Harnessing the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce

For the first time in our economic history, there are five generations of employees making up our workforce. From the ‘Traditionalists’ generation to the newcomers ‘Gen Z’ – there are decades of experiences, cultures, and knowledge in our workplaces that each of us can learn from. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that by 2026 we can expect nearly two-thirds of people aged 55-64 to be working, and about 30% of people ages 65-74 to likely have full or part-time jobs.

So how can business leaders and managers successfully lead multigenerational teams and unleash the power of a multigenerational workforce?

In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we answer those questions and more, with Elana Kieffer and Carolyn Stem from The New York Academy of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Aging.

@NYAMNYC @AgefriendlyNYC #Workforce #HealthyAging

Center for Healthy Aging: https://www.nyam.org/center-healthy-aging/

Transcript

Dave: Welcome to Bring Out The Talent, the podcast featuring learning and development experts discussing innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in to hear our talent, and help develop yours. Now, here are your hosts, TTA CEO and President Maria Melfa, and talent manager Jocelyn Allen.

Maria Melfa: Hi, this is Maria, and I'm excited for you to join us today.

Jocelyn Allen: Episode two, season two. It's the years of the twos. We're so excited you're back.

Maria Melfa: Economic history, there are five generations of employees making up our workforce from the traditionalist generation to the newcomer's gen Z. There are decades of experiences, cultures, and knowledge in our workplaces that each of us can learn.
And in fact, the bureau of labor statistics states by [00:01:00] 2026, we can expect nearly two-thirds of people aged 55 to 64 to be working. And about 30% of people ages 65 to 74 likely have full or part-time jobs. So much for retirement. So how can business leaders and managers successfully lead multi-generational teams and unleash the power of a multi-generational workforce?
We can answer these questions today and more with our guests, Elana Keiffer and Carolyn Stem from the New York Academy of Medicine and Center for Healthy Aging. Welcome, Elana and Carolyn.

Carolyn Stem: Well, thank you so much. So happy to be here. Absolutely.

Elana Kieffer: Thank you for having us.

Maria Melfa: Can you share with our listeners an overview of the New York Academy of Medicine and center for healthy aging and what you actually do and your roles within the [00:02:00] organization?

Elana Kieffer: Sure. So, the center for healthy aging is one of the three research centers at the New York Academy of Medicine which is located in East Harlem in Manhattan. And even though New York is our main, we do work in New York City in New York state and then all around the country and sometimes even in other countries as well.
Our overall mission at the New York Academy of Medicine, which we affectionately call NYAM is to drive progress towards improved health, through attaining health.
And a lot of people are talking about health equity these days because of the pandemic. And we have been talking about it for much longer than that.
And we have three different kinds of main programs at the New York Academy of Medicine. We have a fellows program of about 2000 healthcare professionals that are committed to health equity. We have a world-class medical history library, and then we have a number of different research [00:03:00] evaluation and policy programs that focus on a variety of topics related to health equity, and not surprisingly the center for healthy aging focuses on topics related to the older population, typically adults 65 and older, but there's, of course, some range in that as well.
And our mission at the center is to improve the health and well-being of both current and future aging populations. An IMD acting director at the center. And Carolyn is our trustee project assistant.

Maria Melfa: Yeah. Amazing organization. You do a lot of wonderful things.

Jocelyn Allen: Carolyn, do you want to tell us a little bit more about what your role is?

Carolyn Stem: Sure. My role as project assistant, as Elana said is very varied. I have done everything from presenting to organizations to charting surveys to helping with different, different thought processes and how we go forward. And I [00:04:00] enjoy just being there and being a part of this wonderful project that we have been working on as far as long as I know.

