Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has seasoned over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the pace at which many of these changes have come about is no less striking.
One area of life that has not escaped these broad changes is the business domain. Modern businesses may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed commerce since it started, but many of the characteristics of a successful company trading in the contemporary world would seem foreign to businesses of the past.
An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to handle the different generations of people who make up their workforce.
This is partly due to the increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may remain with the same organisation into their late 60′s or early 70′s, and often as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting on the board.
There is also a need for a more diverse set of skills in the modern business surroundings, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a new way of thinking.
Problems
One of the most common challenges that face a modern business that is operating with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in our lives nowadays and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to external business factors such as the law. New laws and business best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their business. This can be said of sales and promotional channels that have emerged with the rise of the Web.
Beyond this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, psychological limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse needs and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is crucial to use premium industrial shelving by an assured manufacturer to keep the workforce safe.
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The Generations
The need to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the distinctions between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worthwhile taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in a modern business can be separated into the following four groups:
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, workers are the oldest that would be found in a modern corporate environment. They’re the people who were born before the Second World War, and will be in their late 60′s or early 70′s.
Their approach to business and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make individual sacrifices for the greater good, and whilst this belief was nurtured under the shadow of a global conflict, lots of the older generation still harbour this opinion in modern times.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior ranks within a company their views and beliefs will generally carry greater weight than those of younger generations. Their judgements will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt the future success or failure of the business. This disparity between modern thinking and business control requires direction.
Baby Boomers
The Baby Boomer generation includes those born between the end of the war and the mid- 60′s, when there was a general decline in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 roughly speaking and probably form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary business.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst previous generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are very family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the classic “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will often be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grip on modern advances in terms of technologies and business processes. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working effectively in teams, although it is often noted that they are not comfortable when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other employees. These communication problems can become very disruptive in a corporate setting.
Generation X
Members of Generation X were born between the mid- 60′s and the late- 70′s. They will be currently aged between 30 and 45 and will be spread amongst the various tiers of management within a modern company.
Socially they grew up in extremely stressful times. Careers were an ever more important and defining part of people’s lives and this was made clear to Generation X from a very early age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or perhaps two companies. They are expected to work long and hard hours and frequently both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and achieving short- term objectives but can struggle to grasp how their contribution influences the big picture. They will be motivated by monetary benefits rather than a sense of duty because they feel they have paid their dues through a life of learning and work. Generation X need close supervision to ensure their efficient contribution to the organisation.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born after 1980 and are the youngest collection of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social climate where being an extravert is seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and modern technical equipment. Whether it is a parent struggling to operate a new mobile phone, or a grandparent being genuinely confused about what the world wide web is, the void between the old and the new becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the modern organisation, problems involving technology can have very far reaching consequences. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from controlling payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a route for marketing. As such, an employee who’s not familiar with the technologies being used by an organisation is likely to find problems in many parts of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations in the workplace.
A similar principle can also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with emerging technologies and practices, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still carry out many of the critical functions of the organisation. Internal business procedures are rarely black and white so employees ideally need a range of technological skills and knowledge.
Physical limitations
There are clear physical factors that may influence how a successful company manages its workforce in regard to age. Older generations will by and large by physically inferior to their younger counterparts, and as such they will be less suited to roles that involve physical exertions.
Luckily, most of the older generations of worker will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these jobs reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical ability. It is however important to make sure that adequate support is given to any worker who struggles with the physical aspect of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to face. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more common since the widespread launch and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not great. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long durations of exposure to computer monitors can contribute to long- term eye damage. Tests are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the body.
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Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has obtained greater exposure over recent years and many more businesses have been made aware of the benefit of good generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at improving the working rapport between the business and its workers, no matter how old they may be.
If there are particular roles within your business that are most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to carry out the job. This kind of specialisation requires good organisational control.
There are a number of ways in which your business can learn about managing several generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the subject have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of useful information that can be obtained from these events can be of great benefit to an organisation.
There are also a lot of resources available on the Internet that discuss the problem in greater detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios.
If setting your own administrators the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem suitable there are many business gurus that now incorporate the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work collectively. They have grown up in different times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing.
Each generation is also motivated by different things, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be true that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it. The company must do what is best for its own success.
Modern organisations have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be fulfilled by just one of the generations discussed on this page. As is so frequently the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- employing the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly – through educated and empathetic management.
