the Multi-Generational Workplace

Leadership is the key to embracing the unique needs of each generation and building systems that allow people to not only celebrate each other’s differences, but to find opportunities for collaboration and connection.

1. Drive alignment to a shared purpose

Leaders must be ready to support and take action to support employees’ diverse needs and understand what really matters to employees. Gaining a deeper understanding of the employee value proposition (EVP) will help ensure alignment to a shared purpose across multiple generations in the workplace.

2. Reduce barriers to communication

Different generations may have different ways they prefer to communicate. As a leader look for ways you can reduce barriers to communication between generations in the workplace, whether it is using technology or understanding how language and non-verbal communication impacts work culture.

3. Connect an employee’s strengths with opportunities to learn more

Look for ways to encourage employees to connect to their strengths and then find ways to offer opportunities for further development or learning. Knowing your employees at a deeper level – who they are, what they want, and what they value will allow all generations in the workplace to flourish under your leadership.

4. Focus on belonging and inclusion

As a leader, create safe spaces for employees to be heard, especially younger employees. Holding safe brainstorming sessions where all voices are heard can help develop belonging and inclusion in the workplace. You can take it to the next level by then taking action from those sessions, AND giving credit for those ideas. By doing this you demonstrate to your team that what they say matters!

5. Leverage everyone's unique talents 

This builds off the previous point. Trying to create a culture where everyone is comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences will require an environment where information and learning travel both ways for the benefit of everyone. One way to do this is to create reverse mentorship experiences that leverage the talent of younger generations.

The Take Away

Personally, my greatest challenge has been to shift my own paradigms and world views as many past practices and programs no longer have the impact they once did and instead re-imagine how to future-proof workplaces in the face of The Great Resignation while balancing the needs and wants of five generations in the workplace.

I invite you to join me in exploring the challenges and opportunities multi-generational workplaces may bring in Mastering The Multi-Generational Workplace. Together we will explore strategies to develop a culture that values an individual's uniqueness and the ability to communicate and how a multi-generational workplace can be an organizational strength.

About the Author: MaryAnn Kempe

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MaryAnn Kempe MBA, CEC, FCPHR, is a human resource professional, executive coach, automotive executive, and university instructor.

MaryAnn teaches the course: Mastering The Multi-Generational Workplace at Winnipeg PACE among others.

The short, 2-day course explores the various challenges and opportunities multi-generational workplaces bring. Students will learn to create strategies to develop a culture that values an individual's uniqueness and the ability to communicate as well as how a multi-generational workplace can be an organizational strength.

Participants earn a digital badge for completing the course and can stack it with two complementary courses to earn the Mastering The Future of Workplace Management Microcredential.