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Generations in the Workplace Study 2023: what HR told us
The Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 surveyed more than 100 HR managers and HR professionals in Britain in July 2023, without telling them the study was about generations. 66% said communication with and between generations poses challenges for business efficiency, 70% said the HR role is harder than five years ago, and only 6% rated friction between age groups as a major challenge.
The Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 is a survey of HR managers and HR professionals in Britain, commissioned to find out how a workforce spanning four generations looks from the HR desk. Respondents did not know the study was about generations, so every generational answer below was unprompted.
This page sets out the full results, the methodology, the caveats and a ready-made citation. Our 2024 survey of 4,067 people asks the same broad question from the employee's side, and the headline figures from both studies are collected on our generations statistics UK page.
66%of HR managers say communication with and between generations poses challenges for business efficiencyGenerations in the Workplace Study 2023
70%of HR managers in the role for more than five years say it is more difficult now than it wasGenerations in the Workplace Study 2023
55%very much see age differences in expectations of working hoursGenerations in the Workplace Study 2023
6%rate friction between different age groups as a major challengeGenerations in the Workplace Study 2023
About the study
The Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 was conducted by Present Yourself Ltd in association with research consultant Kate Thompson and the survey company Dynata. Fieldwork took place in July 2023 among HR managers and HR professionals working in Britain, and more than 100 HR professionals took part.
Respondents were not told that the study was about generations. The questionnaire opened with general questions about the challenges facing HR and only later asked about age groups, so the answers on communication, friction and adaptation reflect what HR managers volunteered rather than what they were led towards. Most attitude questions used 7-point scales from "Not at all" to "Very much so", with the top two scores (6 and 7 out of 7) reported as the headline figure.
The study refers to "four generations" but does not name them or give birth years. Where it asks about age bands, it uses under 25, 26 to 40, 41 to 60 and over 60. For the definitions used elsewhere on this site, see our guide to the generations.
Key findings
- 66% of HR managers say communication with and between different generations in their workforce poses challenges for business efficiency.
- 6% of HR managers rate friction between different age groups as a major challenge, the lowest of ten business challenges tested, and 31% say it is not a challenge at all.
- 70% of HR managers who have been in the role for more than five years say it is more difficult now than it was; 1% say it is easier.
- 55% of HR managers very much see age differences in expectations of working hours, 53% in expectations of well-being support and 51% in the management style people prefer to work under.
- 32% of HR managers rate attracting the right new talent as a major challenge, the biggest problem on the list, ahead of filling vacancies (28%) and staff retention (26%).
- 52% of HR managers find commitment easiest to manage among 41 to 60 year olds and 51% find retention easiest in the same group; only 13% and 10% respectively say the same of under 25s.
- 57% of HR managers say their organisation has changed as a result of the next generation coming into the workforce.
- 52% of HR managers have personally adapted their own style to different generations, but only 38% say their organisation has consciously adapted.
- 88% of HR managers really enjoy managing a workforce that is diverse in age, background and experience, with 54% agreeing strongly.
- 50% of HR managers think their organisation would benefit from strategies to foster intergenerational collaboration and teamwork; 13% disagree.
- 49% of HR managers agree they find it easier to communicate and connect with people closer to their own age; 25% disagree.
What are the biggest challenges facing HR?
Recruitment dominates. Attracting the right new talent (32%), filling vacancies (28%) and staff retention (26%) are the three problems most often rated a major challenge, scored 6 or 7 out of 7. Friction between different age groups sits at the bottom of the list at 6%, and 31% of HR managers gave it the lowest possible score, meaning it is not a problem at all.
| Challenge | Rated a major challenge (6 or 7 out of 7) |
|---|---|
| Attracting the right new talent | 32% |
| Filling vacancies | 28% |
| Staff retention | 26% |
| Employee engagement | 21% |
| Getting people back into the office post-Covid | 20% |
| Managing remote and hybrid working | 19% |
| Managing changing staff priorities and expectations | 17% |
| Achieving appropriate diversity of skills and approach | 16% |
| Effective communication with different segments of the workforce | 15% |
| Friction between different age groups in the workforce | 6% |
Where do HR managers see age differences?
