Introduction
The degree 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 part of life that has not escaped these vast changes is the business world. Modern businesses 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 contemporary arena would seem alien to businesses from years gone by.
An interesting problem that modern companies face is how to handle the different generations of people who make up their workforce. This problem has been around for a long time, but as the needs of organisations change and the skills required have evolved, the differences among workers have become more pronounced.
This is partially 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 company 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 demand for a more diverse range of skills in the progressive business climate, triggered largely due to the swift development and wide reach of computer technology. Corporate processes, both internal and external, have undergone significant changes which require a fresh way of thinking.
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. Computer systems are commonplace in our lives nowadays and they form a vital piece of the corporate puzzle.
There are also generational issues when it comes to external business aspects such as the law. New laws and corporate best practices are emerging all of the time and key business decision makers must be aware of any that apply to their company.
Outside of this, there can be communication problems between different generations of worker, physical limitations of the older staff in an organisation and the need to fulfil a range of different wants and aspirations to keep an entire workforce satisfied.
Many businesses find that they possess a need of racking solutions across several departments of their organisation.
The Generations
The requirement to handle generations in the work environment may seem like an unnecessary task, but the differences between the generations of worker that are often found in business are worthwhile taking note of. The generations of worker that may be found in today’s business can be separated into the following four groups:
Traditionals
Mature, 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 beneath the shadow of an international conflict, many of the older generation still harbour this opinion nowadays.
Since many of the senior generation will hold senior ranks within a business their views and opinions will generally carry more 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.
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 decline in the birth rate around the globe. Baby Boomers will be aged between 45 and 65 approximately and probably 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 very family- oriented. They would be the parents of the traditional “nuclear family”.
When it comes to the workplace, this group of workers will frequently be able to grasp the bigger picture whilst still maintaining a grip on modern advances in terms of technologies and business procedures. Their family- oriented character tends to see them working effectively in teams, although it is often noted that they are not at ease when taking criticism(no matter how helpful) , and they are not good at providing feedback to other workers.
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 pointed out to Generation X from a very early age. Many will have worked up through lower and higher education prior to working their way up within one or maybe two companies.
Therefore, they are often very good at problem solving and meeting short- term objectives but can struggle to grasp how their contribution affects the big picture. They will be motivated by monetary benefits rather than a sense of duty since 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 company.
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 seldom frowned upon. They are most open to radical concepts and processes and find hyper- consumerism and aggressive promotion to be second nature.
Office supplies are a necessity for a clean operating enterprise so storage bins commonly accomplish a function to manage these resources.
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 Internet is, the void between the old and the new becomes very apparent when it comes to technology.
In regards to the modern business, issues involving technology can have very far reaching implications. Computers are critical to many aspects of business, from controlling 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 an organisation is likely to find difficulties in many parts of the business.
A similar principle may also be applied in reverse. The younger generations may be very comfortable with new technologies and routines, but may lack knowledge of the other systems that still perform many of the critical functions of the organisation.
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 consequently they will be less suited to roles that require physical exertions.
Fortunately, most of the older generations of employee will have advanced to senior levels of management within the organisation 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 worker who struggles with the physical side of their role.
Modern ailments
Modern businesses are faced with physical problems that companies of the past would not have had to face. Complaints like RSI, or repetitive strain injury, have become much more common since the widespread launch and use of personal computer keyboards.
The desk setting itself can create a number of problems if the ergonomics of any specific workstation are not good. Back problems and joint problems can develop after long intervals of sitting incorrectly, and long periods 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 contemporary workplace on the body.
The quantity of workplace accidents including office furniture increases gradually as more time is spent by employees at work.
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 good 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 workers, no matter how old they may be.
If there are specific jobs within your business that are best suited to a particular generation then it is often beneficial to only use members of that generation to carry out the job. This kind of specialisation demands good organisational management.
There are a number of ways in which your business can learn about managing different generations of staff. Seminars dedicated to the topic have become a more common event in recent times, and the amount of practical information that can be obtained from these events 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.
If setting your own managers the job of learning about generations within the workplace does not seem appropriate there are many business consultants that now include the idea of generational management into their practice. Employing their services could be the most prudent way to address your own corporate circumstances.
Conclusion
Different generations of employee can find it difficult to work together. They have grown up in distinct times and learnt about a planet that has been constantly changing. There are not simply concerns when it comes to the language used for communication, but issues of manners as well as etiquette.
Each generation is also stimulated by different factors, and have come from different social upbringings. It will rarely be the case that one solution can be used across a multitude of generations but it is also crucial that you make sure that your company does not micro- manage different age groups working for it.
Modern businesses 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 often the case, the path to success depends upon finding a balance between the generations- utilising the strengths, mitigating the weaknesses and motivating accordingly – through informed and empathetic management.