Family-run businesses are more common in landscaping than in many other industries. As a result, many landscape businesses end up seeing multiple generations working together. From fathers and sons to grandfathers and granddaughters, there are often different generations working side by side. There can be significant benefits when generations work together, says Kamber Parker Bowden, founder and CEO of Generational Performance Solutions (GPS) and the author of The Generational Advantage. The key is knowing how to cultivate that power.
“Today’s workplace is undergoing a seismic shift with four generations working side-by-side for the first time in history – and a fifth generation, Gen Alpha, close behind,” she says. “Although research shows that multigenerational teams are 25% more likely to outperform competitors in profitability, a staggering 58% of employees report age-related conflicts as a leading cause of workplace challenges. Healthy multigenerational teams that learn to work well together benefit from improved collaboration, stronger culture, sustained growth and increased retention — especially beneficial as turnover can cost anywhere from .5x to 2x the person’s salary*.”
Each generation brings unique perspectives, strengths and passions to the workplace which can be utilized to deliver quality results for clients – critical in a service-based business, continues Parker Bowden.
“Working well together facilitates an environment where the most effective solutions win and where differing perspectives are heard and honored rather than silenced,” she says. “Fifty-four percent of employees say that cross-generational communication is their organization’s biggest issue — and that’s without any added challenges of personal relationships in a multigenerational, family-owned business. By prioritizing open communication and embracing differences, teams can streamline brainstorming, allowing each generation to exercise their strengths and learn from others.”
Connecting generational gaps
In order to do a better job connecting generational gaps, Parker Bowden says business owners must first acknowledge generational differences and strengths before they can embrace them and work on developing a strong, multigenerational culture.
“At GPS, we emphasize the importance of communication to foster and retain a diverse and cross-generational force,” she says. “By embracing and celebrating all personnel, open lines of communication create an environment where business owners and their workforce can work alongside one another and maximize their ability to serve their clients.”
To build a workplace where all generations thrive, Parker Bowden says they encourage leaders to focus on five actionable pillars to achieve generational excellence: training, awareness, communication, engagement and leadership.
· Through training, organizations can build a strong foundation where generational characteristics and communication styles are acknowledged and understood.
· With increased awareness, organizations can cultivate an environment where employees actively recognize and value generational diversity.
· With that diversity in mind, organizations can bridge generational gaps through effective communication with a mix of channels, discussions and constructive feedback.
· Then, organizations can turn awareness into action through increased engagement — that means recognition, career development opportunities, mentorship programs and more.
· Finally, leaders must set the tone for connection and collaboration. This can begin with modeling respect in daily interactions, articulating a clear vision for generational excellence and being proactive about creating a cohesive culture.
Let everyone have a voice
Open and effective communication are the primary ways in which business owners can better understand their team and make collaborative decisions for a healthy, productive workplace, says Parker Bowden. By developing a diverse team and maintaining intentional dialogue, business owners can understand on a deeper level other generations’ expectations, ideas and preferences.
"Multigenerational teams only work when everyone has a voice," she says. "It’s not only about catering the work environment and communication to the younger generation, but also about balancing familiarity and innovation, expertise and evolution. Garnering an environment of mutual respect and openness can alleviate cross-generational sticking points and allow for teams to transform friction into collaboration."
Celebrating multi-generational strengths
This period in time is unlike any other with multiple generations working together. Rather than resist this, look for ways to embrace it.
"Today’s workplace is undergoing a seismic shift with four generations working side-by-side for the first time in history," Parker Bowden says. "Companies that embrace generational diversity and invest in their employees at every stage of their careers will thrive; those that don’t will succumb to misunderstandings, cultural breakdowns and ultimately struggle to maintain their competitive edge."
Each working generation brings strengths and expertise to the team. In general:
· Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) have a strong work ethic, engage experience-based decision-making and offer skilled knowledge transfer to younger generations.
· Gen X (born 1965-1980) are resourceful, self-sufficient problem-solvers and pragmatic leaders with deep organizational memory.
· Millennials (born 2981-1996) are purpose-driven, value-aligned, collaborative by nature and quick to adapt to digital transformation.
· Gen Z (born 1997-2012) are entrepreneurial, digitally native and socially conscious team players.
"When all generations work together, there is better understanding, higher retention, and a culture that reinforces purpose and belonging," she sums up. "Companies that prioritize generational diversity outperform their competitors by up to 35%. Generational diversity is not a weakness; it’s one of the greatest competitive advantages."
*Based on Gallup and BuiltIn estimates.
