Engagement for all!
Trying to get all generations to engage and play nice in the workplace sandbox is like inviting kids from all grades K to 12 and hoping for castle building experience that will intrigue everyone and result in a solid structure.
The interesting thing about people at work is that, at a fundamental level, we all want similar things, which can be categorized into three pillars. Achievement, camaraderie and equity. Although it’s possible to effectively address and take advantage of the differences in values and expectations of each generation,[i] focusing on the three pillars of employee engagement will satisfy all generations.
From the pillars of employee engagement below, make continuous attempts to exemplify the left column attributes to build engagement. Ensure that you are not making the mistakes identified in the right column which will undermine engagement.
| Factors That Build Engagement | Factors That Undermine Engagement |
| ACHIEVEMENT | |
| Meaningful work | Micromanagement |
| Recognition | Lack of feedback |
| Career growth | Limited resources |
| Compelling mission | Unclear future |
| CAMARADERIE | |
| Partnership principles | Poor communication |
| Respectful dialogue | Destructive conflict |
| Supportive teams | Poor internal service |
| Strong community | High levels of distrust |
| EQUITY | |
| Fair pay and benefits | Favouritism |
| Fair treatment | Climate of disrespect |
| Transparency | Lack of accountability |
| Strong values | Workload imbalance |
Isn’t it great to know how what engages people regardless of their generation? At the end of the day, we all want these same things. I hope you’ve gained valuable information to recognize, appreciate, and engage all generations to create a culture based on inclusion and collaboration. An understanding of different generations, their attributes and perspectives, strategies to mitigate potential conflict, and recruiting and engagement methods will benefit the productivity and engagement of our current workforce.
In case you missed any of them, here are the other posts related to this series:
- Collaborating In A Multi-Generational World
- Collaborating In A Multi-Generational World (Part II)
- Managing The Multi-Generations
- Retention and Remote Work in a Multi-Generational Workplace
Thank you for your interest in this series of Leadership Tips and your continued readership throughout the past year. As inclusion is such a relevant topic, meeting planners and HR Managers are booking Collaborating in a Multi-Generational Workplace this keynote topic to help audiences sustain a more peaceful, profitable and productive workplace for everyone.
Start With Your Leaders and Managers
Effective leaders understand who they are, how they behave and how they influence their team. With limited resources and even less time, leaders face ever more elevated levels of stress. Overwhelmed leaders provide significantly less recognition and support.[ii]
Having five generations of employees working side-by-side is unprecedented and brings both opportunities and threats. The need to manage different values and motivations is upon us.
Problem with Collaborating in a Multi-Generational Workplace?
Solution: The Sandbox System™
- Conflict Resolution
- Training
- Planning
- Accountability
If your team could use some collaboration inspiration to create a happy and productive multi-generational workplace, I invite you to schedule a Complementary Discovery Call, and we can have a chat about how to get everyone working together peacefully!
Penny
[ii] https://www.mercer.ca/en/our-thinking/career/employee-engagement-the-generation-game.html
