Turning Generational Diversity into a Competitive Advantage

Cindy Crowder, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Human Resource Development, Indiana State University

Mylon L. Stark, Director of Safety & Training, Associated General Contractors of South Dakota

Organizations are reporting a greater need for more training and development programs to make up for skill deficiencies in younger workers and a need to increase knowledge management programs that retain older worker knowledge. This session will provide attendees with a clear understanding of how their organization can turn the challenges of generational diversity in the workplace into a competitive advantage.

By attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the attitudes and behaviors that define each of the generations currently in the workplace;
• Understand how to communicate and work effectively with workers in each of those generations;
• Plan for the human capital management issues facing organizations as a result of generational diversity;
• Define ways to overcome common management challenges associated with cross–generational employees; and
• Identify methods and costs of transferring knowledge/skills between generations.