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Multi-generational workplace brings together ideas and solutions from different perspectives of people from various age groups. However, it also comes with some barriers, issues, and challenges. The first barrier that comes to a multi-generational workplace is barriers while communicating. Age plates a huge role when communicating with others. The older generation prefers to communicate offline and more formally while the younger generation prefers to communicate online and is a little informal compared to the older generation. Another major challenge faced in a multi-generation workplace is differences between work styles. Baby boomers and millennials prefer to work longer and in a specific time frame while Gen Z prefers to have flexibility and be more comfortable with remote work.
Issues in training and development is another significant challenge that multigenerational workplace faces. Learning and training styles differ from generation to generation. Baby boomers and millennials prefer to have offline training, while Gen Zs are more comfortable with technology-based training. When it comes to development in tech Gen Zs’ are more advanced and sometimes it causes conflict as the older generation is resistant to adapting to the new technology. The generation gap can also lead to biases while working. People tend to be more open and comfortable with people their age. These conflicts can hamper job performance and job success rates greatly.

Multigenerational teams working in the same workplace offer a variety of benefits. Predominantly, a multigenerational workplace encourages the exchange of distinct viewpoints and best practices. Experienced professionals play an essential role in the career development of younger employees. By imparting the valuable knowledge and expertise they have gained from prior experiences, they can act as mentors to the younger employees, teaching them effective managerial and business strategies. Comparably, according to reverse mentorship, younger employees paired with senior staff can assist them in staying acquainted with new technology, social media, and current trends. Thus, businesses that promotes an engaging and collaborative multigenerational workforce benefits from the competitive advantage of attracting both young and experienced competencies.

A multigenerational workplace is where various age groups and age gaps work in the same environment. These generations include baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. The multigenerational workplace is becoming more common because of the unique traits and skills each generation brings. Their differences and similarities can amplify a company if employers know how to bridge the assets each generation brings to the table.  

Every generation has its own skills, preferences, and values their upbringing and environment around them shape these. Baby boomers like having a good work-life balance, they like having flexibility and working remotely. Generation X is more adaptable to diversity, values work-life balance, have more entrepreneurial traits, and risk-takes, like more individual tasks. Millennials are more competitive, tech-savvy, encouraging (often give rewards just for participation rather than winning), prefer teamwork, and are more community-oriented. Lastly, Gen is tech-savvy, and collaborative while also valuing independence, efficient multi-taskers, and being socially conscious.  

Although, there’s a wide age gap between all the generations they’re more alike than we think.  All of these generations want to be successful, they are result driven. Regardless of their age differences, these generations still want to show out and reach their goals. The Multigenerational still likes to communicate, even if the communication style is different. Each generation has a learning and growth mindset which means feedback is crucial for them. 

Learning how to incorporate the differences and similarities between the multi-generations can lead to a better workplace.

Everyone should care about having a multigenerational workplace because even though it comes with challenges, it has benefits that certainly overpower the struggles. Although whenever you hear someone talking about a multigenerational workplace. You might think that it can be a pain working with someone older or younger than you, but in the long run, it increases skills and experiences by sharing a common space with someone who might have a different perspective than you.
Having a multigenerational workplace enforces fundamental values such as mutual respect. By being in this type of environment, you are going to be able to challenge harmful stereotypes about each other’s generations, and you will even find out how there are more similarities between each other than differences, which will make you more tolerant and have an open mind when it comes to working with other people. This type of workplace will also drive you to voice your concerns more often as well as talk about your boundaries and respect other people’s preferences. This is important in any kind of work environment, so by gaining this experience you will become an engaging person at work, which will impact your job performance and productivity in the workplace positively.

It is personnel comprised of people from different generations. This happens when people from different generational classifications come together in a workforce with a common goal. This has been present throughout history, although we are currently in the presence of the widest age diversity ever recorded. We see people from the Baby Boomer Generation (1946-1964) working together with Generation Z (1997-2012), there are 2 Generations of people in between these, and we may end up having up to 4 different Generations working together in the same workforce.

The reason why the multigenerational workforce is wider than it has ever been being due to several factors. Firstly, people are working longer and delaying retirement. Secondly, younger generations are entering the workforce. Thirdly, people’s lifespan is longer than before. At the same time, technological advances are creating new job roles that previously did not exist, requiring a different set of skills and experience levels. Additionally, globalization is also a common factor that we should not overlook. You can notice this even in a diverse classroom, which provides a glimpse of how the future workforce will look like and the advantages that it may bring to both big and small organizations.