Introduction
The degree of change that the world 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 part 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 traits of a successful organisation trading in the contemporary arena would seem foreign to businesses of the past.
An interesting issue that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of people who make up their staff.
This is partially due to the increasing life expectancy of people, particularly in first world nations, which in turn prompts an ever increasing retirement age. As people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same company into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and sometimes as hands- on workers rather than simply sitting at the board.
There is also a demand 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. Business processes, both internal and external, have been subject to significant changes which require a new way of thinking. These new ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most common problems that face a modern business that is operating with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives these days and they form a pivotal piece of the business puzzle.
There are also generational problems when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and important business decision makers need to be aware of any that apply to their company. This can be said of sales and promotional channels that have come forth with the rise of the Internet.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy. In a warehouse environment it is critical to use premium industrial shelving off of a quality manufacturer to keep the workforce secure.
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The Generations
The requirement to manage generations in the workplace may seem like an unneeded task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are commonly found in business are worthwhile taking note of. The generations of employee that may be found in today’s business can be separated into the following four groups:
Traditionals
Senior, or “traditional”, employees 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 industry and life in general is one of organisation and obedience. They were expected to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, and while 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 senior generation will hold senior positions within a business their views and opinions will generally carry more 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.
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 are likely to form the vast majority of management roles within a contemporary company.
This generation grew up without a lot of the oppression and discipline that was more normal amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented.
When it comes to the work environment, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grasp on modern advances in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working well in teams, although it is often observed that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at giving feedback to other workers. These communication problems can become very disruptive in a business 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 distributed amongst the various levels of management within a modern business.
Socially they grew up in extremely demanding 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 young age. Many will have progressed through lower and higher education before working their way up within one or maybe two businesses. They are expected to work long and challenging hours and often both parties in a marriage or relationship will have careers.
As such, 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 management to ensure their effective contribution to the company.
Generation NeXt
This generation were born since 1980 and are the youngest collection of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social environment where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
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The Working Environment
Technology
Everyone is familiar with the gap between the older generations and modern technological 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 is made very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the newer organisation, problems involving technology might have very far reaching implications. Computers are vital to many aspects of business, from operating payroll, to perform core tasks and even providing a channel for promotion. As such, an employee who is not familiar with the systems being used by a company is likely to find problems in many parts of the corporation. This presents the challenge of managing generations within 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 older systems that still perform many of the critical functions of the business.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical aspects that may influence how a successful company manages its workforce in regard to age. Elderly generations will by and large by physically inferior to their younger counterparts, and as such they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions. There will be exceptions to this in lots of companies, however as a generalisation it is true.
Luckily, most of the older generations of employee will have advanced to senior levels of management within the business they work for, and these roles reward based upon knowledge and experience rather than physical capability. It is however important to make sure that proper support is given to any employee who struggles with the physical side of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to face. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become more frequent since the widespread introduction and use of computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself may create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular 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. Studies are on- going to look into the full scale of the impact of the modern workplace on the human body.
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Solutions
The management of generations in the workplace has received more exposure over recent years and many additional companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned a number of new ideas and practices that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working relationship between the business and its workforce, no matter how old they may be.
If there are particular jobs within your business that are most appropriate for a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only get members of that generation to perform the job. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational control. It will also be necessary to pass the knowledge on from generation to generation when your workforce ages.
There are a number of ways in which your business can learn about managing several generations of employee. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of useful advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of great benefit to an organisation.
There are also many resources available on the Internet that discuss the matter in more detail, and draw together a range of unique ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every company has different needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you find the correct management approach for your company.
If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business gurus that now include the idea of generational management into their practice.
Conclusion
Different generations of worker can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a world that has been continually changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from different 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 business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
Contemporary businesses have a diverse range of skills requirements and these requirements simply cannot be satisfied by just one of the generations discussed in this article. As is so frequently the case, the route to success depends upon discovering a balance between the generations- utilising the advantages, mitigating the weaknesses and encouraging accordingly - through informed and empathetic management.