The art of flexibility: bridging five generations in the workforce

Abstract

Purpose Being successful in a rapidly changing world of work depends upon having very clear insights into the nature of the workforce from top leadership to lowest employee levels. Understanding generational similarities and differences provides a good starting point, as it provides the basis for examining the diversity of generational perspectives and needs and insight and instruction to open the thinking about the diverse population of employees. The purpose of this paper is to explore ways to bridge the five generations that work in today’s workforce. Design/methodology/approach Human resources has an especially important role to play in employee policy development and implementation, employee relations, performance evaluation, career progression and a wide range of other equally important and complex situations. Findings While it is important to understand these broad generations, it is critical to engage with the individuals within your organization to better understand their perspectives, what matters most to them and where they see the greatest challenges and opportunities to bridge across generations. This paper explores approaches to take in bridging these generations. Originality/value This paper will offer readers valuable insight into managing a multi-generational workforce.

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