Today’s Workplace Composition
isdory
EngagingthePowerofaMultigenerationalWorkforce.docxEngaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce (Global)
Today’s workforce comprises a diverse combination of individuals from various generations, cultures, personalities, and backgrounds. Embracing these differences allows you to leverage them for a successful and harmonious workplace, and to achieve competitive business results. In this course, you’ll learn to recognize the value inherent in a multigenerational workforce and identify best practices for effective communication across generations. You’ll also learn strategies to promote team cohesion and address conflicts in a multigenerational workforce.
Table of Contents
1. Video: Engaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce (bs_amg16_a01_enus_01)
2. Video: Leveraging the Power of Multigenerational Minds (bs_amg16_a01_enus_02)
3. Video: Communicating Well across Generations (bs_amg16_a01_enus_03)
4. Knowledge Check: Reviewing Your Multigenerational Workforce Skills
5. Video: Fostering Cohesion in a Multigenerational Team (bs_amg16_a01_enus_04)
6. Video: Tackling Multigenerational Conflict (bs_amg16_a01_enus_05)
7. Knowledge Check: Assessing Your Skills in Multigenerational Cohesion
8. Video: Let's Review (bs_amg16_a01_enus_06)
1. Video: Engaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce (bs_amg16_a01_enus_01)
Think about the different generations in your workplace and how this mix can provide different perspectives, historical experiences, and skill sets. In this video, you'll discover the key concepts that will be covered in this course, including the benefits of a multigenerational workplace, and of guiding clear communication and building cohesion within that workforce.
· discover the key concepts covered in this course
[Video description begins] Topic title: Engaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce. [Video description ends] Imagine a family photograph of multiple generations. Consider how that mix of generations can create family richness and strength. Now think about the different generations in your workplace. Think about how this mix can strengthen an organization, providing different perspectives, historical experiences, and skill sets. There is power in diversity that includes employees of many ages and stages in their careers. I'm Flavia Moreira, and I'm a global talent and leadership development expert and a certified executive coach. I have been working with leaders from all over the world for nearly two decades. In designing this course, our goal was to help you understand the power of a diverse, multigenerational workforce. In my experience, the most effective leaders and team members are those who know how to leverage differences to drive innovation, collaboration, and ultimately better results for all. In this course, you'll learn about recognizing the value multiple generations bring to an organization and tapping the benefits from those generations. You'll also learn about guiding clear communication and building cohesion within a multigenerational workforce. Finally, you'll learn strategies for resolving conflict when members from different generations disagree.
2. Video: Leveraging the Power of Multigenerational Minds (bs_amg16_a01_enus_02)
Today we see an ever-greater diversity of ages in the workplace. Some companies may have as many as five different generations working together. In this video, you'll explore the value a multigenerational workforce can add to an organization.
· recognize the value a multigenerational workforce can add to an organization
[Video description begins] Topic title: Leveraging the Power of Multigenerational Minds. [Video description ends] HOST: The world is changing. Today, we see greater diversity of ages in the workplace. Some companies may have as many as five different generations working together. With all of these different generations in one workplace, managers are faced with a variety of backgrounds, expectations, experiences, and preferences. Many managers may not know how to develop an inclusive culture where individuals from different generations feel welcome and generational differences are respected. But good managers agree that investing in the success of every employee enables their organization to gain a competitive advantage. It's important to recognize the value a multigenerational workforce can add to an organization. One type of value added is superior results through increased diversity. How does this work? Think innovation. In a recent study, 86% of participants said they come up with more innovative ideas and solutions from working in a multigenerational team of colleagues with at least 10 years of age difference between them. Workers with years of experience can offer skills honed over time and perspectives based on their history in the organization. Younger colleagues can bring an easy familiarity with digital applications and savvy connections to modern culture. This combination of different kinds of experience and expertise creates a dynamic environment for generating diverse ideas and superior solutions. Another value that multiple generations can bring to an organization is a rich pool of skill sets. A mix of older and younger workers can offer a synergy and diverse mix of talents; that's an asset for companies. Often, these generations have different attitudes and work practices that enhance their skill sets. Employees from an older generation may value loyalty and a steady work ethic as well as consistency and stability. Younger generations often hold mindsets that emphasize the flexibility and agility needed to deliver in the modern marketplace. Every generation has advantages that can contribute in