According to Deloitte, recognizing your employees’ efforts can increase their engagement and performance by up to 14%. That’s a significant improvement you shouldn’t ignore as a business owner.
In return, this instills confidence in your employees, boosts their morale, increases engagement, and makes them more willing to collaborate. In other words, the programs create an environment of camaraderie and trust, which is essential for bridging the experience gap.
Before hopping into any strategies, employers must first understand the scope of the gap. The last thing you want is to spend resources addressing issues that don’t exist.
Experience gap refers to an organization’s shortage of expertise or skills prompted by experienced workers exiting their positions due to retirement or promotion. It’s mainly a result of poor succession planning and can negatively affect employee morale and productivity.
Economic recessions and downturns
When most people hear the word “mentoring,” what comes to their mind is an executive teaching a young protege. While this is the most common type, consider a two-way mentoring model if you want to bridge the experience gap. Both parties can be mentors and mentees, irrespective of their seniority.
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In this article, we’ll look at some tried-and-true ways to bridge this gap so that you can maximize the potential of your new hires and enhance employee engagement.
What is an experience gap?
The strategy allows employees from different departments to exchange ideas and collaborate on projects, making them more aware of what’s needed to succeed. A good example is having your junior tech staff work with your senior marketing sales team. That way, they’ll gain an understanding of customer requirements, which will help them create better products.
Sadly, it’s not something you can teach in a few months and be done with—it’s a journey that requires patience and a bit of finesse.
Successfully bridging the experience gap between longtime employees and new talents requires ongoing commitment from everyone, from management to staff.
Moreover, it encourages employee engagement, allowing them to build meaningful relationships with their peers. Everyone feels more respected and appreciated, energizing the entire workforce. And, in such a supportive environment, the knowledge gap will naturally close, resulting in better outcomes for your organization.
For instance, let your seasoned employees guide junior colleagues on industry best practices and share their successes and failures. Meanwhile, the newbies can pass on their enthusiasm and knowledge about emerging technologies and trends. Together, they can create an environment of mutual learning, growth, and collaboration.
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Some of the positions may be eliminated, salaries may be cut, or the hiring of new talents might be frozen. All these measures contribute to a growing disparity between experienced workers and newcomers.
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Consider a two-way mentoring model if you want to bridge the experience gap. Both parties can be mentors and mentees, irrespective of their seniority.
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While many older workers are mentally capable of performing their jobs, physical limitations make this impossible. Unfortunately, many companies are underprepared to address this issue due to a lack of resources.
At the same time, millennials and Generation Z are gradually entering the labor force and encountering an unfamiliar environment. As a result, there is a vast knowledge gap that you can’t bridge without proper guidance.
How to address the experience gap
Such tools will allow your longtime employees and new talents to express themselves openly and engage in meaningful conversations. Ultimately, it’ll help you create a more harmonious and productive work environment.
However, the strategy will solve your experience gap only if you incorporate it into your organization’s culture. For example, hold monthly town hall meetings, introduce open-door policies, or leverage group chat platforms.
Investing in cutting-edge tech can provide veterans and new hires with a level playing field—not to mention the enhanced ability to collaborate remotely, communicate quickly, and work efficiently. For example, take advantage of software like Skype or Zoom for virtual meetings, Trello for project management, or Slack for communication.
Incorporate professional development programs
Apart from poor succession plans, there are many other reasons for experience gaps. Here are some of the most common.
Once you know the disparities better, you can begin crafting a plan. In addition, it’ll help you focus your efforts on the employees who need it the most.
Recognize and reward performance and contributions
Demographics
Due to economic turmoil and competing demands, companies always look for ways to reduce costs. Unfortunately, one of the most affected areas is often the workforce.
Diversity and inclusivity go beyond ethnicity or gender. It’s about fostering an environment where everyone feels appreciated, safe, and free to voice their opinions without fear of judgment. As a result, it promotes creativity and open-mindedness, essential qualities for any organization looking to stay competitive.
Encourage cross-generational mentoring
In 2020, due to the global pandemic, the world experienced its second major economic shock since the 1930s’ Great Depression.
Companies must stay ahead of the curve in today’s rapidly changing world. As such, fostering cross-functional collaboration is essential. In fact, a report by the World Economic Forum 2020 found that it promotes leadership, a skill necessary in this era.
Perform an experience gap analysis
Short-term cost-cutting measures
Management
Addressing the Experience Gap Between Longtime Employees and New Talent
Successfully bridging the gap requires ongoing commitment from everyone
Communication is vital for the smooth operation of any business. But more often than not, it’s one-sided, designed to disseminate information from management. Unfortunately, this creates a disconnect preventing any honest dialogue from taking place.
Foster cross-functional collaboration
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However, remember to offer training, especially to the baby boomers who may be unfamiliar with the new tools. Show them the benefits of the technology so they don’t feel overwhelmed. Once they get the hang of it, they’ll understand its value, increasing employee engagement and bridging the experience gap.
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