From Gen Z to Boomers
6 Lessons on designing internal events that speak to all generations.
With four generations now coexisting in the workplace – Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers – internal events have become increasingly complex. Approximately a third of the UK workforce sits at either the younger end (Gen Z) or older end (Boomer) of the generational spectrum, requiring organisations to navigate diverse expectations, communication styles, and priorities.
How can leaders design internal events that bridge these generational divides to foster engagement, inspire action, and enhance company culture?
To explore this challenge, we gathered leaders in internal communications and events for a roundtable discussion.
The session, led by EC’s Marketing Director Abby Hartley and Strategist Rob Sellers, featured expert insights from Martin Fitzpatrick, Employee Communications & Engagement Director at Ericsson, and Charlotte Mist, Director of Global Events at Elsevier.
1. Engage individuals, not stereotypes
Broad generational assumptions, like Gen Z’s digital obsession or Baby Boomers’ organisational loyalty, can provide some context for internal events, but they should never dictate your entire approach. If they do, you might end up surprised.
Fitzpatrick shared an example from a previous role, where he assumed younger employees would prefer a digital event. Postevent research revealed the opposite: younger team members would have preferred it to be in-person so they could physically participate and add value in real time, while older generations appreciated saving time and travel.
“Generalisations can only get you so far,” Fitzpatrick said. Instead of relying on stereotypes, you need to get to know your workforce as the individuals they are.
2. Internal audience insights are just as essential as customer insights
Whether internal or external facing, all successful events start with a strong understanding of your desired audience. To achieve that, you must invest in research.
Fortunately, today’s tools make it easier than ever to investigate the wants and needs of your internal audience. Data can be sourced through HR analytics, pulse surveys, or post-event feedback forms, and although these data sets can feel unwieldy, AI makes pulling insights much more manageable.
Qualitative input, such as focus groups, can add further depth. Combining the force of tech with human feedback creates the most accurate team personas, ensuring your event strategy is grounded in a genuine understanding of your workforce.
As Fitzpatrick said: “The better you know your audience, the easier it is to understand how and where you’re going to generate the greatest value from your event.”
3. Create FOMO to drive attendance
Attendance was a key concern for many at the table, with the threshold for employee participation now far higher than in the past. Gone are the days of assuming automatic buy-in – people are time-poor and overwhelmed with content. So to drive attendance, we must appeal to their psychological drivers.
We know from behavioural science that we naturally value things more highly when we believe they are either scarce or desired by others. At EC, we’ve crafted one of our four experience design principles – Curated Exclusivity – around this fundamental human truth. It’s all about creating FOMO (the fear of missing out).
To create FOMO effectively, you need to consider your audience. Gen Z are social media natives, for instance, so prompting attendees to upload their post-event thoughts, photos, and videos on channels like TikTok and LinkedIn can boost this cohort’s attendance to your next event. Boomers, on the other hand, might be more intrigued by a lineup of exclusive, senior-level speakers.
With clever planning, we can boost the perceived value of an event and vastly increase the chances of a high turn-out.
4. Match your format to your audience
Once you’ve gathered your insights, you need to shape your event format to suit the preferences of your audience – whether it’s the venue, technology, or programme.
Different demographics respond better to different venues. Traditional conference centres and hotels may suit older audiences, while younger employees often favour trendy, modern spaces. The key is to choose a venue that strikes the right balance and make it welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for everyone.
Tech expectations also vary. Younger audiences demand seamless digital experiences, while older attendees may appreciate the same tools but might need clearer communication on how to use them. Ensure your messaging reflects generational needs.
Finally, when scheduling, event programmes should be as exciting and engaging as in a B2C event. Given today’s shorter attention spans, bite-sized sessions can engage all generations better. For younger cohorts, diversity in speakers and programming is nonnegotiable – one attendee recalled hosting an event that failed to resonate with this audience due to a lack of representation.
5. Maximise the value of your content
Time spent thinking about your content strategy is time well spent. Content is often your second biggest cost after production, so it’s crucial to maximise its value – before, during, and after the event.
For a multigenerational workforce, content must cater to diverse preferences at each stage of the event lifecycle. This often means using multiple formats and platforms to ensure effective engagement.
Mist highlighted the importance of tailoring post-event content to audience preferences. While it’s tempting to focus on flashy digital content, older generations often prefer PDFs or intranet summaries, whereas digital natives lean towards app-based content or videos.
“You can extend the shelf life of your event content by leveraging all the channels your audience engages with,” Mist said. Offering a mix of compelling formats ensures your content resonates with everyone and keeps your message impactful long after the event concludes.
6. Feedback is key to measuring effectiveness across generations
Measuring event success often feels daunting, especially when it involves proving intangible outcomes. How do you link an increase in long-term employee happiness back to your event, for instance?
Feedback is essential to bridging this gap. Mist shared how she used follow-up surveys throughout the year following an internal Sales Kickoff (SKO), tracking how much of a new sales method attendees remembered and applied.
However, gathering feedback can be challenging, particularly across generations. Just as they differ in content and communication preferences, older employees can favour face-toface discussions and physical forms, while younger employees are often more comfortable with quick digital solutions like apps or email links.
“You’ll never get 100% of people responding, but adopting a multiformat approach definitely improved our response rate,” Mist said.
Want to create internal events that resonate across generations?
Get in touch to find out how we can help.
