But it did. Shaw soon discovered that not everyone was comfortable with the increasingly age-diverse make-up of the team. “I had a colleague in his mid-50s who was quite traditional,” says Shaw. “He found it challenging working with younger people at the same level.”

Eventually, Shaw had to step in and speak to both colleagues. It was only by asking one side to “slow down and find different examples”, and the other to “accept the other person’s skills and experience”, that they could work together productively.

Shaw recalls: “I was surprised by the diplomacy and depth of the conversation I had to use to get the relationship to work.”

But it did. Shaw soon discovered that not everyone was comfortable with the increasingly age-diverse make-up of the team. “I had a colleague in his mid-50s who was quite traditional,” says Shaw. “He found it challenging working with younger people at the same level.”

Eventually, Shaw had to step in and speak to both colleagues. It was only by asking one side to “slow down and find different examples”, and the other to “accept the other person’s skills and experience”, that they could work together productively.

Shaw recalls: “I was surprised by the diplomacy and depth of the conversation I had to use to get the relationship to work.”

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Managed correctly, a multi-generational workforce has huge advantages, says Alistair Gosling, founder of paid-for TV channel Extreme Sports Channel.

Gosling relies on a core team of young employees for “passion and energy” and a smaller team of older, more senior, employees to keep the business running smoothly. “It’s a wonderful mix of enthusiasm married with the grounding that comes with the experience of age,” says Gosling.

The entrepreneur admits that clashes do occur. Planning meetings can involve younger colleagues wanting to “throw it all open for discussion”, while more experienced colleagues are set on tried-and-tested approaches. It’s his job to facilitate these discussions so that, ultimately, the best is brought out in everyone.

“The age gap is very helpful,” he adds. “If you only have people in their 20s and 30s, they tend to go head to head, whereas the older crew are calmer and more chilled. I really value working with people over 60, and who are near retirement. They have this wonderful, calm demeanour – it’s hugely valuable.”

The Welsh government agrees. In May 2017, it launched its age-awareness campaign, People Don’t Have A Best Before Date, to highlight the importance of older workers and the value of a multi-generational workforce.

“Older workers often have valuable skills and experience gained over a lifetime and if businesses don’t start taking steps now these could be lost when they choose to retire,” says Eluned Morgan, minister for Welsh language and lifelong learning.

Like Gosling, Morgan believes a combination of older and younger workers can boost productivity because each generation brings different skills and talents to the table. “Older workers can draw on a lifetime of experience, while younger workers may challenge strategies and bring fresh perspective,” she says.

1. Talk about age

“Make sure conscious and unconscious bias is on the training agenda,” says Matthew Davies, business coach and founder of professional development consultancy Power The Change. “Inclusion and diversity workshops can put the spotlight on how individuals view age.”

Dr Nachmias agrees; line managers need more training and development to help them challenge stereotypes and biases, and raise awareness of age diversity in the workplace.

2. Make rules for conduct and communication

Conduct and communication are areas prone to inter-generational discord – with young people often lacking the diplomacy and soft skills developed through age and experience. To avoid this, managers should make the implicit, explicit believes Shaw. “You need to set the expectations in the workplace and make sure people are brought into those behaviours and understand why they’re important,” says the CEO, who has developed a handbook of rules for using communication methodologies.

3. Treat people fairly, if not equally

As controversial as it may sound, Raymond advises her clients to roll out extra training for older employees. “It’s about treating people fairly, which may mean not treating them equally,” she says. “If we have an older workforce that isn’t as IT savvy as, say, an 18 year old, making extra support and training available will get them up to speed.”

4. Make time for knowledge sharing

Put on specific lunch sessions where the older workforce can share insight and wisdom on a particular subject, project or work initiative, suggests Raymond. “Older workers can provide valuable wisdom to the younger workforce and this can be demonstrated through specific lunch time sessions.”

5. Mix up your teams

Like Gosling, Davies believes that multi-generational teams are valuable asset. “Impatience from younger generations can often mean that decisions are made impulsively and without due diligence,” says the business coach. “Experience and wisdom are underrated – constructive dissent can be a good thing!”