Workforce Age Diversity Management and Intergenerational Collaboration in Nigerian Manufacturing Firms

This study examines workforce age diversity management and its implications for intergenerational collaboration in Nigerian manufacturing firms, focusing on companies in Ogun and Lagos States, South West Nigeria. Nigerian manufacturing workforces are becoming increasingly age-diverse, with experienced workers from pre-digital generations working alongside younger Millennial and Gen Z employees with different work values, communication preferences, and technological fluencies. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, with 190 employees across four generational cohorts, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, selected from eight manufacturing companies through stratified random sampling. A validated Intergenerational Collaboration Scale and a researcher-developed Age Diversity Management Index serve as the primary instruments. The Generational Cohort Theory and Social Contact Theory provide the theoretical frameworks. Findings reveal that manufacturing firms that actively manage age diversity, through mixed-age team structures, reverse mentoring programmes, and cross-generational knowledge transfer initiatives, demonstrate higher collaboration effectiveness scores and lower generational friction. The study also identifies differing preferences in communication modes, decision-making styles, and authority relations as the primary sources of intergenerational tension. Younger workers report lower perceived inclusion in strategic conversations, while older workers report frustration with rapid technology-driven process changes. Recommendations include structured reverse mentoring exchanges, age-inclusive communication policies, and intergenerational awareness training for supervisors. Keywords: Age Diversity, Intergenerational Collaboration, Manufacturing, Workforce Management, Nigeria.