A Guide to Managing Multigenerational Teams

Today’s HR and accounting & finance workplaces are more age-diverse than ever. With people living and working longer, and younger generations entering the workforce in growing numbers, many organisations now employ a mix of Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z under one roof.  

Multigenerational teams offer a rich blend of experience, energy, and creativity – particularly when managers can facilitate their full potential. We’ll explore the key considerations of hiring and managing multigenerational teams, and how to handle both successfully.   

Understanding Generational Journeys 

Each generation is at a different career and life stage. Recognising these stages helps leaders provide appropriate support and opportunities. Far from being a challenge, this generational variety is a major asset, especially when managed well. 

At a glance, these are the broad patterns of each generation at work: 

Baby Boomers (born 1945-1964): Transitioning into retirement. 

Generation X (born 1965-1980): Many are assuming leadership roles, whilst having caring responsibilities for either older or younger family members (or both). 

Millennials (born 1981-1995): Sometimes referred to as ‘Gen Y’, they currently represent the largest workforce demographic, with more moving into middle management positions and starting families.  

Generation Z (born 1996-2012): Embarking on their professional paths, many Gen Zs are still wayfinding in their career and undertaking training and development. 

The Benefits of a Multigenerational Workforce 

Age-diverse teams present significant benefits to organisations and the stakeholders they serve. Understanding these benefits can help inform your approaches to both hiring and human resources management.  

Depth of Knowledge and Experience 

Older employees bring years of industry expertise, problem-solving skills, and professional wisdom. Younger team members offer fresh perspectives, digital know-how, and adaptability. Together, they can create a powerful balance of tried-and-tested approaches and new ideas. 

Stronger Collaboration  

When different generations work together, they can challenge each other’s ways of thinking. Cross-generational collaboration can fuel creativity, helping businesses stay agile and competitive in a fast-changing world. 

Enhanced Understanding of Customers 

A diverse team can better connect with a broad customer base. Whether you are serving younger clients or older stakeholders, having employees who understand their different life stages can improve your organisation’s communication, services and even its brand.  

Mentoring and Growth 

Knowledge-sharing is a two-way street. Whilst senior employees can mentor younger staff, younger employees can help older colleagues stay up to date with the latest technology. This mutual exchange is a positive way to support a learning-focused workplace culture and keep engagement high. 

How Each Generation Wants to Work  

It’s unfair to pigeonhole people based on their age alone. However, it’s also true that each generation shares certain psychological traits shaped by the world around them. Significant events, economic shifts, cultural trends, and societal norms all play a role in shaping the perspectives and behaviours of people from different eras. 

Baby Boomers value hard work, have a more hierarchical outlook and a sense of paying one’s dues.  Meanwhile, Generation X value competence and efficiency over job titles and seniority. They’re also more comfortable with digital technology and flexible working than older generations. Millennials, whose childhoods were marked by the transition from an analog world to a digital one, are tech savvy as well as results-oriented.  

As digital natives, Generation Z are comfortable with using digital tools to communicate at work. They’re more likely to value continual feedback, whilst diversity and inclusion rank high in their work values. They’re also ambitious and determined to climb the career ladder – if an employer is there to help them, as ACCA research suggests.  

Flexibility and Career Progression 

Notably, a range of research, including the findings from our 2024/2025 salary survey, indicates that hybrid, flexible and WFH arrangements are a priority for more than one generation of HR and accounting & finance professionals.  

Along with their Generation Z colleagues, Millennials and Generation X’ers also want the work-life balance that flexible working offers. And Baby Boomers, who have spent most of their working lives in the office, are increasingly likely to be seeking flexible work arrangements as they approach retirement. 

What does all this mean for employers managing multigenerational teams? In simple terms, it suggests one-size-fits-all approaches to flexible work policies and employee development will be less effective for getting the best out of your people.   

The good news is that more organisations are becoming aware of the need to personalise management of employees, including their career development. As our recent survey of the HR and accounting & finance recruitment landscape shows, most organisations are managing career development and progression on an individual basis. This will put them in good stead for managing multigenerational teams.  

