Filling the generation gap in your organization becomes more crucial with time as due to globalization and better policies, workplaces are now the most diverse in history and even research suggests that this diversity is essential for the success of the organization. A major part of this diversity is different generations in the current workforce that includes the last of baby boomers, Gen X, Millennials as well as Gen Z, this makes organizations become a place where senior managers could be twice the age of junior developers.
And while having this diversity is good for the organization’s success, it may also create a lot of challenges including differences in opinions, ideas, tech-savviness, and experience that not only affects the organizational climate but also the organization’s future.
So, how to bridge this gap? An effective and unique hack could be Reverse Mentoring. As the name suggests, reverse mentoring is a technique that requires employees from different generations to mentor each other. Through a formal mentorship program, senior employees (Baby boomers/GenX) can share their experience and mentor new employees with their personal hacks and expertise in the field. Simultaneously, Millennials/Gen Z can mentor Baby Boomers/Gen X by updating them with current technological hacks/skills, social media, and other trends that influence business and their field.
Obviously, there could be a factor of fear in all of the generations as young employees might think that experienced employees won’t take them seriously and experienced one’s might think that the younger ones will take their jobs in the coming years. And hence, it becomes more crucial to communicate that this mentorship is programmed to establish a better connection amongst each other, build new ideas for the organization, without a focus just on evaluating their progress.
Once, the ice-breaking happens then this reverse mentoring can help all employees better understand each other’s motivations and thereby motivate them to bridge the gap themselves.
Bonus tip: One of the best ways to help employees understand themselves as well as connect with others is to develop their emotional intelligence.
“Every generation needs regeneration”
-Charles Spurgeon
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