Bridging The Gap Between Old School And New School

I wouldnt be the first person to mention the great divide between the Baby Boomer

generation and Gen Y in the workforce, and Im certainly not the only one to see that the culture between the two is vastly different in terms of how they learn and how they operate in the workplace. I have found, though, that it is often simply a statement that, once made, lingers in the air with little or no response as to a resolution to the obvious conundrum. So, since it is clear we cannot replenish the well between the two extremes in workforce age, we must focus on creating a bridge so that the two generations are able to work better together in this ever-evolving world. I pose three tactics to get organizations that might be at a loss here moving in the right direction.

Create an environment of regular communication. The more often different types of people communicate with one another, the less foreign the dialect becomes. I was speaking with my brother and dad recently about blogging, Google optimization, and backlinks and I saw my dads eyes glaze over. The language was so foreign to him, he simply tuned out. Lucky for him, his profession does not require him to understand that sort of thing, but for those in his generation who work in a rapidly evolving environment that requires them to understand new technology and techniques, it can be difficult and frustrating to grasp and keep up with things that werent being used a few years ago. By mixing up the pot and getting the various age ranges to interact on a regular basis, the communication will become less strained on both sides. And, fundamentally, getting to know ones coworkers better builds trust between them.

Enlist those with one foot out the door. There is a very real fear that when those on the verge of retirement exit the organization, they will take precious knowledge with them. Their years and decades of expertise cannot be canned, but it can be shared. Develop a mentorship program not just for their successors, but for younger individuals on their same career track. Absorbing some of the experience from ones elders can be a wonderful opportunity for those newer to the workforce, providing them with valuable lessons learned, tricks of the trade, and sage advice. And what person doesnt enjoy talking about his own experience to a rapt audience? It is a free and powerful tool to have in any organization.

Have regular idea sessions. Offering employees of varying levels the chance to sit down together in a think tank setting to discuss some of the pressing problems facing the organization and learn about some of the innovative ideas and resources new to the field can be a valuable opportunity for collaborative brainstorming. Creative organizations like Google and Pixar offer employees a certain amount of time to devote to personal projects, which has led to some of the most groundbreaking ideas implemented within their companies. While government agencies cant necessarily green light free play time for their employees, getting together some of the greatest minds on your staff to work together to create solutions and learn in a less formal setting can have similar results, especially if you can get people from different departments within the organization to participate and offer their own take on the topic.

What solutions has your organization come up with to bridge the generation gap?

by: TMGov

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