BRIDGING THE GAP: ONE WORKFORCE

It’s important to remember that every employee is an individual, not a stereotype. Smaller employers, with their close-knit teams and shared responsibilities, can be especially well suited to recognising and embracing individual identities.

Whichever generations your team represent, you can build on the commonalities to build a cohesive one-team approach. We can see, for example, that face-to-face communication is valued by employees of all ages, and that while their reasons might be different, many people across the generational divides value flexibility.

How might you accommodate these generational insights within a smaller tourism business to help attract and retain a top team? Some suggestions...

■ As a small employer, you have the opportunity to tailor your approach more closely, helping your team and your business perform to the best of their ability.

■ The nature of smaller teams aligns well with the face-to-face communication, close working relationships and flexibility in roles and responsibilities favoured across all ages.

■ Drawing on the strengths and preferences of each generation can allow you to bring your team closer together, passing on vital knowledge and satisfying both those who want to learn and to teach.

■ Demonstrating a tailored approach can help build your employer brand, positioning you as an employer of choice who provides meaningful, rewarding work in your community.

■ Committing to the principles of fair work, treating every employee as an individual and working to ensure mutual benefit for both employers and employees will help you create one strong team, however many generations it’s drawn from.