Companies need fresh blood to remain vital and innovative. But those that prioritize young talent over experienced employees often do so at great expense. Instead of putting mature workers out to pasture, smart companies create opportunities to utilize them in ways that harness their immense knowledge and spread it.
"Millions of Americans watch inspirational talks online, go to conferences, and hire coaches -- but they often don't look in their own workplaces. Yet, wisdom is not in short supply here," explains Harvard Business Review contributor Chip Conley. "There are now five generations working alongside each other -- an unprecedented opportunity to learn from such a diverse range of experiences. But there's not always an obvious path for people to share with and learn from each other. Especially when generations are siloed, both older and younger workers keep their wisdom buried."
According to Conley, companies "need a new means of intergenerational wisdom sharing." His suggestion: Offer mid-morning wisdom talks.
"Each day, give one employee a platform to share their wisdom, learning, or point of view," Conley says. "I was fortunate enough to address a recent Zappos All-Hands employee meeting and was impressed with the line-level staff who stood up to tell their stories of success and failure. Why not offer a similar platform weekly or monthly as a mid-morning shot of inspiration? Or, what about instituting a daily team huddle where each person shares what they're focused on for the day? Or maybe try ending a regular team meeting with one member sharing their newest-found wisdom from the past few weeks?"
Or, go even further by creating an Employee Resource Group (ERG) focused on wisdom.
"Airbnb has seen great connections and support flourish in its Wisdom@Airbnb groups, which are open to any employees over the age of 40 and anyone committed to the goal of an age-friendly workplace," Conley says. "Approximately 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have ERGs, but only a tiny fraction have an affinity group expressly serving their older demographic. Bringing your 'Modern Elders' together can help you and them leverage their institutional wisdom and insight."
More Tips:
https://hbr.org/2018/05/4-ways-to-help-different-generations-share-wisdom-at-work
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
Contact Successful Meetings Editor in Chief Vincent Alonzo with your "How To" ideas.