![]() ![]() It is time to stop talking about diversity and start implementing practices that ensure it”.Įducating the five generations on the value of the other generations: There is a driving imperative to educate people and implement strategies to enhance the understanding of generational differences and diversity. Diversity appears to be noticeably absent at senior levels. So, what are the critical things that must shift, in order to fully embrace generational diversity in the workplace?Įnsure diversity is the focus for all recruitment, retention and promotion activities: We have known for a long time that diversity has a positive impact on business outcomes (Herring, 2009) and yet there are still many companies that have a limited focus on workforce diversification. The fact is, many frameworks and leaders are simply not ready for the influx of Gen Z and the change that comes with it and so it is time to meet the challenge head-on and support people to make the moderations necessary. Leaders not only need to understand new generations, they also need to find new and innovative ways to integrate them. Without effective leadership, companies will fail to leverage the power of diversity and achieve their potential. So, it is clear that leveraging a diverse workforce requires a shift in the traditional behaviours of leaders and a critical starting point will be to enhance their capacity to lead diversly. However, Baby Boomers still believe they are in control and Gen X is holding on to its entitlement to rule and as these two groups still hold most of the power, they are defining future strategy and the direction of organisations across the globe. In the same timeframe, Gen Z will become a force to be reckoned with (European Commission, 2023) and where Millennials were originally seen as leading the generations on pop culture, activism and all things technology, Gen Z is unquestionably the holder of future’s flame. In 2020, Millennials surpassed Baby Boomers for the first time and, by 2030, these hyper-connected, tech-savvy Millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce. But many firms are still struggling to understand how to deal with generational diversity and they are missing out on a critical edge. However, this is not something that will happen organically, active support is required to help the generations to understand and accept each other’s values, world views and ways of working, to implement strategies to leverage strengths and moderate conflict. If organisations develop the capacity to take advantage of this generational diversity, they will benefit from the transformational power of divergent thinking, doing and working practices. ![]() A case in point is that muchdebated phenomenon, five generations in the workforce, which surely represents a fantastic opportunity to leverage diversity-of-thought, to help optimise outcomes from change and enhance business capabilities. But as this new era of work unfolds, there are impacts and consequences that could provide businesses with significant advantage, if they have the acumen and foresight to capitalise. There is little doubt that organisations across the globe have been experiencing the full impacts of that long identified acronym VUCA, which was first identified 36 years ago (Bennis & Nanus, 1987). However, new Gens will challenge the status quo and be disruptive, if they feel stifled, restricted or ignored. To attract and retain Gen Z – with their adaptability, flexibility and intuitive understanding of technology, AI and social media – older generations must be pragmatic, understanding, welcoming and not assume that their greater experience in years trumps Z’s essential future skills. Businesses must harness the power of generational diversity or be left behind and that means finding balance across the generations. ![]()
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