different ways to a competitive workforce. By placing these age-diverse peers together, managers and their teams can learn and grow through daily interaction. Flavia Moreira: So there was a situation with the top talent employee that had been sent to a development program. Shortly after she completed the program, she resigned and her manager got really upset. And then we had a long conversation, and what we realized was they had different perspectives and that came from their generational views. In her case, she was looking for career development, and she did not think she was getting that development where she was. In his mind, an employee needs to be loyal to that organization, and if the organization invested on them, they need to pay back. What we had to help him understand is that it was not personal in her case. The manager ended up learning a few lessons from this experience, and I think the first thing he realized was that she wasn't selfish. She was just looking for her options and coming from a different perspective. We need to be careful not to label everyone from one generation as being like this or like that. This example that I shared earlier is one case and that was what worked for her. But it doesn't mean that everybody from that generation prefers to work like that. So we need to be very careful not to label when a stereotype individuals from certain generations and judge them. HOST: As a further advantage, a multigenerational workforce presents opportunities to break gender, age, and cultural stereotypes. One of the most effective ways to break any stereotype is through meaningful interaction and connection within an inclusive work setting. When colleagues from different generations work together, they learn about each other as individuals. They can begin to dismiss inaccurate assumptions as they learn firsthand what people of different ages, genders, and cultures are thinking and expecting. This can lead to a greater open-mindedness and acceptance. Breaking stereotypes is crucial for the health of an organization. An office devoid of stereotyping attracts diverse employee talent and customers, too. Finally, consider the business advantage of shared wisdom through an exchange of ideas across generations. Each generation has its own experiences, knowledge, and judgments to share. Older colleagues often have experience in the field and a deep understanding of how things work. Younger colleagues may bring fresh perspectives that can influence and direct idea creation. They're often less limited by "this is how we do it here" mentalities and questionable assumptions based on successes in the past. In a multigenerational workforce, these different types and sources of wisdom are naturally shared as team members exchange ideas. How many different generations are included in your workforce? What value do the different generations bring with them? How is your organization healthier because of this diversity? Think about how you can recognize the power of diversity that includes employees of many ages and stages in their careers.
3. Video: Communicating Well across Generations (bs_amg16_a01_enus_03)
Where there is a multigenerational workforce, it’s important that the employees look for the best ways to communicate clearly and effectively across the age gaps. In this video, you'll learn best practices for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce.
· recognize best practices for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce
[Video description begins] Topic title: Communicating Well across Generations. [Video description ends] HOST: In business, employees communicate to achieve mutual goals. Work requires communication. But sometimes that communication suffers when employees differ in their understanding of exactly what's expected of them. Where there is a multigenerational workforce, it's important that the employees look for the best ways to communicate clearly and effectively across the age gaps. Managers can facilitate this by helping employees recognize best practices for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce. One best practice is to ask for communication preferences and state your own. As a manager, you need to find out what mode of communication your different employees prefer. These might include email, text messaging, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations, which may be in person or virtual. Some employees may be comfortable with all modes. However, others may have strong preferences that reflect their generation. While these are admittedly generalities, older employees might be more comfortable and find it more efficient to pick up the phone to ask a question, or send a long email that fully explains an issue. By contrast, younger employees, having grown up with digital tech, may naturally prefer communicating by text or instant message to explain an issue. Clarifying these differences in an age-diverse team is important for ensuring that key work goals are communicated and met efficiently and effectively. To achieve those larger goals, make it comfortable to talk about preferred ways to communicate. Be sure to state your own communication policy too, explaining your preferences in clear terms. To create common ground among all generations, create guidelines with your team for the modes or time frames for sending and responding to work messages. At the same time, continue to confirm that different communication preferences are natural and need to be accepted and respected. Of course, not all communication is written or verbal, which leads to another best practice, to be sensitive to nonverbal cues. Facial expressions, gestures, and body posture send powerful messages about one's level of interest, agreement, and