Employers advised to bridge the generation gap at workplace

PETALING JAYA: Employers must be able to bridge the generational divide in their workplaces to ensure that staff across the board are able to keep up with the times.

This was the core message delivered by speakers at the HR Conference 2017: Trend Leadership organised by myStarjob.com.

Star Media Group chief operating officer Calvin Kan said in his opening speech that there was a need to address the gap in working culture between baby boomers, Generation X and Generation Y, among others.

“Back then, there was no Internet and WiFi that allowed us to work remotely, but now the young generation is embracing these changes at work.

“Nowadays we cannot ask the staff to remain in the office to do the same work they can do from home, so it is important to keep every generation in the workplace relevant,” he said.

SP Setia Bhd chief human resources officer Nadiah Tan Abdullah said today’s organisations were no longer defined by fixed workplaces, nine-to-five hours or a standard set of employees.

“Internet connectivity and wireless devices are making it easier to work outside the confines of an office, and this appeals to Generation Y and millennials.

“An employee from the baby boomer generation or Generation X is used to a fixed office schedule, because that was how working conditions were back then.

“As the workplace goes digital, bosses need to think – if the job can be finished outside the office, there is no reason to force employees to stay back late,” she said.

Malaysian Digital Economy Corp Sdn Bhd (MDEC) talent and digital entrepreneurship director Siti Norliza Mohd Sahar said the human resources industry must be open to using technology to change hiring trends.

“Formal interview settings are no longer appealing to youths, so HR practitioners can also look at casual interview environments, like in cafes, or even using social media platforms to get to know their potential employees.

“If practitioners do not stay updated but remain rigid and inflexible, they may lose out on new talents,” she said.

Later in an interview, myStarjob.com product manager Yussof Aziz said the two-day event explored ways to shortlist, train and maintain good talent from a vast pool of candidates.

“It also discussed how to keep everyone at the workplace relevant in this rapidly changing industry,” he said.