Five Generations, One Workforce: How Skills-Based Hiring Can Unite Talent

In my first blog about skills-based hiring, I referenced the notion of five generations entering the workforce and what role that plays in hiring for the foreseeable future. In today’s blog, I will break down the different generations by their attributes and describe the impact it has on how companies hire, provide professional development, and simply put, define soft skills. What you will see is nearly an 80-year difference in opinion on work ethic and values. What I hope you will take away is a clearer understanding of how your company can apply skills-based hiring to close the generational gap.

Let’s start with a quick rundown of each generation:

Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)

• Technology: Adapted to digital tools later in their careers. Often prefer in-person meetings and phone calls over digital communication.
• Work Habits: Highly dedicated and loyal to their employers. They often prioritize job security and stability and are used to working long hours.
• Communication Style: Prefer face-to-face communication or phone calls. They value personal interaction and direct communication.
• Values: Emphasize a strong work ethic, discipline, and respect for hierarchy and authority.

Generation X (Born 1965-1980)

• Technology: Comfortable with both analog and digital technologies. Often acts as a bridge between older and younger generations in terms of tech use.
• Work Habits: Independent and resourceful. They value work-life balance and often prefer flexibility in their work arrangements.
• Communication Style: Favor straightforward communication. They are comfortable with email and other forms of digital communication.
• Values: Pragmatic and self-reliant. They are often skeptical of authority and value personal development and autonomy.

Millennials (Born 1981-1996)

• Technology: Digital natives who grew up with the internet and mobile technology. They are highly proficient with digital tools and social media.
• Work Habits: Collaborative and team-oriented. They value meaningful work and often seek employers with strong corporate social responsibility.
• Communication Style: Prefer digital communication methods such as instant messaging and video calls. They value feedback and continuous communication.
• Values: Prioritize work-life balance, flexibility, and purpose-driven work. They often seek a sense of community and work-life integration.

Generation Z (Born 1997-2012)

• Technology: True digital natives, having grown up with smartphones, social media, and instant access to information. They are highly adept at using new technologies.
• Work Habits: Value diversity and inclusion, and are comfortable with remote work and flexible schedules. They are entrepreneurial and value opportunities for growth and learning.
• Communication Style: Prefer short, instant communication methods like texting and social media. They are accustomed to rapid information exchange.
• Values: Emphasize authenticity, diversity, and mental health. They seek meaningful and impactful work and value transparency from employers.

Generation Alpha (Born 2013-present)

• Technology: Growing up with advanced technology, including AI and IoT. They will be the most digitally immersed generation.
• Work Habits: Still developing as they are currently very young, but they are expected to prioritize technology integration, continuous learning, and adaptability.
• Communication Style: Likely to prefer immersive and interactive communication methods, leveraging augmented and virtual reality.
• Values: Anticipated to value sustainability, innovation, and global connectivity. They will likely seek work environments that align with these values.

These generational differences shape how individuals approach their careers, interact with colleagues, and prioritize in their work environments, but it also is important to consider when building out hiring programs for companies. We recently covered 7 steps to building a skills-based hiring program. In that discussion, we provided some basic best practices to evaluate hires and the skills they bring but we have to take that one step further and focus on culture development.

Here are 4 ways a company can create a supportive work environment for all 5 generations that supports skills-based hiring programs and fosters a culture of respect and inclusion: 

Facilitate Knowledge Sharing and Mentorship

• Mentorship Programs: Pair younger workers with experienced employees to foster knowledge transfer and professional growth.
• Reverse Mentoring: Encourage younger employees to share their expertise, particularly in technology, with older colleagues.
• Collaborative Projects: Create opportunities for multi-generational teams to work together on projects, leveraging diverse perspectives.

Provide Flexible Work Arrangements & Programs

• Flexible Scheduling: Offer flexible work hours and remote work options to cater to different life stages and personal needs.
• Wellness Programs: Implement health and wellness programs that address the needs of all age groups.
• Diverse Benefits Packages: Offer a range of benefits that appeal to different generations, such as childcare support, eldercare assistance, or retirement planning

Tailor Training and Development Programs

• Continuous Learning: Implement training programs that address the learning preferences and needs of different generations.
• Technology Training: Provide tech training to older employees to help them stay current with new tools and platforms.
• Professional Development: Offer career development opportunities that cater to the aspirations of employees at various stages of their careers.

Encourage Collaboration and Team Building

• Team Building Activities: Organize activities that foster team spirit and understanding among different age groups.Intergenerational 
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Create ERGs that focus on bridging generational gaps and fostering mutual support.
• Celebration of Milestones: Recognize and celebrate milestones and achievements of employees from all generations.

This isn’t an inclusive list of course but with the suggestions here and in the prior blogs a talent team can lead the way for companies to embrace skills-based hiring. Of course, CyberUp’s team of apprenticeship and skills-based hiring experts are always ready to support. Please reach out to me directly or to our team if you would like to learn more. 

Tony Bryan