By becoming an employer that people want to work for, you will be well placed to fill critical job vacancies and stay ahead of your competition over time, attracting better workers from a shrinking pool of talent.
Understanding a multi-generational workforce
Workers of different ages value different aspects of their employment, including opportunities for self-expression, training and career development. Understanding the features of each age demographic and matching management and communication styles accordingly will help you to get the best out of your staff and ensure they work effectively together.
The generations of workers are generally classified as follows:
Traditionals – Born 1945 or earlier.
Baby boomers – Born 1946 to 1964.
Generation X – Born 1965 to 1980.
Generation Y – Born 1981 or later.
Consider how the ‘mindsets’ of each of these groups vary among the generations. (Table from Robert K. Critchley's 'Doing Nothing is Not an Option', Chapter 7).
|
|
Traditionals |
Baby Boomers |
Generation Xers and Yers |
|
Employment expectations |
Cradle to grave |
On my terms |
Entrepreneurial |
|
The office |
Work at my desk |
Work at home |
Work virtually anywhere |
|
Relationship between work & leisure |
Purpose of leisure is to recharge batteries for work |
Work now so you can play later |
Never the two shall meet |
|
The home |
Multi-generational |
Nuclear family |
Back in the nest with mum and dad |
Mature Age Employer Champions
One way to become a preferred employer for mature age workers is to consider implementing mature age specific practices. For example putting in place recruitment practices that encourage mature age job seekers to apply for positions, offering working options that suit mature age workers (such as flexible working arrangements) or any practice that you think will place your business in a position to attract and retain more mature age workers.
The Mature Age Employer Champion scheme recognises businesses that have successfully implemented mature age friendly practices. To view examples of the age positive working practices implemented by current Mature Age Employer Champions or to nominate yourself as a Mature Age Employer Champion, please go to the Employer Champions page.
Business culture
You can become a preferred employer by:
- creating a business culture with strong leadership and employee participation in decision making;
- having an inclusive and diverse organisational structure;
- offering development and training opportunities;
- exploring flexible work practices and management styles;
- reinforcing a positive image of your business culture so that current staff ‘sell’ your company.
This in turn will:
- encourage high performance,
- create a more committed workforce,
- lower staff turnover and related recruitment expenses,
- attract other skilled and productive workers,
- create better client relationships,
- drive business growth.