“Exploring equality, diversity and inclusion in a multigenerational workplace” was the theme for the recent breakfast event hosted by The Irish Times and chaired by opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell.
Dr Catherine Elliot O’Dare, assistant professor in social policy at Trinity College Dublin, spoke of her own experiences of having friends of different ages when she went back to college as a mature student. This “intergenerational interaction” was key to her positive experience, and one that can enrich every workplace, she said. “Age isn’t a good signifier to who makes a good colleague or a good friend.”
Gillian Harford, country executive of the 30% Club Ireland, pointed out that many women were forced to leave the workforce at a young age due to the “archaic” marriage ban. As a result, the evolution of the workplace as truly multigenerational in all genders is a relatively recent one. While this was hard fought, it poses its own challenges, she acknowledged.
“Women believe they have to be superwomen,” Harford told the audience. “We can have everything but not at the same time and not in the same way as our mothers and grandmothers did.”
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O’Connell noted that recent reports had suggested Gen Z were happy to wear their noise cancelling earphones all day while at work, much to the chagrin of their co-workers of a different demographic. But the panellists cautioned against stereotyping workers of any age, with Dr Elliot O’Dare noting that while these generational labels have their uses, they do not account for the gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic differences to be found within all groups.
“We need to tread carefully – all the evidence is there to show us that an inclusive multigenerational workplace climate fosters productivity and innovation and creates an atmosphere that staff want to remain, so it helps with recruitment and retention.” Much of this thinking is underpinned by ageism, not just against older people, but also younger people, said O’Connell. “Ageism is one of the last ‘isms’ we have to tackle in society.”
“All the research shows that ageism is so taken for granted and so insidious that we don’t recognise it for what it is: discrimination,” Elliot O’Dare agreed, noting that ageism in the workplace can be “destructive”.
“It’s about culture – the idea that someone who is only in the company for six months can’t have a groundbreaking idea, that’s all gone now,” added Harford. “To get the best out of innovation and change, you need to find a space for every voice.” While previously, all generations were treated the exact same – so-called ‘sheep dip’ training – now systems are being transformed to suit the different approaches that each generation has to work, she said, noting that policies that reflect the “whole life experience” are key to this.
“Career journeys are quite different now – it used to be quite linear, where you worked your way up and then you fell off a cliff at retirement age. But now we are living longer so we have to think about it in a very different way.” Harford herself is in her “encore career” having begun working with the 30% Club after a 40-year career in senior leadership in AIB.
Both panellists agreed that mentoring, whether formal or informal, can be crucial in helping employees navigate their individual career path. “Reverse mentoring”, where someone of a younger age demographic works with a senior leader, is also proving successful.
“Don’t feel you have to change yourself to survive – you can adjust yourself to thrive but don’t be afraid to use your voice,” Harford asserted.
The second panel discussed their lived experience of working in, and managing, multigenerational teams, their company policies and how they help creative inclusive workplaces. O’Connell was joined by Gerry Joanes, HR director at Diageo Ireland, who noted that the drinks giant is quite a “sticky organisation”, with high retention rates. Her own career path was helped enormously by coaching, which she found hugely positive. “They saw something in me I hadn’t seen in myself. The difference that I brought to the team helped my niche and my edge in the business.”
Denise White Hughes, HR operations director at Lidl Ireland, a company that has been to the fore in introducing novel policies that reflect the whole spectrum of modern life, such as miscarriage leave, fertility leave and menopausal supports. In a reflection of how role modelling can encourage transparency and trust when it comes to sensitive and personal issues such as these, White Hughes spoke openly about her own experience with miscarriage, and a senior manager told employees about the impact of menopause.
“They have to see senior people taking that leave. The messaging around it is so important and we have to normalise it,” she noted. However, men remain slower to avail of these benefits. “It’s an area we need to work on.”
Joanes agreed, noting that while it can take time for people to talk about what they are going through, these policies ultimately help with retaining “talent and wisdom” in the organisation. “If you are making space in your team for everyone in society, you need to accept people are going through different things at different life stages.”
Workers of a certain age may require flexibility around issues like childcare or caring for elderly family members, and hybrid working has been key to this. Yet Joanes, who has people on her team aged from their early 20s to 70, pointed out that many staff will still choose to come to the office, preferring the experience of working with others. “Our office is buzzing,” she said. “They like the social aspect of working here.”
Policies are well and good, but culture is everything, said White Hughes, echoing the points made in the previous panel. In addition, these supportive policies for employees in all age brackets simply make good business sense. “What really matters is that someone can have a conversation with their manager about the issue and feel safe and able to do that. The numbers will ultimately prove it helps performance.”