Please make a reply to this Discussion board
- Hales DB
Age differences have been a common sight in organizations for a very long time. There will always be a new workforce entering while another leaves. Because of this, we often see issues arise between different age groups, because they each have their own values that stem from the experiences they have faced in their lifetimes. The goal for all HR teams is to view the leaving members and the joining members as to very separate issues. For example, the HR department needs to observe what qualities are most admired in the baby boomers’ group, and what values should be carried on once they are gone. Then, HR needs to implement a sort of training or mentoring so that the remaining employees are taught actions and processes with the same value. Additionally, the new younger workforce will have far different values. Some of their focus will be entirely new to organizations. Instead of automatically turning from those values, organizations need to observe those as well, determine which ones could be a new value within the company, and instill those values into the workplace culture. This helps the organization to face possible innovation, and also build a work environment that the newer workforce will want to have as a workplace culture.
However, this is all easier said than done. A lot of the problems that organizations will face will come from trying to build connections between the members leaving and the new members, and the new members and the organization. With age differences having different values and seeing things in different ways, it might be hard for the two ages to understand each other and getting them to work together might be challenging. Just as well, the younger generation values work life balance over anything else in the workplace, so encouraging them to devote more of their energy into placing value on their new job may prove difficult if they don’t already have a sense of loyalty to the company.
Companies might be able to avoid these issues if they work proactively, and not reactively. For example, HR could build a sort of informational discussion or training program to guide all members involved on how to work alongside different generations. Tolerance and nondiscrimination must be a key point, so that all members benefit from the session. To gain the trust and loyalty of the younger generation, companies can ask them to voice their ideas, and give their opinions about what they need and what matters to them. This must be an open discussion, because if the younger workforce feels like they are being listened to, and not actually heard, they will feel discouraged, and choose to withdraw their personal loyalty towards the company. But if they see that they can voice their opinions and needs, and that those words are actually being valued, they will begin to trust more. It can be hard to get the younger workforce to give their loyalty, but once it happens, they can often be lifers in any organization.
