Introduction
The extent of change that the planet has experienced over the past 50 years is a staggeringly high amount, and the speed at which many of these changes have come about is no less impressive. These changes have touched nearly every aspect of our lives beyond our basic physical needs and have had a profound impact on how we live our day to day lives.
One area of life which has not escaped these vast changes is the business domain. Modern companies may operate within the same underlying principles of profitability that have governed business since it started, but many of the traits of a successful organisation trading in the modern world would seem foreign to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern businesses face is how to manage the different generations of individuals who make up their workforce.
This is partly due to the ever increasing life expectancy of humans, particularly in first world countries, which consequently prompts an ever increasing retirement age. Since people work to a later point in their lives, they may stay with the same organisation into their late 60’s or early 70’s, and sometimes 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 climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and extensive reach of computer technology. Business processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking. These modern ways of thinking are most commonly found within the younger working generation.
Problems
One of the most typical challenges that face a modern enterprise that is working with a number of different generations in its workforce is related to technology. Computers are commonplace in each of our lives these days and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle. This computing power can help businesses to run more efficiently, but they are only as capable as the people who operate them.
There are also generational issues when it comes to outward business factors such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are being created 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 emerged with the rise of the Web.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of employee, physical limitations of the older personnel in an organisation and the need to satisfy a range of diverse wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce happy.
Many businesses find that they have a demand of racking products across numerous departments of their organisation.
The Generations
The need 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 worth taking note of.
Traditionals
Mature, or “traditional”, employees are the oldest that would be found in a modern business environment. They are 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 individual sacrifices for the greater good, and while this belief was nurtured beneath the shadow of a global conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the mature generation will hold senior ranks within a business their views and opinions will generally carry greater weight than those of younger generations. Their decisions will often be fundamental to the business and sculpt the future success or failure of the organisation. This difference between modern thinking and business influence requires management.
Baby Boomers
The Baby Boomer generation includes those born between the end of the war and the mid- 60’s, while there was a general down turn in the birth rate around the world. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and are likely to form the vast majority of management jobs within a modern company.
This generation grew up without much of the oppression and discipline that was commonplace amongst earlier generations. They are an aspirational collection of people that are highly family- oriented. They would be the mother and father of the traditional “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture while still maintaining a grip 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 noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how constructive) , 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 spread amongst the various levels of management within a modern company.
Socially they grew up in extremely demanding times. Careers were an ever more important and defining part of people’s lives and this was pointed out 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 challenging hours and often 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 may 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 study 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 group of people currently at work. They have borne witness to a changing social climate where being an extravert is rarely frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and procedures and find hyper- consumerism and relatively competitive marketing to be second nature.
The smooth day to day running of a company can often rely on uninteresting factors akin to storage bins which are overlooked far too often because they are mundane.
The Working Environment
Technology
We are all familiar with the gap between the elderly generations and contemporary 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 newer organisation, issues involving technology might have very far reaching consequences. 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 difficulties in many parts of the business. This introduces the challenge of managing generations within the work environment.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations might 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 business.
Physical limitations
There are obvious physical aspects that may affect how a successful company manages its workers 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 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 understanding and experience rather than physical capability.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical conditions that companies of the past would not have had to confront. Complaints such as RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more common since the widespread introduction and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk environment itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any particular workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long periods of sitting incorrectly, and long periods of exposure to computer screens can contribute to long- term eye impairment. Studies are on- going to investigate the full scale of the impact of the contemporary place of work on the body.
Fashion and business seldom combine though office furniture frequently generates informal fights between businesses to determine who is most fashionable.
Solutions
The control of generations in the workplace has obtained more exposure over recent years and many additional companies have been made aware of the benefit of effective generational management. This has spawned several new ideas and routines that are in one way or another aimed at developing the working relationship between the business and its workers, no matter how old they are.
If there are specific 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 management. 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 practical advice that can be obtained from these occasions can be of special 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 different ideas for tackling various scenarios. Every company has individual needs and a unique workforce so it may take time before you uncover the correct management approach for your organisation.
If setting your own administrators the job of learning about generations within the office does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants 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 constantly changing.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from various social upbringings. It will rarely be the case that one solution can be applied across numerous generations but it is also important to make sure that your business does not micro- manage the different age groups working for it.
Contemporary organisations have a varied 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- employing the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly - through informed and empathetic direction.
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