Welcome to the era of the multigenerational workforce, where Traditionalists exchange ideas with Gen Z, Baby Boomers collaborate with Millennials on projects that shape the future of businesses worldwide, and Gen Xers continue to be valued for their knowledge, tech skills, experience, and stability.
Imagine Warren Buffet, the investment whiz, swapping insights with Mark Zuckerberg on social networking and with Sundar Pichai on search engines and artificial intelligence. Or visualise Tim Cook, the seasoned executive, learning from Ben Pasternak, the young entrepreneur disrupting the food industry.
In today’s workplace, blending experience with new ideas is essential to keep companies competitive, forward-thinking, and flexible. Such a strategy also helps staff stay current with changing knowledge and skills. With people of different ages working together, the best training programmes are those that meet the varied needs and abilities of this diverse workforce while supporting the company’s goals.
The Traditionalists or Silent Generation
We know them well as Warren Buffet, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, and Rupert Murdoch, Executive Chairman of News Corp. However, did you know they belong to the generation of Traditionalists, or the Silent Generation, born between 1928 and 1945? America’s Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) projects that 12% of people over 75 will be active workforce members by 2030, compared with just 5% in 2000.
The senior-most generation in the workplace may prefer structured programmes that deliver informational learning, preferably through classroom lectures. Your organisation would do well to focus on technology training for Traditionalists. You can encourage them to opt for a curated selection of free online courses covering digital literacy, IT fundamentals, and Excel, which will enable them to pack away their calculators and let modern analytics empower their work. Members of this generation may also be willing to take on mentorship roles in the organisation.
The Baby Boomers
Richard Branson, Co-Founder of the Virgin Group, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., are renowned representatives of Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964. The pandemic saw many Boomers retire, and the trend continues, creating a skills gap that younger generations must fill, which requires organisations to focus on staff training.
In general, Boomers are well-educated and seek transformational, personalised, and participative learning that furthers their skills and knowledge and allows them to engage in reflection and feedback. They may prefer learning in the classroom from experts and at highly regarded institutions. While organisations may only sometimes prioritise learning and development for the Boomers in their workforce, this generation tends to comply with guidance on what and when to learn, preferring in-person courses but also adapting to online education.
Alison offers a variety of courses created by reputable universities, such as Stanford, Columbia University, and Lund University, which Boomer professionals will appreciate. Expert workforce training comes from the likes of Microsoft, MEDCoe (the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence), and NHCPS (National Health Care Provider Solutions), which provides online medical certification and recertification. Alison’s Free LMS also provides in-person learning advisory support, which your Boomers and other employees will find useful.
Generation X
What do Elon Musk, Founder, Chairman, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla Inc., Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc. (Google’s parent company), and Larry Page, Google’s Co-Founder and former CEO, have in common? They belong to Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, a generation that typically grew up as “latchkey kids” during a period that saw more women enter the job market. Add to the list Jeff Bezos, the founder and former CEO of Amazon, who is on the cusp of Baby Boomers and Gen X, and you have the generation that bridged the analogue and digital eras in technology development.
Beyond compliance training, Gen Xers, known for their independence, tend to prefer development plans that are primarily self-directed and self-scheduled, have a clear and practical purpose, and allow for easy, engaging, and accessible content that makes them want to learn more. Given the growing popularity of microlearning, organisations must ensure that their Gen X professionals are prepped to receive training in “bite-sized chunks”. This concept may be new to them and, hence, may be blended with some familiar features of traditional learning.
Although experience is Gen Xers’ forte, offer them training to increase their competence at work and reinforce their management skills. Alison’s free online courses provide flexible learning opportunities, with Gen Xers able to study on the go and in any location, thanks to the app. Our vast range of courses, developed to help fulfil academic, professional, or personal development goals, will enable your employees to select topics that grab their interest and provide them with certified training in areas where they need strengthening.
The Millennials
Born between 1981 and 1996, just before the global spread of the internet and computers, the Millennials are the first generation of digital natives. It is hardly surprising that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook), and Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc. (Snapchat), belong to this generation.
Millennials generally prefer self-directed, informal, and personalised learning supplemented with online courses and video lectures, although books are still a popular medium for many. A priority for this generation is typically to have information accessible on demand.
Dynamic course creators, such as Marginal Revolution University (economics), Felix Harder (fitness), and movie stuntman and self-defence expert Chuck Johnson, will keep your organisation’s Millennials engaged, entertained, and, most importantly, educated. Alison’s courses are all completely self-paced and allow for flexible learning.
Generation Z
Born between 1997 and 2012, the youngest age group in the workplace are Gen Z, also nicknamed the Zoomers or the “first global generation”. Notable Gen Z entrepreneurs include Ben Pasternak, Co-Founder and CEO of SIMULATE (formerly known as NUGGS), and Isabella Rose Taylor, Founder and CEO of her eponymous fashion label.
Gen Z is tech-savvy and typically at ease adapting to new software at work. Although they expect formal workplace training, they generally seek short-form content and microlearning, preferably online. Content must ideally be visually stimulating, interactive, and multimedia. While members of Gen Z enjoy autonomy and flexibility, they also value collaboration and human connection. A study found that 51% of Gen Z prefer to learn by doing, with 37% by reading and 12% by listening. With a choice of over 5,000 courses on Alison, Gen Z professionals have a vast array of opportunities for doing, reading, listening, watching, and assimilating knowledge and skills training, starting right here.
The world, as Gen Z has always known it, is digital and fast-paced. It is also interconnected, which makes this generation conscious of the social and environmental responsibilities of businesses worldwide. Encourage your Gen Z professionals to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion, sustainability, business ethics, and work-life balance so that they can practise these principles within the workplace and outside.
Alison’s Free LMS Can Help You Train Your Workforce
Alison’s Free LMS (Learning Management System) enables organisations to train and improve the skills of their workforce, covering all age groups, at no cost. It supports unlimited users, making it easy for team leaders and training managers to set up, run, and track training programs. With Alison’s Free LMS, you can give employees custom learning paths that match their personal aims with the company’s goals. Setting up the system is quick and straightforward, allowing your organisation and its staff to enjoy long-term benefits. These include better productivity, smarter decision-making, keeping talented staff, attracting new talent, and maintaining a strong, competitive position in the market.
For more information or to book a free demo, visit our Free LMS page and begin your journey to empowering your workforce, whatever their demographic!
