Leading Multiple Generations in Healthcare
The generational make-up of healthcare is changing. Every day, Gen-Z graduates enter the field and Baby Boomer leaders decide to retire. Members of Gen-X move into central leadership positions while Millennials shift into management and take on more responsibilities.
As these changes continue, it’s important to pay attention to the effect of generational differences on hospital culture. Every generation has distinct core values, strengths, and beliefs that inform how they show up in the workplace. While it’s important to avoid stereotypes, it’s also helpful to recognize the real differences at play when members of multiple generations are working together.
When you view generational differences as an advantage — not a challenge — it can impact your hospital’s productivity, efficiency, collaboration, and level of patient care. Learn how to get the most from your intergenerational healthcare team with these five approaches.
1. Acknowledge generational differences
The first step is becoming aware of the generational makeup of your workforce. How many members of each generation are working for you? Are members of certain generations concentrated in a particular role or department? What’s the balance between new graduates coming in and retirees exiting per year?
These questions can usually be answered with a review of HR employee data. A quick review of these numbers can help you plan ahead and start to understand the generational dynamics at play in your organization and on your team.
2. Create opportunities for each generation to thrive.
Once you have a snapshot of your workforce, the next step is creating an environment where each generation feels valued and supported. For example, opportunities for flexible work are likely important to Millennials and members of Gen-Z, while opportunities for in-person collaboration and recognition may be more important to Baby Boomers. In general, providing opportunities for older generations to share their wisdom, and for younger generations to share new ideas and perspectives, is an important way of honoring the unique skills that each group brings to the table.
3. See the individuals underneath the stereotypes.
Recognizing generational differences is important, but it’s also critical to see the unique individuals in your organization, not just their generational group. Not every Gen-Z worker will be excited to take on social media or technology-related tasks; some members of the Baby Boomer generation may thrive in a remote workplace environment.
While it’s important to consider generational trends at a system level, at a team management level, it’s wise to take a holistic view of each team member, rather than making assumptions based on age.
4. Prioritize emotional intelligence training.
When it comes to workplace differences, conflicts will inevitably arise when workers have different opinions, values, and beliefs. To encourage healthy conflict behaviors when differences arise, consider investing in emotional intelligence (EQ) training. EQ training can build key self-awareness, reflection, and communication skills that are critical to fostering a collaborative, positive work environment.
5. Encourage mentorship across generations.
One of the greatest strengths of a multi-generational team? The variety of knowledge, perspective, and skills that each team member has to share! Multi-generational workforces can learn a lot from each other when mentorship across generations is encouraged.
Consider implementing a formal coaching or mentorship program that pairs members of younger generations with seasoned professionals. Make sure you have a process in place to capture institutional knowledge from retiring leaders, and look for opportunities to let younger employees share their thoughts about digital solutions and modern technology.
Intergenerational Healthcare Teams are Full of Potential
Multi-generational teams present an exciting opportunity for healthcare organizations. Covering a wide range of knowledge, values, and beliefs, these teams are uniquely positioned to provide valuable perspectives, generate new ideas, improve workplaces, and excel at patient care.
With the right management tactics in place, members of every generation can learn, grow, and contribute to a thriving healthcare organization.
Lauren Bencekovich is the founder and Managing Director of Lauren Recruiting Group, a boutique healthcare recruiting firm that matches healthcare executive candidates with hospitals and health organizations. Looking for an outstanding C-Suite candidate? Visit our contact page to schedule a 30-minute intro call with one of our team members. We look forward to connecting and matching you with a top-tier candidate!