Managing a Multigenerational Workforce: How Mentorship Can Close the Gap

78% of organizations have a multigenerational workforce.

We’re talking about people from the Silent Generation, born before 1946, to Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012. Employees who entered the workforce before commercial computers are working side-by-side with people who grew up with smartphones. It’s no wonder that most organizations struggle with leading a multigenerational workforce.

While having a multigenerational workforce comes with its own set of challenges, it also presents your organization with exciting opportunities, like fostering diverse perspectives, enhanced problem-solving, and mutual learning. 

The younger generations learn from the experience and wisdom of their more tenured counterparts, and the older employees benefit from the tech savvy and new ideas of their juniors. Organizations that use workplace mentorship to bridge the gap between older and younger employees make the most out of a multigenerational workforce.

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Common multigenerational workforce challenges (and how mentoring solves them)

As of 2024, there are typically five generations present in the workforce:

1. Traditionalists (Silent Generation) – Born before 1946. This generation is mostly retired but some are still in the workforce, particularly in advisory roles or part-time positions.
2. Baby Boomers – Born between 1946 and 1964. Many Baby Boomers are nearing retirement, but a significant number remain active in the workforce, often in leadership or senior roles.
3. Generation X – Born between 1965 and 1980. Gen Xers are typically in mid-to-upper management positions and are known for their adaptability and work-life balance priorities.
4. Millennials (Generation Y) – Born between 1981 and 1996. Millennials are a significant portion of the workforce, occupying a wide range of roles from entry-level to senior positions. They value flexibility, technology, and meaningful work.
5. Generation Z – Born between 1997 and 2012. Gen Z is the newest generation in the workforce, often in entry-level roles. They are digital natives and highly value diversity, inclusivity, and social responsibility in the workplace.

These five generations bring different perspectives, experiences, and work styles to the workplace. These different perspectives and styles sometimes lead to conflict and friction between workers from different generations.

Some of the most common challenges associated with multigenerational workforces include:

1. Each generation has its own communication style

Did you know that Gen Z considers the thumbs-up emoji to be rude and passive-aggressive? Meanwhile, Millennials, who grew up with Facebook, see the thumbs-up emoji as a straightforward way to indicate they like or agree with something. And that’s just one example of different communication styles.

• Older generations often prefer face-to-face meetings and phone calls, meanwhile younger generations may prefer Slack, Teams, emails and texting.
• Silent Generation and Baby Boomers tend to value formality in communication, while Millennials and Gen Z prefer a more casual approach.
• Gen X often prefers scheduled, formal meetings with clear agendas, whereas Millennials and Gen Z tend to be more comfortable with spontaneous, ad-hoc discussions.

On the surface these look like minor differences, but they can lead to conflict and friction between different members of the team. For example, an older manager might view a younger employee's preference for digital communication as impersonal or lazy, while the employee might see the manager's insistence on in-person interactions as time-consuming and dated.

One way to address this challenge is to establish clear communication guidelines that respect the preferences of all age groups while promoting a culture of flexibility and adaptability. For example, you can establish a guideline that everyone should use emails for formal communication and have quick, informal exchanges through instant messaging apps.

Mentoring helps solve communication issues

Even with guidelines, there’s bound to be incidents where someone prefers a meeting over an email and vice versa. Mentoring, both traditional and reverse, can play a crucial role in bridging the communication gap between different generations. 

• Traditional mentoring allows older employees to share their experience and communication preferences with younger colleagues. This helps the younger generations understand the value of in-person interactions and formal communication.
• Reverse mentoring enables younger employees to introduce older generations to digital communication tools and more casual, efficient communication styles.

Through mentoring, your employees can build mutual respect and understanding, reduce friction, and enhance collaboration across generational divides.

2. Different generations have different work expectations

The way each generation approaches work can be the biggest source of friction at a multigenerational workplace. That’s because each generation grew up in different circumstances and has varied attitudes towards work-life balance, job security, and flexibility.

• Silent Generation – Values loyalty, job security, and a clear hierarchy; they often expect long-term employment and stability.
• Baby Boomers – Prioritize hard work and commitment, often associating their identity with their job; they value job security and a structured work environment.
• Generation X – Prefers a balanced approach, valuing both job security and work-life balance; they often expect flexibility and autonomy in their roles.
• Millennials – Seek purpose-driven work, flexibility, and opportunities for growth; they prioritize work-life balance and value feedback and recognition.
• Generation Z – Values flexibility, digital work environments, and work-life integration. They expect rapid career progression, a focus on social impact, and are more open to job hopping if their needs aren’t met.

🧠 Learn more about what motivates Gen Z in the workplace

These different expectations can lead to multiple problems. For example, older employees may  value long hours spent in the office as a show of commitment to the organization. Meanwhile, younger employees may prefer flexible working hours and remote work. In this case, the older generations may see the younger generations as less dedicated, leading to friction and decreased job satisfaction on both sides.

Mentoring helps different generations understand each other

Mentoring helps address the challenge of differing work expectations by building understanding and mutual respect across generations.

• Through a traditional mentoring program, older employees can share their perspectives on job commitment and loyalty with their younger colleagues.
• Younger employees can introduce their older peers to new approaches to work-life balance and flexibility through reverse mentoring.

Mentoring programs pair mentors and mentees and give them plenty of sessions for open dialogue about work expectations. While these programs focus on hard skills, they also help dispel misconceptions and create a more cohesive and adaptable workplace where all generations feel valued and understood.

