Imagine you’re on your way to a three-day retreat at an all-inclusive spa and resort. You can’t wait for some time to unplug and relax. There’s only one catch: you’re taking a bus to the resort that’s filled with 20 strangers headed for the same place. As the bus starts down the highway, a fellow passenger pipes up.
“Take Highway 55! It’s much faster.”
“No,” says another. “Stay the course. Traffic will loosen up.”
Another passenger hollers, “Take the next exit and opt for the side streets. Sure, there are stoplights but there’s less traffic.”
Everyone on the bus has the same goal: to get to the resort. But, they have different ideas of how to actually get there.
It’s up to the manager — or in this case, the bus driver — to listen to each passenger and create a sense of collaboration and community so everyone feels heard and valued. Not an easy thing to do — on a bus or in the workplace.
Five generations working alongside each other
One of the trends we’re preparing for in 2019 is a workforce in flux. As 61 million Generation Zers head to work, that makes five generations working alongside each other. (https://ambrion.developmentcdn.com/were-ready-4-workplace-trends-to-watch-for-in-2019.html). While this span of ages creates opportunities to learn from each other, there’s not a clear path on how to actually work together — well. Managing lots of ages, skillsets, backgrounds and work habits isn’t easy. Is there a way to make sure everyone feels heard and valued? We found three ways that might help.
Inclusive management that’s employee-focused
A recent research report from CompTIA, an IT association and initiative, says that despite major differences, most employees generally want the same things: financial security, fulfilling work and work-life balance.
This is where management can get creative. Invite everyone to bring their ideas, creativity and processes to the table and then create space to listen to and honor each employee and idea. Instead of focusing on what separates employees or generations, get to know the person behind the generational stereotype. For example, we’ve heard lots (and lots!) about Millennials. One of the most important workplace values to this generation is flexibility. Instead of offering a blanket statement like, You can work flexible hours, get to know your employees and what might work for them. For some, that might mean working from home. For another, it’s meeting-free chunks of time. Find out what each person values, what motivates them, their personal goals, and then — using this knowledge — find a way to engage with them.
Cultivate symbiotic relationships
Former CEO and author of Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder, Chip Conley was hungry for a new challenge. That’s when he got a call from the founders at Airbnb asking for help. Through this experience, he learned to pair wisdom and experience with curiosity. He became, what he calls, a Modern Elder.
“If the fate of Travis Kalanick, former CEO at Uber ousted by his board after a series of very naive leadership mistakes,” he writes in his book, “is any lesson, maybe there’s a symbiotic relationship that can exist between the digital natives and their elders.”
He believes elders with experience are on the brink of a comeback. Both groups, he says, can gain from this form of mentorship. Younger employees will benefit from the wisdom of their older coworkers and older employees will be exposed to new ideas.
Institute a daily huddle
In an article in the Harvard Business Review, Conley echoes the wisdom he writes about in his book. One idea he suggests is a mid-morning wisdom talk.
“Each day, give one employee a platform to share their wisdom, learning, or point of view. Or maybe try ending a regular team meeting with one member sharing their newest-found wisdom from the past few weeks?”
A team huddle isn’t a staff meeting but rather a 15-30 minute daily or weekly check-in that includes peer-to-peer discussions. During these huddles, supervisors might ask open-ended questions and encourage team members to provide suggestions. An added bonus: huddles also provide the opportunity for employees — of all ages — to get to know each other better.