Managing Diversity Activity 1

Activity 1: “Reverse Mentorship”—Millennials, Generation Z, And Boomers In Today’s Workforce

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Age Diversity

The Example

In the past, more experienced and older workers would manage, supervise, and mentor less experienced and younger workers. Yet, given the fast pace of technological advancements in today’s workplace, more employees and employers are recognizing that there is a lot to be learned from younger generations. With new generations coming into the workplace and older generations staying on the job longer than ever before, the workforce is increasingly diverse with respect to age. In the third decade of the 21st century, several generations—baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z—are represented in the workplace (Forbes, 2020). The diverse age of the workforce means that each generation may contribute unique knowledge and ways of thinking that could enrich the others. Our classical understanding of leadership and management as one directional (more experienced, older workers managing younger, less experienced ones) needs to change.

A new corporate trend, “reverse mentorship,” is making its way to provide this opportunity. Reverse mentorship allows the older generations to learn from millennials and Generation Zs, who may look at things differently as well as understand the importance and connections to technology in today’s world (Forbes, 2020; Quast & Hedges, 2011). At Google, for example, a company with a large proportion of employees under the age of 30, older workers have come together to form an employee support group called, Greyglers. This support group provides opportunities for Google staff to come together, learn from their peers of all ages, and gather insight from different generations that will inform programs and policies (Carson, 2015). The Greyglers support group is part of Google’s diversity program and “as company elders, the Greyglers advocate for policy change within Google, promote awareness of age diversity and issues related to age, and support transitions throughout Googler careers, so that Google remains a workplace that works for everyone” (Google, 2021).

Members of the millennial generation, born between 1981 and 1996, and Generation Z (born after 1996, according to the Pew Research Center, 2020), have been entering the workforce in increasing numbers. Concurrently, members of the baby boomer generation are still active there, and many plan to continue their involvement beyond the traditional retirement age (whether out of financial necessity or because they wish to continue being productive). Millennials and Generation Zers bring different viewpoints and perspectives to the workplace (Pew Research Center, 2020; Tiwari, 2016). Although it is difficult to generalize about a single cohort, some characteristics are typical of the millennial generation (Tulgan, 2016). Millennials are known to be more immersed in technology (e.g., social media, Internet, smart cell phones, computers) than older generations, and they tend to use these platforms for social, educational, and work purposes. For example, technology enhancements play a role in the way millennials in leadership positions communicate with staff or approach work-related problems (Rikleen, 2015). Although technology provides new and innovative ways to address work productivity and efficiency, it forces everyone in the workplace to be “digitally literate” and requires employees of all ages to stay well-informed with constantly evolving technology (Rikleen, 2015).

The transition from baby boomers to millennials and Generation Zers in the workplace has created work-engagement challenges for management (Forbes, 2020; Riley, 2015). While some members of the baby boomer generation are retired or planning for retirement, many are still active in the workplace, and many are managing or are being managed by members of the millennial or the Z generations. Taking into consideration the diversity within each cohort, researchers have identified some characteristics that are more typical to baby boomers on the one hand and millennials on the other. Some studies suggest that millennials are academic- and achievement-oriented, rule followers, and community-oriented, while others suggest that millennials are dependent on support from others, self-centered, entitled, and even lazy and disloyal (Rikleen, 2015). Research on baby boomers suggests that they are independent, focused on competitive and goal-oriented work, and often believe in a hierarchal work structure and rankings. This generation is often well-established in their careers, holding positions that allow them to have power, responsibility, and authority in the workplace (Wiedmer, 2015).

Intergenerational challenges are not unique to any specific country, and companies that operate globally are facing similar challenges in different contexts. For example, at a time when the workforce in more-developed countries is aging, India’s population is getting younger, requiring organizations to consider ways to connect with each generational cohort in order to maintain high rates of engagement, productivity, and attrition (Tiwari, 2016).

In 2015, Deloitte, an international consulting firm, administered a survey to nearly 7,700 millennials representing 29 countries. Their goal was to obtain a better understanding of the millennial generation, including their values and the sources of their job satisfaction. The survey found that 44% of millennials would leave their job in the next two years, and 71% of those who were likely to leave would do so because they were unhappy with the leadership and skills training (or lack of) provided by their employer.

Employees who reported high levels of employee satisfaction were more likely to indicate that their employer provided open and free-flowing communication, a supportive work culture, a strong vision and sense of purpose beyond financial opportunities and success, a sense of encouraging all employees, a strong commitment to equality and inclusiveness, and, finally, support and understanding of the goals and motivation of younger employees. When it came to senior leadership opportunities, 50% of male and 48% of female respondents said they felt like they were “being overlooked for potential leadership positions” (Deloitte, 2015). Although the findings indicated a general lack of leadership consideration for the millennial generation, men (21%) were more likely than women (16%) to say that they lead a department or are members of the senior management team (Deloitte, 2015).

Learning how to recognize and understand generational and cohort differences can help employers and their staff learn ways to manage the workforce more effectively and create a diverse and productive workspace. Tiwari (2016) recommends leveraging the strengths of each generation to create diverse and comprehensive teams of employees, while also guiding internal policies, program development, and strategies to increase attraction and retention with all generations in the workplace. One way an organization can address multigenerational diversity is through employee resource groups. For example, Johnson & Johnson, a global science and research-based company headquartered in the United States, has an employee resource group for millennials (Rikleen, 2015). The group’s vision is to provide educational awareness regarding the culture and characteristics of millennials, to identify opportunities to empower and support millennials through professional growth, and to establish relationships with millennials and other employees to foster a deeper and more informative understanding of this generation. While the employee resource group is titled “Millennials,” it is open to all generations “cultivating knowledge sharing among generations” (Rikleen, 2015).

Share Your Insights

• Compare and contrast the challenges of managing an intergenerational workforce. 
• In countries where the workforce is aging, what types of age-related diversity issues may arise regarding pay, benefits, and family life?
• What are some ways that employers can use strengths of each generation to create diverse and comprehensive teams of employees?

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