Jocelyn Allen: I love that. Carolyn, I love that part of your role there, enjoying it as much as you do, like the fact, like it's just, it speaks something to what you're doing, the culture that you have there, and how important it is to you for you to just be like, yes, what I do there is I really enjoy my job. I'm working on the project that we're doing.
That's fantastic. . So we're here talking about the multi-generational workforce, which is a huge topic right now, as you said, it's the first time in our economic history that there are five generations at work. We're hearing it more and more. Can you explain a little bit more like what it is, how it's affecting organizations, and the rapidly changing labor landscape right now?
What's the relevance?

Carolyn Stem: Well, I could go here. I, I find that the multi-generational workforce is a team. It's a team of workers that are not centered [00:05:00] on any particular age group. But rather vary in age temperament and knowledge. Working towards a shared goal. This also means that a supervisor, unfortunately, no, that's, I'm just saying that ain't listening to me.
It also means that a supervisor could be younger than his or her older employer-employee, but you know, it seems like we, we tend in. Society to silo people and, you know, but the older people here, younger people here, Democrat, Republican age millenniums. And, and we, along with those silos sort of go adjectives that accompany them.
And it is so refreshing when one is able to work in a multi-generational workforce that the ideal is that those silos are not [00:06:00] prevalent. And I love that. So what do

Maria Melfa: What do you like about being in a multi-generational workforce? What are some of the things that you enjoy the most?

Carolyn Stem: most. And personally, I love that. I'm able to share many of my thoughts and not be ridiculed, for being quote old fashioned or, oh, you know, why are you thinking that we're beyond that?
Because that doesn't happen. I have a very respectful group of colleagues that I respect with their thoughts and they seem to respect my thoughts too. And it is a very rewarding and inspiration of feeling that you're, you're appreciated. Excellent.
And, you know, that's just, you know, a little snapshot of how I feel about the intergenerational workforce.

Jocelyn Allen: What about for you Elana? What sort of impact has it made on you? Like being one, not only a part of [00:07:00] this project by being part of a workforce that has made its intention to create this multi-generational cohesive.

Elana Kieffer: Well, number one, I love Carolyn and I love working with Carolyn. So she made it easy to be a part of a multi-generational workforce and team. And I think it inherently makes sense because we are the center for healthy aging. And so who else to provide ideas and thought leadership and direction on research and programs and projects that relate to older adults than someone like Carolyn, who does identify as an older adult, at least on most days.
And also, you know, I think there's there's for someone like me, I've actually lived my career to aging services. I've always worked in this deal and I felt very strongly and passionately about this field. And I do know a fair amount about it. However, I am in my mid-thirties. And so I don't [00:08:00] have the lived experience and so kind of everything that I kind of know or think I know is essentially secondhand information.
So again, to kind of in the content, the content that we do, it makes a lot of sense. But as I've been thinking about this and thinking about this podcast, honestly, I think there are so many benefits to having a multi-generational workforce for many different types of work output, not just things directly related to older adults.
We are a fairly age siloed community, but there is so much going on in this world that affects people of all ages. And so it only makes sense to have a multi-generational workforce.

Carolyn Stem: Now you see why I love working for this team.

Jocelyn Allen: Absolutely. So, so well-spoken and well thought out.
And I like that you... this is already a part of, you know, what you have worked on Elana. So I think you probably have brought a lot to the table that has allowed, you know, seeing, there you go, Carolyn right there. I love this, the amount of support that's here, you guys are [00:09:00] giving me like all the fields right now.
And you know, it's, I agree with you. I think that there's a lot that comes with experience. There's a lot that comes with like education and knowledge. And I just think that everybody thrives when the two of those things can come together, regardless of which is coming from whom. Right. But they both speak miles for the standard of, you know, what does knowledge in general, get you whether it comes from experience or from education. We've talked a lot about the benefits of Elana or Carolyn. I know that you know, it's helpful to direct it to either, but I love both of your perspectives. From the point of view of a manager, what are the benefits really of a multi-generational workforce?

