Is your workplace a generational echo chamber? It’s time to bridge the divide

When was the last time you spoke to someone at least a decade older or younger than you at work? 

Think about it: when did you last have an in-depth, face-to-face conversation with a co-worker who probably wouldn’t get the cultural references you grew up with or understand the qualifications you took at school? 

Depending on where you work, the answer could be ‘not in the past year’. 

According to new research conducted by LinkedIn, one in five Gen Z workers hasn’t had a single direct conversation with someone over 50 in their workplace in the last year. 

‘Difficult to relate’

They were found to be the least confident when it comes to interacting with other generations, struggling to converse with Gen X and Baby Boomer co-workers specifically. 

Another poll, conducted by Harris Poll for Fortune Magazine, drew similar conclusions. It found that Gen Z workers find it difficult to relate to co-workers who are at a different life stage. 

In short, in workplace settings, the older and younger generations aren’t communicating and unless you work to bridge the divide, generational differences can have a negative impact. 

Hiring a diverse team that spans generations is only good for business if those employees can effectively communicate and work together. 

What are the risks when they don’t? 

Disha Daswaney, a sociology expert, says when generations find it difficult to get along or relate to one another, it can hinder collaborative working and breed a toxic environment where misunderstandings abound. 

Limited views 

Without collaboration between older and younger employees, your workplace can become an echo chamber: an enclosed space where limited views and beliefs are reinforced, and alternative ideas are not considered. 

“If there’s a lack of relatability between generations this can lead to decreased engagement levels and hinder productivity levels as well as collaborative efforts,” Disha says. 

It also paves the way for another workplace hinder: age bias. 

Disha says this works both ways and often allows generational stereotypes to flourish. “Gen Z often sees Boomers as outdated, while Boomers often see Gen Z as lazy,” she says. 

Understandably, these assumptions can foster hostility making it difficult for different generations to work together. 

One of the reasons Gen Z may find it difficult to work alongside Gen X and Baby Boomers? Differing approaches to work. 

“The main differences between these generations come down to a few factors, such as life experience; technological advancement; and attitudes towards work and communication styles,” says Disha. 

“Typically, Gen Z are more susceptible to wanting a flexible and fluid lifestyle when it comes to their work-life balance, whereas Boomers tend to prefer more traditional structures that are in place. 

“These are two things that are so simple but can easily cause friction,” Disha notes. 

The benefits of bridging the divide 

Difference is often seen as a negative. It’s easy to assume that everything runs more smoothly when everyone is on the same page. However, the benefits of age diversity should not be underestimated. 

Just ask Shoshanna Davis, founder of Fairy Job Mother, a consultancy helping bridge the gap between young people and other generations at work. She believes collaboration between older and younger generations breeds innovation and creativity. 

“Whether they realise it or not, both generations have so much to learn from each other. Younger employees may bring fresh ideas and familiarity with technologies, and older employees can bring valuable experience and historical learning,” she surmises. 

It’s an opportunity for knowledge sharing and for the generations to mentor one another, which in turn can tackle stereotypes and allow fresh, diverse ideas to flourish. 

Planner Bee VA Services, a business that supports sustainable and ethical businesses, is a positive example of different generations working together. 

“When hiring and growing the team, an interest in the environment is something we look for and having these shared values has been important in enabling us to bridge the divide between generations because we all have this shared interest,” explains Maya Vertigans, the company’s Gen Z founder. 

Different perspectives

“Every member of the team has different experience and perspectives, so bridging the generational divide enables us to effectively collaborate and work together for the benefit of the team and the business. 

“In particular, this is valuable when problem solving or strategising, because the team can bounce ideas off each other and each bring something different to the table,” Maya shares. 

Maya believes there is so much younger and older generations can learn from one another. 

“Our over 50s team member has more work and life experience than the Gen Z team members, which can be hugely beneficial to learning from what has been successful in similar situations in the past,” she says. 

“On the other hand, our Gen Z team members bring more technological experience. Combining these different experiences and skills has enabled us to create some really innovative solutions and ideas.” 

How to bridge the divide 

If you’ve noticed a disconnect between the generations in your workplace you might be wondering how to bridge the divide. 

First things first, Shoshanna recommends providing training on generational differences, noting the value each generation has to offer and exploring their preferred way of working. 

“Educate your managers on these differences, so they can tailor their approach to each employee and lead more effectively,” she suggests. 

Reverse mentoring programmes can also be extremely valuable. Shoshanna advises pairing younger and older employees together so they have an opportunity to share industry expertise and consider new perspectives and ideas. 

She believes encouraging collaborative projects is where it’s at. “Build teams of mixed-age groups where the strengths of younger employees and older employees can be leveraged and combined,” she suggests. 

“This allows team members to see the benefits of different thought processes and approaches,” she explains. It can also foster kinship and respect. 

Projects aside, you can also schedule dedicated knowledge-sharing time. “Organise knowledge-sharing workshops where employees from different generations can share learnings and expertise,” Shoshanna suggests. It’s an opportunity for everyone to have a say and gain fresh perspectives. 

For Maya, the key has been focusing on what unites the generations, rather than separates them. It’s about acknowledging common goals. 

“I have found that having clear business values and purpose has helped us to create a workforce where Gen Z and the over 50s work effectively together,” she shares. 

“As a team, we are all connected by our shared values, our interest in the environment and our passion for protecting the planet. These common values give us a shared interest which makes it easier to build relationships upon.”