Does your organisation have internal employee networks for protected groups?

When we ask this question, the answer is generally …yes, but when we ask if those groups include any focus on generational agenda, the answer is usually…no.

And even when we find progressive organisations that recognise age as an integral consideration in their inclusion thinking, the age networks generally lag behind the likes of gender, race, and LGBT. It’s tougher for the age network chairs to access internal resources and have their voices heard.

“elevate the age agenda”

#championagediversityIt can be difficult to pinpoint the reasons behind such age apathy, but as the age demographic view moves on a consistent global trajectory, i.e. the population pyramid bulge is only moving towards higher age ranges, organisations need to change their thinking around age.

Younger generations are experiencing challenges that were only thought of as the reserve for older workers, but on such a broad range of anxiety issues such as, career development, financial resilience, housing, and well-being, these are common trends across all generational groups. Age is the only wholly inclusive lens to bring every employee into view for common policy and best practice objectives.

This is where partnering with the Age Diversity Forum (ADF) gives stronger visibility and resources to provide organisations with the opportunities to benefit from their multi-generational workspaces.

Many existing, and potentially new, ERG’s, are chaired and driven by individuals with a strong interest and commitment, but who also have a ‘day job’. Bringing the ADF on board as an extended resource can provide the expertise and energy to add value of awareness and implementation of practical goals that elevate the age agenda within the organisation, boosting ERG membership and improving the working environment. And as well as being the right-thing-to-do, ADF research, information and real world experience will also add evidence to the business case/ROI questions.

The ADF enables client organisations to leverage the value of multi-generational human capital by providing:

  • Organisational leaders with insights into why multi-generational workforces matter and the value they generate (Insight)

  • Diagnostic approaches to enable individual organisations to understand their age diversity ‘health’ (Health & Well-being)

  • Tools and techniques for shifting the dial on age diversity ‘health’, from individual awareness training to strategic HR planning (Tools)

  • Holistic approaches for attitudinal and cultural change towards ‘age’ in order to shift organisational mindsets (Transformation)

  • Mechanisms for measuring the value and impact of any change interventions (Value)

  • On-going research into the opportunities and challenges that multigenerational workforces present and how to leverage or tackle more effectively (Research)

  • We exist in the recognition that for a number of demand and supply related reasons people will need to stay in the workforce for longer meaning that for the foreseeable future any organisation will typically have at least five generations working together. (Reality)

  • We also lobby government and trade bodies to influence policy, attitudes, and language in this key area of human capital. (Influence)

More businesses and organisations are now planning their strategies for sustainability and growth, recognising the benefits and values gained from diversity in the workplace. An attention to inclusion through the age lens, uniquely, also provides inter-sectional access to other diversity and inclusion agenda, so enhancing existing ERGs for other protected groups.

So perhaps the question is not do you have an ERG for age, but stating that it is imperative to have an ERG for age that has the ADF support, resources, and expertise to make a difference.

The ADF Comms Team

To respond and/or for more information, please contact the ADF Comms Team at: [email protected]