| | AUGUST 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM8MANAGING A MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORKFORCEBy Leo Anderle, Global Director, Learning and Talent Development & Head of Rosewood Academy, Rosewood Hotel GroupThe term Revenge Travel ­ Hospitality's Rebound has been coined, referring to eager travelers heading on, after years of waiting for their travel and holiday. Welcoming them into the hotel industry is a refreshed team of a multigenerational workforce. Due to economic and financial scenarios during and post-COVID, hotels had a tough decision to review their workforce resources. This was also an opportunity to review long-term multigenerational workforce planning to ensure the hotel's culture, vision, and mission are carried on.What is a Multigenerational WorkforceWhile many pieces of literature refer to varying age spans, a multigenerational workforce now is when various generations work together simultaneously, from some Silent Generation (working in their late 70s to early 80s), Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y/ Millennials and Gen Z (Alpha Generation) ­ a first in the modern era. It is not surprising in the hotel industry to have parents and children working side-by-side.Why Managing aMultigenerationalWorkforce MattersGenerational diversity is needed in any thriving organization. It allows culture to be built on a strong foundation and knowledge and skill management to be carried in with the next generation.Different generations have gone through different formative years of their life, which has influenced their perspective of work. Priorities are different. Expectations vary. Results are multi-faceted.Hence, leaders face the tough challenge of effectively managing a multigenerational team. In fact, before leading them, leaders need to know, how to manage them.From Communicating to ConnectingSome leaders say, the foundation of a successful team is effective and open communication. It's true, and I agree. But, when you are leading a multigenerational team, connecting with them will prove to be beneficial. Connecting to a team member means you value his/her communication style. And this leadership trait builds rapport and engagement.Even the simplest and humblest punctuation mark ­ the period/ full stop (".") can have different interpretations (tone) from different generations. For the earlier generations, it means formal, professional and well-written. For the younger generation, it means rigid, strict, cold or sometimes passive-aggressive. And this is just a period/ full stop. The use of other punctuation marks also has different meanings, including mobile technology-popularized emojis.If you think solving communication issues in the workplace should be easy by setting rules, then you are just creating a rigid work environmentLeo AnderleIn MyOpinion
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