Management
With four generations comprising today’s workforce, it’s important to take team building approaches that resonate with and recognize the different skillsets, perspectives, and values that each group brings to the table. Read on to learn more about the different generations and gain insight from local leaders on building a strong multigenerational team.
Now entering and establishing themselves in the workforce, members of Gen Z are known for their digital fluency and familiarity with social media and instant messaging, having grown up around technology their entire lives. Ambitious and innovative, they value authenticity and transparency in a flexible work environment.
Millennials comprise the largest percentage of the current workforce in the U.S., accounting for approximately 36% of workers. The generation is known for its purpose-driven, collaborative approach and values workplaces that provide teamwork, work-life balance, and professional development through mentorship.
Having risen through the ranks over the years, Gen X now holds the majority of mid-to-senior level leadership and management positions in the workforce, with many entering mentorship roles. Members of this generation are often practical problem-solvers with a self-motivated, independent work style, and favor phone calls over messaging.
Reaching or nearing retirement age, Baby Boomers bring a wealth of experience in the workforce to their organizations. They are known for their strong work ethic and value stability, loyalty, and long-term career progress, with a preference for face-to-face communication. Equipped with years of expertise, many Baby Boomers serve as mentors for younger generations.
At Real Estate Partners, we’re fortunate to have every generation represented, and that diversity is one of our biggest strengths. We focus on team building approaches that emphasize common ground rather than differences. Simple practices like icebreakers at meetings help open the door for conversation, encourage participation, and remind everyone that we’re working toward shared goals, regardless of age or background. Beyond icebreakers, we’ve found cross-generational collaboration to be especially effective. For example, we encourage our agents to form multigenerational mentorships and partnerships, creating space for shared learning, knowledge exchange, and mutual growth. More tenured agents bring institutional knowledge and perspective, while younger agents often introduce fresh ideas and new technologies. This mutual exchange builds respect and trust across generations. What makes these approaches effective is that they’re inclusive and purpose-driven. Rather than forcing interaction, they create natural opportunities for connection and collaboration. When people feel heard, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves, generational labels fade, and a stronger, more unified team takes their place.
Building a strong multigenerational workforce starts with shared belief in the mission. At Cempa, team members may differ in age, experience, or work style, but they are united by a commitment to improving community health. We focus on clear communication and mutual respect, recognizing that people engage and contribute in different ways. We intentionally pour into our culture by creating moments for connection outside of daily work, including monthly staff birthday lunches and staff appreciation events throughout the year. These shared experiences build relationships across roles and generations, reinforcing a sense of belonging, and reminding our team that they are valued as people, not just employees. We invest in professional development at every career stage and connect daily work back to our mission. When people understand how their role advances the mission, buy-in follows naturally, and teamwork becomes authentic rather than forced.
When building a team, I look first to character and personality. I want people who work hard, who will “fit” with the rest of the team, and who take responsibility for their own actions. Blame-shifters and excuse-makers will prevent a strong team. I’d much rather have someone who says, “I blew it, and I’ll fix it,” than someone who says, “Well, Mark didn’t get me the reports on time so I couldn’t get my job done.” Don’t make excuses – just get it done. I want growth-mindset people, not fixed-mindset. “I don’t know how to do that, but I’m going to learn” trumps “I’m happy in my little box” every time. We have team-building meetings where we think together, strategize together, problem-solve together, and everyone has input. If the team is going to execute the plan, then every member of the team must have input and feel that their input is valuable. As the leader, I am often quiet at these meetings – taking notes, listening, and figuring out how to incorporate the wisdom of each member of the team into the action we need to take.
Team building across the workforce really starts with leadership, and leaders that push teamwork almost always start with communication. Over communicating ensures that the entire team is focused on the organization’s priorities. Leaders can communicate using formal, informal, written, and oral methods – utilizing as many modes and venues as possible is required – and then repeat. Feedback is an additional layer to communication, but just as critical because it keeps the team aware of performance. Providing feedback, seeking feedback, and closing the feedback loop is crucial to all members of a multigenerational workforce, and most are eager to get it. Successful team building also comes when you combine expectation setting and personal development into relentless mentoring. The workforce is driven across the generations to see a strong future for themselves with an organization that executes structured and informal persistent mentoring. Together, over communicating, providing 360-feedback, and mentoring relentlessly are all paramount to long-term team building success.
From day-to-day property management to working in the downtown office to serving our membership at Valleybrook Golf & Country Club, we have multiple generations working side by side across our portfolio. Building a strong, connected team starts from the beginning. When hiring, we look for candidates who focus on a shared vision and purpose, seem to have mutual respect, and value collaboration. From there, one of our best practices is to ensure every team member formally acknowledges our code of conduct during onboarding. This is a great guide for our daily actions and how we treat one another inside and outside of USV. We are also consistent in taking time throughout the year to get the team together and mingle with other departments. Everyone brings their own unique perspectives, experiences, and skills, and these in-person events create space for open communication, where we see knowledge, engagement, and trust grow.
Respect is the first thing that comes to mind when building a strong multigenerational team. Recognizing that times change and respecting what each team member brings to the table is essential in a successful business. We are fortunate to have employees in their 35th year of service mentoring recent college graduates on what may seem like a simple task, such as how to approach clients. At the same time, our younger Gen Z team members contribute open-minded perspectives and show Gen X and Baby Boomer colleagues more efficient ways to use technology in our daily tasks. Today’s workforce has such a beautiful work/life balance that, without these multiple generations, we would never have experienced. Team building is at its strongest since I started my business 36 years ago, and it has been rewarding watching the story unfold.
