Episode 203: Generational Disconnect in the Trades: Proven Strategies to Lead and Retain Across Generations

If you’re constantly hiring but still coming up short, the issue might not be the labour market. It might be something deeper—a generational disconnect that’s quietly eroding trust, productivity, and retention.

In today’s trades workplaces, it’s common to see four generations working side by side. You’ve got veteran employees who’ve built the company’s foundation and younger workers who bring new skills and expectations to the table. When leaders don’t know how to bridge those differences, communication suffers, accountability slips, and your best people start walking out the door.

We see this play out all the time—especially in companies that promote top performers into leadership roles without giving them the tools to lead a multi-generational team. That’s where culture either grows stronger or starts to fracture.

In this episode of The People Strategy Podcast, Traci Austin sits with Kamber Parker Bowden, founder of Generational Performance Solutions, to talk about what trade organizations can do differently. Kamber brings hard-earned insight from over 5,000 interviews across 65+ industries—offering clear, actionable steps for creating a workplace where every generation feels seen, respected, and committed to the work.

This is a conversation about leadership in the real world—messy, human, and worth getting right.