Communicating Within the Multi-Generational Workplace

“How are you meeting the needs of your agents when their needs and expectations are so different?” attorney and real estate educator Trista Curzydlo, Esq., asks real estate leaders working in the multi-generational workplace.

With multiple generations currently in the real estate workforce, Curzydlo breaks down the characteristics that make them cohorts and helps others understand how to best work with each of them.

While baby boomers often prefer the face-to-face connection of meeting in person, younger generations like millennials and Generation Z prefer having conversations in writing through text or email. While older Realtors® might have more trouble picking up tones over text, younger ones may communicate sarcasm or humor through emojis.

Communication is the focus, and there are different reasons why different people may prefer one medium over another.

Different generations also have different expectations for their leaders. Curzydlo says 84% of Gen Z (which makes up 10% of the workforce) have the expectation that their employers will provide formal training, while only 21% of boomers expect the same. Boomers view themselves as being responsible for the educational side of their careers.

Curzydlo adds that generational communication applies to real estate leaders, their agents and their clients. “When it comes to expectations, you need to have a conversation with your agents and your clients where you ask, ‘How do you want to receive information from me?’”

Real estate professionals of all ages and career stages should set expectations for communication and set parameters for when and how conversations will occur. Working in a multi-generational workplace may have some challenges, but it’s a great way to further connect with and learn more about others in the industry.

“Just because someone is in a different cohort than you doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to add to the way you are developing your career,” Curzydlo says.

Curzydlo is hosting a session at this year’s Triple Play Realtor® Convention and Trade Expo titled “There’s No Font For Sarcasm… Managing a Multi-Generational Workplace” on Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. You can register online to attend Triple Play.