Welcome to the Post-Pandemic Workplace
For the first time in history, American workplaces encompass employees spanning five generations, from those born before World War II to those who have never known life without Google. The main reason for this generational diversity? People are working longer, sometimes into their 70s and 80s.
As businesses grapple with the fallout from the Great Resignation and the resulting labor shortage, employers want employees of all ages to feel valued so that they don't look for a new job or decide to retire. But hitting all the right buttons with a five-generation workforce isn't easy. "I think everyone is looking for the silver bullet that will serve all generations," says Lindsey Pollak, a workplace consultant and author of The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace (HarperCollins, $29.99).
"We're seeing salaries rising, but. In fact, the benefits that seem to count the most are often the same ones that people needed during the pandemic: work-life balance support. Employers are just looking for ways to apply those benefits broadly to workers of all ages, he adds.
