As our workforce continues to evolve, addressing the needs of a multigenerational workforce has become increasingly important. Understanding the unique needs of both younger and older generations is essential for effective leadership and creating inclusive environments that support a diverse range of experiences and perspectives. And with Gen Z and Millennials expected to make up over half of the U.S. workforce in just a few years, many organizations have started preparing for this shift.
At the Ad Council, we're exploring options to ensure we evolve with these changes. Led by Jo-Jo Jones, our director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, we’re partnering with organizations to implement effective strategies that advance workplace diversity.
To gain deeper insight, I spoke with trusted DEI experts—partners who share our commitment to action and accountability—to understand how leaders can proactively address the impact of generational diversity on workplace culture, talent acquisition and cross-generational collaboration. Join us as we discuss strategies to foster an inclusive workplace that promotes deeper understanding and mutual respect across generations.
Elise James-DeCruise: Given the interconnected nature of generational diversity with other dimensions of diversity, how can organizations foster courageous conversations that explore the intersections between age, race, gender and other identity markers, and promote deeper understanding and solidarity among employees?
Glenn Singleton: To effectively foster courageous conversations that explore the various intersections, organizations must embrace a multifaceted approach. This involves stepping out of their comfort zones and adopting new practices, recognizing that discomfort is often a necessary part of growth. Leadership must model these conversations with transparency and vulnerability, sharing their own experiences to build trust and set a safe tone for others. When leaders within an organization value relationships and personal growth, they create a model culture for others to follow.
It's crucial to validate the contributions of all generations, particularly Generation Z and Millennials, who bring valuable perspectives despite their shorter tenure. Regular engagement in intersectionality through seminars and discussion groups helps acknowledge the complexity and beauty of holding multiple identities. Establishing safe spaces and continuous education on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging is essential, along with promoting active listening and empathy. Having courageous conversations is a challenging, ever-evolving, and continuous effort. This holistic approach not only enhances workplace culture but also drives innovation and growth by welcoming the full spectrum of employee experiences and perspectives.
EJD: How can organizations ensure that conversations about race and identity go beyond surface-level discussions to address the deeper historical and systemic factors that have shaped generational attitudes and experiences?
GS: Ensuring that conversations about race and identity transcend surface-level discussions requires a commitment to expanding racial literacy within organizations. Creating a culture of belonging and preventing the perpetuation of harm demands a deep understanding of the historical and systemic factors that have shaped generational attitudes and experiences. Individuals cannot break patterns they don't comprehend, particularly in the context of racial healing and consciousness.
To dismantle harmful patterns, individuals must engage in intentional self-examination, exploring the experiences that have informed their beliefs and behaviors. This process involves critically examining both personal experiences and the broader historical and contemporary systemic contexts that have shaped societal norms and perpetuated inequalities. By fostering racial equity through self-reflection and a comprehensive understanding of systemic factors, organizations can promote genuine transformative change towards equity and belonging.
EJD: As organizations strive to create data-driven approaches to understanding and addressing generational diversity challenges, what ethical considerations should they keep in mind to ensure that analytics enhance rather than undermine inclusivity?
Ellen Darlington: When using data analytics to understand generational diversity challenges, organizations need to be careful to maintain ethical standards and ensure inclusivity in any decision-making process that uses employee demographic data. If an organization needs to collect age or generational data to get started, we recommend openly communicating why data is being collected, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. Getting informed consent from employees and ensuring strong data anonymization practices are both essential. Because working with big data can feel intimidating to some people, organizations should absolutely consider how they can leverage emerging AI solutions to make the process faster and simpler.
At Dandi, we utilize generative AI to summarize trends and insights without the need for users to be data experts. In any technology solution, companies should make sure they’re regularly auditing algorithms for bias and involving diverse stakeholders from different generations in the analysis process.
EJD: In your opinion, how can organizations utilize data insights to identify and address generational disparities in hiring, promotion and compensation practices to ensure equitable opportunities for career advancement across all age groups?
ED: We recommend organizations start off by ensuring they have access to the right metrics that tell you whether your practices are equitable or not. Measures like representation percentages, hiring breakdowns, promotion rates and adjusted pay equity analyses all provide insight into potential generational gaps in the workplace.
All of these insights should be set up to measure differences across departments, job levels, and locations to help in effective root-cause analysis. For many companies, gaps in hiring, promotions or compensation can feel daunting, but getting started is much easier when you can easily spot the low hanging fruit.
EJD: How can organizations use specific case studies presented in cultural competency workshops to highlight the intersections between generational diversity and cultural diversity, enabling employees to understand and appreciate the unique contributions and perspectives of colleagues from different age groups and cultural backgrounds?