Elana Kieffer: I think similar to, I mean, again, especially doing the work that we do, focusing on aging, it's really helpful to run ideas by Carolyn. And of course, Carolyn is one person she does not at all represent the entire population of adults aged 65 and older. But it's really helpful to run ideas by her to say, you know, do you think this might [00:10:00] jive also just in terms of the Carolyn's been here for how many years, Carolyn

Carolyn Stem: 14,

Elana Kieffer: 14 years. So just the institutional knowledge, a sense of what has worked and what hasn't worked in the past is invaluable. I've only been at IBM for two and a half years. So, that is particularly beneficial and I think it also just my, my we, we have two other members of our team who are also, who are younger than I am.
And so I think it helps us to kind of keep us on our toes because I think it can be easy to kind of be in a, I make, I might be making this phrase up, but like an age echo chamber, because we are relatively age siloed. So if we're all around kind of people who are of a similar generation and age then we can all think we're brilliant and all on the same page.
And it can be a healthy type of diversity to, to shake that up in a really good way.

Carolyn Stem: There are so many interesting concepts that fly by us. We have, you [00:11:00] know, the concept of a younger person is sometimes somewhat different than the concepts of an older person who has experienced a lot more than the younger person has.
And it's, it's great to be able to talk about this without being. Without feeling, oh, you know, there's that old lady talking again, or, or those, those, those, those thoughts are, are, are, are old. And it's, it's just really great to be able to do that, to, to express and to bring forth the best possible solution to any of our problems, as far as our what we're working on.
And it's just, it's a wonderful situation. It's a wonderful situation to be in.

Elana Kieffer: I just want to note that there's so much work. I'm sure you've talked about this on your podcast in terms of diversity and, and, you know, often when we talk about diversity, we often think [00:12:00] about racial diversity and ethnic diversity and age diversity is not as often discussed and we've seen any benefits of diverse workforces, diverse settings. And, and just want to remind people that age diversity can also be very beneficial.

Jocelyn Allen: ... Diversity encompasses so many things as we're talking about inclusion, you know like personally I love the term inclusion because it talks about that deeper layer of diversity and what it means to bring every, like, to literally bring everybody together.
Right. So I, that's a part of what we love so much about what you all are doing is because you're diving into a ... like, I don't want to say a different layer, but not as touched upon layer of inclusion and kind of setting a standard and a precedent on how successful you can be based on that. It's, it's wonderful.

Carolyn Stem: And another thing our work takes us to communicate with [00:13:00] older people in different cultures, which adds more layers to our, our interest in our understanding, of multi-generational associations. And it's wonderful. I learned so much from different cultures that I never knew about, you know, you sort of tend to stick with your culture and it's amazing.
And it's been very rewarding.

Maria Melfa: Alana, can you share what the age range is at your organization? Like from the youngest to the oldest? Because last time it was pretty remarkable.

Elana Kieffer: Because we do a lot of research we have college and graduate student interns here. Now again, not a lot of people are running around the building these days, but we certainly have people in there. Certainly, in their twenties who are you know, some that are a few that are staff, but also that are interns. And I believe Carolyn that you are not the [00:14:00] oldest person that's employment.

Carolyn Stem: Really?

Elana Kieffer: I do think that our one or two ..., I don't know, Carolyn, if you're comfortable revealing your age.

Carolyn Stem: Well, let's say you know, I'm past 65, not quite 80, but I'm close to.

Maria Melfa: Well, I know when we originally spoke and you did mention your age, Carolyn, I was actually very shocked. We, couldn't believe it. Yeah. So, so that's, that's amazing.

Carolyn Stem: And I'm still kicking here.

Maria Melfa: Yes.

Jocelyn Allen: Thriving. I would say thriving. Your energy is contained for.

Maria Melfa: For somebody 123.

Jocelyn Allen: The HR records are locked up.

Maria Melfa: I'm a big joker. I think I could have told her. Like, I always say like on my birthdays that I'm about 25 years older than I am, because usually like, people lie, you know, if they turn 50 there, I'm 35. I'm like, then if you say that people look at you and like, oh, that person looks horrible for her age.[00:15:00]
So if you turn 50, I tell people I'm 80, and then they're like, wow, she looks good for her age. So...

