The challenge is not just that the generations have different skills, but different perspectives. Research from EY found success looks very different for younger workers, with 51% rating mental and physical health as their top priority, ahead of wealth or occupation. Many also expect to work for multiple organisations over their career, viewing ‘job-hopping’ as a way to build opportunities – not a red flag.

If long-held assumptions about loyalty, tenure and career progression are no longer valid, HR leaders may need to reconsider their employee value proposition. For younger generations, purpose, wellbeing and flexibility will rank equally alongside pay and progression.

Getting the Most From Generational Interactions

The single biggest brake on productivity identified across generations? Not lack of leadership, training or technology – but disengaged employees. Fostering a more engaged Five Gen workforce requires personalised development programs that address each generation’s specific needs and finding ways to spark cross-skilling generational interactions.

Forward-looking organisations are harnessing generational diversity using:

  • Reverse mentoring. Breaking down silos can help promote understanding and maximise strengths of each generation. Reciprocal learning promotes continuous development and adaptability, helping to bridge generational gaps and create a more collaborative workforce. Even those in the highest echelons can benefit from young thinking. In NSW, young people are being invited onto the boards of Australian cultural institutions like the Art Gallery NSW and Sydney Opera House, supported with governance training. In this way, the state is pulling younger perspectives into strategic decision-making, challenging senior views while building the next generation of leaders.
  • Skills-based hiring. Rather than hiring based on formal qualifications, leaders are looking for candidates with in-demand skills – or the capacity to learn them. This more inclusive approach widens talent pools, fosters diversity and creates fairer progression pathways across generations. But as Workday’s report notes, qualification bias in pay and promotion remains a barrier that HR leaders will need to address.

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