positive impact, solve social and environmental
challenges, work with a diverse
group of people, work for a
company that’s respected in their industry,
do work we are passionate
about and become an expert in our
field. The truth is that we’re not all that
different. I advise multigenerational
teams to focus on what brings us together,
not what divides us. Everyone
wants personal meaning and purpose
at work. If we can figure out a way to
provide personal purpose, where everyone
has a sense of how their role aligns
with the greater team’s purpose, everyone
wins.
P: Do you have any tips or practical
exercises for increasing communication
between a spa’s oldest employees,
such as baby boomers and Gen
X, and its youngest employees?
S: I also recommend fostering intergenerational
collaboration through coleadership.
By co-leadership I mean
having an older employee with more
spa industry experience, like a baby
boomer, co-lead a project, alongside
someone who is much younger, like a
Gen-Zer. That way, the Gen-Zer is
going to learn so much from the baby
boomer with a lot of skills and experience.
Moreover, the baby boomer will
be exposed to new ideas and new
ways of thinking from the younger
employee. They’ll gain more respect
for each other, build trust and realize
that they’re stronger when working
together. Mentorship and reverse
mentorship programs can also be a
great way to foster more dialogue across
generations. Even the simple
habit of having weekly ‘Lunch and
Learns’ for your team, where different
employees share something they
know or something they want to talk
about, will help foster multigenerational
communication and connection
among your employees. n
“Mentorship and reverse mentorship
programs can also be a great way to foster
more dialogue across generations.”