How to manage intergenerational issues well?

How can you become aware of the behavior of these generations within your organization?

Valerie Rocoplan: Each generation has its own identity, its codes, its points of reference. But, in business as elsewhere, age should not be the only classification criterion: there are, in fact, 65 year olds and 25 year olds. And this is easy to explain: being young means always wanting to learn, to question yourself, to want to move forward, to not be afraid to reinvent yourself.

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However, in the digital age, companies seem to think that seniors are no longer capable of being a “driver”...

Valerie Rocoplan: The majority of employees over 50 are not sufficiently used for their skills. Because businesses still stigmatize this generation all too often.

Let's mix people, ages, jobs during meetings: let's make all the experiences cross to get the best out of them!

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How to combine these skills and get them to join a common project?

Valerie Rocoplan: Obviously, it requires a lot of energy! But we can organize intergenerational forums, meetings or integration mentoring where everyone will bring their own experience, know-how and interpersonal skills to share them within the company. It is an interesting process where everyone can exchange and progress.

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Has the arrival of digital technology in business changed intergenerational relationships?

Valerie Rocoplan: It is a real upheaval that now concerns all businesses. Until five years ago, the vast majority of managers were unaware of the impact that digital technology would have on their business. Moreover, not everyone has yet realized that this is an all-encompassing wave and that it is absolutely necessary to exploit.

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So this technological influx did not contribute to widening the possible gap between generations?

Valerie Rocoplan: Of course, seniors did not grow up with new technologies as is the case for Generation Y and Z employees who are entering the job market. However, this does not prevent them from accepting new things, from being informed and learning, from being in the flow, from also surfing the technological wave. It is essential to boost yourself, to challenge yourself constantly. And seniors may know that more than others.

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