Introduction
As people age, it becomes challenging for older job seekers to remain in paid engagement, secure jobs, or be reemployed due to ageism and organisations’ hesitancy to hire older people. This challenge is an obstacle to productive ageing and longevity dividends optimisation. The current study examined the attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs that enable or inhibit organisations from nurturing a collaborative multigenerational workforce.
Method
We employed a combination of focus group discussion (n=27) and in-depth interview (n=15) qualitative studies to collect data from two companies, Challenger Limited and Dymocks Limited, in Sydney, Australia. Data was coded using a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive analysis. Finally, thematic analysis was employed to identify repeating patterns and meanings from the participants’ narratives.
Results
Five themes were identified as critical barriers impeding intergenerational collaboration, including ageism and age-based stereotypes, recruitment policies and practices, communication preference differences, technological skill gaps, and age-related health conditions. Despite the barriers, four themes emerged as opportunities for fostering collaborative multigenerational teams, including leadership and team-building activities, leveraging older workers' experience, intergenerational mentorship, and flexible working arrangements.
Conclusion
The study highlighted the importance of recognising and addressing the challenges and embracing the opportunities of workplace generational diversity. Organisations should combat ageism, embrace the generation’s strengths, and accommodate multigenerational perspectives. Additionally, providing lifelong learning, technology skills, and leadership training opportunities, adopting age diversity promoting policies, and intergenerational mentorship initiatives facilitate harnessing the multigenerational workforce's full potential.