A consultant who lectures on what he calls “managing the aging workforce,” Richard Anthony, Sr., recently offered his insights to members of HRLeaders.org. We think his advice relates to all the generations of employees. As an example, he taught a newly promoted supervisor whose subordinates include people who are not only older than he is but also much more experienced in the workforce. What did he need to know, the young man asked, to be a good supervisor in those circumstances?

To review, we have Traditionals (born before 1946), Boomers (born roughly between 1946 and 1963), Generation X (1964 to 1976), and Generation Y (1977 to 1992) in our organizations—but these dates are approximate. These are Anthony’s best practices:

1. Identify the generational composition of your workforce. Plot your age data according to the four generations, and correlate that information with knowledge of the similarities and differences among the four groups.
2. Prepare a workforce forecast. Look at the competencies and experience your organization is likely to need based on several possible scenarios. Then compare your current workforce with what you’ll need 3 to 5 years into the future. Plan steps to close the gap.
3. Train managers and supervisors about intergenerational differences and issues. They need to know the different attitudes the generations bring to their work and their priorities. Additionally, Anthony believes managers need to be familiar with the emotional, cognitive, and physical changes older workers experience.
4. Match HR policies to the needs of the workforce. Review the policies at least every 2 years to ensure they’re aligned with employee and employer needs.
5. Include all generations on committees and project teams that will advise top management. The more the different groups work with one another, the more they will value their differences.
6. Design a communications plan tailored to generational differences: For example, older workers prefer written communications and information from peers, while Gen Y wants to hear it from their supervisors—at length.
7. Offer plenty of lateral movement: This will stimulate both older workers who no longer wish to climb the corporate ladder and younger workers who require new experiences and learning.
8. Provide flexibility in schedules, job sharing, sabbaticals, and leaves of absence. Older workers may want more education or travel, while younger ones want time for family and social activities.

Tip: Evaluate managers partly on how well they retain valued employees, especially the older ones who are less likely than Gen Y to seek greener pastures.