How HR can reduce the tech ‘age divide’ in a changing workforce
We all know about the perceived ‘generation gap’ – the contrasting ideas and ways of operating that separates people from different age groups.
Now that technology has become even more prevalent in daily life, particularly in light of increased remote working, how is the age divide impacting work interactions and activities? And what difference does attitude to technology make?
It’s an issue that many HR teams have looked at closely; some are also using what they discover to formulate new initiatives which help to bridge the gap between older and younger generations and encourage greater harmony at work.
We explore this topic in more depth below and offer some actionable considerations for HR to ensure technology is both accessible and can be easily adopted by your multi-generational workforce.
A closer look at your changing workforce
Take a few moments to consider the spread of ages across your organisation, which will likely include the following generations:
- Baby Boomers – Born from 1946 to the 60s
- Generation X - Born in the 60s and 70s
- Millennials – Born in the 80s and 90s
- Generation Z – Born from the mid-90s onwards
At one end of the spectrum you have the so-called Baby Boomers, many of whom have opted to work longer to build up their pensions; currently working alongside Generation X and the digitally savvy Millennials. Even with this level of age diversity, it’s understandable how employee experiences with technology can be so different. Yet this has now intensified as we’ve welcomed Generation Z to the workforce, who crucially have only ever experienced life with all the benefits and expectations of super-fast connectivity, smartphones and an ‘always on’ culture.
It’s no wonder companies in every sector see difficulties when introducing new technology and ways of working to their employees.
Balancing technology with employee preferences
HR will already understand the different perspectives that workers can adopt. Some employees want to stick with tried and tested ways of working but struggle to keep up with the speed of change. Others have definite expectations about the tools they need to do their jobs effectively - and they become frustrated if the technology doesn’t support their preferred ways of working or enable them to fulfil their potential. Add to this the many employees of all ages now wanting to work remotely longer-term, either occasionally or regularly.
There is also the people skills element to consider. As a general rule, the younger generation prefer to communicate digitally, which as a consequence can mean that they can lack face-to-face communication skills and could, therefore, struggle with managing a team or presenting in meetings for example. Older workers may find it a challenge to interact using online platforms when they feel more at home ‘reading body language’ and assessing the mood of others by looking them in the eye and using their wider senses when communicating. It’s a heady mix!
What can HR do?
To get the best results across the entire workforce, whatever their age and preferences, HR has to draw on all the tools at its disposal to identify any technology skills gaps. This requires getting under the surface to understand the range of work styles and technology used – and it’s where HR software can really come into its own.
The underlying goal is to find ways to utilise the differences between generations, making the most of their individual skills and preferences, and where possible, supporting them to learn new skills that add to their existing ones. That way, the generation gap begins to close, and everyone benefits.
A good place to start is by answering some fundamental questions:
- Who struggles to embrace change, especially if tech is involved? What are their main concerns, and how can they be overcome?
- Who is an advocate for technology and a potential ‘champion’ amongst others?
- Is the business providing all workers with the tools, systems, and connectivity levels they need or expect, particularly when remote working?
- How reliable and up to date are systems?
- How effective is mobile working?
- How well is HR matching skills training with individual employees?
- What insight can HR draw on the technology skills gap from HR software?
Encourage mentoring across the generational divide
HR can play an important role by encouraging knowledge and skills sharing between age groups - and cross-generational mentor programmes are an excellent way to approach this. For instance, your younger workers are likely fluent in conducting multiple online conversations or live chats at once, multi-tasking and saving time to reach decisions faster. From this younger generation, your older employees can learn about more modern communication tools whilst in turn sharing their wealth of business knowledge and communication skills and experiences with younger colleagues to help broaden their horizons.
One final point to consider - as mobile staff and remote working practices become more commonplace, embracing digital tools and platforms that support online, real-time collaboration will become the norm. HR can be the driving force behind this shift and ensure everyone is on board and able to keep up as changes take hold. Digital interaction will be a fundamental part of workplace communication of the future, so it pays to bring everyone up to speed.
Discover more about how our HR software can help you get to the heart of your people’s preferences and expectations. You can also download our guide for our top tips on how to make a real difference when it comes to engaging the multi-generational workforce of today.
