Bridging Age Gaps
According to the World Economic Forum, for the first time, five generations are working together across the workplace, and this is reshaping equality, diversity, and inclusion in significant ways. Across many countries, the working-age population is projected to shrink by about 25% over the next two decades, and by 2034 roughly 80% of the workforce will be made up of Millennials, Gen Z, and the earliest adults of Generation Alpha. These demographic shifts make age inclusion a business-critical issue and an essential part of workplace planning. Leaders who understand generational diversity are better equipped to build inclusive and effective teams that can collaborate.
In sectors such as education and beyond, understanding generational diversity is key to building inclusive and effective teams. This means valuing people who have dedicated many years to an organisation just as much as younger colleagues who are joining for the first time, as well as those returning to the workforce after a career break. It is especially important for women, who may face additional challenges in recognition and career progression compared with their peers. Recognising the unique experiences and perspectives each person brings helps teams collaborate more effectively and innovate in ways that benefit everyone.
Research from Rest Less highlights the benefits that age differences at work can have. Younger colleagues often offer digital fluency, fresh perspectives, and sometimes more of a willingness to experiment, while older colleagues contribute institutional knowledge, technical expertise, client relationships and experience in navigating complex organisational challenges. Combining these strengths allows teams to solve problems more creatively, innovate more effectively, and adapt to changing circumstances. Additionally, diverse age perspectives often lead to more varied brainstorming sessions and ultimately different and innovative solutions.
Intergenerational collaboration also supports better decision-making and innovation. According to Business in the Community, teams that are fully diverse across age, gender, race, and location make higher-quality decisions nearly 90% of the time. When teams reflect a broad spectrum of ages, they are better positioned to understand and meet the needs of clients and communities. Structured mentoring and reverse mentoring programmes allow knowledge to flow both ways, supporting engagement, and skill development. As a result, organisations benefit from a workforce that is both skilled and adaptable, capable of responding to challenges and opportunities with creativity and efficiency.
Despite these advantages, age bias remains a significant concern.
Many organisations report real challenges in collaboration across generations and evidence shows that policy alone does not eliminate age stereotyping. Formal complaints back this up with employment tribunal receipts for age discrimination spiking to 3,668 in 2020 and average compensation awards rising sharply to around £103,000 in 2023 to 2024, pointing to a growing financial and cultural cost. Globally the scale is even more striking as about one in two people hold ageist views toward older adults according to the World Health Organization which underlines how prevalent age bias is. This can affect women particularly, as those returning after a career break or who have spent many years in an organisation often face additional barriers to recognition and progression.
Taking action for age inclusion
Leaders can take practical steps to create an inclusive intergenerational workplace:
Collect and analyse age-band data to identify gaps in recruitment, retention, and career progression, and establish measurable targets to track improvement.
Design development programmes that combine structured training with mentoring and reverse mentoring, allowing knowledge and skills to flow between generations.
Train managers to recognise and challenge age stereotypes, and evaluate employees based on skills and outcomes rather than assumptions linked to age.
Introduce flexible working arrangements, phased retirement options, and tailored learning pathways to support employees at different life stages.
Track age inclusion metrics and gather employee feedback to ensure initiatives are effective, continuously refined, and aligned with organisational goals. The feedback should become fairly regular throughout the year.
Integrating age into EDI strategies allows organisations to become fairer, more innovative, and more resilient. Companies that prioritise intergenerational collaboration are better able to attract and retain diverse talent.
With deliberate effort, age can become a strength rather than a source of division. When leaders recognise and embrace the strengths of every generation, their teams are better prepared for change and more able to thrive in a fast-moving business world.