Rethink your workplace for your multigenerational workforce

"Boomers and Gen X often see flexibility as a tool for managing work-life balance or caregiving responsibilities. Millennials view it as a non-negotiable element of trust and autonomy, while Gen Z perceives it as a reflection of an employer's adaptability and tech-savviness. Offering hybrid or remote options alone isn't enough for workplace designers and change managers. Organizations must clearly define flexibility across roles and levels and be prepared to support it through policies, digital infrastructure, and space planning."

"Nearly 60% of employers say their workforce spans four or five generations, and in a recent AARP study, 83% said "creating a more multigenerational workforce would drive their success and growth." Addressing this divide demands more than new policies. It requires intentional design, empathetic leadership, and norms that respect every age group."

"PDR collaborated with one client to develop a "living lab" that tested various workplace design solutions to enhance collaboration, flexibility, and employee wellness. This pilot provided valuable data and feedback that informed the design of that firm's future workplaces. Design implication:Create dynamic office environments with zones that accommodate focused work, collaboration"

Workforces now commonly span four to five generations, producing distinct experiences, expectations, and workplace needs. Global engagement has declined to 21%, and engagement falls fastest when generational needs go unmet. Most employers report multigenerational staffs and many believe multigenerational teams drive success. Addressing generational divides requires intentional physical and cultural design, empathetic leadership, and norms that respect every age group. Flexibility is widely demanded but for different reasons across generations, so flexibility must be clearly defined across roles and supported through policies, digital infrastructure, and space planning. Pilot living labs can supply data to inform future workplace layouts and practices.

Read at Fast Company