respect. As a manager, model how to seek clarity, such as by asking, "Are we all comfortable with that idea? Any concerns?" In turn, encourage colleagues to state concerns or confirm agreement. This can even start a conversation about generational differences in nonverbal cues and responses. Another valuable best practice for multigenerational communication is active listening. Active listening involves checking your understanding of what you've heard and then inviting the speaker to confirm or correct that understanding. For example, when a colleague speaks, an active listener might respond by saying, "I heard you say ..." and then paraphrase key points, ending with, "Did I get that right?" In turn, the speaker either confirms or corrects by restating or explaining further. An active listener also uses nonverbal cues like nodding and smiling to signal agreement and understanding. It is important to practice active listening to help employees understand generational differences in ideas and language and build respect. Keep in mind that some employees will be better listeners than others. A fourth communication best practice is to respect generational differences in boundaries. This best practice is especially relevant because societal and cultural norms are always changing. For example, one generation of employees might discuss personal problems openly, whereas more traditionally work-minded employees might find such discussion difficult. To support comfortable cross-generational interaction, work with employees to set conversational boundaries in addition to those determined by company policy. Remind employees to watch for nonverbal cues that signal what's comfortable and what's not. Flavia Moreira: There was a situation I was working with a client from Generation 'Z,' and she was struggling with a manager from Generation 'X' in terms of the way they communicate. She was not comfortable with the fact that her manager would text her on her personal phone because she didn't have a she didn't have a company phone available to her, and he would text her even outside of working hours about work stuff. The Gen 'Z' employee found her manager's communication so inappropriate because for her, when she's outside of work, she's done. After we unpacked, we understood that, you know, for him that was a common thing, and he worked across time zones and he was used to doing that. Having generational awareness or awareness of people with different expectations, different needs is very important. This kind of conflict is very often solved by a simple conversation like this, or can be very often solved if folks are open to have an open dialogue to listen, but I think ultimately to not judge the other person for their perspective. HOST: Given that degree of comfort with technology can create boundaries between generations, it's another best practice to encourage reverse mentorship for familiarity with digital communication. It's a cliché, but not without foundation, that for younger generations, technology is often comfortable and intuitive. For older generations, certain types of technologies may be confusing to use. With reverse mentoring, the younger person is the mentor. By getting younger employees to train older colleagues in using office technology, managers improve communication among all employees. Reverse mentoring can also involve younger colleagues coaching older employees on text abbreviations and cultural terms. Colleagues of different ages can partner on assignments that require digital capability. These reverse mentoring relationships can enhance intergenerational trust and cooperation. As a final best practice, when dealing with age-diverse teams, it is important to establish ground rules for inclusive meetings. Meetings can be sensitive for employees of different generations, so setting expectations is essential. Make it a practice to give everyone a turn to speak. Highlight the value of the whole team. And remember to encourage active listening for promoting clear and inclusive engagement. Think about your own multigenerational workforce. What kinds of communication among employees does your work require? What kinds of challenges do employees of different generations have in understanding one another and communicating effectively and efficiently? Consider the best practices that you can use to improve communication among your employees of all generations.
4. Knowledge Check: Reviewing Your Multigenerational Workforce Skills
· discover the key concepts covered in this course
· recognize the value a multigenerational workforce can add to an organization
· recognize best practices for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce
Question 1: Multiple Choice
What benefits arise from having a workforce that includes multiple generations?
Options:
1.
Leads to superior results through increased diversity
2.
Creates a rich pool of skill sets
3.
Presents opportunities to break gender, age, and cultural stereotypes
4.
Creates a legacy of shared wisdom through exchange of ideas across generations
5.
Offers opportunities for short-term growth
6.
Encourages a top-down leadership style
Answer
1.
Leads to superior results through increased diversity
2.
Creates a rich pool of skill sets
3.
Presents opportunities to break gender, age, and cultural stereotypes
4.
Creates a legacy of shared wisdom through exchange of ideas across generations
Feedback:
Option 1:
This option is correct. Research shows that a multigenerational workforce creates and supports the innovation that leads to superior results.
Option 2:
This option is correct. A multigenerational workforce offers a mix of skills and talents based on years of experience and characteristics of different generations.
