Nonprofit leaders should be able to work with many different kinds of people. A lot of my staff at Soles4Souls is young. We have a mix of Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Millennials.

When you have that level of diversity, there are some important things to keep in mind about leading a multigenerational workforce. Whether or not they know it, each group views the world differently. Brian Zimmerman recently spoke to this topic and brought up a few great points.

Here’s what I think you should know.

• Generational differences. Generation X exudes independence, resilience, and adaptability. Millennials are technology-oriented, confident, multi-taskers. Millennials are digital-natives while Gen-Xers speak the digital language with a bit of an accent.
• Workplace perspectives. When working with these two generations, remember that Millennials are relatively new to the workplace and are likely optimistic about fulfilling their dreams. However, if they have experienced disappointment (and many have as a result of the Recession), they may seem cynical or jaded.
• Generational similarities. One similarity between the generations is their desire for workplace structure, clear direction, and leadership that earns their respect. A trend to consider is that both Millennials and Gen-Xers are not very likely to stay in their current jobs. Job security is scarce and both generations are likely to keep an eye out for a more ideal position. In fact, Millennials are twice as likely to quit within a year compared to Baby Boomers.

While this data may make you nervous, don’t let it. Resolve instead to maintain ongoing communication with your staff. Some of the best ideas may come from some of the most unlikely places. And that kind of validation could keep them around for quite a bit longer.

Where have you experienced the biggest challenges in leading, recruiting, and retaining a multigenerational workforce?