Jocelyn Allen: it's a little...

Maria Melfa: yeah. So, that's my belief there. ,
So I know we just talked about the many benefits of working with a multi-generational workforce. There must be some challenges. Can, can you tell us any challenges that you have experienced?

Elana Kieffer: Technology and just because, you know, my generation and really younger generations are digital natives and we're, you know, basically born out of the womb with an iPhone in their hands.
That was actually not the case when you worked for Caroline. But because it is just easier for me, I've been a lot more exposed as has, as has the rest of my team to various types of technology. You know, we are more comfortable with, with technology and it's also easier typically to learn new programs applications, et cetera.
And so one thing that... so we did, I really, you know, [00:16:00] work to do is not to assume that Carolyn cannot learn new technology. And I think Carolyn, you could agree that we have found together that there are some programs that she is quite comfortable with and sometimes that she just won't use and we'll, we'll delegate that to somebody else and that's fine.
And so, you know, I've been quite impressed with Carolyn's Microsoft Excel skills for example, and, but something like website maintenance, I'm not going to ask her to do, I can barely figure it out. But so we just kind of like, we, we just. We navigate it together. And again and again, I think Carolyn is actually probably more technologically, technologically skilled than other workers in her age range.
So that might be a challenge with other multi-generational workforces, especially as companies and organizations are just going increasingly digital in every way, shape, or form, particularly in the pandemic, but also just because that's the way the world is moving. And maybe Carolyn, do you want to talk briefly [00:17:00] about the kind of the physical environment?

Carolyn Stem: Right. Well, first of all, I just have to say that my team has been very, very patient with me and Alana you've been wonderful, and this is something that would be necessary to make a successful work environment is understanding and helpful and not hold it against someone that they're not understanding SharePoint, you know, and It's extremely important that, that that association occurs in, in the workforce physically as our bodies age, our mind may not age, but our bodies certainly do.
It's rather important that there is a like adjustable chairs comfortable not, not really specifically pointing out that, oh, she's old, so she needs this and she needs that, but generally [00:18:00] to make a comfortable environment to work. And my team has, has done that Elana has helped.
I've got a very nice chair. Thank you. But it was not, that was just because of me it's because it was really necessary for, we had rather old chairs at the right. And of course, stairs are always difficult but think of them, and we have elevators, so that's, that could be a barrier, but it's not where, where I am working right now, but I just want to say one thing.
You know, when I learned how to type back in high school, I learned on a manual typewriter, and then we had an electric typewriter, the only one in my typing class. And then when I had to go out and do start temping we went into dos computers. We [00:19:00] went into then mouse came around then Microsoft. Word Perfect. All these different programs that developed just within my working span and ... not only my working span, but many people my age and even perhaps younger have experienced this conglomeration of different computer problem problems. And it's been quite a journey.
And it can lead to a lot of intimidation and a lot of fear, but if you have a wonderful working relationship and the intergenerational working relationship it does not have to be that way because even though my brain is old, it is still capable of learning all the time.

Jocelyn Allen: Yeah. You're like the forever learner. Yeah,

Maria Melfa: I could relate to the lack of computer skills. I'm [00:20:00] probably the most computer illiterate person that our company and I have a hard time learning a lot of new technical programs. My it department kind of goes crazy with me, but in a fun way. So, it gave me a lot of different accommodations.
So I remember, you know, back back in the days when we would write our research papers and college and the good old-fashioned typewriter, what the whiteout and oh yeah. I mean, I can't even believe like our children would be dying right now if they had to do that.

