Generations in the workplace: how coaching can help
These days, the average workplace is more diverse than ever – especially when it comes to the ages of people in employment. In many offices and businesses, five generations can be spanned in one setting, something that certainly wasn’t commonplace years ago. When it comes to adapting workplaces to suit employees of all ages, there are specific challenges business owners and managers can face. It’s easy for one group of people to be left out in the cold, or be less well- managed than those in other age groups.
What can companies do to combat this issue? One solution is coaching, providing an outside perspective and expert eye to support business practices, improve morale and overall achieve a more harmonious working environment. Here are just a few of the ways coaching can support growing businesses with multi-generational employees:
Providing an external perspective of internal processes
When you’re in the thick of it, whether it’s your personal life or your workplace, it can be challenging to get a clear picture of what’s going on. Coaching provides an external, birds-eye perspective to the processes and functionality of your business and allows you to see how your workplace is succeeding or failing with fresh eyes. Coaching supports the idea of improving your business from within. Still, that first external perspective is one of the most valuable parts of the process – allowing for more effective change and impactful management over time.
Understanding and empathising with the perception of employees
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is more complicated than you might think, especially if you have no frame of reference for certain behaviours or attitudes. Coaching helps to identify the similarities and differences between workers of different generations, allowing managers and owners to see new perceptions and understand how things like motivation, satisfaction and job requirements vary per person. With coaching providing the framework for supporting all employees and better empathy for all generations in the workplace, it’s far easier to keep staff happy for longer.
Identifying areas of improvement for multi-generational businesses
Alongside offering a unique perspective and empathy to businesses, investing in coaching can also be a direct tool for identifying areas that need improvement. In a multi-generational workplace, it’s essential to understand the contributions, capabilities and strengths of individuals, as well as of specific generations. This allows you to play to the strengths of your employees and achieve greater things by ensuring staff members are in the best roles for them.
By investing in coaching targeted at generations in the workplace, it’s possible for businesses to quickly and effectively improve business practices, enhance employee happiness and boost productivity. If coaching sounds like something your business could benefit from, contact Coaching Monster today to find out more.