3. Each generation faces stereotypes and biases

Age-based stereotypes can lead to biases, which hinder effective communication, collaboration, and overall team dynamics. By challenging these biases, HR leaders can build a more inclusive and respectful environment. To build a work culture where you can benefit from the diverse perspectives that each generation brings, you first have to understand the stereotypes and biases your workers are up against:

• Silent Generation – Seen as resistant to change, overly traditional, and uncomfortable with technology.
• Baby Boomers – Often labeled as workaholics who are averse to new technology and inflexible in their ways.
• Generation X – Viewed as skeptical, independent, and less collaborative, sometimes seen as cynical or disillusioned.
• Millennials – Stereotyped as entitled, lazy, and overly reliant on technology, with a focus on immediate gratification.
• Generation Z – Often considered overly dependent on technology, lacking social skills, and quick to job-hop with little loyalty.

All of these stereotypes result in misunderstandings, reduced collaboration, and missed opportunities for benefiting from the unique strengths each generation offers. For example, a Millennial employee may be eager to use new technology to streamline a process and a Baby Boomer manager might perceive this enthusiasm as the employee being over-reliant on technology. In this case, a good idea about new processes or technologies may get dismissed because of negative perceptions.

Mentoring breaks down barriers and stereotypes

Mentoring encourages open dialogue, allowing employees to see beyond age-based assumptions and recognize the unique value each person brings to the team. It addresses stereotypes and biases by facilitating direct, personal interactions between different generations, which helps break down preconceived notions.

Through mentoring, individuals from various age groups share their experiences, perspectives, and skills, leading to a better understanding and appreciation of each other’s strengths and contributions. This process reduces the reliance on stereotypes and builds a more inclusive work environment.

4. Different generations have different comfort levels with technology

GenZ and Millennials who use AI at work view it favorably. Meanwhile, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are skeptical of AI and how it will impact their lives. This shows that when new technologies come along, the younger generations are likely to be early adopters and older generations may want to stick to the old processes and systems with which they are familiar.

These differences impact how effectively a multigenerational team can collaborate and innovate. HR leaders who recognize the varying levels of tech adoption in different generations can better support their teams by providing customized training and bridging the gap between tech-savvy employees and those who are more hesitant.

Mentoring helps ease technology adoption

Through mentoring, organizational leaders—especially resonant leaders that focus on relationship-building—can help bridge the technology gap. They can design mentoring programs that make sure all employees, regardless of generation, are empowered to use the tools at their disposal.

• Reverse mentoring, where younger employees mentor older colleagues on digital tools and platforms, can demystify technology for those less familiar with it. 
• Traditional mentoring allows older employees to share their wisdom and experiences, guiding younger employees on how to use technology effectively within the broader context of the organization's goals.

5. Diverse Values and Beliefs

Generational differences in values, such as views on diversity or work ethics, may lead to conflicts.

• Silent Generation – Values loyalty, duty, and respect for authority. They believe in hard work, sacrifice, and traditional structures.
• Baby Boomers – Value hard work, ambition, and a strong work ethic. They often associate their identity with their career and believe in achieving success through dedication.
• Generation X – Values independence, flexibility, and work-life balance. They are skeptical of authority and value self-reliance and pragmatism.
• Millennials – Value purpose-driven work, social responsibility, and collaboration. They seek feedback, recognition, and work that aligns with their personal values.
• Generation Z – Values inclusivity, diversity, and social impact. They prioritize flexibility, innovation, and are highly attuned to technological advancements and global issues.

A recent survey by Deloitte shows that Gen Z and Millennials prefer purpose driven work and are more likely to turn down job offers from employers that don’t align with their values. 

In a scenario where a Millennial may feel disengaged from their work because they are unsure if the organization’s values align with their own, a Baby Boomer employee may not respect the Millennial’s apparent lack of motivation. This could lead to a fractured team dynamic.

Mentoring helps bring individual and organizational values in alignment 

Mentoring can help address this scenario by encouraging open communication and mutual understanding between generations. 

• A Baby Boomer mentor can help the Millennial employee navigate the organization's culture and align their personal values with the company's mission, while also understanding the Millennial’s need for purpose-driven work. 
• Conversely, the Millennial can share insights on the importance of values alignment and how it impacts their motivation. 

This exchange reduces misunderstandings, builds respect, and encourages a more cohesive and motivated team.

Build mentoring programs for multigenerational teams with Together

Together provides the tools and structure needed to build mentoring programs that bridge the generational divide, creating a more cohesive, productive, and inclusive workplace​. It is an all-in-one mentoring platform that simplifies the process of creating, managing, and scaling mentoring programs through features like:

• Advanced matching algorithms – Together’s platform matches mentors and mentees based on their goals, skills, and areas of interest.
• Seamless integration – The platform integrates smoothly with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and all major HRIS platforms.
• Diverse mentoring models – Recognizing that each generation may prefer different mentoring styles, Together supports a variety of mentoring formats, including traditional one-on-one, reverse mentoring, peer mentoring, and group mentoring.
• Comprehensive support and resources – Together provides access to mentoring handbooks, session agendas, and insightful articles that guide both mentors and mentees.

Managing different generations in the workplace is tough, but it can be made easy with Together. Schedule a demo and see the platform in action today.