As Gen Z enters the workforce in ever-increasing numbers, the generational gap between top management and new employees has never been wider. Even executives who make a concerted effort to stay up to date on emerging workplace and market trends often find it hard to stay informed. This could explain why 77% of Gen Zers said that “having a Millennial manager remains the preference over a Gen X or Baby Boomer,” according to a 2018 survey. Moreover, this marks an increase of 10% from the previous year.
In many ways, today's companies are challenged on how to successfully integrate younger generations into their workforce, as well as stay ahead of disruption in the new digital marketplace. A “shadow board,” sometimes called a “mirror board,” which is a group of age-diverse employees, regardless of level, that mirrors the traditional board of directors and embodies true diversity of thought, can offer an organized remedy to address both challenges.
So what exactly is a shadow board, and what benefits could one bring to your organization?
The Makings Of A Shadow Board
When assembling a shadow board, organizations should look for a diverse group that represents a gender balance as well as various backgrounds and departments within the organization. Experts also suggest looking beyond the existing pool of identified “high potentials” within an organization. Opening applications to all employees offers a way to engage a diverse representation of team members across the organization and to identify talent that may have been flying under the radar.
For maximum impact, shadow boards should have the same number of members as the organization's actual board. Even though it's tempting to add several mid- and senior-level members to the group, a successful shadow board should be almost exclusively made up of Gen Y and Gen Z employees. When the goal is to drive a younger perspective into the organization, why water it down?
How Shadow Boards Drive Cultural Change And Digital Transformation
It's human nature to make assumptions, but when senior management parlays them into organizational changes without consultation, it can greatly affect morale and productivity. For instance, they may assume all members of Gen Y and Gen Z prefer to work virtually or be tethered to their phones, when in fact, 72% of Gen Z respondents said they want to communicate face to face in one expert's poll.
Driving cultural change and digital transformation into organizations simultaneously is one of the most challenging processes of the current era in business. Actively engaging the members of an organization who will be most affected by proposed changes can immensely increase the chance of success by uniting and engaging team members on a common journey of transformation as opposed to a top-down approach.
Inspiring A New, Digitally Driven Customer Experience
Rather than dictating company policy from on high, traditional board members also have the opportunity to stay in closer touch with the younger segment of their workforce through a shadow board. When they get a report of expectations and preferences directly from frontline employees on the shadow board, executive board members can support an employee experience that will in turn drive increased market success.
Shadow boards can also contribute feedback, opinions and ideas about a brand's product development, marketing and online experience from a digital native perspective. Like millennials, Gen Z has a nose for authenticity, and with their input, companies can create the experiences needed for brands to connect with consumers and stand out among the competition.
The Benefits To Emerging Talent
Shadow board roles should also be considered professional development opportunities, given the access to often restricted or confidential company information and results and the opportunity to inform high-level strategic decisions. Additionally, there are ample networking opportunities with leaders and executives as well as co-workers in business units across the organization. This type of career development will drive engagement in existing employees, but can also help attract talent when communicated through recruitment materials.
Keys To Shadow Board Success
There's no prescribed duration for a shadow board to be effective, but like any internal employee program, it's important to create a process to evaluate its success and continually inject new energy into the program. Companies can choose to set limited board member terms, tackle a wide variety of challenges to address from different areas of the business or continually evolve how meetings are conducted or how feedback is implemented.
Above all, for a shadow board to be successful, the company's executive board and leadership team must be “on board” with the concept, even offering formal sponsorship of the program. It's also vital to see the shadow board all the way through. Initiating a shadow board and then disregarding its input and feedback will erode any benefits associated with creating one in the first place. As mentioned before, Gen Zers can detect authenticity a mile away, so be aware that the reverse is also true.
