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Generational diversity is on the rise, and so is conflict

15 January 2025

A generationally diverse workforce

Generational diversity is a hot topic in the workplace because it can help organisations be more inclusive and innovative. It can also help combat differences in attitudes hardening into damaging disputes and reduce the risk of employment tribunal claims, such as age discrimination.

Here we consider how, with each generation having such distinctive traits and characteristics, there is a potential risk of conflicts occurring due to clashing values and beliefs, work ethics, and communication styles.

Interpersonal issues are often one of the biggest problems that employers face when dealing with generational diversity.

Managing generational diversity is emerging as a critical issue high on the agenda for in-house legal teams.

In an increasingly diverse and dynamic legal world, managing generational diversity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for in-house legal teams.

Generational diversity in the workplace can lead to employment law issues related to age discrimination and being aware of the impact of unconscious bias plays a part on this. The Equality Act 2010 protects employees from age discrimination in the UK, whatever their age, so making sure that there are protections in place for all employers, younger or older, makes sense to avoid falling foul of equality legislation.

Additionally, disputes between individuals, or grievances based on disaffection with the perceived ethics of the employer, can also lead to other costly employment litigation, such as constructive dismissal, victimisation or whistleblowing claims. Both sides in what can seem like a dispute emanating from a generational clash are able to claim protection which can result in major damage to the team and the employment relationship, as well as costing the business in major defence costs.

One such instance is the rise in claims for discrimination based on religion or belief, several successful cases of which have been brought by employees who are not prepared to adopt all aspects of employers’ DEI policies, such as a requirement to state their pronouns in emails.

In some of those cases older members of staff have made claims as a result of being labelled ‘transphobic’ for refusing to comply with the policy. Sensitive handling of strong convictions on both sides is essential to limit the risk of such disputes spiralling.

So what is generational diversity and why is it so important?

Generational diversity is the idea that an inherently diverse team should include people who come from different generations. With at least four different generations currently in the workforce – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z – there’s plenty of unique values, experiences and perspectives to be shared.

This generational mix is crucial to realising the benefits of a truly diverse team. Furthermore, hiring older workers – aged 55 or older – has become a prominent issue, where disproportionate inequality in the workforce is regularly being seen.

Birth years for generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z:

  • Baby Boomers: born between 1946 and 1964
  • Generation X: born between 1965 and 1980
  • Millennials: born between 1981 and 1996
  • Generation Z: born between 1997 and 2012

Benefits of generational diversity

  • Innovation: multigenerational teams can develop innovative ideas
  • Learning opportunities: different generations can share their knowledge and expertise
  • Combats age discrimination: helps to create a more inclusive workplace.

Challenges of generational diversity

  • Interpersonal issues: different generations may have different values, beliefs, work ethics, and communication styles
  • Technological preferences: different generations may have different preferences for how they use technology
  • Work-life balance: different generations may have different preferences for work-life balance.

Strategies for managing generational diversity

  • Embrace diversity: welcome diversity within and between generations
  • Adapt management style: adapt your management style to motivate each generation
  • Provide training opportunities: offer training opportunities to everyone
  • Promote work-life flexibility: offer work-life flexibility for all employees
  • Include diverse leadership: include representatives from different generations in leadership positions
  • Mentorship: provide mentorship and coaching programs for different generations.

For more information, please contact Catherine Mitchell, Partner, Employment and Immigration team on 01242 216 174 or 07384 110 600

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