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Our journey towards developing a mentoring partnership program model began about five years ago when we looked at the four generations in the workplace and examined how this situation affected employee productivity and performance levels. We realized that the intergenerational workforce was a key factor—with differences in communication and work styles—in sustaining employee engagement.

At the 2009 ASTD International Conference & Exposition, we presented “Sustaining Engagement & Succession Planning Through Intergenerational Conversations.” This presentation included two exercises: “Who Do You Think I Am?/Who I Am!” and “Intergenerational Communication Skills.”

The feedback we received encouraged our ideas and reinforced our assumption that generational relationships were changing. With additional presentations, we learned that people from different generations want to learn from each other. This was the onset of what eventually became the Mentoring Partnerships Model.

Increasingly, Boomers—the largest cohort of employees—are remaining in the workplace beyond the traditional retirement age, as are some Traditionalists. This trend is due to the existing fluid economy and increasing medical insurance costs. Additionally, people are living longer, remaining healthier, and desiring to keep active. The challenge for those who are extending their work years is understanding how to: