The most common things that unite different generations are family, sport and food - while politics and social media are the most divisive.
A poll of 2,000 adults found family events (65%), sport (55%) and food (51%) are most likely to bring different age groups together.
Whereas political views (32%), social media (29%) and fashion (22%) are the main things likely to divide them.
Research commissioned by AXA UK found six in 10 (60%) have friends from other generations, while 75% said they will always make time to speak to older people and learn from them.
The insurer partnered with Vanessa Feltz and her former Strictly partner James Jordan to show the positive impact of cross-generational friendships.
The duo have been friends and regularly spend time together since their stint on the dancing show, despite their 16 year age gap.
Vanessa said: “Some of the most rewarding friendships are the ones that span generations because they bring together different perspectives, experiences and ways of looking at the world.
“Whether you're sharing stories over a coffee, tackling a challenge together or simply catching up on life, those shared experiences have a way of bringing people closer, regardless of age.
“I've certainly learnt a lot from James over the years, and I'd like to think he's learnt a thing or two from me as well.
“It's easy to stay within our own age groups, but when we make connections with people from different generations, we open ourselves up to new ideas, fresh outlooks and friendships that can genuinely enrich our lives.”
The study also found 35% rarely, or never, spend time with people who are 15 years younger or older than them.
Learning new perspectives (42%), sharing skills and knowledge (39%) and becoming more open-minded (27%) were named as the biggest benefits of spending time with people from different generations.
And 49% said they enjoy activities more when they include people from different age groups.
Apart from work (34%) and family events (33%), Brits tend to spend the most time with people outside of their generation at sporting events (15%) and in the pub (14%).
Music was also a popular choice, with 46% of those questioned agreeing it’s something that traditionally brings people of all ages together.
The OnePoll.com study found 62% would like to complete a bucket list activity with someone from a different generation.
When it comes to working with people from different generations, 34% said having different perspectives was the biggest benefit, whereas 32% cited knowledge sharing.
More than a third (36%) said the government should prioritise expanding opportunities for on-the-job training and skills development to help cater for different generations.
And 80% said better sharing of skills, knowledge and experience between employees of different age groups can help improve productivity and support economic growth.
Tara Foley, CEO of AXA UK & Ireland, which created 'the generational dividend report’, said: “Every generation has something valuable to offer.
"Bringing people of different ages together strengthens not only families, but our workplaces and communities too. It creates opportunities for experience and fresh thinking to meet, and for all of us to learn from one another.
“80% of people we asked believe that sharing skills, knowledge and experience between colleagues of different ages can improve productivity and support economic growth.
“At a time when the UK is looking for new ways to grow and adapt, that is an opportunity we should embrace.
“We see the value of this every day. Our colleagues bring different experiences, perspectives and insights, helping us understand and serve our customers better.
“When people of all ages feel valued and able to contribute, we build stronger teams, generate better ideas and create a more inclusive society that is ready for the future.”
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