For managers of multigenerational workforces, engaging all generations is essential—not just for employee satisfaction but also for the company’s overall success. Mentoring is one way to bridge generational gaps.
Q: I am relatively new to management and find myself struggling with my multigenerational workforce. While I love the diversity of thought and experience they bring, sometimes they see things so differently. I need to help them to fully engage in our work. Any ideas?
A: With potentially five generations in the workplace at one time, you’ve hit on a challenge many managers face daily. You’re right—it’s great to have what people bring to work every day, but it is also challenging to bring them together so that you and your deliverables can be met in an efficient way.
Believe me, I don’t want to diminish the issue you raise, but there is a very practical and potentially cost-effective solution to bringing different generations together—mentoring.
The good news is that there are many studies that say that most people—no matter what generation they belong to—value what people from other generations bring to the workplace. This is one of the many reasons why mentoring can be so effective at bridging those general gaps.
Don’t just think that a mentor has to be someone who is older or who has been with the organization for a long time. A good definition of a mentor is that it is someone who has knowledge or experience the other person doesn’t have.
It’s great to have what people bring to work every day, but it is also challenging to bring them together.
Reverse mentoring has been around for a while and has been highly effective. This is where a younger staff member mentors an older staff member. And while the younger staff member is showing their colleague how to do something, the two of them are talking and getting to know each other.
The mentoring relationship can also have a positive impact on some of the more undervalued soft skills. Mentors and mentees need to listen to each other and that is a skill that is in high demand these days. Mentors of any age can help each other think through difficult work challenges and come up with solutions that will potentially affect your department.
As your employees get to know each other through mentoring relationships, I think you will find your challenges to get people to work together will diminish. While mentoring has lots of benefits, breaking down generational barriers is one of the most valuable.
