Written by Sally-Ann King | 9th August 2023

The workplace today is more age-diverse than it’s ever been with five generations potentially working together under one roof.

From those coming out of retirement and back into work, to graduates just starting their careers, the scale of a multi-generational workforce is huge – as is its potential.

Recruiting from across generations has its challenges, including understanding each of their differences – their wants, needs and what they expect from an employer.

There are also key differences between each generations style of working, therefore it’s important you consider this in your recruitment strategy and avoid a ‘one size fits all’ approach, to attract employees and improve retention.

Here’s a look at some considerations when recruiting each generation:

Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)

Many Baby Boomers are now at retirement age, however they still make up 31% of the UK workforce.

In fact due to their extensive work experience, they have some of the most valuable skills. Surveys have shown that three-quarters of UK employers are bracing themselves for skills shortages when the Baby Boomer generation retires.

With a wealth of knowledge and a desire to continue learning many Baby Boomers are in a position to become great leaders, mentors and consultants. Providing opportunities to do this, perhaps through a mentor programme where they can learn from and train younger or less experienced employees, is a great way to attract and retain them.

That said, it’s worth keeping in mind that if they are planning an imminent retirement, some Baby Boomers might want less responsibility and spend less time in work. Offering flexible working hours, remote work, or part-time positions may cater to those wishing to slowly wind down towards their retirement.

It’s worth noting that when it comes to Personal Development Plans, our experience is that some people in this generation do not want to have a ‘career discussion’. Employers should be aware of this and consider adapting their approach according to the employee’s preference.

It is also important to avoid damaging stereotypes. According to a study by the Telegraph, many Baby Boomers were able to adopt Teams apps more quickly than younger generations.

It is worth encouraging them to embrace technology, without assuming they are more technology averse than younger colleagues.

Healthcare and wellbeing benefits are also increasingly valuable to this generation and may be a deal breaker during the recruitment process. Job stability, as long as they continue to be a part of the workforce, is important to them – research by Live Career found it was the second most important aspect of work for Baby Boomers.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980)

Recruiting and retaining Generation X is a great benefit to your organisation, as they are people-focused, good listeners and have great communication skills.

This generation makes up 33% of the workforce and because they have lived through multiple recessions, epidemics and major geopolitical change, they are the most resilient, flexible and self-reliant workers.

Unlike their baby boomer parents, Generation X is much more focused on work-life balance. They have a strong work ethic but also want a fulfilling home and social life too. For 86%, excessive overtime is a relevant reason for many quitting their jobs, so it’s important you make it clear throughout the recruitment process if they can retain the balance they are looking for.

You may want to add additional paid leave, opportunity to buy holiday, and flexible working opportunities to your benefits packages.

They also value home working. An EY Generation Survey in 2022 found that 29% of Gen X respondents who plan to leave their jobs in the next year said remote working would encourage them to stay.

Millennials (born between 1980 and 1995)

By 2025, Millennials are expected to make up 75% of the working population.

Many of this generation have a work smarter, not harder mentality, and value the ability to make meaningful contributions to a company that use their unique skillsets. To recruit and engage this ambitious generation, ensure you communicate your investment in continued professional development and take time to understand their long-term career goals from day one.

Likewise, consider the personal motivations of this age group. Many Millennials are starting families as well as caring for ageing parents, which is why flexibility becomes paramount.

Whether this is in the form of working from home options or more flexible working hours, offering benefits that enable employees to strike a healthy work-life balance and communicating them throughout the recruitment process will increase the likelihood of engagement.

Company culture is also high on the list for Millennials – almost as important as the role itself. They’re particularly looking for a social environment where they can connect with their colleagues and build relationships.

Generation Z (born between 1996 and mid 2000s)

According to Intel, Gen Z is predicted to make up one billion of the workforce by 2030.

Gen Z prioritise organisations that place an importance on wellbeing, flexibility, sustainability, inclusive company culture and development opportunities. They want to work for companies that have a positive and inclusive company culture. Therefore, it is vital to consider the benefits that you can provide to attract and retain them.

Gen Z are among those that value other perks and benefits over salary, as well as environment and social causes you are involved in and work that has a purpose.

Some other perks to encourage candidates to apply for roles could be a relaxed dress code, flexible working hours, communal and informal office space, cooperative management style, transport discounts, wellness and gym perks.

This group really cares about equality, diversity and inclusion so it should be a high priority for your organisation to review your equality, diversity and Inclusion policy and think about the steps you are taking to improving EDI in the workplace.

The importance of being an inclusive employer 

Above all candidates and employees should feel valued, no matter their age.

A recent survey by YouGov for the Centre of Ageing Better revealed that over a third of 50-70 year olds said they felt at a disadvantage when applying for jobs due to their age.

Age discrimination can have a wide range of negative impacts on an organisation, in addition to legal implications.

Do your job adverts have age-biased language such as ‘recent graduate’, ‘lively and energetic’ or ‘three to five years’ experience’?  This type of wording indicates that you’re looking for a young worker, meaning that a more experienced older worker probably wouldn’t apply. Or, maybe more correctly, wouldn’t be considered if they did apply.

We recommend you look at your recruitment process and change any part that leaves room for age bias and use a standard process with set questions and scoring criteria. You should also ensure age is included in your equality, diversity and inclusion policy and provide regular training on this, in particular so that people conducting interviews are away of this.

 

If you have any questions or would like recruitment support, please get in touch with our team at info@realityhr.co.uk