Think age diversity doesn't affect your workplace? Before you respond, read the following situations and highlight those that you've observed in your organization:

·Baby Boomers who insist on calling meetings for everything. ·Gen X'ers who appear to only be in it for themselves. ·Younger workers who assume that if you don't have an I-pod you are computer illiterate. ·Seasoned employees who keep reminding everyone the way things used to be. ·Younger managers struggling to gain the respect of older workers who are subordinates.

If you checked off more than one box then your organization is among the many facing intergenerational workplace issues. Some companies actually believe these issues will go away on their own. They operate under the premise that older workers will retire and the younger people will mature in time to take the leadership roles vacated by this generation. Problem solved.

Forward thinking companies understand that intergenerational conflict is here to stay. Older workers are deferring retirement and Baby Boomers are still climbing the corporate ladder. Gen X'ers are holding middle and senior management roles while the youngest sector of the workforce, Millennials, are just settling into the workforce.

Failure to understand the complexities or recognize the opportunities associated with an intergenerational workforce will put your company at risk. As more companies address the issues associated with these challenges, those not planning ahead and leveraging generational diversity will be left scrambling.

Here are three things your organization can do today to turn this challenge into an opportunity:

Open the box

Instead of putting people into boxes, we need to open the box to get a better glimpse of what's inside. Encourage employees to discuss their differences and similarities with one another. Then focus on the commonalities. This is the first step towards creating an environment where generational differences are understood and appreciated.

Training

How can we expect supervisors and managers to navigate through this complex arena without proper guidance? Provide supervisors and managers with training and access to consultants who can help them head off intergenerational misunderstandings.

Turn silver into gold

Mature workers are no longer opting to spend the sunshine years of their life in the south. That's good news for those employers, located in colder climates, who recognize the knowledge and experience this generation brings to the workforce. The key to retaining this generation of employees is to provide them with flexibility and opportunities to pass along their experiences to younger workers.

Start today and you will immediately enjoy the benefits that occur when a company turns a challenge into an opportunity.

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