Option 3:
This option is correct. A multigenerational workforce creates more interaction and connection between individuals with diverse interests and experience. Such diversity helps to challenge stereotypes related to gender, age, and culture.
Option 4:
This option is correct. A multigenerational workforce brings different levels of experience, knowledge, and judgment—the essence of wisdom—that can be shared on projects and problem solving.
Option 5:
This option is incorrect. A multigenerational workforce can lead to superior results, but such results may not appear in the short term, as growing a multigenerational team takes time.
Option 6:
This option is incorrect. A multigenerational workforce fosters a culture of mutual learning and areas of adaptability across teams. It does not promote one specific style of leadership as it requires leaders to adopt a people-first approach.
Question 2: Multiple Choice
Active listening involves engaging closely with what a speaker is saying and indicating understanding, which supports clearer and more open communication among multigenerational employees.
What best practices, beyond active listening, support effective communication in multigenerational teams?
Options:
1.
Ask for communication preferences and indicate your own
2.
Be sensitive to nonverbal cues
3.
Respect varied boundaries while retaining ground rules
4.
Encourage reverse mentorship
5.
Establish ground rules for inclusive meetings
6.
Ensure similar age groups work together
7.
Establish office-wide guidelines specifying communications media
Answer
1.
Ask for communication preferences and indicate your own
2.
Be sensitive to nonverbal cues
3.
Respect varied boundaries while retaining ground rules
4.
Encourage reverse mentorship
5.
Establish ground rules for inclusive meetings
Feedback:
Option 1:
This option is correct. By asking for the communication preferences of your team members and sharing your own preferences, you reinforce the notion that individual ways of communicating are natural and that differences can be respected.
Option 2:
This option is correct. Nonverbal cues communicate a wide range of feelings and responses. Understanding that there can be generational differences in how certain cues are interpreted promotes better communication among team members.
Option 3:
This option is correct. Respecting boundaries highlights that norms may change around certain topics but individuals from different generations have a right to decide what they are comfortable hearing and discussing, beyond official rules set by policy.
Option 4:
This option is correct. The practice of pairing younger employees with older employees to enhance the use of technology or other tools improves communication and can promote trust.
Option 5:
This option is correct. By establishing clear guidelines for meetings that include all generations, you promote more equitable meeting participation and idea sharing, and emphasize the value of the entire team.
Option 6:
This option is incorrect. Ensuring similar age groups work together is not a best practice for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce. It is preferable to ensure that diverse age groups work together and encourage reverse mentorship for familiarity with digital communication.
Option 7:
This option is incorrect. Establishing office-wide guidelines specifying communications media is not a best practice for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce. It is preferable to ask for communication preferences across different generations and to indicate your own.
5. Video: Fostering Cohesion in a Multigenerational Team (bs_amg16_a01_enus_04)
We all recognize that diverse teams work best together when they’re united around a common goal. Good managers look for ways that they can promote unity in their teams. In this video, you'll learn strategies a manager can use to promote team cohesion across generations.
· identify strategies a manager can use to promote team cohesion across generations
[Video description begins] Topic title: Fostering Cohesion in a Multigenerational Team. [Video description ends]
HOST: We all recognize that diverse teams work best together when they're united around a common goal. Good managers look for ways that they can promote unity or cohesion in their teams. They use specific strategies to unite employees across generations. One strategy a manager can use to promote cohesion is to operate with a flexible management style to give each person what they need. Different generations have different requirements for achieving their best work. A rigid management style that expects uniformity can create invisible barriers to employee engagement across generations and, ultimately, to organizational performance. But a flexible manager, with a tendency to be open and promote a culture of dialogue, is more likely to garner fuller contributions from employees of all generations. To operate with a flexible management style, work to develop a people-first mindset. This mindset understands that supporting each person in a multigenerational team creates a cohesive team.
For example, by enabling more flexibility in work hours and location, you support all employees by offering an environment that helps them accomplish their work more efficiently. Since a multigenerational workforce will naturally have differences in how and where team members do their best work, focusing on the work to be done and how the team can best produce that work demonstrates how a flexible management style is in sync with an age-diverse group.
