| | AUGUST 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9The preference for using different communication platforms also varies. The earlier generations prefer letter/ email style. Baby Boomers prefer phone calls and face-to-face meetings. The younger generations are used to text messages (SMSs), direct messages (DMs), online chat, or even non-verbal cues. This is a tricky one because non-verbal cues will mean differences across generations, cultures, and countries.If you think solving communication issues in the workplace should be easy by setting rules, then you are just creating a rigid work environment. With one communication style, you also leave one (or more) generation(s) out of your correspondence, building a barrier between you as a leader and your team. This will not resolve the issue, nor build a strong team.Understanding your team is key. Have open discussions. Utilize mid-year/ year-end conversations to capture this gap and align with each other's expectations. Once you see the big picture as a team, your responsibility as a leader is to share this with the team and take note of how different team members respond to different communications. It takes time to stabilize, especially when there are new team members.From Connecting to EngagingWhen a connection is established, you start engaging. While many synonymously use communicating (talking, speaking, chatting) with engaging, they are very different. Connection must be established first before we can engage. And this is just one of the many ways to effectively manage a multigenerational workforce. It's also the foundational piece.Leaders need to develop the skill of connecting to be able to engage with their multigenerational team. When you have an engaged team, they are motivated, driven and find their purpose leading to retention and a thriving organization.
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