In the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace, one of the most significant shifts we’ve seen is the emergence of a multigenerational workforce. As we stand on the cusp of Gen Z surpassing Baby Boomers in the job market, organisations are finding themselves in unchartered territory with access to a talent pool made up of five generational cohorts.

Benefits of a multigenerational workforce

We know that diverse teams are 35% more productive, and make better decisions 87% of the time (McKinsey), but what other benefits come with employing a multigenerational workforce?

• Diverse perspectives and ideas:Each generation brings unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the table. A multigenerational workforce fosters creativity and innovation by incorporating a wide range of viewpoints into problem-solving and decision-making processes.

• Improved communication and collaboration:Multigenerational teams provide opportunities for employees to learn from one another and develop strong communication and collaboration skills. By bridging generational divides, teams can work more effectively together and achieve common goals.
• Resilience and adaptability:A multigenerational workforce is better equipped to navigate challenges and uncertainties thanks to the diverse skill sets, experiences, and perspectives. This resilience enables organisations to respond more effectively to changes in the market, industry, or external environment.

The benefits of employing people of all ages into your team might seem obvious. However, age discrimination is a big issue faced within recruitment, with sweeping stereotypes often assigned to particular groups and impacting hiring decisions.

Defined as ‘discrimination against persons of a certain age group’ ageism remains a barrier to hiring, holding businesses back from unlocking the potential that a multigenerational workplace could unlock.

We’ve put together some key points on how you can avoid age-related bias and maximise your access to diverse talent.

Plan and amend your hiring strategy

To ensure you’re hiring diversely, the first step is to analyse your current hiring process. Think about:

• Are you clear on what you’re looking for?
• What recruitment channels are you using?
• How do you measure success?
• How could you improve your current process?
• What do you currently have in place to avoid bias?

Ask yourself these questions and get a clear strategy in place. For more help on planning for diversity and avoiding bias in your hiring, read our blog here.

Attracting multigenerational talent

Talent attraction is a key part of your hiring strategy. But how do you make sure you stand out to talent spanning across five generations?

• Rewrite your job advertisements.Write your job ads in a clear and functional manner, including the experience and qualifications needed to succeed in the position. Avoid using any age-biased adjectives including mature, seasoned, and high-energy, as you run the risk of alienating particular age groups. It’s also important to focus on experience and knowledge in demonstratable ability, rather than in years.
• Consider the benefits you offer.When you’re advertising the role, place a focus on inclusive benefits such as flexibility, work-life balance, or educational benefits rather than ping-pong tables or Friday drinks.
• Think through your application process.Complex, tech-heavy application systems run the risk of discounting older individuals, so making the application process as straightforward and accessible as possible means you’re more likely to get applications from a diverse range of talent.

Assessing multigenerational talent

You’ve got lots of applications and now you need to analyse them – how do you keep it fair?

• Ditch the CV:Don’t worry, it’s not as crazy as it sounds! Relying too much on a piece of paper to give you all the information you need on a candidate increases the chances of you discounting them for something subjective. Afterall, one of the biggest contributors to age bias is assessing a candidate’s ability based on the number of years they’ve worked in a role or industry. A much fairer and more effective way to measure a candidate’s suitability for a role is to use competency testing tools like Toggl Hire or Test Gorilla. These tools will help you to hire more objectively by using data-driven processes.

• Diversify your interview panel:Make sure your candidates are meeting team members from different backgrounds, seniorities, and genders. This will not only improve the candidate’s experience but will enhance your decision-making and reduce the risk of biased decisions.
• Anti-bias training:It’s also worth considering putting your chosen interviewers through anti-bias training to increase their awareness of unconscious bias and improve the interview process.  

Retaining multigenerational talent

Congratulations, you made the hire(s)! You successfully attracted and assessed the talent, but now you need to retain it. Here are some tips:

• Foster an inclusive culture and create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to collaborate.

• Promote skill sharing. Encourage employees to learn from each other by creating cross-training initiatives where employees of all ages and experiences can share their skills and knowledge with other team members.
• Conduct regular feedback sessions and check-ins to understand the needs and concerns across all cohorts – and act on them!

For more advice specifically around retaining top talent, check out our blog here.

Conclusion

Building and sustaining a multi-generational workforce requires intentional efforts at every stage of the employment lifecycle. By embracing diversity, actively combating age related bias, and fostering an inclusive culture, organisations will gain access to a large talent pool of all generations and ultimately build a higher performing workplace.

If you would like to have a chat about planning your hiring strategy to attract multigenerational talent, get in touch with our Co-founder & CEO, Alan Furley, on alan@isltalent.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.