February 8, 2025 12:30 pm

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February 8, 2025 12:30 pm

How A Multigenerational Workplace Can Benefit Businesses

In this companion piece to the article, “Navigating the Challenges of Generational Workforce Differences,” we will take a deeper dive into the advantages to businesses of combining the forte of four generations of employees to greatly increase profits. Specifically, we will look at strategic plans for a new business, in this case, a coffee shop and café.

To review, there in most cases four generations in today’s workplace: Baby Boomers (born between 1945 and 1964), Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980), Millennials, also known as Generation Y (born from 1981 to 1996) and Generation Z, also characterized as Zoomers (born from 1997 to 2012).

The groups may appear disparate but, working in concert, they can help a new business to achieve success. For instance, suppose that you are planning to open a coffee shop and café. The first thought that comes to mind: What types of coffee will you serve?

A boomer may say that you can’t go wrong with traditional coffee, while a younger employee may counter with, “serve what the kids are drinking.” Yet why not both? By offering a menu with many choices, your business can be a hotspot for all age groups.

Appealing to traditionalists, including many Boomers and Gen Xers, you must of course offer time-honored coffee, mild or strong, to get them caffeinated for the workday commute. This audience will appreciate their favorite, freshly made coffee among the menu of today’s up-to-the-minute avalanche of cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and Frappuccino®. They may wonder, “What are Brown Sugar Oat milk Cortados and Honey Almond Flat Whites?”

Millennials and Gen Z could fill them in on the contents of these very popular flavors among younger generations. They become a favorite of the older generations.

In addition, you want to be hip, so offer items for tweens, teens and young adults using the latest lingo. Use terminology like Vibe Brews for concoctions that both taste great and carry a vibe or aesthetic associated with it. There are also Brewtiful Brews (a play on the words brew and beautiful), Drip Drama (for the aesthetics) and Cozy Cups (perfect for just chilling out on a cold day).

The use of laptops, iPads and cell phones is ubiquitous no matter your customer’s age; be sure to have a good amount of charging stations for their devices. The same goes for comfortable and stylish seating in the café. Your multi-generational employees could merge ideas to create a unique, colorful set-up with design and comfort features to please all comers.

Even if you open before sunrise for the commuter crowd, you need not close at an early hour. Teens and young adults tend to congregate, often at a café, in the evening. You may want to consider extending your hours on weekends.

This is just one of endless scenarios in which different generations can share insights that can help boost any business. Business owners should embrace rather than fear generation gaps among their employees. Working together, the literal sum of their parts will equate to great profits.

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