More than half of HR managers see marked age differences in three areas: expectations of working hours (55%), expectations of well-being support (53%) and the management style people prefer to work under (51%). Around four in ten see age differences in communication, whether within a team (42%), with senior people (41%) or in the amount and style of business communication people want (41%). The differences HR sees least are in communication with customers and clients (28%).
| Area | Very much see age differences |
|---|---|
| Expectations of working hours | 55% |
| Expectations of well-being support | 53% |
| The management style they prefer to work under | 51% |
| Commitment to their job | 48% |
| Ability to communicate effectively within a team | 42% |
| Ability to communicate with people senior to them | 41% |
| The amount and style of communication they prefer to receive about the business | 41% |
| Returning to the office post-Covid | 35% |
| Ability to communicate with people junior to them | 31% |
| Ability to communicate with customers and clients | 28% |
Which age groups are easiest to recruit, retain and motivate?
HR managers find recruitment easiest among 26 to 40 year olds (34%) and under 25s (31%), but retention (51%) and commitment (52%) easiest among 41 to 60 year olds. The pattern flips at the ends of the age range: under 25s are the easiest to recruit and the hardest to keep, while over 60s are the hardest to recruit and comparatively easy to keep.
| Age band | Recruitment easier | Retention easier | Performance easier | Commitment easier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | 31% | 10% | 15% | 13% |
| 26 to 40 | 34% | 27% | 33% | 18% |
| 41 to 60 | 24% | 51% | 38% | 52% |
| Over 60 | 9% | 33% | 18% | 35% |
31% of HR managers find recruitment easier among under 25s, against 9% for over 60s. On retention the figures reverse, 10% for under 25s and 33% for over 60s, and on commitment they are 13% and 35%. Respondents could pick more than one age band per column, so read the figures as the share of HR managers who find each task easier with each group, not as a ranking of the groups. Our guide to managing five generations at work looks at what the pattern means in practice.
How are organisations responding?
Two thirds of HR managers say intergenerational communication is affecting business efficiency, and a majority say their organisation has changed as the next generation has arrived. The response is more personal than institutional: 52% have adapted their own style, while 38% say their organisation has consciously adapted.
| Question (answered yes) | % |
|---|---|
| Do you see communication with and between different generations in your workforce posing any challenges for business efficiency? | 66% |
| Do you feel that your organisation has changed in any way, as a result of the next generation coming into the workforce? | 57% |
| Have you personally done anything consciously to adapt your own style to managing the needs and expectations of different generations? | 52% |
| Has the organisation done anything consciously to adapt to the needs and expectations of different generations within the workforce? | 38% |
| Have you seen the expectations or priorities of older employees change in any way, as a result of younger people coming into the workforce? | 30% |
The gap between personal adaptation (52%) and organisational adaptation (38%) suggests that much of the work of bridging generations is being done informally by individual HR managers rather than through policy. 30% have also seen older employees' expectations shift in response to younger colleagues, a reminder that generational influence runs both ways.
What do HR managers believe about generations at work?
HR managers overwhelmingly enjoy an age-diverse workforce (88% agree) and 75% feel their organisation's policies adequately address different generations' needs. Views are far more divided on whether communication needs to improve, whether managers are equipped for younger staff, and whether generational differences hold productivity back.
| Statement | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|
| I really enjoy managing a workforce that is diverse in age, background and experiences | 88% | 5% |
| I feel that our organisation's policies and practices adequately address the needs and expectations of different generations | 75% | 13% |
| I believe there is a need for better cross-generational communication in our organisation | 51% | 19% |
| I think our organisation would benefit from implementing strategies to foster intergenerational collaboration and teamwork | 50% | 13% |
| I find it easier to communicate and connect with people who are closer to my own age and share similar experiences | 49% | 25% |
| I do not perceive any lack of understanding between younger and older employees in our workplace | 49% | 28% |
| Bridging generational differences in work values and attitudes is an ongoing challenge that hinders productivity and collaboration | 42% | 31% |
| The majority of managers in our organisation are ill-equipped to handle the unique needs and expectations of younger generations | 41% | 44% |
| The majority of managers in our organisation struggle to understand and adapt to the preferences and work styles of older generations | 36% | 48% |
Agree combines "tend to agree" and "agree strongly"; disagree combines the two disagree options. Two rows deserve a second look. 49% of HR managers admit they find it easier to connect with people close to their own age, which is candid from the people whose job is to work with everyone (our 2024 survey found 71% of Gen Z saying the same). And the two "ill-equipped managers" statements are the only ones where disagreement outweighs agreement, so HR is more confident in its line managers than the stereotype of the baffled boss suggests.
