Intergenerational communications teams are now standard, with up to five generations working together. Managed well, this diversity enhances judgment and creativity. Handled poorly, it can cause friction, bias and talent loss.
This intergenerational communications team report by Hanson Search and The Work Crowd shares insights from over 200 senior leaders, exploring how intergenerational teams reshape hiring, progression and culture.
Communications Hiring and Leadership: What Senior Leaders Told Us
Communications teams are already multi-generational. The real question is whether leaders are designing hiring and progression with that reality in mind.
Key findings
- 87% work in or manage multi-generational communications teams
- Skills and experience rank as the top hiring criteria
- Nearly half have experienced age-based stereotyping
- Most organisations believe they could do more to strengthen intergenerational culture
Why Generational Diversity Matters for Communications Performance
Communications teams are facing greater scrutiny than at any point in recent years. Reputational issues now escalate quickly, often shaped by political and geopolitical pressures. At the same time, technology and AI continue to change how influence is built and measured. Against that backdrop, thinking around age and progression has often remained unchanged. Strong teams are not shaped by seniority alone. What matters more is judgement, capability and clear expectations.
This report looks at how leaders are adapting hiring and culture to reflect that reality.
What You Will Gain from the 2026 Communications Report
- A benchmark for your communications hiring criteria and interview approach
- Insight into where age bias most commonly appears across communications careers
- Practical approaches to mentoring and cross-generational collaboration
- A framework for building communications culture around contribution rather than age
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