Elana Kieffer: I do think sometimes in our we'd meet on a daily basis and sometimes we do see kind of either generational differences or values or mores that are, you know, sometimes I worry that Carolyn feels like the odd one out because the rest of us on our team is kind of with a more similar generation.
So sometimes, you know, we'll like to argue over, like, for instance, Carolyn often suggests like, well, you know, how many of these are we going to print in hard [00:21:00] copy? And I always say, Carolyn, we're not printing a hard copy.
It's all digital. It's not necessarily wrong because if it's something for an older person, they might actually prefer to have it in hard copy.
So we do, you know, we do go to battle sometimes on those things. I think it's good, for all of us to kind of hear different perspectives. And then we kind of, and again, because we work in this field, Carolyn Carolyn's ideas are often, you know, more correct than mine in that way. So we just, we just talk it out.

Maria Melfa: I love my hard copies. I print,

Jocelyn Allen: I still write everything down and I use the pen.

Maria Melfa: Yes, I do too. It's funny because yes, yes, absolutely. And it's funny because you know, over the years with my kids, with their homework, if they have to read a long paper or they have this long assignment, like print it out so you could review it, you could circle it.
I'm not printing it out. Like how could you work that way? But you know, even [00:22:00] obviously a lot of our employees here, they never print things out. So...

Jocelyn Allen: Yes, true. I remember I did that once for like, you know, project details. So I could highlight important things when I was at queer recruiting on it. And I forget when it was, but somebody was like, how do you, like, I just don't like going back and forth between, you know, the pages to see where those details are and then where I'm putting my job description.
And I was like, well, pull the Microsoft document and print it. And they weren't. Once it was like an unfathomable thing. And I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about a preferential difference overall, but they looked at me like I was crazy like that, but who gods their job descriptions out faster.

Carolyn Stem: It's funny.

Jocelyn Allen: I love the camaraderie you guys have.

Carolyn Stem: Yes. I think it's rare. And I, I wish, I hope that it's not rare. I hope other organizations can develop what we have developed, but we've, we've worked on it. I mean, I [00:23:00] shouldn't say we've worked on it. It sort of came naturally. Don't you think?

Elana Kieffer: I do, but I do think that the pandemic brought us, brought our team closer. Oh yeah. Because we started after the pandemic started and we worked from home that's when we started having daily meetings. So we actually ended up having more communication. Even though we were physically more distant.

Carolyn Stem: But we were upfront and close during that time. We really were.

Elana Kieffer: Absolutely. And so, so I think it definitely brought us closer as a team and our, and because of, again, the content of our work what we were doing was actually felt even more urgent and relevant because of the urgency of the pandemic crisis.

Carolyn Stem: Yes, definitely.

Jocelyn Allen: Carolyn, I want to come to you and talk a little bit about like a certain perspective. Cause you have a little story about returning to work after a career in opera. Right? So online, very intrigued about the opera, the performance. I mean, I am as dramatic as it comes. So I would [00:24:00] love to hear about all of that layer of your industry, but segue us into like returning to work and you know, what that process was like.

