MENTORSHIPS SHRINKING GENERATION GAP

MENTORSHIPS SHRINKING GENERATION GAP MENTORSHIPS SHRINKING GENERATION GAP

Words by Rachel Zammit Cutajar / David Bartram

Different generations bring with them different approaches. How can a 600-strong team spanning the full generational divide come together as one? It’s all about the culture, says Yolo Group Chief Operating Office Anita Brinke.

The online gaming industry has long grappled with the challenge of building products that can better engage millennials, and more recently, the older members of the Generation Z.

For Anita Brinke, Chief Operating Officer of the Yolo Group (formerly the Coingaming Group) the challenge isn’t just about understanding the generational preferences of customers, but also of her own team.

Brinke now oversees one of the most diverse teams in gaming; the Yolo Group recently picked up the ‘Best Diverse Place to Work’ award at the WiG Diversity Awards in London. Alongside CEO Maarja Pärt, she leads a 600-strong group of people comprising 49 different nationalities across seven global offices.

This diversity also extends to age, with a team spanning four generations from Baby Boomers all the through to Gen Z.

“Our youngest team member is just 18 years of age while our most senior is 66, with an average age of 31,” Brinke tells EBM Magazine. “We didn’t really set out to build an age diverse team; it happened organically, as our selection process always favours the candidate with the most talent who is also the right cultural fit.” While most gaming companies like to talk about innovation, few find themselves on the front lines of it to the extent of the Yolo Group. Among a wide range of activities, it operates two of the world’s leading cryptocurrency gaming brands, Bitcasino and Sportsbet. io. It was the first licensed provider of crypto gaming and both brands have become household names; Sportsbet. io has even landed major sponsorship deals with Premier League football clubs Arsenal and Southampton.

In its mission to deliver fun, fast and fair gaming experiences that put the user at the centre of the universe, Brinke sees the Yolo Group’s age diversity as a key strength.

It has been well established - both academically and in practice - that organisations that prioritise diversity in the workplace tend to outperform their competitors. One study by Deloitte University and the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative found that 83 percent of millennials were more actively engaged with an organisation when they perceived it to have more inclusive policies.

However, leading an age diverse team brings with it challenges. While different generations may possess different skills, motivations and preferences, there’s also a danger in generalising.

The Yolo Group has a two-pronged approach to avoiding this. Firstly, every new team member is interviewed by Brinke or CEO Pärt to ensure they are a great cultural fit for the company.

Secondly, the Yolo Group has fostered an environment in which learning and personal development is part of every team member’s journey, regardless of their generation.

“We believe that while certain skills and ways of interacting are teachable, cultural fit is not. As it happened, we have a generationally diverse team and have seen benefits in how the generations interact and overcome challenges together.”

At the heart of this approach is the Yolo Group’s Management Development Programme (MDP), which is headed up by Jim Hogan, the group’s Head of Learning and Development. The programme provides a clear blueprint for advancement with many of the senior team being former participants. But beyond the MDP, the Yolo Group encourages ongoing learning and development throughout the company.

“This isn’t solely about the older generation teaching the younger employees,” stresses Brinke. “Each generation has a skill set that is worth nurturing. The Baby Boomers tend to have more experience at leadership and mediation, while millennials or Gen Z are generally more tech-savvy. The mentorship is a collaborative effort and a pooling of resources; in this case, the resources are skills. It has value for everyone wanting to work smarter, not harder.”

Both the MDP and this broader culture of learning has been so successful that Brinke says the benefits are being felt both across the company and on an individual basis. “There is a sense of satisfaction when you show people how to do something you do well. The feelgood factor has really helped get people on board. It makes our people more collaborative and understanding.”

The process has also challenged Brinke’s own assumptions about generational differences. She’s found that attitude is a far better indicator than age.

“It’s a question of finding out what motivates each individual,” she says. “As the market is very new, and developing rapidly, everyone learns at the same time. We have seen very little difference in the way the younger and the older generations learn and adapt. Crypto is an emerging industry, but just because it’s a new technology doesn’t necessarily mean that the younger generation has any advantage. Not everyone understands it from the start, and the learning curve is there for everyone.”

The research backs up her own experience. One analysis of 20 different studies by the Harvard Business Review found small and inconsistent differences in job attitudes when comparing generational groups, with more differences occurring on the individual level.

The result at the Yolo Group is a relatively flat organisational structure, where everyone’s opinion is heard.

One example is customer support agents, normally an entry level position, but one which gives a unique perspective on the customer. “As we are operating in an industry that is so new, we need to listen to what our younger CS team members are saying.”

For both Brinke and the Yolo Group, listening and learning will never get old.