Every generation has its issues with the next one taking over. From Hesiod complaining that the Roman young people were disrespectful to the Beatles talking “About My Generation” to the older generation complaining that young people are always on their phones, bridging the generational divide has been difficult throughout the ages. However, people have always managed to work together because they have asked “How can we work together?”

Portable Technology

Finding common ground is the first step in communicating with anyone, and technology has allowed people to communicate and problem-solve much more easily. For example, since phones can store so much information on them, employees can take the information about a project with them wherever they go. This portability allows any employee to ask another about a problem directly rather than lugging a heavy workstation or computer.

Long-Distance Collaboration

With new and improving technologies such as Slack software, employees can communicate anywhere there is internet access. They can also direct their questions or concerns about a project to the right person by creating a public message and categorizing it to a specific group through the use of hashtags. Slack differs from regular email in that it allows people to navigate confusing sets of information in a less formalized setting. Users can also leave the conversation more easily, which is useful if they only had a few questions on a specific topic.

Open-Minded Management

Bridging a generational divide in a professional setting starts with the management. In many cases, the younger generation will wonder why something is done a certain way while the older generation clings to the old way as “what works”. A skillful manager will encourage innovation in the younger generation while allowing the older generation to stick with the old way as long as it is effective.

Bridging the generational divide has been a concern for others since different generations have worked together. However, bridging the divide today relies on skilled management compromising between the two generations, directed collaboration that focuses communication through the mess of a project, and portable technology that everyone has access to. The question should not be whether we can work together, but how we can.