Jules : [Alluding to age difference] I'm glad you also see the humor in this.
 
Ben : [Smiles wryly] It would be hard not to.
 
The Intern is the exposé we didn’t know we needed on the challenges of generation gaps in today’s workplaces. Jules Ostin, CEO of her own company, seems to be the antithesis of Ben Whittaker; a senior intern drafted in to bring some old-school knowledge to her start-up. Nicknamed ‘boomer’ by his younger tech-savvy co-workers and standing out in his formal attire, Ben personifies the struggles of his generation in today’s working world.
 
While Ben needs his colleagues’ help navigating his MacBook, he brings his own brand of soft skills to the table which seem to have been somewhat forgotten in Jules’s fast-paced corporate empire. The crux of the film is that the senior intern, who seems out-of-touch, becomes the very person to support and motivate his millennial counterparts.
 
Is your workplace ready to rethink the generation-gap as a vital opportunity to apply innovation to experience?
 
 
Time to Review
 
Today inter-generational work teams are part and parcel of working life now that five generations are eligible for the labour force; a melting  pot which includes traditionalist (born before 1946), boomer, gen X, millennial and gen Z (born after 1997). These different backgrounds unsurprisingly mean staff can feel highly differentiated.
 
According to the William Fry Employment Report of 2016, 71% of employers identify tech as a struggle for older workers, while the Deloitte ROI Millennial Report of 2017 revealed that, 52% of Irish Millennials believe businesses are still primarily focused on their own agenda. It is clear that different skillsets and priorities exist but stereotyping Millennials as tech-addicts and baby boomers as technophobic only serves to divide.
 
Rather than focusing on these disparities, tech can be employed as a unifier which can only reap rewards for your business with the unique knowledge that comes when those with different strengths share them with one another.
 
 
Ways to Unite
 
Successful communication between staff begins by forging commonalities, not emphasising differences.
 
o    Office Communication Systems
 
The adoption of technologies such as Yammer and Slack act as a point-of-contact which can create the sense of community craved by the younger generations as well as the opportunity for the older generations to upskill themselves technologically. The platforms allow staff to communicate easily and to create different groups for collaborative projects. Team make-up can be the perfect opportunity to mix young and old,  and the collective process of getting to grips with the office tech of choice can be a chance for staff to bond. In The Intern Jules helps Ben set up his Facebook account which brings them closer as colleagues.
 
 
o    Let newer team members take on more responsibility
 
Webinars and video calls enable new team members to join in on a project from anywhere. Whatever method of inclusion you take, sharing company strategy, project updates and company successes with new staff will demonstrate trust and improve the employer-employee dynamic, especially with millennials who often prefer to work independently. Scenes in which Ben is helping the mail clerk in order to ‘keep busy’ act as a social commentary on the tendency for newer professionals to become side-lined from important projects, especially if faced with ageism, whether fresh-faced Generation Zer or seasoned ‘boomer’.
 
o    Eliminate Unconscious Bias
 
Stereotypes can be detrimental to our decision-making processes and management of individuals in the workplace. Using AI software can be a great way to override this issue and ensure inclusivity. It can create factual documentation of conversations and ensure all relevant parties are emailed following meetings. Jules must specifically ask her assistant to CC Ben into e-mails after realising she has overlooked his potential. AI can forestall generational stereotypes to make for a more integrated team and inclusive company culture.
 
 
In Short
 
Workplace tech is the surprising unifier we need in today’s workplaces so we can move past the generational stereotypes. While Meyers’s film may oversimplify ageism into a binary of young and old –it effortlessly shows that the raw initiative of Generation Y and Z shouldn’t be overlooked and conveys the simple truth that ‘experience never gets old’.

When you read the acronym BYO you would be forgiven for your mind jumping to the old mantra ‘bring your own booze’. However, in the tech age, the new BYO policy sweeping the workplace is actually BYOD – ‘bring your own device’! The idea of being allowed to bring and utilise your own personal tech device in the workplace - be it a smart-phone, tablet or laptop - is appealing to many workers, not least those in technology and IT sectors. In addition, more flexible working conditions and the increase of staff working remotely has lead to a rise in the use of personal technology to conduct business.

That being said, the catch with BYOD is that many employees enact this policy without their employer’s knowledge. This obliviousness on behalf of the employer can be dangerous for an organisation’s data security, especially if workers are using personal devices to connect to a company network in an unregulated way. All the more reason therefore to have a formal BYOD policy in place.

So, here at the HR Department, we thought we would highlight 3 important things for employers to think about when it comes to implementing a BYOD policy:

1.  Make Sure the Policy is Crystal Clear

When considering going forward with a BYOD policy in the workplace, it is essential to have a well-defined, easily understood policy for all employees. It’s also vital to make sure all new hires are aware of the system in place. Here are a number of points which must be highlighted in any BYOD policy:

​- How company data is secured from departing employee devices
- How company data is stored and what access control measures will be in place
- How working time may change with any flexible working arrangements
- How a breach of BYOD rules will be disciplined
- How to opt-out of a BYOD policy

2. Beware of the Potential Costs

A BYOD policy can undoubtedly lead to greater workplace productivity - workers often feel more empowered and motivated when using their own devices. BYOD also has the potential to reduce company costs as it leads to reduced spending on hardware, software and device maintenance. Of course, companies don’t have to fork out to provide devices for their employees either. Despite this, it may in fact be costly for a company to ensure that a wide variety of personal devices are supported and integrated on a company’s network. Employers should make sure they weigh up the costs before implementing any policy. 

Finances aside, there could be another cost to a BYOD policy: data security. Ensuring there are measures in place if an employee’s device is lost or stolen is of paramount importance. It is also crucial that employees know exactly what procedure to follow should this happen in order to protect company data.
 
3. Stay Ahead of the Curve

To say that things are constantly changing in the tech world is an understatement.  The rate at which hackers are finding new ways of accessing sensitive data is alarming. It is therefore essential to constantly update a company BYOD policy to minimise any possible data loss or leak of secure company information. Keeping on top of your BYOD policy should be an on-going process which adapts to technological advances and prioritizes data security.

As it becomes increasingly difficult for employers to retain talent in the workplace it is more and more essential to harness a good company culture. Undoubtedly a clear BYOD policy plays a key role here. An effective policy can lead to happier, more productive staff who are more likely to stick around.

That being said BYOD may not suit every business and some employees may prefer to keep their personal and work devices separate. Employers should assess if their company, or indeed certain departments within their business, would benefit from BYOD and implement the policy as they see fit. Either way, it’s better for a company to be well versed in all aspects of BYOD than face the complications that arise from a lack of understanding in this area.
 
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