LaToya Ming: At LCW, we define cultural competency as the ability to navigate our own and others’ worldviews and interpretations in ways that allow us to be more effective. Developing this cultural competency—and cultural literacy about specific communities—is a lifelong process. Cultures are borne from shared experiences, values, and behaviors—and generational cultures are no different. And although our generational cohort certainly influences how we think and behave, we’re all culturally multidimensional. For example, Gen Zers may have a lot in common in terms of experiences at the societal and technological levels, but an Italian American Gen Zer who grew up upper-middle-class in Brookline, Massachusetts will probably differ in some important ways from a Mexican-American Gen Zer who grew up the youngest of four in a lower-middle class neighborhood in Pilsen, Chicago.
Against this backdrop, we’ve seen over and over that people tend to learn best when presented with examples and when they work on realistic case studies—especially ones that resonate with their actual day-to-day experiences. If possible, we suggest having participants work in small groups encompassing diverse generations and cultural backgrounds. When framed and facilitated by a skilled intercultural trainer, the potential for understanding and appreciating people’s intersectional cultures—and application of these insights back at the workplace—skyrockets.
EJD: How can cultural competency training empower employees to serve as allies to their colleagues—promoting intergenerational understanding, mentorship and collaboration that enriches both individual growth and organizational success?
LM: Cultural competency gives employees a superpower when it comes to collaborating and connecting with colleagues, in mentoring relationships, or, if you’re a people leader, in developing and engaging your team.
Developing cultural competency teaches our brains, and with much practice, our intuition, to pause before making assumptions and to always check for mutual understanding. We can’t build cultural competency without first understanding ourselves—asking who and what taught me to behave and believe this way? Cultural competency also motivates us to learn more deeply about Gen Z, Boomer, Gen X cultures—and any other culture—on their own terms and stereotype-free. For example, did you know that most Zers and Millennials are more likely to stay at their jobs for five or more years if their employer makes a societal and environmental impact? Or that 20% of Gen Zers identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community? Cultural competency encourages us to temporarily suspend judgment, assume positive intent, and frame the situation as, “If I lived through that culture or that person’s exact path, wouldn’t I have learned similar lessons?”
Crucially, cultural competency also helps us understand what we may be missing from a situation or interaction and pushes us to ask the right questions before we make automatic judgments or decisions. And remember, we’re not changing who we are, we’re expanding who we are! We learn new approaches and perspectives that we now have in our toolbox, and that enrich our personal growth and our collective success.
EJD: What leadership qualities are essential for effectively managing a multigenerational workforce in a rapidly evolving business landscape, and how can organizations develop and nurture these traits within their leadership ranks?
Mark Royal: We’ve analyzed Korn Ferry assessment data to identify what different generations want from their leaders. Fortunately, there are many similarities across age groups. These include a focus on execution and external stakeholders, skill in planning and organizing work, building strong teamwork and collaboration, and timely and effective decision making. The best leaders can draw on a variety of leadership styles, with the self-awareness to adapt them to the person and the situation. That ability becomes increasingly important in workforces than span multiple generations. What’s also critical is creating open environments that embrace diversity and promote expression of mutual understanding to overcome perceived differences.
Assessments and coaching can help leaders expand their leadership styles and apply them where most appropriate. Additionally, organizations can consider training offerings for leaders to support them in creating open environments like psychological safety, giving and receiving feedback, and conscious inclusion.
EJD: Considering the increasing presence of Gen Z and Millennials in the workforce, how can organizations adapt their talent acquisition and retention strategies to attract and retain top talent from these generations while also leveraging the experience and wisdom of older generations?
MR: We have insights on the work experiences and priorities of younger employees through recent analyses of Korn Ferry’s global employee opinion database, comprised of information from over 500 companies and 6.8 million employees. Encouragingly, with long careers ahead of them, younger employees are more favorable than their older colleagues regarding coaching from immediate managers for performance and development, fairness in approaches to evaluating performance, and opportunities for advancement. They are less positive, however, regarding aspects of organizational support for health and well-being and opportunities to contribute to the success of their organizations in their current job roles.
Analyses identifying the key drivers of employee engagement for younger employees reinforce the importance of these themes. Top factors affecting motivation and commitment for this group include ability to achieve career goals in the company, reasonable workloads, organizational care and concern for employees, and encouragement to identify new and better processes. Taken together, these results suggest that in talent acquisition and retention strategies, organizations are wise to emphasize opportunities for younger employees to make a difference.
There are many opportunities for mutual learning if employees in different generational groups are get past stereotypes (e.g. Millennials don’t want to work hard, Gen Z doesn’t listen, Baby Boomers are to blame for everything) and appreciate and listen to each other. Long-tenured employees bring history and institutional knowledge, as well as the maturity to handle an ever-changing world. Meanwhile, younger employees bring digital savvy and a commitment to purpose that can help transform organizations. In addition, younger workers can provide insight into customer segments companies are trying to attract and offer advice on how to connect with them.
Thank you to all interviewees for their insights and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Together, we can create workplaces and societies that celebrate and embrace our unique differences.