Carolyn Stem: Exactly. Fine now. Well, first of all, I was a Fullbrighter to Vienna in opera and, and, and voice. So I spent a number of years in Vienna and singing, of course, and I, I was in Munich and London and. In Europe, I was a singer and I came back to the states and it's very hard. It's very hard to break that. It's not a glass ceiling, it's an armored ceiling to get to you know, to join the met anyhow.
So, my life had been, been consisted of auditioning, singing, and performing. I did performing here in, in, in New York and working temping [00:25:00] and this had been my whole life was surviving in the city of New York. Going from my dream and my mother, my darling mother at the age of she was 91 announced that she was going to come and move in with me in New York here with me and my cat from hell in a studio apartment.
And I loved her very much. So she came and I saw her as a vibrant, vibrant, wonderful artistic woman. When she got sick, having to have it had an operation and then being placed in rehabilitation, I saw her sort of receding, and then she had to be placed in a nursing home and I would have to go, I would go to see her in the nursing home and all the time.
And I saw this regression that just made me so unhappy. And when she [00:26:00] died, eventually I was very distraught and I happened to get in the, in the mail, a postcard from my city council member, Gale brewer here in New York about this initiative that the city of New York was taking, which was age-friendly.
And I decided, don't ask me why I decided, but I decided to go that I had never done anything like that. I was too in it, too busy, to survive in this city. But I did go to this initiative, this open house or not an open house, a townhouse, or a town hall meeting. And I just got so excited about this prospect of making life great for and livable for seniors in the city. And I decided we, we could do this. We could do that. It's easy to do this. And so at the end of this wonderful meeting, they asked for volunteers and there, the place had over [00:27:00] 400 people at it. And the lineup for volunteers was long. And I joined it and wonder of wonder NYAM, which was sponsoring it with Gail.
Out of all these people, I don't ask how, but they picked me and they called me the next day. . And I was shocked because of course I knew nothing about it, I just had this passion, all of a sudden in me parallel to my passion for music and the opera. And it was quite exciting to have these two going forward passions, and when I went to NYAM, they took me and I became a volunteer for the age-friendly project.
And then eventually I joined reserve, which was a senior sort of what do you call it? The job placement through which I was paid no longer volunteering, but being paid. I also [00:28:00] worked at the department for the aging through the reserve. So I kept these two jobs on aging.
And I just developed this passion for older people and the struggles that they are going through and, and how we can help it, how we could make it better for them. Of course, never thought that I'm an old person too. And I belong in that category. You know, when you're that you're at, no matter what age you are, you're always 20 or 22, you know, you don't really feel that you're a part of the aging process except for your bones and your body.
But anyhow so I continued at 9:00 AM and have been happy doing this work that I have always loved now. It was new, it was a new birth. Let us say a new birth of interests and passion that [00:29:00] developed just, just like that. And it just has carried me on that does not mean I still, I have forgiven her forgotten my operatic love.
Absolutely not. But it's people can have two passions or more is about probably what I would end in, end up in saying it is possible to live.

Maria Melfa: That's an amazing, amazing story. That's my absolute dream to go to.

Carolyn Stem: Oh, it was wonderful.

Maria Melfa: Yes, that's, that's absolutely amazing. So we will definitely have to end this segment with you singing a song for us. ... some of these skills from us.

Carolyn Stem: well, I think NYAM has been trying for a long time...

Jocelyn Allen: This time have it recorded before. Like, I mean, that is bragging rights [00:30:00] for centuries. Absolutely. That's going to be your tagline TTA. We got Carolyn to sing before NYAM did.

Elana Kieffer: The reserve program... I think Carolyn is for it's for adults, age 55 and older. Is that right?

Carolyn Stem: Yeah, I think so.

Elana Kieffer: Just as we talk about the multi-generational workforce is if we've convinced anyone on this podcast that they would like to create a multi-generational workforce you can look that up mine if the reserve program program

Carolyn Stem: Preserving incorporated.

Elana Kieffer: Exactly. And so we highly recommend Combining Carolyn's two passions. She brought me to my first opera ever at the met, and we went to go see Labo a role that I have done several tasks.

Maria Melfa: Beautiful job, really

Jocelyn Allen: You and I have to have coffee one of these days. I could, I am a theater kid at heart.
I went to Broadway like every single year when I was in elementary school, in high school. And it is, I, [00:31:00] you nailed it on the head. When you say that people can have two passions because Mormons will always be one of mine and people will always be another. And that's why I love this podcast. I've told you this a million times, Maria, because I feel like it allows me to do both of them at the same time, which, well, let me tell you, Carolyn, that is something be able to do both of them at once with

Maria Melfa: it's a loss. It is. That's the only opera I have seen. Actually, my father took me many years ago, but my father loves the opera, so,

Carolyn Stem: wow. It's amazing.

Maria Melfa: So cool. Yes. So I w actually aligned to my question was going to be about the reserve program because that's very interesting. How many people typically join a program and how many programs do you have throughout...