How to read these results
First, the published deck does not print the sample size. The site has described the sample as more than 100 HR professionals, and that is the figure used here, but it does not appear in the PDF. Treat the percentages as indicative of HR opinion rather than precise population estimates, and do not quote a margin of error, because none is stated.
Second, the 7-point scales were reported without their neutral midpoint. The detailed charts show the three lowest and three highest scores for each item, so rows do not add up to 100%.
Third, there is one inconsistency in the deck. The summary figure for age differences in preferred management style is published as 51%, but the underlying chart's three positive scores sum to a higher figure. This page uses 51% because it is the number the authors chose to publish; if you quote it, quote it alone rather than alongside the detailed chart.
Finally, this is HR's view of the workforce, not employees' view of themselves. For the employee side, use the 2024 survey.
How to cite this study
Greener, A. (2023). Generations in the Workplace Study. Present Yourself Ltd / Generationally Speaking. https://generationallyspeaking.co.uk/generations-in-the-workplace-2023/
You are welcome to quote any figure on this page in articles, reports, presentations and teaching materials, provided you attribute it to the Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 and link back to this page. Journalists can find more in our media resources.
Download the full report
The complete 11-slide deck, with every chart, is available as a PDF: Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 (PDF).
What Alastair took from it
I commissioned this study because I wanted to know whether the generation gap I kept hearing about in boardrooms was real, or just a good story. The answer turned out to be both, and the two numbers that tell it are 6% and 66%.
Only 6% of HR managers rate friction between age groups as a major challenge. So the idea of open warfare between the generations, the lazy Gen Z and the out-of-touch Baby Boomer glaring at each other across the office, is not what HR is seeing. Yet 66% say communication with and between generations is holding back business efficiency. That gap is the whole story. People are not fighting; they are missing each other.
I ran teams of 90 to 100 people at sea that spanned every generation, and that matches my experience exactly. Nobody was hostile. They simply spoke different dialects of the same language. Fix the communication and most of the "generational problem" quietly disappears.
Related podcast episodes
- HR in 2026: Culture, Communication and the Generation Gap, with Farzana Parkar, an HR consultant with 15 years' experience, on onboarding, Gen Z's reluctance to "play the game" and the gap between recruitment promises and reality.
- Why Gen Z Could Save the Future of Work, with future-of-work strategist Kim Seeling Smith on why Millennials and Gen Z are prioritising purpose, flexibility and feedback.
- Gen Z at Work, Retention, Engagement, and the Real Cost of Ignoring It, with Patrick Quinton-Smith on the myths about Gen Z at work and what actually improves retention.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Generations in the Workplace Study 2023?
It is a survey of HR managers and HR professionals in Britain, conducted in July 2023 by Present Yourself Ltd with research consultant Kate Thompson and Dynata. It measured the challenges facing HR, where HR managers see age differences in their workforce, and how organisations are adapting to four generations working together. Respondents were not told it was about generations.
How many HR managers took part in the study?
More than 100 HR managers and HR professionals working in Britain took part. The published deck does not print an exact base figure, so this page uses the "more than 100" description the site has used since the study was released and treats the results as indicative of HR opinion rather than precise population estimates.
What did HR managers say was the biggest challenge?
Attracting the right new talent, which 32% rated a major challenge (6 or 7 out of 7), followed by filling vacancies (28%) and staff retention (26%). Friction between different age groups came last of the ten challenges tested, at 6%. 70% of HR managers with more than five years in the role also said the job is harder than it was.
Do HR managers think generational friction is a problem?
Mostly not, at least not as open conflict. Only 6% rate friction between age groups as a major challenge and 31% say it is not a challenge at all. But 66% say communication with and between generations poses challenges for business efficiency, and more than half see clear age differences in expectations of working hours, well-being support and management style.
Can I quote the findings from this study?
Yes. Any figure on this page may be quoted in articles, reports, presentations and teaching, provided it is attributed to the Generations in the Workplace Study 2023 and linked back to this page. A ready-made citation line is given above, and the full PDF is available to download for anyone who wants to check the charts.
Want to close the gap between 6% friction and 66% communication challenge in your own organisation? Alastair runs workshops and consultancy for HR and leadership teams.
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