A Guide for Leading Across Generations
The clock is ticking. The youngest baby boomers are expected to retire by 2030, and Canada’s manufacturing sector must recruit more women in the skilled trades to help bridge the gap.
To boost retention, manufacturers should also empower younger generations to thrive in their careers and grow into leadership roles.
The ideal leadership development strategy combines the hard-won success and experience of Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials with the tech-savvy, collaborative energy of Gen Z.
How Can Each Generation Learn From Each Other?
Each generation brings a distinct perspective to Canada’s manufacturing floors.
Baby Boomers
These industry veterans entered the skilled trades when there were no women’s washrooms, no properly fitting personal protection equipment (PPE), and few male allies.
Their hard work and resilience paved the way for other women as they built successful careers and shared their technical expertise and wisdom with the next generation.
Gen X and Millennials
These tradeswomen learned from their baby boomer mentors and leaders, and currently make up the largest segment of the workforce. They built on that success by pushing hard for technological and structural change within manufacturing organizations.
Today, they fight for better support systems for working mothers, work-life balance, flexible scheduling, and zero-tolerance harassment policies. They also want to inspire more Gen Z women to enter the skilled trades and help them become future mentors and leaders.
Gen Z
Tech-savvy, highly collaborative, and purpose-driven, this generation is now entering the skilled trades workforce as advanced automation, robotics, and AI technologies redefine the manufacturing industry.
Gen Z will continue to build on the hard work of their predecessors, pushing for more changes and innovations on the shop floor. They are also using their digital expertise to help older generations become more tech-savvy, while seeking formal mentorship and leadership opportunities.
Rewarding and Investing in Leadership Skills
Senior tradeswomen often volunteer their time during breaks, lunches, and off-shift hours to unofficially mentor and advise female rookies. Unfortunately, this unpaid work takes time and energy away from their daily tasks, leading to feelings of resentment and exhaustion.
Manufacturers should officially reward this leadership work by:
- Building mentorship directly into performance reviews, adjusting shift allocations to give mentors dedicated time to teach younger generations, and ensuring this leadership work is financially compensated.
- Creating a mutual mentorship and learning loop by encouraging veteran journeypersons to pass down the nuances of precision machining, while their Gen Z apprentices teach them to use new digital tools.
Boosting Employee Loyalty and Morale
Explaining how to do a job properly is only one part of the equation. Manufacturing leaders can boost employee loyalty and morale, across all generations, by:
1. Creating reasons for apprentices to stay
Gen Z’s purpose-driven nature influences their likelihood of staying in a job long-term. Show them you value their work by investing in their careers and helping them grow into leadership roles. Offer leadership training seminars, career development workshops, and other opportunities to build their qualifications.
For example, EMC Canada’s HerJourney Program “provides women apprentices with activities, support, resources, and training, including mentorship and leadership development services, to strengthen their desire to remain within the manufacturing industry.”
Also, show how their work impacts the real world by sharing testimonials or feedback from customers whose lives or businesses were positively affected by their work.
2. Helping employees feel connected to their work
A Construction Industry Institute (CII) report revealed, “Highly engaged construction workers are 2.5 times more likely to exceed performance expectations compared to disengaged workers.” Older generations can engage and motivate young apprentices by praising their work in front of more experienced co-workers.
Likewise, encourage young apprentices to share feedback and ideas when you’re planning a new project. Ask them to even recommend new digital tools and workflows that older generations may not consider.
3. Protecting women’s mental and physical health
Young apprentices shouldn’t feel mocked for asking a question or experience bullying or harassment on a shift. Otherwise, they are more likely to leave that toxic workplace. Leaders, male allies, and mentors should actively call out and penalize unwanted co-worker behaviours.
Create scheduling policies that protect apprentices from isolation and psychological unsafety at work. Additionally, invest in properly sized personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall-protection gear designed specifically for women’s bodies to ensure their physical safety.
The Future is Inclusive
When junior and senior tradeswomen create a unified front, they build a safe, welcoming workplace environment for the next generation. Leadership teams must help to build and nurture this inclusive workplace culture.
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) supports and empowers women across Canada’s manufacturing sector. Through the EMC HerJourney Program, EMC offers dedicated pathways, tools, and advocacy to help women succeed in the skilled trades.
If your workplace is facing leadership or cultural challenges, remember that EMC members can always reach out directly for guidance through our Member Needs Help portal.
Join the Conversation: Upcoming Webinars & Insights
Discover practical strategies through our interactive virtual sessions, and look out for our deep-dive resource articles following each event to help you implement these leadership principles on your own shop floor:
- October 14th: Burnout & Bias: The Hidden Link
- November 11th: Invisible Disabilities & Workplace Inclusion