Another crucial element of a flexible management style is creating an environment where every person feels comfortable asking for help, identifying problems, and sharing ideas. This kind of environment is viewed as psychologically safe, because employees feel they can raise issues and concerns without fear of negative consequences. When each person feels safe, it encourages employees to care more about the group and group outcomes. Managers create psychological safety by responding with openness to employee concerns and by inviting joint problem-solving.
Related to flexibility, a second key strategy for cohesion is to accommodate employee differences, both generational and individual. Begin by paying attention to employee preferences. Some employees may request flexible assignments to match their lifestyles, while others, say, those with children at home may prefer consistent schedule to coordinate with school hours or childcare. They may also want more family-friendly perks and benefits. Early career employees may be focused on opportunities that will allow them to be recognized as ambitious within the company and keen to demonstrate their potential. Some employees may also feel strongly about a company's social responsibility platforms and paid volunteer days. To accommodate all these differences, it's important that you know your employees and what matters to them, regardless of their generation. Honor their preferences, and provide the opportunities and benefits they request as best you can.
Another strategy for promoting cohesion is to activate day-to-day learning to encourage knowledge-sharing across generations. A love of learning can unite employees of all ages. Creating an environment that promotes improving knowledge and skills strengthens everyone in the team. One approach is to regularly invite team members to share insights on new trends or to report on trainings or conferences they attended. Such interactions communicate that intergenerational dialogue is valued.
It also helps employees of all generations to make public what they know and how they can be a source of knowledge for others. It is also important in a multigenerational workforce to offer different ways of learning. Some people learn best in a structured, linear fashion. Others prefer more ad-hoc, collaborative learning. Some individuals advance best by finding their own approach to acquiring needed skills and knowledge.
Flavia Moreira: A great practice to foster collaboration and integration between people from different generations in the workplace and different perspectives is very simple. I've learned that from a manager many, many years ago. What they did was they would end every of their regular meetings with the question, 'What did you learn today in the session?' and 'How are you going to implement?' What happened was that a couple of employees, very senior generation, baby boomers, very experienced, came to him to tell him that they surprised themselves about how much they had learned from the employees, from younger generations.
This kind of initiative works so well because people want to collaborate, people want to, you know, to be integrated in the workplace. It's just a matter of creating those little rituals and and opportunities to remove the the blockers or the the biases or the the stereotypes for people to see themselves as who they really are. Those kind of techniques not only help the group and the way they operate together, but it also boosts individual performance. It helps people realize the potential that they might have.
HOST: Think about your team and how you can promote more cohesion among them. How does your flexibility help employees produce their best work? How can you provide more ways for colleagues of different generations to connect by learning together and from one another?
6. Video: Tackling Multigenerational Conflict (bs_amg16_a01_enus_05)
Age differences can lead to conflicts, and so managers need to pay attention not only to their teams’ different needs, but also to ways in which friction can be reduced. In this video, you'll explore strategies that address conflicts in a multigenerational workforce.
· identify strategies to address conflicts in a multigenerational workforce
[Video description begins] Topic title: Tackling Multigenerational Conflict. [Video description ends] HOST: While multigenerational teams offer tremendous diversity through different skill sets, mindsets, and life experiences, those differences can also lead to conflict. Consequently, managers need to pay attention not only to their teams' different needs but also to ways in which friction can be reduced. Along with reducing friction, addressing and resolving conflicts in an age-diverse office can have other benefits. When employees work through differences, they can build stronger workplace relationships and increase trust. Working through conflicts can also lead to innovations that improve outdated procedures. As a manager, you can turn conflicts into positive outcomes. It starts by applying strategies to address conflicts in a multigenerational workforce. The first strategy you might use to address multigenerational conflicts is to assume the best of each individual. By giving your team members the benefit of the doubt during a conflict, you help to avoid escalating the tension. For example, let's say an email chain with an article about a sensitive topic stirs up controversy within a multigenerational team. Before you make a judgment, find out why the email was shared. The intent may have been innocent, and the sender may not have considered how colleagues would view the email. By not assuming a malicious purpose, you give yourself a chance to remind everyone that different perspectives exist within the team, and therefore, they should assume the best of one another. Even at that, conflicts do arise. And