Today the level of insecurity perceived by workers with respect to the future is growing more and more, generating a negative effect caused by the decrease in engagement .
The “reciprocity pact” between the individual and the companies changes, as does the employment relationship, characterized by short-medium term prospects and by a continuous renegotiation of an almost exclusively economic nature.
The relationship between newcomers and organizations has changed.
Currently the labor market sees the presence of several generations which, inevitably, have different approaches and values. In particular, the Millennials and Generation Z differ from the others – Builder, Baby Boomer and Generation X – in a decidedly strong way.
The new levers are skilled in taking advantage of the opportunities that arise.
For them, communication and use of technology are central and essential elements , more important also than training and the working environment. Furthermore, they tend to learn from experience , which is why it must be as personalized as possible so that they can feel it their own.
These new technical innovations create within companies a digital divide between juniors and seniors , a gap of knowledge and effective behavior in the use of certain tools, which if not monitored risks making communication between the parties less fluid.
Reverse Mentoring: The combination of experience and digital skills
It is precisely in this context that reverse mentoring develops: a process by which young people typically with less experience , but with strong digital skills , help seniors , who have greater problem solving skills thanks to skills acquired throughout the professional career, to become familiar with technology , looking for a mutual exchange .
The culture of the digital world, in which the under 35 (or even under 20) were born, is transmitted to the seniors who in turn contribute to creating a greater awareness of themselves in young people themselves to have a wider vision of the working reality and a immediate access to information , as well as managing team work differently .
To better understand this process, let’s take a concrete example: the implementation of project management skills .
On the one hand, young people will teach how to use digital tools to manage a project (e-calendar and organization of remote meetings), on the other, seniors will be able to transmit the principles that are always valid to achieve the results of a work plan ( formulation of a vision or definition of a specific objective).
Who has the responsibility for the development of human resources should be careful to understand and manage the dynamics in play , facilitating the process reverse mentoring organizational and relational point of view, to reduce the value-gap and perspective in order to free a greater creativity in facing the challenges that will arise with a new spirit.
In fact, if well implemented, it can become a tool for improving talent management , employer branding , promoting diversity, overcoming the digital gap , developing leadership, exchanging intergenerational content , spreading know-how internal and the promotion of the culture of long life learning.
