Episode: 802

Episode Title: Curious Enough 

How can we start bridging the generational gaps that are becoming apparent in the workplace? Cultivating curiosity is one place to start, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 802 show:

Welcome to The Perna Syndicate today! Lately we’ve been talking about the areas where younger and older coworkers are facing a disconnect. We have to bridge these gaps, as 36% of the workforce is currently comprised of Gen Z and millennials. And of course, this number will only increase with time.

So how can those of us in older generations start forging a better human connection with our younger colleagues? It’s the same thing I tell every audience: we have to make sure they feel seen, heard, and valued. If we fail in any of these areas, people will check out. This is true at home, at school, and of course, in the workplace. 

When we can forge a human connection with coworkers, no matter what their age, that’s where we will really start to bridge the gaps that are making workplace relationships harder than they need to be. 

In addition to this, I think it’s helpful to cultivate curiosity. The fact that you’re listening to this podcast is a great start! While I would never speak for the younger generations, I find them fascinating and would encourage all of us to learn more about them. 

As an older-generation manager, I think it’s a privilege to work with millennials and Gen Z. They are incredibly talented and intelligent. In fact, we can gain a lot of insight from them—if we’re curious enough.

On tomorrow’s show: What’s another way we can bridge the generational gap at work? We’ll cover that and more on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate. See you then!