1 Reaction Paper: Multigenerational Diversity Abstract The demand for adding multigenerational diversity in the workforce is rapidly increasing. Multigenerational workplaces result in unique challenges and opportunities for organizational leaders who take advantage of the strengths and talents of the generations to meet their organization’s objectives. The rapid and unprecedented shift in demographic composition in the workplace left many business leaders wondering how best they can manage them. This paper reacts to Kurter’s article: 5 Powerful tips that will help you manage your multigenerational workplace regarding the issue of a multigenerational workforce.
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2 Reaction Paper Teamwork involves every organizational member working together to achieve a common goal. Collaboration, joint projects, brainstorming, and strong open communication are some of the most common elements of a team environment essential for success. Nonetheless, today's business environment is characterized by various challenges, primarily brought about by five different generations working side by side to achieve shared economic and commercial goals. In her article, 5 Powerful tips that will help you manage your multigenerational workplace, Kurter (2020) points out that managing multiple generations in the workplace may not be as easy as it appears for business owners and executives because each generation can have different perspectives, communication styles, and expectations. However, implementing a team management strategy that addresses different generations’ distinctive characteristics in the workplace can help managers utilize the respective strengths of every organizational member and compete better in the market (Sogancilar & Husniye, 2018). While every generation has its own expectations, knowing your team members’ general framework of experience can help you understand their behavioral characteristics and come up with appropriate management policies. Organizational or team leaders must understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach that can be used to manage multiple generations at the workplace. Businesses may be required to adapt as the composition of their employees keep changing and growing. As the workforce composition continues to change, organizational leaders must prepare themselves to manage a multigenerational team with varying priorities, values, needs, worldviews, and judgments. This may appear quite a challenge to leaders, but focusing on their people as people and not as demographic groups will help them achieve great success.
3 Generational diversity can significantly help the company to achieve greater results. Employees from different generations can learn and grow from each other as they get exposed to each other's experiences and ideas. The new perspectives gained from one another can result in new ideas and promote new ways of doing things at the workplace. Problems in managing generational gaps primarily result from misunderstanding leading to conflict. Employees coming from different generations may find it difficult each other's working styles, values, and habits, thus making working together problematic. Kurter (2020) points out some five strategies that I believe can help businesses manage their multigenerational workplace. To begin with, encouraging collaboration through knowledge sharing can significantly help to promote multigenerational harmony and success. Each of the five generations has a wealth of knowledge and experience that they can share. For instance, the Boomers in the team can pass the useful contacts, information, knowledge, as well as perspectives that they have developed throughout their working years. On the other hand, their Generation Y colleagues can help them familiarize themselves with recent innovations like viral marketing and social media. According to Sogancilar and Husniye (2018), the secret to multigenerational teams' success lies in their ability to identify, value, and build on each other's skills and experiences. Kurter (2020) also stresses managers' need to use various communication methods to convey a message and reach each generation in the workplace. The various generations often have their preferred methods of communication. For instance, Silent and Baby Boomer generations’ most preferred communication methods are telephone, written, and one-on-one communication, whereas Generation X and Y rely on texts and emails (Sogancilar & Husniye, 2018). Sticking rigidly to your preferred style and means of communication can make other organizational members feel alienated. Thus, it is important for team leaders always to tailor
4 their communication to suit the receivers appropriately. Further, having clearly defined expectations can significantly help to minimize misinterpretations and misunderstandings. Each generation in the workplace can have its expectations and preferences when it comes to fulfilling their job duties. Having clearly defined expectations can help to keep every organizational member on the same page. Another important strategy that the author warns against in the management of multigenerational teams in the workplace is stereotyping. It is easy for a leader to stereotype different groups in the workplace. For instance, a Baby Boomer leader may think of Millennials as lacking in people skills and tech-obsessed, while to a Generation Z leader, Baby Boomers may appear to be inflexible and stubborn (Sogancilar & Husniye, 2018). Every member of the organization is unique. Thus, instead of assuming the worse, organizational leaders should fight their unconscious bias and accept employees based on their merits instead of taking them as typical members of a certain generation. Demonstrating a willingness to listen to new suggestions or ideas and sharing their knowledge and expertise can help employees to change the perceptions and attitudes of those stereotyping them. Successful management of a multiple-generational workforce requires an awareness of the changing needs of every organizational member and embracing new ways of managing employees. Kurter (2020) has defined five strategies that can help leaders manage their multigenerational workforce. Now is the time for organizational leaders to invest in these strategies to help them lay the basis for their organizations' long-term success.
5 References Kurter, H. (18 August 2020). 5 powerful tips that will help you manage your multigenerational workplace. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/heidilynnekurter/2020/08/18/5-powerful-tips-that-willhelp-you-manage-your-multigenerational-workplace/?sh=14726fbb3304 Sogancilar, N., & Husniye, O. R. S. (2018). Understanding the challenges of multicultural team management. Journal of Business Economics and Finance, 7(3), 259-268.