You know there are multiple generations in the workforce, but key to success is effectively leading all the generations—including motivating, engaging and inspiring no matter what an employee’s age or stage.
Great leaders are focused on how to lead multiple generations because expectations and demands are increasing across all generations—and while many of the desires for work are similar, there are also differences that introduce complexity for leaders.
There are plenty of leadership challenges today and great leadership takes effort and intentionality, especially with so many differences between people and what they require for success.
How to Lead Multiple Generations
So what does it take to lead a multi-generational workforce and what do the generations want from work? Effective leadership demands plenty of strategies for effectiveness, but there are a few priorities that leaders can focus on, based on new data.
1. Communicate Effectively
One of the biggest challenges with a multi-generational workforce is differences in communication preferences, according to data from Monster 2025 Future of Work Survey. In fact, 72% of respondents thought this was a critical issue.
In addition, a survey of over 10,000 leaders by DDI finds that when leaders have effective interpersonal and communication skills, they are 19 times as likely to be highly rated by employees.
You can lead a multi-generational workforce successfully by prioritizing communication that is clear, consistent and compelling.
In a world that is increasingly uncertain and unpredictable, people—no matter what their generation—will appreciate hearing from leaders regularly. And while the generations may prefer different kinds of communication, these preferences can also be based on individual style as well. Leaders are wise to communicate through multiple channels, so that employees can receive information in whatever way works best for them.
You can also set clear expectations in the communication that will be consistent across the team—for example, all team communication will go through a DM platform, or the team will meet every Monday morning for a face-to-face or cameras-on catch-up meeting.
As a leader you can also be clear about how you prefer to receive communication, and you can ask employees what they prefer as well—and adjust your approach when it’s possible and appropriate.
2. Provide Skill Development
Another effective way to lead multiple generations is to ensure you’re developing people’s skills and capabilities.
In the Monster 2025 report, 78% of respondents thought that multiple generations would present challenges in terms of differing work ethics and values. And 66% thought challenges would occur because of differences in proficiency with technology.
Great leaders will prioritize skill development among all generations, so they can communicate and work together effectively.
Provide soft skills training in how to communicate, collaborate, listen and demonstrate empathy. In addition, ensure you’re encouraging and expecting ongoing development in all kinds of technical proficiency. People will get along better when they have soft skills—but also when they are working alongside others who are technically capable.
Interestingly, 71% of people in the Monster 2025 data preferred to see organizations offer diverse training and development opportunities. Providing plenty of options and alternatives will address unique passions, interests and expectations for learning—across all generations.
3. Provide Career Development
Another primary way to lead effectively across generations is to provide for career development and progression.
Fully 71% of people in the Monster 2025 report believed that differences in expectations for career progression create challenges across generations.
Often, we assume that career growth should include rising in the hierarchy and increasing spans of control. But people have many different definitions of development and success—across generations.
Some people prefer to deepen their knowledge in a core competency. Others may prefer to broaden their portfolio of experience across various roles or departments. Still others may prefer to remain in an individual contributor role, but with increasing levels of responsibility or visibility.
Overall, you can lead multiple generations effectively by asking people what’s most important to them—knowing this may shift across their life stages. In addition, you can seek to align their work as much as possible with what they like to do currently as well as the direction they want to grow.
While perfect alignment is likely impossible, great leaders try to ensure as much alignment as possible between what people have to do and what they love to do.
4. Nurture Wellbeing
Perennial issues today are stress and wellbeing. All generations face these, but the younger people are, the more likely they are to struggle.
One element of wellbeing is feeling fulfilled by both work and life—and this is important to all generations. In the Monster Hustle Culture at Work 2024 survey, 64% of Millennials, 55% of Gen X, 49% of Boomers and 45% of Gen Z said they would prefer to work for a company that prioritizes work-life balance over hustle culture. From an employer’s perspective, there are plenty of reasons to hire Gen Z as well as Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers–based on the fit for the job and the potential to contribute to the organization over time.
The majority of all generations—80% of Millennials, 69% of Gen X, 60% of Gen Z and 54% of Boomers—believe hustle culture leads to burnout and health issues, according to the Monster Hustle report.
In addition, the DDI survey showed that when leaders focus on wellbeing, they are 12 times as likely to be highly rated by employees.
When you lead effectively across generations, you prioritize wellbeing by ensuring workloads that are fair—and by encouraging people to have healthy boundaries.
Satisfaction, happiness and fulfillment arise from leaning into challenges and opportunities. Leaders who embrace this with all generations will be most successful.
Leading for Multiple Generations
Leading multiple generations is no small challenge—and great leaders are continually developing their knowledge and skills to do it well. But with diverse perspectives and the opportunity to learn from each other, all the generations have a bright future.