Building an age-friendly workplace

Because the future is multigenerational

A workforce containing five generations sounds like a recipe for disaster. But it’s actually the very opposite.

Going multigenerational can supercharge any organisation, making it more:

✅ INNOVATIVE: Teams with a range of experience and problem-solving styles are more likely to make a creative breakthrough.

✅ SMART: Knowledge, experience and ideas flow more freely through an age-friendly workplace.

✅ OPEN-MINDED: Age-diverse teams are less likely to fall into groupthink.

✅ SERVICE SAVVY: A multigenerational organisation can better understand and serve the needs of clients and customers of all ages.

✅ ATTRACTIVE: A diverse workforce makes your organisation more appealing to employees, customers and investors.

✅ JOLLY: Working with people of different ages is just more fun.

The catch? To tap the magic of multigenerational working, you must first create an age-friendly workplace.

Here are 10 ways to start. Some you can do alone, others need a team effort.

1. PAUSE

Age bias often works below the radar. Pausing to ask, “Am I judging based on age or actions?” can break that pattern and open your mind.

2. LANGUAGE

The words we use matter. Choosing age-neutral language creates a culture where everyone feels seen, heard and valued.

3. IMAGES

A picture is worth a thousand words. Use visuals that represent people of all ages. Inclusive images challenge stereotypes and make everyone feel included.

4. REVERSE MENTORING

Nothing busts stereotypes like genuine connection. Learning together across the generations builds trust, helping us to celebrate our differences and realise we have more in common than we think.

5. CELEBRATE

Spotlight achievements across age groups to show that people have much to offer at every stage of life.

6. AGE AUDIT