when they do, it's important to face the conflict directly. This means acknowledging that there is disagreement. In some settings, managing conflict may include fostering an environment where it's okay to disagree. Conflict isn't automatically disruptive. Disagreements can be productive. Allowing different ideas and approaches to clash is one way to find new and workable solutions. However, serious differences within teams can be damaging. They can cause division that hinders collaboration, engagement, productivity, retention, and recruitment. These conflicts need to be faced and resolved. Addressing the issue head-on is necessary to determine the nature of the problem and start the resolution process. To limit or address conflicts, you may need to challenge biases, or any false assumptions. Biases might be about attitude: we might assume that older generations resist change. Biases can relate to hierarchy: we might think that younger employees don't have the experience to lead. Biases can appear in hiring: say, when gaps in a resume or short stints in different positions are dismissed as evidence a candidate would be unreliable. These and other biases can arise from a lack of understanding of how different generations think and act. Leaders need to challenge biases as a means of resolving present conflicts and avoiding future ones. As a manager, there are ways you can address and challenge biases. You can introduce informal activities that encourage a regular exchange of viewpoints. You can have open discussions about generational differences and how to maximize strengths that benefit an entire team. By providing awareness training on age-related stereotypes, you can educate all employees. Flavia Moreira: I've seen many situations where biases came into play, especially when it comes to generational differences or age differences. There was this situation with a recently hired employee and the team assumed they would navigate the softwares and the operating systems and after a while they were struggling, they couldn't understand why, and then they found out they weren't able to operate and use the technology as people had assumed, simply because they were younger. To combat those biases, you, first thing is really to come with an open mind and get answers that you're not expecting. It's not about wrong or right, it's what works for the other person. HOST: Another strategy for addressing multigenerational conflicts is to listen in order to understand, not to respond. Active listening is not just an asset in communication, but it's also a mediation tool. A common mistake in approaching conflict is to assume your viewpoint is widely shared and that pushback is personal. Another is using the time while others are speaking to plan your response, at the expense of paying attention to what's being said. Active listening can help correct these mistakes. When a team member is raising a concern, model effective listening. Concentrate on hearing and remembering what the other person is saying. When the speaker finishes, repeat their last few words to confirm you're listening. Then ask questions in a respectful tone of voice to convey that your intent is to understand, not to challenge. This back and forth, listening to understand and asking questions respectfully, allows you to get to the root cause of the conflict in a calm and reasonable manner. At that point, you can apply the strategy of working to find common solutions to decide how to move forward. Give everyone a turn to share their perspective. Listen for common ground on the problem's source and solutions. Keep the focus on shared goals and the team relationship, rather than the individuals involved in the conflict. Guide the team to recognize that finding the best solution may involve improvising to see what works. It's also important to keep in mind that a process or procedure may need to change to resolve a problem. This is when generational conflict, such as younger employees challenging how something has always been done, can lead to innovation and outcomes that benefit everyone. Conflict may be inevitable, but it doesn't have to be destructive. What types of issues create friction on your teams? How do your diverse team members view one another? How often are conflicts ignored that could be resolved by facing them directly?
7. Knowledge Check: Assessing Your Skills in Multigenerational Cohesion
· identify strategies a manager can use to promote team cohesion across generations
· identify strategies to address conflicts in a multigenerational workforce
Question 1: Multiple Choice
What strategies help a manager build cohesion among employees from different generations?
Options:
1.
Operate with a flexible management style to give each person what they need
2.
Accommodate employee differences, both generational and individual
3.
Activate day-to-day learning to encourage knowledge sharing across generations
4.
Encourage knowledge sharing chiefly across the younger generation
5.
Provide standard benefits across a multigenerational workforce
Answer
1.
Operate with a flexible management style to give each person what they need
2.
Accommodate employee differences, both generational and individual
3.
Activate day-to-day learning to encourage knowledge sharing across generations
Feedback:
Option 1:
This option is correct. A flexible management style that supports a culture of dialogue and collaboration across generations acknowledges that multigenerational employees work best individually and together when their specific needs are addressed.
Option 2:
This option is correct. Accommodating employee differences includes considering preferences in schedules, benefits, and specific work opportunities that may vary by generation. By allowing for these differences, a manager enables each individual to contribute their best and promote team cohesion.