Elana Kieffer: So, so I just looked at the website. It's actually for adults 50 and older it's first skilled professionals, 15 older working with their communities in a variety of different capacities in both government and nonprofit positions. At NYAM, I know [00:32:00] at the moment we have I think at least to resurface and I know that we have had others through at 9:00 AM.
So they're just individuals that are placed in different organizations.

Maria Melfa: Okay. Great. So when you started Carolyn, you are the only one, or were you starting with?

Carolyn Stem: There was another, there was a gentleman who was also the two of us were on this age-friendly project initiative and he eventually died. And so then I, I was the remaining reservist working on with, with the center here. ...

Elana Kieffer: And in case anyone is intimidated it's not a full-time 40-hour-a-week position. So, so Carolyn on the books works, but is it 18 hours a week? Yes. Yes, but she makes herself very available. Which I always appreciate.

Maria Melfa: Eight days a week,

Jocelyn Allen: There's flexibility in there too. Oh yeah.

Elana Kieffer: Yeah. And you get a paycheck. So, it's just, it's a very [00:33:00] smart program. great. It keeps your mind young.

Jocelyn Allen: Yeah, absolutely. And you guys are taken so many steps to make sure that you know, accommodations and matching things Brittley is like of the top priority. And that seems to be what you guys have really figured out. It seems to be what really works for you.

Carolyn Stem: It is, you know, you work so much harder if someone can understand your, your priorities too.

Jocelyn Allen: Absolutely. Absolutely. I agree. A hundred percent.

Elana Kieffer: I haven't even told Carolyn this, but one thing that I try to emulate from Carolyn that I've really learned because we're working a lot from home, is that I think for many of us I think my generation, our attention span is pretty short anyway, and the pandemic and being on zoom and being on our computers all day long has certainly made my attention span much shorter.
And when I look at Carolyn on zoom, during our meetings, she has. Paying attention. She [00:34:00] is not multitasking. She is focused and it is always something I aspire to do. I don't always do it that well. It might be Carolyn, it might be her generation. It could be a lot of things. But it is one of many things I think that I had learned from her.

Carolyn Stem: Gee whiz, can we just edit it there?.

Jocelyn Allen: I love that. That's a perfect little soundbite. I love that. You guys are proving to us and our listeners... I'll say it again, the camaraderie that comes with it, because I think what this does, and for lack of a better word, is it forces people to come together and work together in a certain way.
Right? Get the knowledge and information from each other and power, you know, two minds are greater than one, right? And so it allows perspective to be what moves you forward. And I appreciate so much the [00:35:00] intention that is behind the New York Academy of Medicine and what they're doing to promote what a multi-generation multi-generational workforce can do for any organization.
Yes. I. Would love to hear from both of your points of view and Elana, we can start with you. What you, what your final note to the audience would be about, you know, the benefit of accommodating the generations of the workforce that are out there into your single organization as a whole.

Elana Kieffer: Well I would first encourage people to look around their team and their workforce and get a sense of what the age diversity is or is not?
And to, you know, think about all of the benefits that we have talked about today to consider if your workforce is diverse in age, late, or not ... or not. And then. As, as, as people continue to live longer and healthier [00:36:00] lives in the US a million across the world, there are going to be increased needs for services and programs and inclusion and involvement of the older generation in so many different sectors and areas.
People don't necessarily know that there's a huge field called age tech. So we talk about FinTech and ed-tech. I'm sure this comes up in your other podcasts. There's also age tech. And so who better to help think about the technology that supports older adults and their caregivers? Then older people themselves will be the ones benefiting from it.

Jocelyn Allen: Carolyn, do you want to share your perspective on what you would say to our listeners about the benefits of having a multi-generational workforce?

Carolyn Stem: Well, the benefits are twofold actually. I think the older worker should really profit so much emotionally and mentally with [00:37:00] sharing themselves and their feelings with their coworkers and respecting their coworkers for who they are.
I try to say, you know, I'm the older person. I know what should be. That is not how it goes. It's a respect for each other. And when you can achieve that, that should be a goal in a department. And if that can happen, it would be a beautiful multi-generational work working situation that would profit, not only the younger people but the older people and the tasks before them.
And you know, it's, it's a beautiful thing. Intergenerational sort of like the master and the apprentice. Great analogy.

