Beginning Your Generational Diversity & Inclusion Journey? This is Where it Can Take You!

Photo by Matt Noble on Unsplash

The year is 2025. Your organization has been nominated to receive the nation’s most prestigious Diversity Award for Generational Inclusion in Action.   

I have the honor of conducting an onsite visit, and I’m looking for how your workplace successfully engages all generations. When in I walk in the door, I get an upbeat vibe; I feel welcomed.

I look around and see people of all ages, races, genders, and abilities interacting with each other. I see team meetings with— and led by—members of different generations.

These team meetings employ “Remixing,” a common problem-solving technique. Best explained by Lindsey Pollak, remixing blends the best of each generation’s ideas and practices to design a smarter workplace for everyone.

At lunch, I notice co-mentoring happening around the building. Co-mentoring partners a member of an older gen with a member of a younger gen so they can help each other navigate this fast-changing world.

And I discover that co-mentoring goes all the way up. During my meeting with the CEO, I learn they communicate with a younger gen mentor on a daily basis. They tell me their mentor provides reality checks and helps them understand emerging trends—most recently the idea of hybrid work. Their mentor pointed out that for younger gens, work is a thing, not a place, and from their friendship grew an acceptance and appreciation for generational diversity and inclusion. What a testimonial!

HR Practices Generational Diversity & Inclusion

When I stop by an on-boarding session, I am struck by the wide age range of new hires. An age-inclusive organization rejects ageist stereotypes and creates a robust workforce. There is no age limit for learning new things and adapting to changes. Young people bring more than tech skills: they bring energy and innovative ideas. Older workers use their experience to support and mentor younger generations. They are reliable, healthier than ever, and want to contribute. 

Employees begin planning for retirement early—in their mid-40s—with intentional discussion about how long they want to work and how much income they realistically need to retire. They’re considering step-down retirement plans, teaching and mentoring opportunities, and their own legacies. Essentially, they are building their succession long before it’s an emergency. Financial planning is provided to make these aspirations a reality with plenty of flexibility—a great asset to succession planning

And the best part of your generationally diverse workforce? The HR leaders tell me turnover is lower, employee satisfaction is higher, and they’re able to recruit top talent.  

Most importantly: Generational Diversity paves the way for and enhances all other aspects of Equity & Inclusion in the organization. The HR leaders saw the parallels right away, and told me that tackling the obstacles of age difference, they were beginning to apply the same principles to race, gender, and ability differences.

I’m impressed by your workplace, and wholeheartedly recommend it for the award. 

As I leave the building, I pass under a banner that seems both a clarion call and a description of what I’ve just experienced. It read: “Every Generation has something to Teach and Something to Learn.” - Megan Gerhardt

This Could Be You 

The future is bright for companies who take intentional steps toward generational diversity. Forbes reports the financial future is particularly bright for inclusive teams:

“Through 2022, 75% of organizations with frontline decision-making teams reflecting a diverse and inclusive culture will exceed their financial targets, according to Gartner, a global research and advisory firm. Gender-diverse and inclusive teams—including age diversity—outperformed gender-homogeneous, less inclusive teams by 50%, on average.”

My three main takeaways from my visit to a Generationally Diverse, Age Inclusive workplace:

1.) Generational Inclusion is recognized, supported, and modeled by leadership.
2.) Generational Diversity is intentional. Time is devoted to providing awareness and understanding about the topic. A cross- gen team with reps from every department investigated best practices and sought help to implement them.
3.) Successful Generational Diversity includes acknowledging frictions between generational perspectives and leveraging them to spark and fuel innovation. 

So, how did this transformation come about? And how can you be part of your organization’s transformation? We’ll talk about that next time.