The fact that experienced workers are staying in the workforce for longer can lead to conflicts with young people entering the workforce. Companies must therefore reconcile the needs of both generations.
In the future, older employees will dominate in companies.
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With the increase in the retirement age to 67, but also due to economic aspects such as higher housing and living costs, the age of the workforce in many companies and industries is increasing noticeably. As the Leuphana University of Lüneburg has already determined, this brings with it a number of positive aspects. These include a broader diversity of perspectives in the workforce, experiences that can be passed on to younger generations and, of course, the availability of fully trained experts in times of a shortage of skilled workers.
However, it also became apparent that this is often accompanied by conflict between generations, or at least that is the conventional wisdom. If so, how can such gaps be bridged to create a greater level of harmony in the workplace?
Generations have different needs
First, it is important to understand that work motivations vary greatly between generations. For example, Generation Z is particularly diverse in terms of social, ethnic and gender aspects and its members expect companies to implement diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) programs. Finding companies that have such measures in place is therefore a higher priority for them than for older generations.
Younger workers also tend to prioritize social contacts, networking and collaboration with others, while older colleagues prefer more independent and self-determined work and do not feel the same need for social contacts.
Younger workers are also increasingly looking for recognition, value in their role, and factors that enable a work-life balance to keep them engaged. Generation Z also prefers workplaces where they can influence others, challenge themselves, and focus on performance and success. They also seek a sense of security and predictability.
The 50+ generation, on the other hand, often prefers to maintain traditional working methods and respect hierarchies. Employees with a lot of professional experience also seek less public recognition and appreciation for their contributions and achievements and focus more on achieving goals than on maintaining contacts.
Older workers should not be overlooked
At a time when the labour market is shrinking and a new generation of workers is not fully saturating the market, the number of older workers has unexpectedly increased. According to Eurostat, the employment rate of the European workforce between 55 and 64 years old was 63 percent in December 2023, proving that the generation relatively close to retirement still has a strong place in the world of work.
More than ever, the success of a business depends on having the right mix of younger and older workers who have the right skills and abilities. This requires companies to adopt age-friendly recruitment and retention policies, moving away from a work culture that focuses exclusively on the over-30s. It is important that employees of all ages feel they can participate in discussions without being dismissed as inexperienced or unworldly.
No one-size-fits-all approach to generation management
Generational diversity in the workplace has steadily increased over the years. Despite this, many companies still apply one-size-fits-all working methods without considering the different strengths, needs and preferences of their employees. One way to address this problem is to survey the workforce on how they work most productively and use the answers to adapt company practices and processes as much as possible to accommodate them. Flexibility is an essential element of a fair and inclusive working model and will result in fewer clashes and conflicts throughout the day.
Bringing diversity of perspectives into balance
Treating people as individuals, not as members of a generation, is the best approach in work and in life. It is important to view and respect each team member as an individual and to try to understand their motivations at work. What people want is not dependent on belonging to a particular generation. The adults entering the workforce today still share some characteristics with those of the baby boomer generation when they began their careers.
Although their current work motivations may differ, the 50+ generation can avoid conflict with younger employees by remembering their own career goals when they entered the workforce. Younger generations can also learn a lot from their predecessors, and if they are open and willing to learn from their decades of experience, they can benefit from a source of career knowledge that is available to them at no cost.
The key to creating a more harmonious work environment and avoiding conflict between generations is to find a balance between these views and create an environment that represents a happy medium.