Jocelyn Allen: Wonderful analogy. I was just going to say that let's again, I love what you guys are [00:38:00] doing. I love the message that you're sending. I feel it I love that you were both just as passionate about it from completely different perspectives as we're talking about, and that's what makes it work the way that it does so kudos to you.
Bravo. I think you're doing a wonderful thing. Thank you. All right. So now. Has come the time for our new season to not all Carolyn, you are ready for this are yes. That's how we're starting. ... it's our TTA 10 segment.
It's the TTA Ten. 10 final questions for our guests.
All right, ladies. So I'm going to go about this and say that Ilana. I want you to answer first and then Carolyn comes in right after it's going to be the same question. I'll only ask it once you guys just work in town. Um, but the goal of this is to [00:39:00] answer these 10 questions as quickly as possible. And if we complete the 10 questions and you guys get a special prize, which comes in the form of a really cool sound effect from our producer.

Jocelyn Allen: Get ready. It doesn't get better than that. Okay. All right. Are you ready? Okay. All right, let's go. What is your favorite color?

Elana Kieffer: Purple.

Carolyn Stem: Yellow.

Jocelyn Allen: Who's your favorite musical artist?

Carolyn Stem: Everyone.

Elana Kieffer: Whitney Houston.

Jocelyn Allen: Oh, good one. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Carolyn Stem: Vienna.

Elana Kieffer: Boston.

Jocelyn Allen: Yeah. Come on over. What six plus 5?

Carolyn Stem: 11,

Elana Kieffer: 11.

Jocelyn Allen: I know that was, I was, you win that one Carolyn. Cause it was like a first come first serve. What zoo animal would you most like to have as a pet?

Carolyn Stem: My Kiki,

Elana Kieffer: I don't like animals

Carolyn Stem: My kitty.

Jocelyn Allen: The Kool-Aid man just burst through your [00:40:00] wall. What does he say?

Carolyn Stem: Are you thirsty?

Elana Kieffer: Don't drink the Kool-Aid.

Jocelyn Allen: If you could choose any other career, what would it be?.

Carolyn Stem: I have both of them and I had both of them.

Elana Kieffer: A therapist.

Jocelyn Allen: Carolyn, I love your answers. You guys are doing great. Does pineapple belong on pizza?

Carolyn Stem: Nope.

Elana Kieffer: Definitely not.

Jocelyn Allen: Oh, "no's" across the board. What was the most recent Netflix binge or other streaming services?

Carolyn Stem: I don't have Netflix or anything like that.

Elana Kieffer: What about PBS Caroline. What did you recently watch on PBS?

Carolyn Stem: Oh, everything. Everything on PBS. I love that. No Nova everything.

Elana Kieffer: I just finished watching Ozark.

Jocelyn Allen: And last question. If you could have coffee with any celebrity living or dead, who would you choose?
Bridget [00:41:00] Nielsen. She's a singer, an opera singer. I know there's a popular one too, but she's, she's a, buchneri an opera singer.
Elana Kieffer: I have so many I'll go with Mark Rufalo.

Jocelyn Allen: .... love it. The Hulk, I'd love to have coffee with The Hulk.
Gold stars and applause for all!

Maria Melfa: Well, this was amazing. Thank you so much, Elena and Carolyn, we loved hearing your story about the importance of having multi-generations in a workforce. You've definitely inspired me. So thank you again.
Carolyn Stem: Thank you.

Elana Kieffer: This was really fun. Thank you all.

Jocelyn Allen: It was a lot of fun. We're happy to get the message out there and thank you for everything that you are doing. Thank you, If you're looking for more information on our guests today, Elana and Carolyn, or if you yourself want to become a part of the TTA talent network, visit us at www.thetrainingassociates.com. We'll see you later.