With younger employees joining the workforce for the first time and the oldest generations coming out of retirement and returning to work, we are looking at five distinct generations occupying the workplace. This is the most multigenerational workforce ever. In an ideal world, there would be no workplace clashes or age-based discrimination, a.k.a ageism. However, people tend to generalize what they don’t understand, assigning mostly negative traits based on age to anyone outside their own familiar age bracket. For example, Boomers are often labeled as stuck in their ways or stubborn, whereas Gen Zs and Alphas are dismissed as lazy or entitled.
Credit: EY
Generation Generalizations Help No One
In fact, the other day, I came across a LinkedIn post of a manager poking fun at his Gen Z employees. What was likely intended to be a well-meaning, light-hearted post turned into a forum for managers of different age groups to gather and vent about how hard they found it to work with Gen Z employees.
One commenter even said, “I will never hire another Gen Z employee for as long as I can help it, because they are so whiney and are constantly complaining about toxicity or wanting time off for their mental health.”
Though their frustrations were understandable, this rhetoric has consequences. Deepening generational divides not only limits the potential for a business to be more innovative, it also contributes to high employee turnover and job dissatisfaction. The attitude of the previously mentioned commenter, whether they stick to their promise or not, fuels the growing unemployment rates of recent graduates globally. Instead of trying to understand why their young employees need more time off or mental health breaks, they have made a very harsh generalization that will hurt both the people and productivity.
Ageism: Against the Young and the Old
On the other hand, older workers who have had to return to work or stay in the workforce for longer than they planned are equally discriminated against.
The idea that they can only offer so much in the modern world often contributes to bullying and othering. Yes, they do need to keep upskilling, but they also have valuable principles, an invaluable network, and a wealth of diverse experience that younger people can draw from. Thus, age discrimination leads both young and old workers to miss out on growth and learning opportunities.
Percent of respondents that use skills-based hiring practices
Data via NACE
Everyone Has Something Worth Sharing
In order to achieve true age inclusivity, each generation must try to open their minds and make an effort to understand the experiences and perspectives of others. Having had several conversations with my parents, who would be considered Boomers, concerning this topic, I came to understand the values that shaped them. When I aired my grievances about the hostile job market and working conditions, they came to realize that my generation is not lazy, just prioritizing different things. Acknowledging each other in this way made a constructive discussion possible. This is something that I believe not only parents and children should attempt, but also employers and employees.
With the current workforce becoming increasingly age diverse, it shouldn’t be a matter of us vs them. I truly believe there should be a genuine, collaborative effort from all sides to implement balance in the workplace. Leaders need to leverage the experiences and ideas from both their younger and older employees. Doing this will encourage diversity of thought and encourage an environment of shared learning among colleagues, which can eventually lead to a more productive and innovative workplace.
Ready to empower your team and organization? Explore DE&I best practices and success cases. Learn how to get started with our resources.
