Why should your organization take the necessary steps to bridge communication? Because in most workplaces today, there are as many as five generation working together. (Fast Company, 2.7.19) Mentoring is at the center of many of my conversations today. Companies are facing challenges from today’s workforce due to a general lack of knowledge and understanding with regard to the vital marriage of historical and foundational development with rapid technological advances.
Experiencing big gaps between A and C? Your workforce is relying too much on technology to speed up a process that really requires communication. We have created environments that provide too little time for the human element yet this is exactly what is needed to boost productivity and improve technology.
I find myself reminding people to slow down. In order to experience success and growth, the best way to build a strong foundation is through cross-generational education, training and communication. Richard Bailey recently authored an article on the cross-generational subject: "There are now five generations working in the workforce - Can they work together (Fast Company, February 7, 2019). In the words of Mr. Bailey:
“Driving unity across a multigenerational workforce cannot happen without a commitment to professional development. Employees of every generation are wondering what the future holds for them, and they appreciate the value that continuous learning brings to career success. A recent study by D2L and Wainhouse Research found that younger and older workers have remarkably similar preferences for workplace learning. The common thread: All generations want to stay up-to-date on latest tools of the trade.”
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| “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.” Proverbs 4.7 |
Your best source of wisdom is the experience of those who are navigating the same ladder as you, in parallel, or at various other rungs. As individuals, we cannot know everything. Knowledge is a form of growth in learning that comes from shared communication. The most important aspect of the cross-generational workplace is recognizing the distinction between wisdom and knowledge. I encounter more and more people with the knowledge of a trade, but less and less with wisdom of it. To quote Mr. Bailey again:
“Successful organizations view their multigenerational workforce not as a bane, but as a blessing. It is imperative, not just for individual organizations but for the entire working world, to embrace the benefits of an age-diverse workforce. When we come together, bound by technology, we can become more human in our interactions, communicate more clearly with those unlike ourselves, and reinvent mind-sets about the possibilities for the future of work.”
Cross-generational training provides foundational well-being and stability. Mentoring is so critical to effective collaboration and communication in today’s workplace. Critical thinking is about talking things through. People need to pick up the phone or, better yet, leave their desks and computers to talk to other humans to gather knowledge and insights. And they need to know how to communicate in a way that bridges understanding spanning a vast span of wisdom.
