Want to increase your company’s skills base? Put older employees together with younger ones

In a recent project with Huawei, Prof. Fasbender studied knowledge exchange between older and younger generations, surveying more than 21,000 respondents in seven countries. Here, she speaks with Dr. René Arnold, VP Public Affairs Strategy at Huawei, about that research.

Your research looks at age diversity and digitalization in the workplace. Why did you choose these two themes?

UF: Because they have real-world ramifications. As people live longer, fewer babies are being born. As the world’s population structure changes, workplaces will, too. The average age of workers will increase, and consequently, workplaces will become more age-diverse. We need to figure out how companies can leverage this diversity to produce collaboration among age-diverse colleagues.

As the composition of the workforce has changed, so has the way we work. That’s largely because of digitalization, which affects what we do and how we do it.

What opportunities will result?

UF: Diversity sparks innovation. Age diversity can be a particularly strong driver of new ideas since employees from different age groups tend to possess their own distinct knowledge.

While older employees often have more professional and industry experience that they can share with younger colleagues, younger employees are more likely to possess knowledge of new technological advances. Organizations benefit greatly from knowledge exchange between employees of different ages.

So, what did you find about the differences in digital technology use between generations?

UF: We learned that age has a tremendous impact on how, and whether, employees use digital technologies. In a research project between my team and Fabiola Gerpott at WHU Otto Besheim School of Management, we found that the closer someone is to retirement, the more their perception of the usefulness of new digital technologies decreases.

This effect is somewhat balanced out by older employees’ superior ability to organize their work. So, interestingly, they actually find new technologies at work easier to use than younger employees.

In the coming years, SMEs will struggle to attract new talent. What can they do to retain older employees in these challenging times?

UF: A major challenge that SMEs face is a shortage of skills and talent. With global populations aging, there will be fewer people entering the labor market and more people retiring, which increases competition for talent. Larger companies can promise career stability and personal growth, while SMEs may struggle to guarantee such benefits.

SMEs will have to demonstrate that they care for employees. This could potentially be done by providing training and education, and investing in new technologies that make employees’ lives easier and better.

[BOX] Can old(er) dogs learn new tricks? Let’s ask ChatGPT

To find out if older employees will embrace new technologies such as artificial intelligence, we put the question to AI’s current flavor-of-the-month, ChatGPT.

It coughed up the answers below, which we’ve edited for concision.

Here are a few factors that can influence the adoption of new technologies by older employees:

Attitude. Employees with a positive and open mindset toward technology are more likely to embrace new advancements, including AI.

Training and support. Providing adequate training and support is crucial for encouraging older employees to embrace new technologies.

Relevance and applicability. When older employees can see how AI can directly enhance their work or provide solutions to challenges they face, they are more likely to embrace it.

Individual learning preferences. Tailoring the learning experience to suit individual learning preferences can increase the likelihood of adoption.

Peer support and collaboration. Encouraging collaboration and creating a supportive environment where employees can learn from and support each other can foster technology adoption.

Not all older employees will be ready to adopt new technologies. But with the right approach, support, and opportunities for learning and growth, many can successfully embrace and integrate AI and other emerging technologies into their work.