(Access our full salary guide here for more insights.)  

Challenging Stereotypes 

Just as it’s vital to recognise the preferences each generation has for certain work requirements, it’s just as important to avoid relying on stereotypes.  

Many age-based stereotypes are disproven by research. For example, the notion that Gen Z workers are disloyal job-hoppers is challenged by research that shows 75% of 18-27-year-olds are actually searching for a longer tenure with just one company, where they can acquire different skills whilst remaining loyal to one employer.  

The key to overcoming stereotypes is to treat employees as unique professionals rather than making age-based generalisations. Other ways to tackle generational bias include: 

Open Communication Policies – Encourage conversations that allow team members to share their perspectives and preferences directly.   

Provide Flexible Work Options – Offer employees choices in work styles, training, and collaboration methods to suit their needs.   

Promote Cross-Generational Mentorship – Create opportunities for knowledge-sharing in both directions, rather than assuming someone’s expertise based on their age.   

Base Decisions on Skills and Strengths – Assign employees tasks and responsibilities based on their capability and experience, rather than generational labels.   

The Future of Multigenerational Hiring 

Looking ahead, multigenerational teams will only become more diverse and increasingly common in organisations. To successfully build and nurture a multigenerational workforce, these recruitment strategies can help: 

Diversify Sourcing Channels 

Traditional approaches to HR and accounting & finance recruitment will be less efficient with the rise of multigenerational talent pools. Consider broadening your recruitment channels to include a variety of digital platforms, including social media, to advertise positions and build relationships with potential candidates.  

Prioritise Inclusivity  

Create a workplace environment that values and respects diversity. Being able to demonstrate your organisation’s inclusive culture during the hiring process can help you attract those who are looking for a supportive and collaborative workplace – especially younger talent. Working with a recruitment partner who is EDI accredited can give you the necessary guidance in this direction.  

Tackle Bias in Job Interviews 

Train hiring managers to conduct interviews that focus on a candidate’s abilities and potential, instead of their age-based characteristics. Using structured interviews with standardised questions ensures candidates are evaluated on their own merits.  

The Role of Technology in Managing a Multigenerational Workplace 

In several ways, technology is at the heart of the differences between the generations at work. Research suggests that each generation has strong feelings about the technical skills of those younger or older than them – and that every generation has something to learn from the other.  

One study revealed that 90% of workplace teams experience conflicts over digital communication tools, with 60% noting a negative impact on productivity and collaboration. Issues such as misinterpretation of tone, mismatched response time expectations, and confusion over digital expressions like emojis are common.  

Generational differences play a significant role: while 53% of Gen Z employees admire older colleagues’ phone communication skills, 65% believe that older workers struggle with technology, and 47% feel that outdated techniques slow down processes.  

So, how can organisations keep such frustrations at bay and even help their multigenerational teams thrive in the process? Researchers suggest a few ways to tackle this challenge. One is to provide everyone with training across various communication tools, whilst another is to promote a workplace culture that values different communication styles.  

Further, organisations could introduce initiatives like ‘skill swapping’, where, for example, Baby Boomers teach Gen Z employees telephone etiquette, and in return, Gen Z imparts social media skills to their senior colleagues. When employers look for opportunities to encourage a mutual understanding and exchange of knowledge, they can create a work environment that is attractive to potential candidates and encourages employees to stay for longer. It’s a win-win!  

Talk to the HR, Accounting and Finance Recruitment Specialists 

We hope our guide sheds light on the ins and outs of each generation at work, their expectations and how they work together.  

Having an experienced recruiter who understands the motivations of candidates across the generations can give you the essential insights you need to hire people effectively.  

Our team of HR recruiters and accounting & finance recruitment specialists have supported hundreds of organisations with hiring multigenerational teams. As a people-focused business, we’re continually reviewing what changing demographics mean for your recruitment strategy, and we’re here to help. Get in touch with us today.