Increasingly age diverse workforces bring a wealth of experiences, skills and perspectives that influence how teams work, collaborate and communicate.
They also offer Learning and Development (L&D) teams a unique opportunity to enhance learning programmes and support skills development across the organisation. By tapping into the strengths and knowledge of multigenerational teams, you can create flexible, personalised learning experiences that cater to employees at all career stages.
Discover how to get started and leverage the age diversity in your teams to ensure that learning is engaging, inclusive and effective for all employees.
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Organisations are becoming increasingly age-diverse, with 73% of business leaders reporting that their workforce now spans more generations than in the past. This brings a wealth of experiences, skills and perspectives that influence how teams work, collaborate and communicate.
For Learning and Development (L&D) teams, this shift offers a unique opportunity to enhance learning programmes and support skills development across the organisation. By tapping into the strengths and knowledge of multigenerational teams, you can create flexible, personalised learning experiences that cater to employees at all career stages.
How can you get started? Read on to explore how to leverage the age diversity in your teams and ensure that learning is engaging, inclusive and effective for all employees.
1. Review and refresh formal learning
When designing learning for a multigenerational workforce, it’s easy to focus on broad trends and assumptions about how different age groups prefer to learn. But learning preferences aren’t determined by age alone - they’re shaped by career path, experience, job role, confidence with technology and personal motivation. It’s important to take a fresh look at formal learning and ensure it meets the needs of all employees, rather than relying on generational labels.
Start by gathering insights directly from employees. Surveys, focus groups and skills assessments can help build a clearer picture of what people need to learn, their current skill levels and how they prefer to develop. This process can also challenge any unconscious biases about who needs what kind of training. Collaborate with line managers for a comprehensive picture of skills gaps and learning styles. Managers can also be important in engaging their team members in learning, by communicating priorities and how these link to career goals.
Flexibility is key - some employees may appreciate clear pathways with defined steps, while others might prefer a more self-directed approach where they can choose courses or modules relevant to their needs and goals. Group learning can also be a powerful tool to develop awareness and skills in multigenerational working, providing opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and peer support.
Revisit your online courses and digital learning resources. While some employees will be confident using online platforms, others may need extra support. Simple steps like offering orientation sessions, FAQs or peer support groups can improve accessibility. Tap into the skills of tech-savvy team members to review content, provide feedback and support colleagues to strengthen digital confidence across the organisation.
Taking these steps ensures formal learning is inclusive, engaging and genuinely useful for all employees, regardless of their background or experience.
2. Revitalise mentoring and coaching programmes
Mentoring and coaching have long been valuable tools for professional development, traditionally relying on more experienced, senior employees passing down knowledge and advice. While this remains important, learning can be even more effective when it includes insights from all ages and career stages. Early-career professionals can often bring fresh perspectives, digital expertise and alternative ways of thinking that can challenge established approaches and drive innovation.
Reverse mentoring allows less experienced colleagues to share these insights. It can be an effective way of experienced employees staying up to date while building confidence, leadership skills and visibility within the organisation for those in the early career stage.
Two-way mentoring creates a collaborative learning experience, where knowledge flows in both directions and employees at different career stages support each other’s development. This not only helps individuals grow but also strengthens working relationships, encouraging teams to appreciate different perspectives and ways of working and fostering an inclusive and dynamic experience.
Coaching programmes can also benefit from a more social approach. Integrating peer networks or cross-functional learning groups adds a collaborative element, making coaching more engaging and relevant. Digital tools - such as virtual assistants and interactive learning platforms - can personalise coaching by offering on-demand resources, real-time feedback and tailored learning recommendations.
3. Enhance learning in the flow of work
Encourage diverse teams to collaborate on real-world challenges to strengthen problem-solving and learn from different ways of thinking. Create opportunities for collaboration, such as projects or hackathons to share knowledge naturally and build a deeper understanding of different approaches while working towards shared goals.
Curate a library of resources for team members to access for just-in-time learning. Ask employees to co-create quick, practical learning resources on specific skills, tools or techniques to capture and share their diverse expertise. Provide opportunities for them to choose methods - think short video clips, infographics, or guides - which best match their learning style to ensure a range of content that suits everyone.
Building a culture of continuous learning also means creating informal spaces for knowledge exchange. Social learning opportunities - such as discussion groups, communities of practice, or informal sharing sessions - encourage employees to reflect on their experiences and learn from colleagues with different backgrounds. These interactions help break down generational barriers and create a more inclusive, dynamic learning environment where everyone has something to contribute.
Final thoughts
British Council has 90 years’ experience of partnering with organisations and individuals in over 200 countries to upskill their workforce for success.
Our four-step process supports you to implement initiatives that make a difference and cultivate a learning culture in your organisation.
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