Is generational diversity hindering a happy and productive workplace?

From those born before 1946 to baby boomers, an increasingly number of workers from older generations are choosing to work past the age of retirement.  At the same time, more and more new entrants into the workforce are coming from Generation Z, or those born in the mid-to- late 1990s.

Add to the mix Gen X and millennials, and companies today may conceivably have five generations working alongside each other. As a result, organisations are experiencing the “XYZ Divide Syndrome”, where generational diversity is seen as a negative element that makes it difficult to build and maintain a happy and productive workplace.

Understanding each generation’s unique needs, drivers, challenges and viewpoints has become integral to the way successful businesses recruit, manage, develop and communicate with their talent. It is also likely to hold the key to successful cross-collaboration among generations in the workplace.

To delve further into this subject and provide more insights for organisations, generational expert Rachele Focardi is writing a book that will be published by McGraw Hill this fall. As part of her research into the book, Focardi has launched a survey titled “Think Generationally – From Baby Boomers to Gen Z”, which aims to gain an understanding into people’s experience of working in a multi-generational environment.

Be part of the survey, and help shape the way organisations foster a culture of inter-generational collaboration!