Age Diversity: How age diverse is OTTO?
Old and young in one team - isn't chaos inevitable? Quite the opposite: Leonie Koch, lead of our cross-generation network #experienced, and OTTO Executive Katy Roewer talk about old, young and the great opportunity of age diversity
Age diversity is about much more than just including older employees. Dr. Leonie Koch, co-founder of our cross-generational network #experienced, explains why age diversity is so relevant: "Age is something that affects everyone - no matter how old a person is. We all bring different experiences with us due to our age, can benefit from the different perspectives and learn from each other. In many basic attitudes, the so-called generations don't differ that much - all people want respect and appreciation, all generations seek self-efficacy and flexibility in the job and in the team." And that's what it's all about: appreciative cooperation between all generations - regardless of age.
But the crucial thing is: In many basic attitudes, the so-called generations do not differ that much - all people want respect and appreciation, all generations seek self-efficacy and flexibility in the job and in the team.
Is OTTO doing enough to be age-diverse? "Creating exchange and ensuring knowledge transfer is what matters. We are well on the way here," says Katy Roewer, OTTO Executive Vice President Service & HR - and emphasizes how important it is not to forget older employees: "As an employer, we must succeed in taking older employees along with us and providing them with targeted support and encouragement. This includes offers for lifelong learning, flexible and individually controllable work models, comprehensive health management and models for so-called late careers."
The cross-generation network #experienced at OTTO also aims to deepen networking between the generations. Its vision: to promote successful cooperation between all generations. Since 2018, the network has been shaping age-friendly togetherness and championing the wishes and needs of the 50+ generation. But the network wants to create even more: Together with Beiersdorf and the regional demography network ddn Hamburg with contacts to business, science and politics, #experienced has launched the cooperation CHANGEMAKER50+. Their common goal is to make age diversity even more accessible in Hamburg. Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil was already able to convince the initiative: He recently awarded CHANGEMAKER50+ with a prize as "Innovative Network 2022". Katy Roewer says: "I am proud of what #experienced achieves. By consciously drawing attention to the 50+ community in this way, we're getting a lot closer to real, lived age diversity, and not just at OTTO."
Lifelong learning is particularly important to Leonie and her network. Accordingly, they have a positive view of TechUcation, the Otto Group's learning ecosystem - an initiative explicitly aimed at all employees of all ages. Leonie emphasizes: "Continuing education must be offered to everyone. But the formats are important: Not every offer is suitable for every age. That's why, in addition to general offerings, I would also like to see explicit formats that are age-specific - both technically and in terms of content. That's already working well, but there's still room for improvement." Leonie cites the topic of image and word choice as an example: It happens that many English synonyms are used or that younger people are often depicted on image material. This can lead to older employees not feeling sufficiently addressed, she says. "Awareness of age diversity must be more firmly anchored in key positions, such as in management, recruiting or corporate communications. This is the only way that age diversity can reach the entire company."