Option 3:
This option is correct. Promoting a work environment in which learning is values and skills ae shared encourages all generations to learn with and from one another. Such day-to-day learning strengthens the entire team.
Option 4:
This option is incorrect. Encouraging knowledge sharing across just the younger generation is not a strategy to promote team cohesion across all generations. Team cohesion is better promoted by encouraging knowledge sharing across all generations equally.
Option 5:
This option is incorrect. Rather than providing standard benefits to all employees, a manager of a multigenerational workforce will tailor benefits to accommodate employees at different life phases. Such tailored benefits can ensure a more fulfilled multigenerational workforce.
Question 2: Multiple Choice
What strategies are most effective for addressing conflicts in a multigenerational workforce?
Options:
1.
Assume the best of each individual
2.
Face a conflict
3.
Challenges biases
4.
Listen to understand, not to respond
5.
Work on common solutions
6.
Establish workplace norms
7.
Create age-specific groups or teams
Answer
1.
Assume the best of each individual
2.
Face a conflict
3.
Challenges biases
4.
Listen to understand, not to respond
5.
Work on common solutions
Feedback:
Option 1:
This option is correct. When you assume the best of each team member, you avoid escalating problem situations prematurely. By checking first for unintentional actions that are easily explained and resolved, you can better manage multigenerational conflicts.
Option 2:
This option is correct. Facing a conflict promptly in a multigenerational workforce allows the resolution process to begin and avoids allowing a serious conflict to increase.
Option 3:
This option is correct. Challenging age-related biases is important for increasing awareness of inaccurate assumptions, for resolving conflicts, and for avoiding future ones.
Option 4:
This option is correct. Listening to understand is related to active listening and helps you avoid common mistakes in multigenerational conflicts, such as planning a response rather than listening to a speaker.
Option 5:
This option is correct. Working on common solutions promotes the resolution of multigenerational conflicts by finding common ground on root causes of a problem and pursuing ideas for solutions, including innovations that may be needed.
Option 6:
This option is incorrect. Establishing norms will not address conflicts across generations because preferences vary, such as one employee who prefers communicating by email rather than texting.
Option 7:
This option is incorrect. A multigenerational rather than an age-specific group can function well as a team due to the rich exchange of experiences and information. Multigenerational teams blend a range of attitudes and experiences that are an asset for any company.
8. Video: Let's Review (bs_amg16_a01_enus_06)
In this video, you'll review and reflect on what you've learned in the course Engaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce.
· reflect on what you've learned
[Video description begins] Topic title: Let's Review. [Video description ends] Let's review what you've learned in this course. It's important to recognize the value of a multigenerational workforce. It can produce superior results by providing a pool of skill sets which can enhance the team's efficiency and output. It offers opportunities to break gender, age, and culture stereotypes and promote shared wisdom across generations. There are best practices for effective communication in a multigenerational workforce. Ask for communication preferences and state your own. Be sensitive to nonverbal cues and practice active listening skills. It's important to respect generational differences to create a more comfortable work environment. Encourage reverse mentorship for familiarity with digital communications and establish ground rules for inclusive meetings. Apply strategies to promote cohesion across generations. Operate with a flexible management style to give each person what they need and accommodate employee differences whenever possible. Employ day-to-day learning to encourage knowledge sharing across generations. Finally, adopt strategies for addressing conflicts that arise. Assume the best of each individual but be willing to face conflicts directly. Challenge biases through informal discussions and awareness training on stereotypes, and make the effort to listen to understand, not to respond. Work with team members toward common solutions.
Course HTML Resources
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Glossary: Engaging the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce |
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active listening |
The practice of engaging closely with what a speaker is saying and indicating understanding, typically by asking relevant questions, using gestures, and summarizing. |
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inclusive meetings |
Employee meetings organized and managed to ensure all generations, genders, perspectives, voices, opportunities, and other company values are included. |
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intergenerational |
Having to do with, or involving, more than one generation. |
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multigenerational workforce |
Employees of different generations working together in a company. |
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reverse mentorship |
Employees of younger generations mentoring, or guiding, colleagues of older generations. |
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workplace conflict |
Disagreement between or among employees in relation to work, resulting from different views or expectations. |
