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In today’s workplace ecosystem, it’s not unusual to find people of several different generations working together toward the same goals.
In today’s workplace ecosystem, it’s not unusual to find people of several different generations working together toward the same goals. Generation Z, Millennials, Gen Xers, Baby Boomers, and even Generation Alpha may all occupy roles together at your company or organization. And these significant age gaps—and the expectations and values that go with them—can mean that teammates may not always know the best ways to communicate, share ideas, and find shared values unless they work at it.
Below, you’ll find some tips that will put you ahead of the game and help you more easily, effectively connect with coworkers of any generations—older and younger. You’ll also find them helpful as you work with people in different areas of the U.S. and beyond, a skill that’s handy in today’s remote and hybrid workplaces.
Understand what drives different generations.
It’s all too easy to get locked into our own ways of thinking and doing. This is true of age groups, job types, backgrounds, and more. While it’s important to avoid basing your beliefs on stereotypes, it does pay to get to know what makes each generation unique.
Rather than making assumptions, consider asking your various coworkers what is most important to them in the workplace—and outside it, too. These values and beliefs are often driven by what they learned growing up.
- Do they prefer to have lots of guidelines and boundaries, or do they like flexibility and problem-solving on their own?
- Do they prefer a clear, firm schedule for their day, or would they rather flex and make their own schedule?
- Do they like a clear hierarchy, or a flat, level working environment?
Questions like these have no “right” or “wrong” answers—they’re just preferences. Knowing those preferences will help you understand those around you and be able to adapt to their styles when necessary to accomplish work-related goals.
Lean into people’s strengths—especially when they’re different from yours.
No matter what generation a coworker belongs to, there are special skills, great ideas, and experiential wisdom that they have to offer. If their areas of expertise don’t match yours, that’s all the better—because they’ll help your team be more well-rounded.
To discover what your coworkers (of any age) have to offer, consider taking these actions:
- Take them to lunch or grab coffee, and treat the time like a casual informational interview.
- Ask fellow teammates about their work experiences and show interest in what they do.
- Initiate or suggest that meetings start off with opportunities for people to share something they’ve learned.
The key to this technique is to simply ask people what they love and what they’re good at, and let them know the same about you. As you do this, you’ll be able to lean on your teammates for their abilities, and they’ll be able to lean on you for yours.
Strengthen your emotional intelligence.
One of the best ways to connect with others of any age or background is to show what is known as “emotional intelligence,” or EQ for short. This collection of soft skills is all about building relationships, establishing trust, and creating rapport, and it involves abilities such as self-awareness, social awareness, empathy, relatability, authenticity, and tact.
The more EQ you have, the more you’ll be able to develop positive relationships on the job. Grow your EQ by taking steps like these:
- Set up time during the week or month for casual chats with teammates, so you can listen and learn to relate to them.
- Take a course or read a book on soft skill development, and then practice those skills at work.
- Take a personality test for yourself, and get to know other types. These broad types are just “rough pictures” of different kinds of people, but what you learn can help you understand others better.
Ultimately, EQ is about holding more loosely to your own way of thinking and opening up to what others are experiencing. As you imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about what deadlines, roadblocks, and big rocks they’ve got in their role, it’ll help you be more aware of some reasons why they’re approaching work a certain way.
Be collaborative and learn from each other.
Establishing effective coworking relationships is all about finding ways to work together to accomplish goals. Teamwork really does make the dream work, as the saying goes. Even in small startups and nonprofits, there are at least a few people moving toward a goal.
To create the collaborative synergy that leads to successful work environment and happy careers, show a willingness to:
- Be humble and open to input and help. This creates mutual trust on teams and also helps the work get done—which benefits everyone.
- Own up to mistakes. By accepting your role at work, including your responsibility to those around you, you help build a collaborative environment.
- Offer tips and knowledge that add value to your workplace. Whether that’s helping an older coworker master a new tech tool, or suggesting insights to a younger colleague on how to “manage up,” we all have ways to benefit others.
Remember, mentoring and giving to others at work can happen in all directions. Look for coworkers of different generations, backgrounds, etc., and commit to supporting each other.
Identify shared values and common ground.
For many of us, our initial tendency may be to notice differences—but when it comes to building a strong team at work, finding places where you agree is a great way to strengthen morale and stay inspired. No matter how unique each generation’s life experiences may be, there are some things that we can agree on, no matter how old or young we are.
To locate those commonalities and bring them to the forefront of your work interactions, take these steps:
- Ask questions and listen for ideas and experiences that you can relate to—and point those shared moments out.
- Create a shared way of speaking about work, and make sure the terms are business-specific rather than being based on age, experience or background—so that everyone can relate to them.
- Think about the things that matter to just about everyone at work, like being appreciated, enjoying your role, and chances to grow. Focus on those shared values as much as possible.
Respect the differences that do exist—and recognize them as an advantage.
The bottom line is that when you have several people in a room, they’ll have different ways of doing things—depending on age, work experience, life experience, and a host of other factors. This doesn’t have to create problems, though. In fact, it’s often easy to adapt if we are willing to be flexible.
Keep in mind, different ways of seeing, thinking, and doing our work is a plus in the workplace. Everyone brings something unique and valuable to the table. And being open to those distinctions helps to create a diverse, inclusive work environment that can benefit the company—and you as you grow in your career.
